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Yesterday I had my regular checkup with my oncologist. I will just refer to him as Dr. Anxiety because every time I am there my blood pressure goes up, my heart rate increases and I get really sweaty. Yes, Dr. Anxiety is a young attractive doctor, but I only wish that were why my body has this reaction to my visit with him.
As long as I can remember I have had what is referred to as “white coat syndrome”. Basically, anytime I am in a clinical setting my blood pressure and anxiety increases. This, of course, has to be confirmed by monitoring blood pressure outside of the clinical setting to verify there is indeed no issues with high blood pressure.
This syndrome became a very serious health concern back in 2016 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, from the scans, doctor visits, surgeries and sitting in a chemo chair, I consistently was being asked if I had issues with my blood pressure.
I remember having my first breast cancer surgery and when I awoke from anesthesia my pulse and blood pressure were off the charts. Three doses of medicine to get it under control wasn’t working. I thought for sure I wasn’t making it out of the post-op room. I kindly asked the doctors to turn off the beeping machines and get out of my face, five minutes later I was cool, calm and collected.
So how did I deal with anxiety when visiting the doctor, you ask? Well, I am sure that specific time it could greatly be attributed to the medication, but using my breathing techniques was ultimately what got me through that terrifying moment. Over the years I have found methods for helping me with my “white coat syndrome” and anxiety issues in a clinical setting or really any stressful situation in which I feel my blood pressure increase or my anxiety flare up.
The best and easiest method to help with my anxiety in these situations are my breathing techniques. When feeling anxious, we may not even be aware of it but we are usually taking rapid, shallow breaths from the chest. Chest breathing causes an upset in the oxygen and carbon dioxide flow and causes an increased heart rate, dizziness and other symptoms.
There are many variations of breathing exercises including diaphragmatic breathing, or abdominal breathing, meditation breathing, counting breaths… the list goes on. Not every style works for every person, so you may have to experiment to find what works for you.
Another quick fix for me is essential oils. Carrying a little vial of lavender or peppermint to sniff or place on my temples, under my nose and on my wrists usually helps calm me. There are several other essential oils that are terrific for stress and anxiety, these are just the two that I consistently have in my home.
The last tool in my arsenal for these situations is a homeopathic remedy is Hyland’s Nerve Tonic. I have used homeopathic remedies for years for various conditions. If you aren’t familiar with homeopathy, homeopathy is an alternative therapy based on the belief the body can cure itself. Now, I believe there is a time and place for conventional medicine, but when I can use therapies that work and have no side-effects, I do. So for those moments that I am stressed and full of anxiety, like when I visit the doctor, the nerve tonic has saved the day.
So if you ever cross paths with a Dr. Anxiety I hope one of these methods I shared today will help you through your visit. Comment below if you would like to share your methods to deal with anxiety.
