It’s creeping up! *Updated*

I’m headed to the doctor today.

My blood pressure has been elevated lately.

I’m not surprised with everything that has been going on.

High blood pressure runs in my family.

My daddy has it.

My oldest brother has it.

My other brother has heart disease.

I’ve had borderline high blood pressure for about seven years.

So when I noticed it creeping up,

and staying up

panic set in.

I’m also 30 lbs heavier than I was last year at this time.

I know that is a factor also.

Isn’t high blood pressure associated with PCOS?
Yes it is. But it can be managed with weight control, low sodium diet & exercise.

How does all of this factor into us trying to conceive?
HUGE FACTOR!  She can’t prescribe hbp medication while I’m trying to conceive.  Well that’s not entirely true. There are two medications that she could prescribe. I had a bad reaction to one and she refuses to prescribe the other because the side effects are horrible.

What if I get pregnant?
In her words, “That would be wonderful”! But I’m setting myself up for a hard pregnancy if I don’t get myself together right now.

Can pregnant women take blood pressure medication?
Since my hbp is still borderline, she wants me to lose the 30 lbs that I have gained and an additional 20 lbs.  Eat a low sodium and low cholesterol diet. And get my fat lazy ass back in the gym at least five times a week. 

Oh well, I guess I’ll find out what my PCP has to say about all of this.
She’s not happy with the blood pressure or the weight gain. As long as I’m trying to conceive her hands are tied. It’s up to me to handle my blood pressure. I have a follow up appt in 12 weeks. She said there has to be significant changes in my weight & blood pressure at that appointment. Otherwise, we will  need to speak about how healthy it is to continue trying to conceive. 

That was all the motivation that I needed, time to get serious again and get back into fighting shape.

 

So here we go again……

Big Brother’s heart is acting up again.

His heart is fluttering again.

Cardiac episodes or atrial flutters.

His problems have always been in the lower chambers of his heart.

Now he’s having problems with the upper chambers.

His doctors have put him on blood thinners,

and in about two weeks he’ll have a catheter ablation.

This procedure corrects the problem about 95% of time.

Scary times ahead.

Seasoning is starting early this year…..

Add 1/2 a cup of heavy cream..

*deep breath*

My life’s recipe is calling for something to remove the bite of all that cayenne pepper that was added on Friday!

So my Big Brother is going to be okay! Praise God & Baby Jesus! He spent the weekend in the hospital, but was released yesterday afternoon. The emergency room doctor’s read his echo cardiogram incorrectly (Thank God).  His heart is functioning at 40%.  While that’s not a great number, it’s a good number for him and it’s much better than 32%.  It turns out that he is having PVCs. He is hypersensitive to them because it’s basically the same feeling he gets if his heart is in an irregular rhythm and his defibrillator fires.  They’re changing his medications and will continue to monitor him.  This is something that he will continue to live with, and he will be okay. 

We are just so thankful that it’s not time for a heart transplant.

Add 1 Cup of Cayenne Pepper

Whereas most recipe’s call for a teaspoon of cayenne pepper; apparently my life’s recipe calls for a cup! 

God give me strength! 

My Big Brother is in the hospital.  Back story; in 2003 he had a pace maker/defibrillator implanted after he passed out at work. His cardiologists discovered that his heart was damaged from taking a popular supplement. It came as shock to everyone  for several reasons – he worked out religiously, didn’t drink or smoke. On the surface  he was very healthy with about 6% body fat and he was only 39 years old.  He was dealt a blow when we found out that he had electrical and pumping problems. His heart was functioning at about 70%.  Earlier this year he found out that his heart was functioning at 57%.  A month ago he learned that it had decreased to 32%. 

He needs a heart transplant.

Right now, I’m walking on faith.  I have to. I have to be strong for my mother. She’s falling apart right now. She just buried her sister two weeks ago. 

*big sigh*