Advice On Uncontrollable Hypertension Posted: 06-20-05 21:01pm
I am a 31 y/o female and have suffered
from uncontrollable hypertension for 10+
years now. I have been on numerous
medications for this. They tend to work
a while then yet again have to be changed
after my body gets immuned to them. I am
currently taking 5 a day. I have been
treated by a nurse practitioner for this
period of time. She is a nice person but
i'm getting really concerned due to the
fact that she has not once ever sent me to
a cardiologist or have I ever had any test
performed. She keeps telling me that
it's hereditary and that I would have to
deal with it for the rest of my life.
I've accepted that but yet I wonder if it
has done any damage to my organs after it
being so high so long and being on meds
for so long. I am to the point that my
overall energy has left - extreme fatigue
all the time. It is very scary to have
had this for so long now. My question(s)
is should I consider changing doctors and
if so should I recommend getting further
testing. Also while on my medication my
normal bp runs around 175/95+. She says
that "that is good for you" meaning that
it usually runs alot higher than that and
she feels like that is a safe number for
me...I'm no rocket scientist but that
seems to be dangerously high. Well any
advice would be greatly appreciated. Im
just really confused on what I should
do.
Thanks so much
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 06-21-05 06:08am
Heather,
it is very normal for you to want to
question your pcp's health plan for you
since there actually seems to be no plan
in place. It woud behoove you to request
to see the doctor not the np when you go
in for your next appt. Tell the office
you have some concerns and really need the
doctors advice for this personal issue.
(even though it is not really personal,
they cannot ask you once you say it is
personal)
after being treated for ten years there
should be an entire volume of your medical
records that just involves your blood test
and pressure workup information and what
meds they are using to combat this
problem. You should be having ultrasounds
of your heart to verify that the size is
right and many other tests. It is time to
demand to see a specialist! You cannot
depend on the primary care doctor to be a
cardiologist just like the cardiologist
cant be your pcp. Somtimes it is hard to
convince a well intentioned pcp that they
are not qualified to treat a special
problem like you have.
Good luck and let us know how you do!
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Faerieangyl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Garfield Hts Ohio
Same Problem Posted: 11-18-05 10:56am
How do you demand to see a specialist
without offending your pcp?
Can you go to one without your pcp advice?
I actually doubt my pcp would refer me to
one! I am 28 and have suffered from
uncontrollable high bp since I was 23
along with numerous other problems that
are never resolved, just keep being told
everything is caused by anxiety, even
though I rarely feel anxiety!
My bp ( on 3 meds) is in the 140/90 range,
after a recent trip to the er with pvc's
it was 174/108 or around that, and at
recheck with my doc it was 150/102. The
bottom number is way too high! My doc
will not switch my meds, just plays with
the dosages,and says we will watch and
see.
I am afraid he is going to let me die
while he waits. Or that he thinks I am a
hypochondriac because I worry. But those
numbers are not right for someone my age,
especially when I have suffered from
severe headaches, dizziness, chest pain ,
adrenaline rushesand numerous other
things, along with the recent er trip with
pvc and low potassium.
What do I do>
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 11-18-05 13:33pm
The best advice I can give would be to ask
for a referal and if your primary care doc
refuses to give you a referal, he/she is
in the wrong. There is something wrong
with a pompus doc that tells you he will
not refer you.
You sould do the leg work of finding the
doc you want to see and then ask him to
give you the referal. He doesnt have to
have an idc9 code to send you. You can
just go to check if there is a real
problem and if you need to have other
service to get your heart under control.
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Faerieangyl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Garfield Hts Ohio
Posted: 11-18-05 15:07pm
It isnt just my high blood pressure that
concerns me, I have had numerous issues in
the past, and of all of them, my doc will
do "tests" occassionally , if I am very
annoying about constantly asking, then
when/if they are negative, he is kind of
"i told you so". But he makes no effort
on his own to find a cause.
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 11-18-05 15:38pm
Honestly,
i understand your frustration and also
your fear of the unknown. If you have had
the same pcp for years and trust this doc.
You should do what your heart tells you.
If your heart is telling you that you need
to see a professonial that specialises in
the area you are concerned with. Get the
referal. If your heart is telling you to
trust him and not become demanding with
him, you should follow your heart.
I am one to demand answers, and if I made
a mistake "thank god" and pat the doc on
the back and say, "you were right" but at
least there is nop chance for either of
you to be totally wrong and have you or a
loved one lose their battle with life over
a point of contention.
Your body is yours and if your physician
will not help you to maintain it properly,
you really need to find one that will. If
when you get all of your results back, the
other doc is right on the money. He can
be proud of himself but heaven forbid he
be wrong even one time.
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Ormis
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 2
Posted: 12-07-05 08:18am
This is an interesting topic.
I was diagnosed with hypertension in my
late 20s (i'm now 34). I've tried every
lifestyle change I could (quit drinking
completely, quit smoking many years ago,
cut down on salt, upped the exercise), but
nothing worked. My cholesterol levels
are excellent and i'm not overweight.
Finally, I started on medication and
nearly every one would work really well
for a while. The first time I tried a
medication, my blood pressure went down
that very day. Even my doctor remarked
that it normally took a lot more
experimentation than that. Then over
time, for almost every one, the effects
would wear off.
For the last year or so i've been on
diovan and hctz/tm. They've been
working really well and my blood pressure
has been under excellent control (usually
under or around 120/80). Now in the
last few months it's been creeping back
up. Two or three months ago it was
getting close to borderline. Now my
numbers are usually 160/100! I'm not
doing anything different and still taking
my medication every single day. I have
an appointment in a few days.
I would definitely recommend seeing a
different doctor if you're not satisified.
When I was first diagnosed they did a
fairly completely screening, I had an mri
and blood work to rule out kidney
problems, blood tests to rule out tumors,
etc..
Under my insurance, I don't even need a
referral. I decide who I want to see,
my current doctor is in internal medicine
with a special interest in hypertension,
which is why I chose her. I've switched
doctors three times over the course of six
years or so. So check your insurance,
you may not even need her permission to
see someone else! Don't feel bad about
offending anyone, this could be your life
on the line and you're entitled to a
second opinion.
