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Wow many great replies! Thank you all for your advice.
I actually usually walk by a pharmacy that does BP checks everyday and went in today to have it measured. It was 162 over 105. The staff there did raise an eyebrow and said that even though a single reading has limited value, I should have it checked with a doctor.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgarcso
Wow many great replies! Thank you all for your advice.
I actually usually walk by a pharmacy that does BP checks everyday and went in today to have it measured. It was 162 over 105. The staff there did raise an eyebrow and said that even though a single reading has limited value, I should have it checked with a doctor.
That's bordering on dangerously high, sgarcso. I'd go back and try again, and see if this was just a fluke.
Optimum is the top number should be 120 or below, but 130 and below is considered fine.
The problem with high blood pressure is it puts you at risk for a stroke.
Wow many great replies! Thank you all for your advice.
I actually usually walk by a pharmacy that does BP checks everyday and went in today to have it measured. It was 162 over 105. The staff there did raise an eyebrow and said that even though a single reading has limited value, I should have it checked with a doctor.
Ooops. Maybe all is not so fine. This doesn't mean you are at death's door or that some MD is going to victimize you. Readings can vary a lot; particular moment in time, particular cuff. What's telling is a trend...establish a trend. Talk about those little warning signs. A tetanus booster wouldn't hurt either. You don't want tetanus. Former co-worker of mine, healthy, hardy, happened to step on a shard of metal in the back yard last August. Ended up with tetanus. He's still on life support 70 miles from home. Not a good thing.
Last edited by Parnassia; 11-19-2019 at 03:50 PM..
I have a relative who is in his mid 40s. He hadn't been to a doctor in years. Then, when he took a new job, they told him he had to have a physical before starting work. The physical exam revealed that he had high blood pressure and had to start taking meds. When he told us all this, he was shocked to find that out. He asked us if he has to take the meds for life. We told him "yes". We've since been urging him to get his blood sugar and cholesterol checked, which he has yet to do. He is a single Dad and we remind him that he should do those things for the kids' sake as they really need their Dad to be healthy.
That's bordering on dangerously high, sgarcso. I'd go back and try again, and see if this was just a fluke.
Optimum is the top number should be 120 or below, but 130 and below is considered fine.
The problem with high blood pressure is it puts you at risk for a stroke.
Yes, they said the same thing. Regardless of going to the doctor, they recommended having it checked again, especially at a completely different time of the day.
Ooops. Maybe all is not so fine. This doesn't mean you are at death's door or that some MD is going to victimize you. Readings can vary a lot; particular moment in time, particular cuff. What's telling is a trend...establish a trend. Talk about those little warning signs. A tetanus booster wouldn't hurt either. You don't want tetanus. Former co-worker of mine, healthy, hardy, happened to step on a shard of metal in the back yard last August. Ended up with tetanus. He's still on life support 70 miles from home. Not a good thing.
How do you know if you need these "Stress tests?" Chest pain?
I'm 37 have never had anything of the sort. A little heavy but healthy, active, workout 5-6 days a week.
And baloney, there are countless excellent physicians around. This isn't Canada or Europe. My doc wanted me to get off worthless meds that I had been on for years when I first saw him.
Regarding an abundance of "excellent physicians" - Maybe in your neck of the woods but in NYC most PCPs are terrible and money grubbers. You are a number. Specialists? There are countless excellent SPECIALISTS certainly in all disciplines in the NY tri-state area. But PCPs - NOPE....
With the way heart disease is rapidly increasing in this country I would suggest you get one around your mid 40s just in case. I don't know what your diet or lifestyle or genetics is like. But there appears to be something in our environment causing more heart attacks even in "healthy" individuals. I plan on getting 1 every 10 years because of my family history (Grandfather died of a heart attack age 47/48) Although he was a heavy smoker and under a lot of stress, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Passed my first one with flying colors last year so hope I'm on the right track.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo48
Quality of Life as opposed to Quantity of Life. I will go with the former and thought long and hard about this when I turned 50. Middle age is the time when the push begins for more and more testing and doctor visits. I decided then NO. Why bother going to a doctor for this or that test to find out what is wrong with you when you have no intention of doing anything about it?
What is the Quality of Life for that 90 year old you talked about? Medicine can treat my husband's heart condition, but cannot do anything for his Parkinson's. His Quality of Life is rapidly declining do to that. He is having a lot of trouble walking and climbing stairs. Can no longer do what he so once enjoyed doing; playing golf, hunting, fishing. Maybe this is the subject for Caregiving thread. He gets very depressed and angry over this and the fact that what he (6'1" 225 lbs) once helped me (5'1" 100 lbs) with, I now have to help him with. He has flat out told me he resents the fact that I can still do things he can't, don't take all these pills, or go to all these doctors. Do you know what it is like for me picking him up off the floor? We are the same age.
Actuarial tables? lol Husband and I had a discussion about living into our 90's. We both said NO to that. Me personally, I would rather die in my own bed or on my kitchen floor, than in a hospital bed hooked up to all sorts of machines. To quote my Mom in her Living Will, "I do not wish to become a science experiment for doctors to see how long they can keep me alive". Mom was in her early 70's. I was in my 50's then. My view is the same as her's.
I agree but will test for my own knowledge so I can make necessary adjustments and make the decision on my own. No Doctor can force you to do anything, do your own research and make the most informed decision based on the information and their medical opinion. I have my opinions about Big Pharma and it comes down to efficacy and the trade off. If the medicine WORKS well with few side effects I'll take it. But the majority of medicines DO NOT have a good trade off because conventional medicine is not prescribed for the individual but the condition based off the AVERAGE response recorded in studies. If you draw the lottery and can tolerate the meds and it's keeping symptoms at bay (and radical diet/exercise changes do nothing to improve the situation) then keep taking it. But most people don't exhaust all their options first.
My Father has heart problems due to stress but is not removing the stressor quickly enough. He is retired with a pension so there is no excuse. It's my sister and he just needs to cut her off. Otherwise we'll be making funeral preparations soon and she'll be running around doing the BS she is currently doing without skipping a beat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disgustedman
I'd make sure my vaccines are up to date, get a head to toe check (blood, urine and such) then leave. I'm 59 and I had my doctor tell me "Oh it's time for your yearly test of blood/urine". Oh thanks for the extra $20 bill I got hit with. I called and complained about it as it was a "Preventive" visit. "No, we have eliminated them"
So they then called and asked if I got the stool kit "Sure did, I threw it in the trash. You charged me for a preventive procedure and now claim they're not covered. Tell me, how much this test would be?"
"I don't know that"
"Then don't bother me till you do know it"
To screen for colon cancer I would recommend you do the stool test. You are nearly 60 so it's worth it if you haven't had a screening yet. But I get your frustration. 99% of American Doctors don't know what anything costs in terms of labs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts
Why not get the name of a doctor from one of your friends, and go get a base line check up? If there isn’t anything wrong, then you can continue as usual, but if you need a doctor in the future, you will have one.
I developed borderline high blood pressure, nothing too bad, in my 40s. I knew that many of my older relatives had died of strokes. I’ve been taking the same cheap pill every day since then, and I’m 71 now. Would I still be fine if I hadn’t taken it? Who knows.
There are other silent medical issues which, if you know about them, you can easily and cheaply guard against their consequences, with medicine or diet.
You shouldn't have taken BP meds for "borderline high". But if you're one of those people who don't have any side effects to any medication I guess it won't hurt to line Big Pharma's pockets. My grandmother has taken BP meds for half her life because she is stubborn and didn't want to change her diet. Oh well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgarcso
Wow many great replies! Thank you all for your advice.
I actually usually walk by a pharmacy that does BP checks everyday and went in today to have it measured. It was 162 over 105. The staff there did raise an eyebrow and said that even though a single reading has limited value, I should have it checked with a doctor.
The reading is probably inaccurate. I don't know even why they have those things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgarcso
Yes, they said the same thing. Regardless of going to the doctor, they recommended having it checked again, especially at a completely different time of the day.
Get an Omron monitor and take it at home. If I relied on Doctor's readings I would be on unnecessary BP meds which have nasty side effects in some people. Plus many have been revealed to have above the limit of cancer causing carcinogens. My reading in the office can be 200/150 which is obviously inaccurate and impossible. Their machines and techniques are just flat out wrong.
I'm 40 and I think I'm healthy. I go the gym 4/5 times a week, never smoked in my life, have a social drink every now and then. I try to have a good diet - I don't eat fried food, avoid dairy and pork meat and sugary drinks - but I'm not paranoid about it. I don't deny myself junk food once every few weeks.
I got all vaccines when I was young but that was it. I've never been to a doctor in my entire life after that. I've come down with the flu and food poisoning a couple of times but obviously treated those at home.
I was having dinner with friends the other day and someone mentioned something about blood pressure. I was amazed that everyone knew what their normal blood pressure is and a number of other indicators. I was standing there in the middle of the conversation with "???" written all over my face.
Is any of this unusual?
OP, In Francois Rables' Gargantua and Pantagruel, father is teaching his son. He says: Son, if you want to live long and happy life, stay away from lawyers and doctors.
Can you elaborate on this? I'm a bit confused because in your OP you state:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgarcso
I got all vaccines when I was young but that was it.I've never been to a doctor in my entire life after that. I've come down with the flu and food poisoning a couple of times but obviously treated those at home.
So, who was giving you the tetanus shots if you've only had vaccines during childhood and have never been to a doctor since? In pharmacies on your own initiative? Are they offered or mandated by your workplace? Just curious.
And yes, at very minimum, please get your BP checked to see if that was an correct reading or not. If it was, it certainly needs to be investigated.
Last edited by Texas Ag 93; 11-19-2019 at 07:15 PM..
Quality of Life as opposed to Quantity of Life. I will go with the former and thought long and hard about this when I turned 50. Middle age is the time when the push begins for more and more testing and doctor visits. I decided then NO. Why bother going to a doctor for this or that test to find out what is wrong with you when you have no intention of doing anything about it?
What is the Quality of Life for that 90 year old you talked about? Medicine can treat my husband's heart condition, but cannot do anything for his Parkinson's. His Quality of Life is rapidly declining do to that. He is having a lot of trouble walking and climbing stairs. Can no longer do what he so once enjoyed doing; playing golf, hunting, fishing. Maybe this is the subject for Caregiving thread. He gets very depressed and angry over this and the fact that what he (6'1" 225 lbs) once helped me (5'1" 100 lbs) with, I now have to help him with. He has flat out told me he resents the fact that I can still do things he can't, don't take all these pills, or go to all these doctors. Do you know what it is like for me picking him up off the floor? We are the same age.
Actuarial tables? lol Husband and I had a discussion about living into our 90's. We both said NO to that. Me personally, I would rather die in my own bed or on my kitchen floor, than in a hospital bed hooked up to all sorts of machines. To quote my Mom in her Living Will, "I do not wish to become a science experiment for doctors to see how long they can keep me alive". Mom was in her early 70's. I was in my 50's then. My view is the same as her's.
So true...all medical treatment is a crock - all painful, all expensive, all completely ineffective. So just die and get it over with - what a smart attitude, especially when you reach the old, old age of 50!
How silly and wasteful to die of something that is easily treatable or even curable if only it is known about - thank goodness I'm not utterly paranoid about the medical profession. I'd rather be in my 80's when I decide to decline life support rather than in my 50's, but that's just me.
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