Frustration

Having some issues this morning. My blood pressure is still too high and I’ve been told by my doctor that I need to try a third medication to control it. So now I will be taking an ARB, a central agonist, AND a calcium channel blocker in hopes of countering the effects of my obviously defective genes. High blood pressure as been the bane of generations of our family, on both sides.

Of course the frustrating part is that my doctor tells me at each visit that if I would just exercise and control my weight I wouldn’t have to take so much medication. At the same time he seems to either ignore or minimize the fact that I have had some sort of physical pain- foot, back, ankle, calf- for the past ten years. He forgets that before my pain became chronic I was known as “one of the most regular customers” the gym had ever seen! I was never the “hare”, but I was a darned good, steady tortoise!!

I am currently having so much heel pain that I would gladly walk with a cane if I wasn’t afraid it would make matters worse, AND interfere with my teaching. My doctor gave me some samples of a medication found to be effective for nerve pain. However, the first serious side effect listed is “may cause thoughts of suicide”. Oh, yes, I want to pop that into my mouth and take my chances! Let’s see, how many members of our family have had mental health issues…six, eight? It also may cause dizziness and should not be used while driving until you are sure it isn’t affecting your ability to do so! Am I supposed to walk to work, or just take a week off until I’m sure the drug is not messing with my mind? Good grief!

He also told me to walk on the treadmill for about ten minutes a day until I gradually work up to thirty minutes. Been there, done that in December. A week of the thirty minute schedule=intense pain ever since.  I told him that and he said try it again. Of course he also told me to avoid walking and standing on cement! Has he been in a school lately? Shopped at WalMart? Looked at his own office floor?? I was ready to say something ugly. But of course I didn’t.

I’m thinking of checking with my insurance representative to see if I can go to a podiatrist without a referral. Don’t get me wrong. I love my doctor and wouldn’t trade him for major care and emergencies. He has saved Gary’s life more than once, and improved mine a great deal. However, it has been my experience over the years that one of his colleagues is better for injuries and chronic pain. And the Lord must agree because in recent years I’ve had at least four accidents/injuries that required me to be treated by the colleague because my own doctor wasn’t available at the time. So…I’m wondering if my foot pain wouldn’t be in better hands with an expert on foot care.

Okay, enough whining for today! Sorry.

 

Comments

[Megan]

My doctor said to me that I needed to move "more" to lose the weight I was complaining about that I gained on one of my prescriptions. Prior to saying that, he spent 5 minutes discussing how bad my lungs sound because of my asthma, adding two inhalers to my already daily pill.

I sat there thinking : you know that conversation we just finished about my not being able to breathe and did you not notice I'm still coughing profusely?

I feel like they hand us medication and think "All cured!"

I hope you're out of pain soon. Is there an indoor pool anywhere nearby you could use?