Blood pressure

[Accipiter]

@Accipiter good point there sir. I'm assuming here (it happens, not as often) you had been or are a good drinker (pf good old water) and never been one for loading everything with salt.

Thing with electrolytes (salt, potassium, magnesium etc) is that not only do they help the retention of each other - can't recall exactly how it works, but for example if potassium is critically low/high I think magnesium is needed to help it stay - but with sodium for example having too low is also a massive problem.

Potassium having too low or high means conduction problems of the heart and hence why usually people qith such are admitted urgently. Hyponatreamia (sorry for the posh word, even if I might have spelt it correctly) when the salt is low needs correcting. But - in hospital this is and not sure what trajectory they use in the community - it needs doing so slowly.

You're unique and obviously do as that nurse says.

Thanks shafiq... for the information on salt/potassium/magnesium... To be totally honest they've not been able to define what's going on with my BP etc., and the best way to treat for it!

My faith in my doctor took a bit of a dent after having blood test after blood because I was having 'fatigue' issues and such. Only by my own research (via Google! ) did I come across the possibility of an under active thyroid. In a telephone discussion with him I asked about this and other levels (B12 and the li,e) for him to say "oh! yes it is a bit low!"... been on Levothyroxine for a bit since. Made me question his "attention" to my blood tests results as all he seemed to focus on was my iron count... I've been on Omeprazole (and similar) for many years - apparently shouldn't have been without regular monitoring! I've concerns that this has something to do with some of my 'ailments' but he doesn't seem interested in such. Anyway... enough of my prattling on - and not wanting to divert the thread in another direction

 

[Accipiter]

So you're high BP was actually not taking in enough salt. Interesting that one. Sounds like maybe she blagged it but definitely low salt can cause the dizziness. I'll bet the 'high BP ' wasn't actually that high and I'll also wager that you don't have the regular hardening of the arteries (again, just my opinion). Thanks very much for sharing btw.

May we'll be... but never conclusively confirmed. No *doctor* follow up to get a confirmation for such - or treatment of.

 

[RogerS]

So you're high BP was actually not taking in enough salt. Interesting that one. Sounds like maybe she blagged it but definitely low salt can cause the dizziness. I'll bet the 'high BP ' wasn't actually that high and I'll also wager that you don't have the regular hardening of the arteries (again, just my opinion). Thanks very much for sharing btw.

Reducing salt is NOT a magic bullet and in many cases minimal

 

[RogerS]

They stick you on tablets as something to do....well, not quite. I was on six. Down to four and one of those is omeprazole and highly debatable if `I need it. Or even should have had it in the first place.

 

[Accipiter]

They stick you on tablets as something to do....well, not quite. I was on six. Down to four and one of those is omeprazole and highly debatable if `I need it. Or even should have had it in the first place.

I was put on the Omeprazole (and derivatives of before) for an Hiatus hernia... around 26~28 years ago - varying strengths of. I'm now 20mg daily (10mg morning/10mg evening) but I've reduced it to 1 morning only... monitoring myself. My only other meds are for my prostate - think I mentioned previously - and Artovastatin (20mg).

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

Hyponatreamia (sorry for the posh word, even if I might have spelt it correctly) when the salt is low needs correcting. But -

Hyponatraemia. My late wife had it as a complication of the Big C. She was incapacitated (read wheeelchair) for over a fortnight and hospitalised for a week of that. A very serious condition, which even intravenous salts (multiple ions) did not sort out for well over 10 days. Take care Folks, this one is a whopper.

 

[Woodbloke]

.... and Artovastatin (20mg).

I was on this one for a while, amongst three other different types of statins (one after another) to reduce high cholesterol. A side effect of these meds is insomnia (read the info label) which they triggered in me. When I was still suffering (gone now, praise be!) with it, I went to my current doc who looked at the box of meds I took into the consultation, picked them up and lobbed them into his waste paper bin. "Right" he said, "you're off those bloody things permanently now!"

It took several years and a lot of effort to eventually re-wire my brain (some would say it wasn't worth the effort) to eventually kick chronic insomnia into the long grass; the most brutal treatment I voluntarily subjected myself to was an online programme from Sleep Station on the NHS which uses CBTi instead of medication. It used to be free in Wiltshire but it's no longer supported, however it may well be offered in other parts of the UK - Rob

 

[shafiq]

@Woodbloke I really like your doctor . After a heart condition (infection of the outer 2 layers which landed me on the coronary care unit) my consultant cardiologist started me on a heart med. Ramipril which AFAIR he'd put me on for heart failure (sounds about right).

I refused to start me meds-career at that age so went for alternative therapy and never took em (don't try this at home). About 6 months or 8 later my GP upon discussion decided I was good enough to be off them... But I never did tell him!!

My heart rate at the time on coronary care unit was going down to about 30 which really alarmed the team. Interesting part of my life in which I shared a brief 'something in common' with Chris Boardman and Eddy Merckx (both had a resting heart rate in the 30s).

Anyway, as we were. Well done that amazing doctor.

 

[Accipiter]

I was on this one for a while, amongst three other different types of statins (one after another) to reduce high cholesterol. A side effect of these meds is insomnia (read the info label) which they triggered in me. When I was still suffering (gone now, praise be!) with it, I went to my current doc who looked at the box of meds I took into the consultation, picked them up and lobbed them into his waste paper bin. "Right" he said, "you're off those bloody things permanently now!"

It took several years and a lot of effort to eventually re-wire my brain (some would say it wasn't worth the effort) to eventually kick chronic insomnia into the long grass; the most brutal treatment I voluntarily subjected myself to was an online programme from Sleep Station on the NHS which uses CBTi instead of medication. It used to be free in Wiltshire but it's no longer supported, however it may well be offered in other parts of the UK - Rob

Interesting... ... I 'suffer' from a 'sort of' insomnia but I've put it down to my prostate issue - causes me to get up during the night. On meds, 1 which is supposed to help shrink the prostate but still have the night 'problem'. That said, the blood test results show as 'managed' - think I need to chat to the doc again about it. I'll also 'chat' about the Artovastatin. Last time I spoke to him about my meds he said the cholesterol is a lot lower and gave a lower dose! Thanks for mentioning about one of the side effects Rob. I've been on them for so long I've not reread the leaflet.

 

[shafiq]

One other thing about cholesterol folks (without causing sharpening levels of difference of opinion). Adding (lots of raw, organic, cold pressed, single origin... just my opinion) olive oil in the diet isn't a bad thing. Check out the info online, theres loads of it but generally speaking it'll fight off the bad cholesterol

 

[Woodbloke]

.... I've been on them for so long I've not reread the leaflet.

For some few months in 2019 I was on statins until one night the insomnia kicked in and again the next night, so I got up at about 3am, went downstairs and read the info leaflet. Sure enough there it was in black n'white! It didn't get any better over the next few weeks which is when I went to see the doc again, with the result mentioned above. He prescribed a very weak form of melatonin (forgot the name) which was useless and then progressively stronger, addictive sleeping tablets (Zopiclone) which worked but were bloody dangerous to take long term. Proper melatonin can't now be prescribed in the UK but is available online from places like the US. He advised under no circumstances to order melatonin online from the US. Eventually, he suggested trying 'Sleep Station' which over some months did start to have a positive effect, but it was, as I said, a brutal programme - Rob

Edit - if it's any consolation, my doc also said in no uncertain terms that many of our ailments are caused by the wrong meds!

 

[Accipiter]

I can well accept that Rob - and I'm always a bit reluctant to take the mess long term. Until finding out that being on Omeprazole (derivatives of) long term isn't advised and that "the doctor should follow up with six monthly checkups" I'd put my faith in them. Now I'm finding myself questioning things they've told me - if not at the time but after researching afterwards. I could do with a doctor like yours... mine seems to be a tad 'off with the fairies' at times - or too laid back