NST and Blood Pressure

🌻Jen🌹

So, the last three appointments I have had, my blood pressure has been up. Not crazy high, but high enough for concern. However, they have been nice enough to measure it again before I leave and it is usually going back to normal.

Today, I had an appointment with a midwife rather than a doctor, and I haven't had her before. She went all Dooms Day on me for my blood pressure being high. I tried to explain to her that I get myself anxious which tends to raise it. She said 3 times in a row was cause for concern, that I am now high risk, will likely be placed on modified bed rest, and that I needed to go immediately to Labor and Delivery for monitoring. Talk about sending me into a tail spin.

I called my husband crying, told him he needed to come meet me at the hospital and went over. The staff there was great and worked hard to try to calm me and ease my worries a bit. My urine came back 100% fine, as always. The nurse talked to me for a it before hooking me up to the BP monitor and the baby monitor. My first BP at the hospital was something like 135/83. Already lower from my visit earlier. It continued to decline as I relaxed and my final BP reading before they unhooked me was 117/74. They ran lab work on my blood and urine, both of which came back perfect. I have to collect my urine for 24 hours and go back in on Wednesday for them to run labs on it and do another NST.

I feel like my blood pressure spikes are completely anxiety related...especially since my numbers were so good during the NST.

They talked about the possibility of hypertension... spoke of trying to get me to 37 weeks... but I don't understand if my numbers look good over the long run. I will find out more on Wednesday.

Anyone else have similar experiences? Any suggestions on how to manage pre-appointment anxiety so my BP isn't elevated every time?