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For so many years, I’ve struggled with a myriad of symptoms that have (at times) severely affected my quality of life: dizziness/fainting, fatigue (both physical and mental), shortness of breath, tension headaches, and lack of motivation. I have seen many doctors about these symptoms for many years, and I have been given a myriad of suggestions:

  1. It’s just obstructive sleep apnea
  2. Use a regular sleep schedule
  3. Reduce caffeine intake
  4. Exercise regularly
  5. Maybe you’re depressed
  6. It’s all in your head

I have dealt with each of those suggestions (for that last one, I fired that doctor immediately; problem solved!), and I still have problems to varying degrees. To be fair, some of those have gotten better, but have not completely gone away. So I resigned myself to just living with it.

I recently made an appointment to have a colonocopy, and I was reading through my clinical summary, when I fell upon my blood pressure (120/86). The doc wrote “Your blood pressure reading was elevated at your visit today. It is suggested that you visit your primary care for further evaluation.” He never actually mentioned this to me. Not even the nurse who took my blood pressure, nor the PA. So I got curious, and I looked up what my blood pressure should be for my age (120/80 and below for the curious).

I found this neat little chart that tells about blood pressures, and what is considered elevated, and stage 1/2 hypertension. According to that chart, my blood pressure is not elevated (because my bottom number is not less than 80). My blood pressure is stage 1 hypertension! Never once had any doctor I had ever seen ever muttered the words “stage”, “one”, or “hypertension” in the same sentence. Ever.

Anyway, I am just a lowly pleb who knows nothing (i.e., “I am not a medical professional”). But, because I feel that my doctors failed at doing their jobs at the most basic level, I felt compelled to tell you all my story so that you all can check your vitals and decide whether or not you should have a conversation with your medical professionals. Be safe!