Monday, February 06, 2006

Tune-Up Time!

Later this morning I will visit my doctor for what I refer to as a tune-up! He will hook me up to a machine that looks an awfully lot like an EKG but gives him much more useful information, or so he tells me.

He says the machine can actually tell him what the fluid level is inside my body, my blood pressure and how well the interior walls of my heart arteries are moving the blood through. With this information he insists that he is better able to prescribe meds for me and keep me healthy......as healthy as can be expected for (and I quote him) "someone of your age who has had 3 heart attacks and quadruple bypass and has at least a 10 year history of elevated BP readings." Thank you so much for the tactfulness with which you delivered that statement! Hopefully he won't be changing my meds again. My cupboards are starting to look like a pharmacy themselves with all the half finished meds I am storing in there. Normally I would throw them away, but as quickly as he changes my meds, he often goes back to the one he originally had me on and I need to save money wherever and whenever I can so I don't want to waste them by throwing them out and then needing them again. They do the same thing to hubby, so we spend an average of $210. per month just on our co-pay for prescriptions! Yikes!

10 comments:

Michelle said...

If just the co-pay is that much, imagine how much the meds would cost if you didn't have insurance!

clew said...

Yikes is right! Hope all goes well. Thinking of you! XOXO

Bill said...

Thank you for your kind words about my novel.

Anonymous said...

Hey Martie,

My grandparents have the same issue with prescription drugs. They are older than you but experience the hassle of changing medications and frustrations with physicians. It can be hard to find a physician that really listens to you. My grandma has had that issue many times. Hugs!

p.s.- I realized that I was misspelling my name. Sorry for the mixup. This was formally homie. LOL

Michelle said...

What did the dr say?

Martie said...

The Dr. said I have what they call "resistant hypertension" and he didn't change my meds per se, he just upped the dosage on one of them....of course it happens to be the one that causes weight gain:-(
The increased dosage did require a new script and I have to go back and see him in one month! ARGH!!!

Michelle said...

Well, I suppose it could have been worse. Still, having to go back so soon is kind of a bummer. Maybe it will be warmer by then though.

Tirithien said...

You can try building in some different foods to drop your BP some- garlic and hot peppers can help. :-)

Martie said...

Thanks Tirithien....I have tried those and found the garlic to be ok, but the peppers cause really bad acid reflux. Any other suggestions?

clew said...

I know that the core food list I sent you has helped other people with diabetes and blood pressure. Maybe eating from that list will help a bit, with a little time.