My Battle with Hypertension

Today, I was diagnosed with very high levels of bad cholesterol in my blood stream. Generally, I hate needles, I hate doctors (no offense bes), and I hate giving blood samples. However, considering the recurring dizziness, the headaches, and the perpetual numbness of my extremities, I had to follow the advice of Bes Francis and see a doctor.

Beforehand, I have already been reading about factors which contribute to these "disturbances" - I have considered lack of B Complex Vitamins, to a failed liver or kidnes, a high sodium and potassium concentration in my blood stream, but when my nape started to be a bitch, I knew I had to see a doctor at once. Yes, I have had my daily dose of pineapple juice as a precaution, because I have read somewhere that the magnesium content of pineapple juice lowers blood pressure.

As the nurse began to take my BP, she had to look at my chart again to check how old I was.... yes, I am 33. She explained to me that my BP of 130/100 is too high for someone my age. After the mumbo jumbo with the doctor on medicines to take for my nerves, yada yada yada, I finally agreed to a blood chem (I was prepared, ladies and gentlemen, the perks of having a doctor for a best friend)just to save all of us the trouble. My best friend told me to have my Sodium and Potassium profile analyzed so as to have data for a hypertension workup (in the event that I was really hypertensive). When I got the result, it was explained to me that the high cholesterol is the culprit.

My lab result showing the cholesterol levels in my blood

A flashback of fries, burger, pizza and coffee paraded before my mind. Darn! I could never have those anymore. Before I could even explain myself, I was already memorizing Simvastatin, once a day before bedtime as my mantra. Ugh! I have to have my BP monitored daily as well. I will be given other drugs in the event that my BP does not normalize in a week.

The battle with food is easy, it's the willingness to give up these pleasures is the difficult part. But for the sake of being healthy, I'm giving it a go.

Wish me luck.