Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 February 2010 09:44:45
Yes, it's official, I have high blood pressure.
Now there's a surprise!
I did the 24-hour test last week. Actually, I did it the week before as well, but broke the monitor. I joked that I'd broken it, even though it was really that the battery had run out of charge - obviously a dud. But no, it was in fact that I'd broken it. My blood pressure was so high that the cuff had to inflate really very hard indeed to stop the blood flow and so I'd run the brand new batteries down within five hours. The same happened with the second test, but the batteries lasted long enough this time to get sufficient readings, so obviously I was better that time around. No wonder my arm was bruised after the monitoring.
It was rather odd, though, wearing a cuff on my left arm which inflated (to the point of giving me a dead arm) every half hour on the dot. Good job I wasn't at work! In fact, I had rather a lazy day, which is probably why the batteries lasted longer. And I was a good girl - I resisted the temptation to look at the monitor which gave a reading of my blood pressure each time it was taken. (*uncrosses fingers*). But it looks like blood pressure tablets for me.
The other news from the doctor this morning was an explanation of why I haven't blogged for ages. Well, not specifically, you understand, as I don't think she reads my blogs. At least, I hope she doesn't read my blogs. Especially considering I did only peep at the blood pressure monitor a couple of times. But she might tut a little at the number of mentions of chocolate as a blood pressure lowering medication!
The reason I haven't blogged for ages is that it's a side effect of the anti-depressants. Ought to be listed on the information sheet really: "This medication may hamper your ability to blog". The cure is simple - if I start taking my anti-depressants at bedtime instead of first thing in the morning, I may find it easier to stay awake during the day! I thought it was depression/stress making me sleep and couldn't understand because other than that I'm feeling pretty good really (apart from getting quite depressed at the fact that the flat is a total mess because I can't stay awake long enough to get it clean and tidy) - it turns out that it's not the symptoms causing the problem, it's the cure!!!! A good illustration of how sleepy I am - the other morning I sneezed and was so sleepy I fell right over - fortunately I was standing next to the bed at the time. Luckily I'm able to control it at work - I feel lethargic but manage somehow not to fall asleep. (Not that there's ever much opportunity to fall asleep at work!)
Some things are tough at the moment, many things are good, and God and I are walking hand in hand and puzzling it out together. And if I can stay awake long enough to get this post written, maybe I can stay awake long enough to tidy the kitchen. (Though before that I have to steel myself to go outside and prod around in the drain so that the washing up water and washing machine water runs away into the sewers instead of out over my neighbour's garden! Thank goodness it's winter - they don't go into the garden and so I have noticed it before they have as I think it's been happening for a while. Oops!)