New Here & Looking for Guidance / Information Please

[Natascha]

Hi

I'm 52, female relatively active but do suffer quite bad with depression and anxiety but at the moment doing rather well on the meds prescribed by my GP. Have found out I have this genetic cholesterol thing recently which doesn't worry me as being genetic it would seem I have lived with it all my life until somebody discovered I had it last year and everybody around me seemed to get slightly bent out of shape throwing diets sheets and drugs at me! I don't drink stay as far away from salt as possible, keep the fat intake low overall the diet ain't too bad sooo I can deal with that. Ok strange kind of thing to say but spend so much time worrying about everything some things I just have to stick in a box to one side as it's not something I can do anything about - well except take meds and be a guinea pig for the NHS to help others yes I went on one of those volunteer new drug trials which I have now completed.

Anyways all going swimmingly until the last couple of days not feeling quite myself been to the doctors given even more drugs which doesn't please me one bit but as I am currently suffering really bad reflux acid during sleeping times and the tablets are brilliant can't really diss them. Feeling rubbish today, red hot sweating but freezing cold feet, it's very rare I have a day off but today I called in sick first time in over a year. Have had a storming headache all day and yup acid reflux is doing back flips, feel like I have a tablet stuck in the back of my throat that won't dissolve (which I haven't but its the best description I can give) Well I just decided to have a nosy at my blood pressure and see what if anything is showing up, I often hit high normal pressure readings .... but think I just gave the blood pressure machine a nervous breakdown as it's now got lights flashing like a pelican crossing. Taken the reading three times in the last hour so far my best (ie lowest reading) is 155 over 110 with an 85 heart rate which for me is a tad high especially at rest. At which point should I be worried and is there anything I can do to lower it tonight? Thinking that perhaps the high rate is something to do with the acid reflux perhaps? Really would like to get some sleep as I normally don't sleep much at all usually between 3 and 4 hours in 24 of broken sleep so my little bit of sleep is quite precious to me. Can anybody point me in the right direction please? Uk websites say one thing USA web sites another all a tad confusing. Many thanks for any assistance.

[Natascha]

Got to love these BP machines for scaring the what's its name out of you so now a more reasonable 162 over 98 but with a lower 78 heart rate. It's always the second of the three digits that gives me the hee-bee-gee-bees. Going to sign myself out with being a worry wart and go take another lansoprazole to get rid of this ruddy acid reflux before it makes me chuck up again.

Take good care of yourselves peeps I'm going to go and watch my parrots killing toys never a dull moment and so very relaxing bless em!

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi there,

With your family history of cholesterol you should be getting regular check ups and blood tests

[Natascha in reply to skid112]

Hi Skid112

Thanks for the reply. Don't get blood tests and check ups unless I request my GP to do it. I had a referral last year to the lipid clinic as I requested it went and never heard from them again until the other month after asking why I went the first time, got an appointment the other month to go see them same information as first time so not a lot of use really got basically told no change since the last time I requested a cholesterol check but then they realised that's because there had been no meds prescribed so there wouldn't be a change lol. I have just had another appointment sent to me to go on the 4th Dec will see what that brings this time I have been asked to take Crestor tablets at a very low dosage as statins don't seem to do anything but make me ill. Have once again also volunteered to be a guinea pig for any tests / trials etc that the NHS wants to do to try and assist everybody else. At least that way it may improve things for others Been given these lansoprazole tablets which seem to be working well as seriously the acid indigestion I currently have is just about sending me in a spin! Never thrown up this much with acid reflux the burning alone is driving me crackers! BP was heaps better this morning though was 138 over 103 did make me ponder if I get it level number both sides will it make me look like one of those slush puppy machines in a petrol station?!?! Sorry but my sense of humour is just about all that is keeping my head above the parapet at the moment. Will ask how often I should ask my GP to do some bloods and what to ask for check up wise now I know I should perhaps be having it done see what they say. Many thanks for the heads up much appreciated.

[skid112 Heart Star]

Lol at the slush puppy. Statins are not for everyone but seriously give your gp a nudge as you clearly need to have it watched

[Natascha]

Did a year on a trial of a new statin hoping it would help everybody else - didn't assist me LMAO but that's the way the cookie crumbles!

Will try and get to see one GP at my practice and see if picking on one of them will get anything sorted always seem to get to see different ones plus people on secondment just hope I pick on one that knows what is supposed to be check up on lol.

Thanks again