It has been quite the week around here. Last week, we had company; John’s boss and our friend, Z, stayed here for the week. It was kind of nice having another woman to chat with. She was wonderful company and I know I enjoyed her stay.
She left on Tuesday morning and I took the morning off to go to the doctor as my prescriptions were about to run out.
I have high blood pressure, have had for a number of years. Even with medication, it’s still on the high side and it’s been bothering me. I want it within normal range and that just hasn’t been happening, so I asked my doctor about taking my meds at a different time of day. I’d read a couple of articles about that; basically, it seems that for some people, taking the meds at a different time of day can make a difference in the efficacy of their drugs. His response was that, yes, it might make a difference but he would want to do a 24-hour bp monitoring to see when it would be best for me to take my meds. In order for that to happen, I would have to rent a bp monitor; after 24 hours, the information would be downloaded and transferred to my doctor’s office. I decided to go for it. After all, my health is important.
All went well with the monitor. It would take my blood pressure every half hour during the day and every hour during the night. By noon the next day, I’d be returning the monitor back to the pharmacy and getting my deposit back. That is how it was supposed to go. However…
Just before 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, a co-worker and I were chatting and I had a sudden dizzy spell so strong that it nearly knocked me off my feet. Then my heart started to race… and I do mean race (another co-worker clocked my pulse at over 200 bpm!). I sat down and rested a bit; then I called John to come pick me up so I could return the bp monitor because I did not trust myself to drive. After returning the monitor, John took me home as my heart was still beating way faster than it should have been. While at home, Z called and John explained to her what was happening; she apparently told John to get me to the hospital right away.
Well, the upshot of all of this was that I spent the night in the hospital, going through a battery of tests that included half the blood sucked out of my body (not really, but that’s what it felt like), numerous EKG’s, a CT scan, an ultrasound of my heart, a treadmill stress test, an IV, and who knows what else. Twenty-four hours after being admitted, I was released from the hospital with my meds adjusted and two more added. I did not suffer a heart attack as they thought at first that I might have, thankfully, but had what the cardiologist called a “hypertensive arrhythmia”. Basically, my heart was telling me it wasn’t happy with my blood pressure.
Where do I go from here? We already have a pretty healthy diet; John and I both cook and we both enjoy good, healthy food… fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden or our own freezer, very little in the way of processed or pre-packaged foods, lean meats (well, except for the fat cap on a good roast), hearty breads and the like. I do know I need to get this body moving more than it does. Really, it kind of all comes down to a quote I read a few days ago:
“Your life is the result of the choices you make…If you don’t like your life, it’s time to start making better choices.”
Oh, I’m fine now and intend to stay that way! 
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I am glad you are okay Ev, but the high blood pressure thing is a worry. I am going to very cautiously suggest a book. I am not trying to push this on you, and have no expectation that you will read it. :-)
ReplyDeleteLast fall I read the book Wheat Belly and decided to stop eating wheat to see if it helped a few health issues I was dealing with. It did, along with several I wasn't expecting it to help with (most importantly, seasonal allergies). On the Wheat Belly blog many, many people have reported an improvement in their blood pressure after years of taking meds.
I say all of this cautiously because I realize the reports on the Wheat Belly blog are anecdotal, but the information in the book is not. The author is a cardiologist from the US. I also say it cautiously because the most surprising thing of all to me about giving up wheat was how some people reacted. It was like I had done something personally offensive to them in giving up a staple of the Western diet. I made the decision back in November of 2011 to try it for a month, and I haven't touched wheat since then.
Wow, that sounded both scary and serious. I hope you can sucessfully control the bp. Take care, love ya!
ReplyDeleteWell, that was scary! I hope your meds will even out the problem, Ev. My very skinny and physically active husband has very high bp and is on meds which keep it on the low end of the high scale. I hope all goes well and you get this monster on a leash soon.
ReplyDeleteScary!! Glad you are feeling better and hope that you can get the BP under control.
ReplyDeleteSorry you had such as scare but glad you're ok, Ev. Hope you can find the right balance for you soon. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI can well imagine what a fright that must have given you. Thank goodness it can be treated. Let us hope the change in your medications and when you take them, will give you the results you need. My best wishes are with you always. I'm very glad you got to the hospital quickly. :)
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