High Blood Pressure
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive September 2007:
High Blood Pressure
I went for a check up yesterday and found out that I have dangerously high blood pressure. I was put on medication and scheduled a follow up visit in 1 week. I know the dangers and concerns. I am not completely happy with how the appointment went, I will see a different doctor in a week. In the meantime, does anyone have info on HBP. At what point should I just go to the ER? I was honestly suprised after they read my numbers that I wasn't sent immediately. Unfortunatly the doc couldn't see past my weight to listen to me. She took the stand point that I am obese therefore have had high blood pressure for years untreated. And the fact is 2 weeks ago at a different doctor it was fine, 4 years ago in this office it was fine. I have had some odd things happen in the past month, I have gained weight recently, I haven't always been this fat. The dr said some very panicky things, but none of the intial bloodwork, xrays, or ekg confirmed any of that. She is convinced that someone my size is also diabetic. I am not. I am lucky. I think it is because although I weigh alot, I am very active, I am not a fluffy fat person. The nurse when she went to weigh me set the scale at 150 and I am 100 pounds heavier than that. No one would look at me and guess how much I weigh. I did weigh 150 at one point in my life, I was anorexic, didn't eat for days and had a 24 inch waist.
It was not a good day yesterday. I appreciate any advice at this point.
WOW... that was a mouthful!
First off, I have to say, you need to get a dr. who actually listens to you!!! Listening is the most important thing a dr. can do and this one is obviously not!!!!
OK... second, I, like you, am not a small girl. I NEVER had a BP problem in my life, until the very end of my pregnancy and after having my DD. In the hospital after the delivery, I remember sitting up in the chair and holding my DD and the nurse coming in and saying, in a very scary, emergency tone "The dr. wants you in bed, off your feet and on your left side immediately. Your BP is sky high!" I spent the next few days in the hospital (I had a C-Section anyway), crying and making myself crazy! But, other than the first immediate, urgent tone, they did nothing but give me pills. After I got home, they sent a nurse a couple of times to check it, but nothing else.
I stayed on those pills for three years, until I started feeling tired and woozy all the time. When I went to the dr. she said my BP was too low. I had to remind her I was still on the meds and she took me off (monitored... I think I went once a week for a month and then every other month for six months just to make sure it didn't spike up again, which it hasn't in over a year!)
I guess what I'm saying is, if your dr. really knew you and listened to you, maybe he/she would have been more understanding or willing to discuss options and whatnot. As I said, I'm not a small girl either, but, like you, active. I have not one physical problem... no liver disfunction, no diabetes, no hbp! I'm not saying it will always be like this. Age does do strange things, but, I'm trying to lose weight and keep healthy.
My only real advise is to find a primary doctor that understands you and listens and is willing to talk to you about everything.
Keep us informed.
First of all, if you know the risks of HBP, then you know it can lead to a stroke. It is nothing to play around with. Please do not live in denial. The most important thing is to get it down. You may very well have had HBP for a while. Our BP naturally goes up and down several times per day, and yours may just have happened to have been within acceptable levels in the past at the doctors' visits, and it may have just happened to be high yesterday.
Second, I agree with Angel. This doctor is out of line. She didn't take time to discuss your history with you, which is very important for a doctor to know before making any kinds of decisions about your treatment. Have you had a history of HBP? Do you have a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes? Are you stressed? Have you had any major surgeries within the past x number of years?
Some doctors are very judgmental about overweight/obese patients, and it is true that a lot of health problems could be avoided if more people watched their weight, as we hear in the news every day. However, a good doctor will not just assume that weight is the root of all health issues.
And third, regardless of the diagnosis, it definitely wouldn't do any harm for you to begin a diet and exercise regimen to bring your weight down. You WILL feel better about yourself and you WILL have more energy.
I have HBP. I have a family history of it on BOTH sides. My paternal grandfather died of arterial sclerosis and my maternal grandmother died of a massive heart attack. I am about 60 pounds overweight. My doctor said that if I bring my weight down, I MAY be able to reduce or eliminate my HBP meds. But I am 85% sure to have heart problems later in life.
I knew a lady who weighed about 280 pounds. Her doctor admitted her to the hospital for HBP, which she SWORE she didn't have. When the nurse took her BP in the office, the cuff pinched the fat on her arm so badly that it caused her pain which made her BP go up. The more they took it, the higher it went. She spent 3 days in the hospital, they released her when her BP levels were normal, and 3 months later she died of a stroke.
Please take this seriously. Get a better doctor, and take care of yourself.
(((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))
Please, please take it seriously. One of the things that can happen with HBP is multiple infarcts - very minor strokes that destroy a small part of the brain. That's what happened to my dad. Because of the multiple infarcts, the person who was my dear daddy was gone at least 3-4 years before he died. And what was so terrible that in the early phases of his losing his mental faculties, he knew he wasn't able to think and interact the way he had, so he faked it by making "white noise" responses - yeah, you're right; that's an interesting point; umhumm; and so on. But when someone would ask him a question, I could see the fear and anger in his eyes. At one point he was so generally angry he started being angry with my mom, who was his primary care-giver, and tried several times to hit her with his cane (he also had Parkinson's). This wasn't Alheizemers - it was multi infarct dementia, and it was terrible. Part of what made it so terrible is that we knew he didn't take his BP medications, didn't follow the doctor's instructions about diet, no salt, no caffiene, etc. At times we were very angry with him because he didn't take care of himself and, to some extent, brought this on himself.
My mom also had HBP, but took her meds, watched her diet, and exercised. When she died at 82 she was as sharp as she had ever been, despite the various joint/arthritis problems that limited her activities.
Yes, some doctors are very judgmental about obese/overweight patients, which is not helpful because, imo, it makes the person resentful and defensive instead of listening to what the doctor says.
I'm glad you have an appointment next week. Please follow up, talk to that doctor about what this doctor said, and listen carefully.
I will say this as kindly as I can. Weighing 250 is a major threat to your health and to your life. I urge you, as strongly as I can, to start working on that immediately. Weight watchers is a very good start. A woman in my office has lost over 100 pounds in the last year with Weight Watchers. And cut out salt - use salt substitutes and other seasonings - and caffiene immediately, including sodas (most of which have caffiene).
No advice, just hugs. It sounds like you had a bad day.
Please look for another doctor. You deserve better!
((HUGS))
Thanks for the advice and words. I was pretty frightened when I left the office yesterday. Today is better.
As for my weight, I actually did WW a year ago. Since I quit attending meetings I have gained 50 pounds. There are several factors of my life the dr didn't even discuss. Very clearly in her records she can see that I haven't weighed this much for long. And I am in some denial over my weight, because I am VERY active. I walk a couple of miles about 3 times a week. I play competative sports about 3 times a week. So I don't feel unhealthy. 250 is a size 16 for me.
Plus I have been under the care of 2 other drs for the summer. I know my bp has been fine at each visit. But I have had a bad summer. And my body hasn't reacted kindly.
I do plan on keep my appointment with the different dr next week. I have a follow up with my surgeon on oct 11. I will have this under control within 6 weeks.
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