Aiming Low!

I've been on blood pressure medication since my working days - a low dose that has no unpleasant side effects.

But things have been changing. On several occasions, my blood pressure has been high in the doctor's office, Different doctors have mentioned prescribing a stronger dose. 

Without going into lots of details, I'll just say that two different doctors did prescribe "add-ons" to my medication - and, in both cases, I developed serious new problems. One was difficulty walking - due to swelling of the legs. So I stopped the "add-ons" and went back to my original low-dose medication - all the time wondering: Did I need something more??!

Then recently I was referred to a young doctor who specializes in hypertension. 

I was very apprehensive about seeing him. What medication would he prescribe? What awful side effects was I in for? 

When the nurse took my blood pressure at that first appointment, it was higher than it had ever been. Oh no! I was sunk!!

But when the young doctor came in, he didn't even look at the blood pressure reading on the monitor. I told him my long story of blood pressure medication and adverse reactions. I showed him my average blood pressure with each medication I had been prescribed.

Your blood pressure's isn't that bad for your age, he replied. This is what I want you to do. Stay on this low dose medication and take your blood pressure every day for the next four weeks. If it's high, wait a bit and take it again. Do that until it's as low as possible. Just keep track of your LOWEST blood pressure readings. That's all that I want to see in four weeks when I see you again.

So that's what I have been doing - taking my blood pressure daily, at different times of the day, and writing down my LOWEST daily reading.

The most surprising thing has happened. My blood pressure has gotten lower! My daily lows have been very close to "normal"!

Finally, I'm feeling a sense of hope!