ME ~ The time bomb...

I mentioned in a past Blog Post, about an interview I went on for Blood Pressure Research.

I was accepted.

My second visit to the  Research Center was Friday.  It was scheduled to be a longer visit.  During this visit all my blood work was drawn and some test are done.  I thought they were going to drain me completely dry of blood.  Of course they didn't because I am sitting here typing. 

But for a mad second, I felt like my blood was vanishing. 

A small mad second. 

I also had an EKG of my heart, my height and weight, and spoke with the Research physician.

Have you ever walked away from a Dr visit, scared to death?  I did Friday.

It lasted all day Saturday.  And Sunday.  Even Monday.  Plus that fear popped up a few times today.

Now, I hate going to the doctor.  I don't want to be poked.  Pricked.  Weighed.  Undressed.  

Mostly, I don't want to hear bad news.  Friday was full of bad news.

After the nurse finished all her blood drawing duties.  The Research Physician walked in.  "Hi" he said "I'm  Dr ____ and will be following you through the Research Study."   He walked over to his waiting desk and began reading through my chart.  

"Have you ever had an heart attack?" he asked while holding my EKG  "No" I answered  "A stroke?" he asked  "NO" I replied  "Hmm" he added.

As he flipped through the sheets of paper that made up my Research Study Interview he asked me "When you were admitted into the Hospital in Texas, what was your ER Blood Pressure?" He lifted his head to meet the confused look on my face "210/157 if I remember right." 

He looked over to the nurse in the room and said "I don't think she should be apart of the study."  Than he turned to me and said "Your blood pressure, after being off your medication for one day, was 157/118.  During the study you will have to be off your medication for 4 weeks in a row."  I think my heart fluttered.  Maybe it stopped for a second or two.

"I think you will be a wash.  Your blood pressure is to uncontrolled for the study.  Of course we would watch you closely but, people with blood pressure like yours have dropped dead walking down the street."  

I found myself wanting to run out of the room, except my feet wouldn't move.  Then there was the whole fear of dropping dead if I walked out of the building.

"You need to be stress free." He told me "Work in a stress free job.  Drink Decaf coffee.  Relax.  Keep yourself calm."  He added  "Do you have a Cardiologist?"  I looked at him  "No I don't"  He flipped through my 8 Blood Pressure results.  On the first visit my blood pressure was taken 4 times, it was taken 4 times on this visit as well.  "You need to get a primary physician and you should have a cardiologist that you see regularly." he told me  "We can attempt the research study but, I am not sure it is a good idea."  He pulled out a sheet of clean paper  "We would ween you off your medication starting with your Lisinopril/HCTZ first, and move on to your Metoprolol until you are fully of your medication for 4 full weeks.  Than we will start you on our medication and follow your Blood Pressure closely."

I think my face told a whole story to him, I didn't even have to say a word.

"During, and at anytime, of the study you can choose to opt out." he told me "I recommend no fried foods at all.  Stay away from salt at all cost, even if you opt out of the study.  You are high risk just from your high blood pressure readings" he said "add the death of your grand father due to heart attack, your aunt who was seconds away from a heart attack, and your brother who just had a heart attack, and I'd say you are walking a very fine line."

The nice way to say I am a walking time bomb.  

The research Study is willing to pay me for my services, but after talking to the physician and being scared to death to walk out of the building, I am going to just opt out now and stick to the medication that seems to be working for me.

Plus, I am going to work hard on getting back into shape.  The physician said he felt I needed to loose a few pounds.  Taking the extra pounds off will help bring my blood pressure down, and sticking to a well balanced diet is a step in the right direction.  I can eat fruit all day long, veggies however aren't friends of mine.  With the exercise, I was told to start with walking, it would be easier on my heart. Of Course the past few days of Tropical Storm Debby, has the walking on hold for a bit.

The problem with my blood pressure is the systolic reading, which is the bottom number {157/118} because the bottom number indicates the pressure of your heart at rest.  So, even when I am relaxed and clam.. the 118 is to high.

My Blood Pressure Study days.... are over.