Newbie Chris
29-04-16, 10:58
Hi my name is Chris and I am 48.
Decided to come and register here after spending the night in hospital last night having some tests done and after being given the all clear. Physically that is, psychologically probably not!!
I apologise in advance for the length of this first post.
I have been suffering from severe vertigo and Insomnia for the last 6 months. All tests show nothing sinister bar my vertical balance being about zero, but it's had a major effect to the extent I am pretty much unemployable so am on Employment Support Allowance. In fact later today I have the ESA Work Capability Assessment so to be honest that's probably done little for my stress levels this week!!
Anyway, last week my GP tried me on a new drug for my vertigo. Fair enough but it didn't work. The only thing that did change was my blood pressure and heart rate that suddenly shot up. This was not ideal for my mental state because I have been not over happy with my BP and HR for quite sometime despite Doctors insisting it is fine.
Before this week at it's best it's at the 120/80 mark, maybe a 120/85 as an average. Heart rate a tad higher at late 80's to mid 90's. Higher end of normal but all fine I am told, especially after two ECG's in the last 6 months. Upon waking (if I get any sleep of course and that's usually with sleeping tablets) it's usually nothing to concern me. The evening however has always been a bit weird sometimes hitting the 130's/high 90's and 9 times out of 10 my heart rate always hits 100-114. The odd cigarette (that I am trying to give up), an evening meal and the can of Coke Zero following a day of coffee may not help, but despite my concerns all was said to be fine.
Then this week hits taking the new drug. Suddenly I am spiking at 140/103 or similar and the heart rate has decided to dance up to 118 or so and at it's best is mid 90's. So obsession kicks in and after taking it around 60 times in three days I am on the phone to the Doctor again. Of course by now every time I take it I can see it going past the usual point of return at around the 155 mark and scooting up to 170ish and that I know
means that it will be high. So feeling my heart beating I watch with doomed realisation that it is going to be high again. "Don't worry and come off the drug" he says. "Just note three readings a day and bring the readings in next week to my Diabetic Review" he says reassuringly. I am Type 2 but have good control.
However more than 24 hours later and it still hadn't come down as much as I would like bar the morning readings which were ok at an average of 111/83 (HR 94) so that's reassuring. Afternoon not bad at 124/91 - 91 which is a little high but not a disaster but then we came to Thursday evening. An average of 138/94 (HR 127). Yes 127..... Ok I thought, lets leave it and at least the nurse can see my concerns on Tuesday. But no, I can't resist and take it again half an hour later. Bang it hits me right between the eyes at 160/103 - 131. That can't be right. Take it again, 166/104 - 128. I can now feel my heart in my chest and a sweat has covered my brow and all the silly things and not so silly things I have read on the Internet hit my mind.
It's at this point I decide to forget waiting till Tuesday and take myself off to hospital. I am trying to reason with myself, will I be wasting their time? But at the same time I can't get those numbers out of my head. After all one of the readings the cuff just inflated and gave me the reading without even having the decency to deflate a little!!
So I get to A and E and put forward my concerns. I visit the nurse for starters and I am now up into the 170's BP wise. "Bit high" she sighs! Taken to a cubicle I then wait for quite a while until another nurse takes my BP again. Similar reading and the pulse rate still in the 120's. She takes some bloods and pulls over the ECG machine. More waiting then more bloods because one of my vials has gone missing, although the way my BP was I nearly suggested "have you tried looking on the ceiling?!" And then another wait until the early hours.
The Doctor arrived and asked me a few questions. My blood sugar was a bit high but I had eaten and it's not a fasting blood test that I had so that wasn't a concern. The drug I had been given could have caused a reaction but she wasn't sure. She was more concerned about my 60 odd readings that I had printed out. I admitted it was a tad obsessive and suggested using it in next months NHS handbook on how "NOT" to take your blood pressure. She took it again and the machine kept packing in, which was great for my confidence thinking I had sent it off the scale!! Eventually the first was still high but the second came down to 130/75. The heart rate was still high but she didn't seem over concerned. My ECG was pretty good bar of course being a tad on the high side and my bloods were fine bar the haemoglobin a bit high but she thought I was a bit dehydrated. She basically said that despite all the blood pressure rules and ceilings everyone is different and she has seen far worse. Without other symptoms she wasn't overly concerned and told me to just take one reading a day and that's only because I am Type 2 Diabetic, otherwise one reading a week would be fine. She also said that as soon as you get up in the morning is the "Resting Rate" which was good to hear. She was great actually and whilst she didn't dismiss my symptoms, far from it, she was fairly convinced the BP and HR are down to anxiety.
Of course this didn't stop me having another go when I got home. First reading was through the roof again although the second was better at 122/94 yet the heart rate was still at 109. Guess it will be for a while.....
The problem is I am "still" not convinced. All the experts say don't worry but I do and that is why I thought I would come and register here as hopefully I may find others who understand what I am talking about.
So if you have actually read this without falling asleep then I thank you....Or maybe I should apologise as it is rather long and tedious~!!
Am I mad or is this what anxiety is?
Decided to come and register here after spending the night in hospital last night having some tests done and after being given the all clear. Physically that is, psychologically probably not!!
I apologise in advance for the length of this first post.
I have been suffering from severe vertigo and Insomnia for the last 6 months. All tests show nothing sinister bar my vertical balance being about zero, but it's had a major effect to the extent I am pretty much unemployable so am on Employment Support Allowance. In fact later today I have the ESA Work Capability Assessment so to be honest that's probably done little for my stress levels this week!!
Anyway, last week my GP tried me on a new drug for my vertigo. Fair enough but it didn't work. The only thing that did change was my blood pressure and heart rate that suddenly shot up. This was not ideal for my mental state because I have been not over happy with my BP and HR for quite sometime despite Doctors insisting it is fine.
Before this week at it's best it's at the 120/80 mark, maybe a 120/85 as an average. Heart rate a tad higher at late 80's to mid 90's. Higher end of normal but all fine I am told, especially after two ECG's in the last 6 months. Upon waking (if I get any sleep of course and that's usually with sleeping tablets) it's usually nothing to concern me. The evening however has always been a bit weird sometimes hitting the 130's/high 90's and 9 times out of 10 my heart rate always hits 100-114. The odd cigarette (that I am trying to give up), an evening meal and the can of Coke Zero following a day of coffee may not help, but despite my concerns all was said to be fine.
Then this week hits taking the new drug. Suddenly I am spiking at 140/103 or similar and the heart rate has decided to dance up to 118 or so and at it's best is mid 90's. So obsession kicks in and after taking it around 60 times in three days I am on the phone to the Doctor again. Of course by now every time I take it I can see it going past the usual point of return at around the 155 mark and scooting up to 170ish and that I know
means that it will be high. So feeling my heart beating I watch with doomed realisation that it is going to be high again. "Don't worry and come off the drug" he says. "Just note three readings a day and bring the readings in next week to my Diabetic Review" he says reassuringly. I am Type 2 but have good control.
However more than 24 hours later and it still hadn't come down as much as I would like bar the morning readings which were ok at an average of 111/83 (HR 94) so that's reassuring. Afternoon not bad at 124/91 - 91 which is a little high but not a disaster but then we came to Thursday evening. An average of 138/94 (HR 127). Yes 127..... Ok I thought, lets leave it and at least the nurse can see my concerns on Tuesday. But no, I can't resist and take it again half an hour later. Bang it hits me right between the eyes at 160/103 - 131. That can't be right. Take it again, 166/104 - 128. I can now feel my heart in my chest and a sweat has covered my brow and all the silly things and not so silly things I have read on the Internet hit my mind.
It's at this point I decide to forget waiting till Tuesday and take myself off to hospital. I am trying to reason with myself, will I be wasting their time? But at the same time I can't get those numbers out of my head. After all one of the readings the cuff just inflated and gave me the reading without even having the decency to deflate a little!!
So I get to A and E and put forward my concerns. I visit the nurse for starters and I am now up into the 170's BP wise. "Bit high" she sighs! Taken to a cubicle I then wait for quite a while until another nurse takes my BP again. Similar reading and the pulse rate still in the 120's. She takes some bloods and pulls over the ECG machine. More waiting then more bloods because one of my vials has gone missing, although the way my BP was I nearly suggested "have you tried looking on the ceiling?!" And then another wait until the early hours.
The Doctor arrived and asked me a few questions. My blood sugar was a bit high but I had eaten and it's not a fasting blood test that I had so that wasn't a concern. The drug I had been given could have caused a reaction but she wasn't sure. She was more concerned about my 60 odd readings that I had printed out. I admitted it was a tad obsessive and suggested using it in next months NHS handbook on how "NOT" to take your blood pressure. She took it again and the machine kept packing in, which was great for my confidence thinking I had sent it off the scale!! Eventually the first was still high but the second came down to 130/75. The heart rate was still high but she didn't seem over concerned. My ECG was pretty good bar of course being a tad on the high side and my bloods were fine bar the haemoglobin a bit high but she thought I was a bit dehydrated. She basically said that despite all the blood pressure rules and ceilings everyone is different and she has seen far worse. Without other symptoms she wasn't overly concerned and told me to just take one reading a day and that's only because I am Type 2 Diabetic, otherwise one reading a week would be fine. She also said that as soon as you get up in the morning is the "Resting Rate" which was good to hear. She was great actually and whilst she didn't dismiss my symptoms, far from it, she was fairly convinced the BP and HR are down to anxiety.
Of course this didn't stop me having another go when I got home. First reading was through the roof again although the second was better at 122/94 yet the heart rate was still at 109. Guess it will be for a while.....
The problem is I am "still" not convinced. All the experts say don't worry but I do and that is why I thought I would come and register here as hopefully I may find others who understand what I am talking about.
So if you have actually read this without falling asleep then I thank you....Or maybe I should apologise as it is rather long and tedious~!!
Am I mad or is this what anxiety is?