Better than expected

Okay. The bad news is I do have high blood pressure, and will have to go on meds, at least for a while. The other bad news is I have to have bloodwork done to be sure my kidneys aren't messed up - in a small percentage of hypertension cases, apparently it's a kidney problem causing it. However, I've had no symptoms of kidney problems (lower back pain, blood where there shouldn't be blood, extreme weight loss when not trying to lose weight, etc.). Everything else she could check out looked healthy, and I have no edema- which is probably a good sign it's not kidney, or if it is, it hasn't advanced very far.

I think I'm going to go in on Saturday and do the bloodwork. It has to be fasting (she also wants to do a cholesterol panel even though she was impressed when I told her the "total non-fasting" cholesterol readings that come back when I donate blood: she said something like "No wonder you've never bothered to get it looked at in more detail.") and I can't do fasting when I'm teaching, I teach too early in the day to be able to go in and get fasting bloodwork done.

The main thing she expressed concern about (besides my blood pressure) was salt in the diet (I told her I was trying to limit it, and would try more - and the fact that I don't use frozen dinners helps) and the fact (which I admitted to) that I am a perfectionist.

I am a few pounds down from the last time I was weighed. I think being more active is helping, and trying to be more careful about what I eat will help more.

She said the anti-hive meds shouldn't be affecting it. So it could just be bad luck and a familial tendency.

I am having to go on some kind of medication. She told me the name but I don't remember exactly what it is- she is calling it in to the pharmacy for me. She said she was starting me on a very low dose so I wouldn't feel wiped out from it.

Though, while talking with her, I realized: I haven't felt quite normal these past six months or so. I've had more ringing in my ears than I normally do and have been a bit more jittery  - both of which can be signs of high blood pressure, though normally it's asymptomatic. So maybe this is just a problem that's been developing and I need to get it taken care of.

I also need to buy a cuff for home monitoring. I decided to do that rather than to try to make time to see the nurse several days a week, and also will cut out the "white coat syndrome" that I KNOW I have.

I'm still trying not to feel like a failure over this. Maybe I'm just genetically unlucky and this is out of my control.