JJ
03-01-2006, 03:58 PM
That reminds me of an article I read by a doctor who says that a natural BP of 110/70 is healthy, but he does not want people past middle age have this kind of BP due to BP meds. He prefers a BP of 159/85 for older people, something about brain function would be better. He said the bottom number should never go below 85 in people past middle age. My doctor goes on my nerves he wants my BP under 120/80, he tells my husband the same thing. My husband finally said to him "well this is the best as it gets I guess I will live with this number" :) the doc since got off his case and never says anything about his BP suppose to be under 120/80. My husband's number is around 135/70 and the doctor says its to high. :rolleyes:
I still say these guidelines for things are way too low for the average person. Hubby's reg. dr. gets wacked if his BP isn't 125/75 or lower, and his cardio guy says as long as it is about, or below 135/85 he is happy. He knows he has had borderline BP since age 17, but his reg. dr. keeps shoveing more and more drugs on him, and I SWEAR this is half his problem, he is on too damn many drugs. Thank God we have an appt. with his cardio guy tuesday, cause we sat down last nite and had a long talk, and he finally agrees with me he is on way too many meds. Poor guy takes 14 different drugs, non for cholesterol, and some of them he needs twice a day. Sorry, to me it is ridiculous and no wonder he feels like he is half dead with no energy. To me, many of these drs. are treating the symptoms and not getting to the root of problems. My house looks like a fool pharmacy!!!
I still say these guidelines for things are way too low for the average person. Hubby's reg. dr. gets wacked if his BP isn't 125/75 or lower, and his cardio guy says as long as it is about, or below 135/85 he is happy. He knows he has had borderline BP since age 17, but his reg. dr. keeps shoveing more and more drugs on him, and I SWEAR this is half his problem, he is on too damn many drugs. Thank God we have an appt. with his cardio guy tuesday, cause we sat down last nite and had a long talk, and he finally agrees with me he is on way too many meds. Poor guy takes 14 different drugs, non for cholesterol, and some of them he needs twice a day. Sorry, to me it is ridiculous and no wonder he feels like he is half dead with no energy. To me, many of these drs. are treating the symptoms and not getting to the root of problems. My house looks like a fool pharmacy!!!
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Stumper
03-01-2006, 05:42 PM
Ok, if your doctor said it, it must be correct. I've never know of a doctor to "make up things" By the way I guess people should NEVER take lipitor for high cholesterol, because Lipitor is know to cause glucose to increase in many people.
Then what triggered the heart attack? He had 3 risk factors present, drinking and smoking and High LDL's. More than likely there was a glucose spike that upset that delicate balance.
But now with his TC numbers to 118 he just eliminated a very big risk factor and a possible another future heart attack PLUS he stopped smoking.
Then what triggered the heart attack? He had 3 risk factors present, drinking and smoking and High LDL's. More than likely there was a glucose spike that upset that delicate balance.
But now with his TC numbers to 118 he just eliminated a very big risk factor and a possible another future heart attack PLUS he stopped smoking.
JJ
03-01-2006, 07:22 PM
I CANNOT stand when a regular doctor wants to overrule a Specialist as a Cardiologist. Our doctor is great at that. When my Cardiologist suggested to take my BP at home I had to see him again in about a month and bring my sheet with me. My numbers at that time (I guess the meds didn't quite go to work yet, I never took BP meds before) were anywhere from 135-150/ 85-90 I had about two readings of 125/85 throughout the whole month. The Cardiologist took one look and said "your BP is great". Once I saw our regular doctor again, and he saw my sheet and the numbers were not below 120/80, and he started to give me a lecture I immediately pulled out my sheet I showed the Cardiologist and told him "THESE numbers my Cardiologist said were great". When I had the TEE test done (transesophagal something don't remember exactly what it stands for) because I've a leaking heart valve and the Cardiologist puts a tube down your throat to view your heart and valves on a screen, I was so nervous that all the meds they gave me did not kick in, I was suppose to be in a semi sleep, my BP was 214/120 from severe anxiety, and he said "you're going to live I'm not worried about you at all", my BP dropped to 150/90 in less than a minute. In recovery it went back up to 170/110 because I have this phobia of having my BP taken. He released me with a BP of 170/110 and said "take your meds you are going to live". Had he gave me the "oh my god, do you know you can have a stroke, we need to bring this pressure down NOW" etc etc etc I for sure would've ended up in the ER again.
Yet our regular doctor panics when I've a 150 syst. once in a while on my sheet.
When hubby was in for an artery cleaning in 94, the cardio guy told him, as long as hubby didn't see him, his BP was perfect, and as soon as the dr. appeared it use to shoot up to about 145/85. Of course now that we know him much better, his BP is always fine at the office, never over 135-140/85, and the dr. said he can live with that, yet his reg. dr. gets nuts if it is that way, so I think now it is on his mind. I don't get it, as she was never like this before, it seems the last 2 visits she is number nuts about everything. Yes, I know his last exam in Jan. wasn't good, but geez, do ya have to scare the guy half nuts?
I have horrid white coat and extremly wacky numbers, and although I don't have the nice low numbers I had years ago, my other dr. use to just tell me to calm down, would look at my readings from home, some which for me were high...140-145/90, yet other's were 110-118/70-75, and tell me I was doing just fine. This new dr. sees anything over 120/75 and goes balistic. Good grief, try to calm the patient, not scare them half to death like we were going to go into a complete stroke while in the office........ :rolleyes:
Oh the joys of going to the dr., don't lose it!!!
Yet our regular doctor panics when I've a 150 syst. once in a while on my sheet.
When hubby was in for an artery cleaning in 94, the cardio guy told him, as long as hubby didn't see him, his BP was perfect, and as soon as the dr. appeared it use to shoot up to about 145/85. Of course now that we know him much better, his BP is always fine at the office, never over 135-140/85, and the dr. said he can live with that, yet his reg. dr. gets nuts if it is that way, so I think now it is on his mind. I don't get it, as she was never like this before, it seems the last 2 visits she is number nuts about everything. Yes, I know his last exam in Jan. wasn't good, but geez, do ya have to scare the guy half nuts?
I have horrid white coat and extremly wacky numbers, and although I don't have the nice low numbers I had years ago, my other dr. use to just tell me to calm down, would look at my readings from home, some which for me were high...140-145/90, yet other's were 110-118/70-75, and tell me I was doing just fine. This new dr. sees anything over 120/75 and goes balistic. Good grief, try to calm the patient, not scare them half to death like we were going to go into a complete stroke while in the office........ :rolleyes:
Oh the joys of going to the dr., don't lose it!!!
gardeninggal
03-01-2006, 08:41 PM
JJ, I have to laugh because I have such a phobia about taking blood pressure that here at home I couldn't even take my own. Everytime I would get out the cuff my heart would skip a beat and my BP would go up and the dang machine would read ERR. In the doctor's office they have learned to keep taking the pressure because with each time it came down more. I cured myself, I bought one of the wrist ones and I pop it on and push the button and away it goes and I have great readings now. What delicate creatures we are and stress does change things. :confused:
JJ
03-01-2006, 11:52 PM
The only explanation I have for this is that "some" doctors fall for the pharmaceutical hype (lower guidelines means prescribing more/stronger meds and more kickbacks) Or they give in to the hype from the Insurance companies who think more meds, less strokes and heart attacks which means less money for the Insurance companies to pay.
If the American Heart Association for example came up with that the numbers below 120/80 save lifes then why don't ALL doctors follow these guidelines?? Why is for one doctor a systolic # in the 150's o.k. yet another doctor freaks out, and that right in front of the patient. That is how I developed my phobia of having my BP taken yrs ago.
I think another problem is, that their malpractice insurance is so out of wack and people sue these days for stupid things. Many may be afraid if they don't go by the guidelines and something happenes to you, your family will sue their butts. Yes, many are a lil pill happy, but I also think the general public is getting like I said, out of control too. Seeing I won't take statins due to nasty side effects from before, I would have no problems signing something that said my dr. suggested a drug and I refused it, as it is my decision, but they also have to understand, I won't be treated like a second hand citizen because I refuse to take something I know doesn't agree with me. One dr. told me if I didn't take the meds. he would rather I go elsewhere, and I said fine, SEE YA!!
Like anything, it is a 2 way street, and yes, many do disagree on certain numbers and treatments, so I still think alot of these studies are not carved n stone, and many drs. aren't thoroughly convinced. Oh well, like anything, time will tell and for now, we all have to use our own judgement as to what we will, or will not take, whether it be right or wrong. JMHO
Take care...... :wave:
If the American Heart Association for example came up with that the numbers below 120/80 save lifes then why don't ALL doctors follow these guidelines?? Why is for one doctor a systolic # in the 150's o.k. yet another doctor freaks out, and that right in front of the patient. That is how I developed my phobia of having my BP taken yrs ago.
I think another problem is, that their malpractice insurance is so out of wack and people sue these days for stupid things. Many may be afraid if they don't go by the guidelines and something happenes to you, your family will sue their butts. Yes, many are a lil pill happy, but I also think the general public is getting like I said, out of control too. Seeing I won't take statins due to nasty side effects from before, I would have no problems signing something that said my dr. suggested a drug and I refused it, as it is my decision, but they also have to understand, I won't be treated like a second hand citizen because I refuse to take something I know doesn't agree with me. One dr. told me if I didn't take the meds. he would rather I go elsewhere, and I said fine, SEE YA!!
Like anything, it is a 2 way street, and yes, many do disagree on certain numbers and treatments, so I still think alot of these studies are not carved n stone, and many drs. aren't thoroughly convinced. Oh well, like anything, time will tell and for now, we all have to use our own judgement as to what we will, or will not take, whether it be right or wrong. JMHO
Take care...... :wave:
NHone
03-02-2006, 08:01 PM
Even though i am against cholesterol medications, except in some extreme cases, I believe stress is very dangerous. If it relieves your stress and you don't have any important side effects, then I would say its worth it. On the docs and their insurance...they should be paying a lot. According to JAMA, doctors killed 62,000 people last year by giving the wrong medications, and the wrong combinations of medicine. This was not mislabeled or misdispenced medication...but just improper medication.
CobaltBlue
03-12-2006, 10:39 PM
The title of this thread seems to be misleading, and a continuation of the former locked thread....
Anyway, can cholesterol be too low? Who knows, but when one has a MI with a total C of 133-166 mg/dL, its time to think twice about that. I have had my cholesterol as low as 94 mg/dL, and it averages around 125 mg/dL. I don't suffer from depression, I am still as sucessful as ever in my career, and I win awards in my age group in 5K-15K races against normal individuals that have not had MIs.
Kind of hard to argue against that--
However, my cholesterol when it was 200-300 mg/dL was prior to the MI, diabetes diagnosis, and a diagnosis of hypertension with 170/112 mm Hg.
Since I have lost the weight, my bp averages around 110/60 sans meds. The point I am trying to make here is that you should be proactive in reducing the risk factors (I think stumper was advocating this).
Otherwise, you can continue the path you choose, and perhaps fool yourself into feeling better-but then what have you really accomplished? If you are right, then you will know, but if you are wrong, you will never know. Is it really worth the risk?
Anyway, can cholesterol be too low? Who knows, but when one has a MI with a total C of 133-166 mg/dL, its time to think twice about that. I have had my cholesterol as low as 94 mg/dL, and it averages around 125 mg/dL. I don't suffer from depression, I am still as sucessful as ever in my career, and I win awards in my age group in 5K-15K races against normal individuals that have not had MIs.
Kind of hard to argue against that--
However, my cholesterol when it was 200-300 mg/dL was prior to the MI, diabetes diagnosis, and a diagnosis of hypertension with 170/112 mm Hg.
Since I have lost the weight, my bp averages around 110/60 sans meds. The point I am trying to make here is that you should be proactive in reducing the risk factors (I think stumper was advocating this).
Otherwise, you can continue the path you choose, and perhaps fool yourself into feeling better-but then what have you really accomplished? If you are right, then you will know, but if you are wrong, you will never know. Is it really worth the risk?