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'I'm afraid of GPs in white jackets'
A LEYLAND author wants to hear from people who suffer from a little known condition that causes patients to have high blood pressure in the doctor's surgery but nowhere else.
It's known as 'white coat syndrome' and Edna Lydiate, 67, wants to write a book about it.
Edna, who was herself diagnosed with the condition in 2006, has previously had a number of adult and children's short stories published and hopes her book will help doctors and other sufferers to understand white coat syndrome better.
She said: "I hardly ever go to the doctors because I'm very fit and healthy, but when I had this flu bug they just happened to test my blood pressure and it was twice what it should have been."
The doctor was puzzled, as Edna was in excellent health apart from the bug. She was told to take her own readings at home, which came back at a normal level.
But when Edna next had her blood pressure taken after banging her head, it rose dramatically as the strap tightened around her arm.
A further test several months later was so erratic that the machine would not give a reading.
The danger of white coat syndrome is it can give misleading blood pressure readings and result in a misleading diagnosis.
Experts believe it can be caused by a patient being anxious about being in a medical environment.
Edna added: "People don't seem to like talking about white coat syndrome but each individual has slightly different symptoms. That's why I want to write about it and find out if there are any other sufferers in Leyland who I can include in my writing.
"I am sure whatever I write will help doctors and patients. I've gone through hell with this. "
If you suffer from white coat syndrome and would like to help with the book, contact Edna Lydiate on 01772 621237.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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