I'm still knocking around ...

[Jonj1611]

Good luck mate.

I was diagnosed with high BP around almost 20 years ago now. Today I am on 3 different tablets to control it.

[[GSV]Trig]

So, got me to fill in some crap about CPAP machines, shes going to refer me to the sleep clinic.
She seemed to think that the last set of readings I had the figures were the wrong way round, guessing, after she took my BP 3 times that she realised I wasnt confusing it and they were the right way round.
Needless to say she's told me I have hypertension, and I'm now on Losartan, I have some blood tests and an ECG booked in for a week or so's time, she also told me to get a BP monitor and do 2 sets of readings a day...

tbf I just need to retire and stop working with idiots, that'll probably work better than taking tablets forever...

[Jonj1611]

CPAP machines are really long waiting lists and take ages to get used to((if ever) ask me how I know))

On the brightside good job you went from the sound of it, better to be safe than sorry

[[GSV]Trig]

Well I've ordered a monitor thing from Amazon so will see what that says...

[Saracen999]

Glad to see you taking steps, Trig. It's one of those things where if there is a problem, you're definitely better off knowing about it. Whatever the eventual outcome, bear in mind it may be a blend of contributing factors and, as you've already commented, weight may be one ... with both BP and sleep issues. Work stress, too.

I guess we're all different, but it took e several attempts, and a year or so, to get a BP medicine mix that 'worked'. One, for instance, worked with BP but triggered headaches, to which I was prone anyway. So, the medication I was given was changed. Things may (or may not, dunno) be better understand these days, but I certainly gt the impression doctors knew what worked, but not necessarily tge exact mechanism for how it worked. Or what might have an undesirable side effect. Other people I know, on the other had, took well to the first med they tried and were still on it years later. Just be aware it might take a little time to 'fine tune'. Or they might hit bullseye with the first try.

[[GSV]Trig]

Well we'll see what the bloods tell them after I've been on these tabs for a week or so, all fun and games...

[Domestic_Ginger]

Unlucky Saracen. I hope you're not in pain.

Trig; I hope you're doing better

I'm not going to go on about my ailments although I have hit middle age pyhsically.

[Saracen999]

Unlucky Saracen. I hope you're not in pain.

Thanks, and no, so far, pretty much none. Oh, aches and pains that might just be growing older, but proper pain? Rarely. Very rarely.

I think I said at the start of this that I'm lucky, but I've seen what cancer can be, and frankly, often is and, so far at least, I've been remarkably pain-free. Long may it continue.

[sammyc]

All the best from me too - like others I did the 'notice you were around less in GD' thing at one point then just, well, dithered a bit about asking. Glad it was right place right time for you for new nifty meds and do hope all is continuing as well as poss. Oh & it wouldn't bother me if I never had another banana so mine are all yours .

Hope all you other old crocks (pot kettle) sensible Hexites getting stuff checked out are getting on ok too

[b0redom]

CPAP machines are really long waiting lists and take ages to get used to((if ever) ask me how I know))

On the brightside good job you went from the sound of it, better to be safe than sorry

Re CPAP machines - after a LOT of whinging about my snoring I went to see the doc who referred me to the sleep clinic. They give you a bunch of monitors and tell you to wire yourself up for the night and then analyse the results.

I was pretty blase about the whole thing, but when I went back to the clinic, they said the bad snoring was actually when I stopped breathing, and it was my body's way of waking me up. The doc said that fixing this wasn't a question of stopping the annoying snoring, it was more a case of preventing elevated blood pressure during the night and the possibility of a heart attack!

CPAP machines are apparently the 'gold standard' of dealing with sleep apnoea, they'll try and give you a couple of other options first, including a mouthpiece (which I couldn't rey due to having a dental bridge).

If you do get offered a CPAP machine, there's a bunch of different fittings. I could only get used to the nose pillow ones like this:

https://shop.resmed.com/GB/en/cpap-s...pillow/p/62932

because the others made me claustrophobic.

Interestingly I'm not particularly overweight. The consultant said that people diagnosed with sleep aponea generally arrive through his door shortly after their beer belly. So if you do snore badly and/or get tired during the day, might be worth getting checked out

[[GSV]Trig]

Yeah I'm probably going to end up with a CPAP machine, waiting for my referral to come back first..
I've got pretty good scores on the blood pressure front, and the doc put me on Losartan, I had an ECG which came back fine, I went for bloods yesterday and had to drop in some pee this morning, suspect I'll hear back on Monday/Tuesday.

Tabs are bringing down the pressure a bit, I started off, highest reading was 181/107, but just over a week in from taking the tabs I'm down to ~150/~90ish.

Thing is with the CPAP, I can travel a lot for work, depending on what race series I end up on, and dragging that around is probably a PITA, but they solve the snoring part, but not the actual problem itself, which I'm kinda not keen on the idea of..

[Jonj1611]

I have had a CPAP machine for about a year now, they do take a lot of getting used to. There are special pillows you can buy if you are a side sleeper. I needed to use the full face mask as I breathe through my mouth a lot.

The CPAP machine comes in a travel bag, its incredibly smart and not cumbersome so shouldn't be too much hassle for travelling