Hypertension 15: Back To Work, For 2.5 Days

Two weeks of taking my own blood pressure sure woke this puppy up! Up until now I'd been incredibly lazy. Or, if you prefer, North American. No exercise, no real dieting. Popping pills was supposed to solve everything.

Now I had to face the ugly truth: obviously, I was not popping enough pills. Or the right pills.

Wake up Victor: pills alone were not the whole solution.

Also, I had tended to blame my high readings on my stressful workplace. True, they could have remained high during my two weeks off work because I was worried about returning to work--but that seemed less likely than my having high blood pressure no matter what.

Reality check time!

I hate reality when it checks me. Don't you?

After my two weeks off work, I returned. I was back for exactly two and a half days. On the afternoon of the third day I saw the specialist again. During the two and a half days at work, my blood pressure was on average much higher than when I had been at home. At home, it was anywhere from 160 to 200 systolic, while at work it basically was always above 180. Stress at work appeared to be a significant part of the problem.

The specialist looked at the readings while I was off work, and the readings when I returned, and that was that:

--I was taken off work again, this time for several months, from October 4, 2006 through to early February, 2007
--I was put on three additional prescription medications, for a total of four (actually just two pills, each containing two meds)
--I was reminded I was at stage one obese, I was re-informed about the benefits of exercise, and he frowned at me meaningfully

I had ignored natural remedies such as dieting and exercise. Truthfully, who knew if they would have helped. No one knew where my Hypertension came from, or when it started, or for that matter why it started when it did. Hypertension can be hereditary, and perhaps no amount of weight loss or exercise would make a difference. But, on the other hand, having not exercised or dieted, I would not know that, would I? Oh, spank me! Spank me now! At your place, tonight!

Drat Reality Checks! Why at least are they not Reality Cheques? Then I could cash them in!

I had ignored exercise and dieting and lifestyle changes in favour of the North American solution of pills. Because of my ignor(ance), I was now on MORE pills and STRONGER pills! And I was now forced to come face to face with the exercise/diet face-off! Where was the fairness?

Yes, life was not fair--especially when I had done it to myself and could not blame...you! my wife! my children! the dog! Karl Rove! --anyone but…me!!