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I'm dying

swordpath

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Went to the doc for the first time in about half a year, before that it was always half-assed routinized visits to get shots or whatever while in the military. My blood pressure has always been borderline-high since 15 years old or something like that. My first reading at the doc 170/95. Took it a couple more times but wasn't able to get it down below 160/85. Fuck. I bought a BP cuff last night and my first reading was 170s/90s, sat still for a few minutes 140s/70s (been on medication for three days). My blood pressure is an animal...

Anyways, in the mean time since my doctor's visit I've been waiting lab results - blood test, urine test and chest x-rays all checked out normal. EKG results in an email this morning from my doc: "non specific T wave changes". I've been doing some googling. From all the possible deviations, apparently "non-specific T wave changes" is of the less damning... But then again, I don't know and no one really does "without further investigation by an authorized cardiologist". My doc said he was going to wait a few more days for the Cardiologist's final assessment on what should be the next step.

Oh, I forgot to mention, it's almost definite (everything short of a solid diagnosis) that I have Polycystic Kidney Disease as well (my dad and both his sisters have it, my dad received a transplant a few years ago).

Potentially having/developing heart disease and kidney disease, what a bonus!
 

Vasilisa

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I'm so sorry about this, Ignite. Take care not to alarm yourself unnecessarily over website worst case scenarios and thereby raise your blood pressure more. I understand wanting to be forewarned/forearmed, but this may be the first instance of a whole new approach you must learn to take towards things for the rest of your life.
:sad: I hope you can stay encouraged.
 
P

Phantonym

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Congrats. Aren't we all?

So, tough luck. What are you going to do about it? It's ok to vent about it but if you're going to continue dwelling on it and being all negative, it's not going to make you better. It's definitely going to get your blood pressure even higher. Might I suggest that instead of getting yourself worked up about all the possible scenarios you can find on the Internet, wait for a professional to take a look at things and assess them with a cool head.

You can probably find some info online about people who have all that and possibly even worse as well but they're still able to be positive and enjoy life. Stay positive and good luck.
 

swordpath

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I can't help but first analyze all the negatives that this could mean now and in the grand scope of things. That's my nature, it's how my brain works and if there's a way to change it, I've yet discover that therapy.

So what you're saying is sound, but so much easier to say than to do. Thanks for chiming in.
 

Giggly

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:cry:

I'm sorry to hear that.

I know someone who had high BP and kidney disease together. They got their BP waaaaay down over time. Exercise and change of diet helps a lot.
 

iwakar

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Went to the doc for the first time in about half a year, before that it was always half-assed routinized visits to get shots or whatever while in the military. My blood pressure has always been borderline-high since 15 years old or something like that. My first reading at the doc 170/95. Took it a couple more times but wasn't able to get it down below 160/85. Fuck. I bought a BP cuff last night and my first reading was 170s/90s, sat still for a few minutes 140s/70s (been on medication for three days). My blood pressure is an animal...

Anyways, in the mean time since my doctor's visit I've been waiting lab results - blood test, urine test and chest x-rays all checked out normal. EKG results in an email this morning from my doc: "non specific T wave changes". I've been doing some googling. From all the possible deviations, apparently "non-specific T wave changes" is of the less damning... But then again, I don't know and no one really does "without further investigation by an authorized cardiologist". My doc said he was going to wait a few more days for the Cardiologist's final assessment on what should be the next step.

Oh, I forgot to mention, it's almost definite (everything short of a solid diagnosis) that I have Polycystic Kidney Disease as well (my dad and both his sisters have it, my dad received a transplant a few years ago).

Potentially having/developing heart disease and kidney disease, what a bonus!

What remains to obtain a solid diagnosis?


On an unrelated note, one of my employees and I were just having a discussion last night about my chronic kidney stone formation and her Polycistic Kidney Disease diagnosis. Bizarre.
 
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swordpath

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What remains to obtain a solid diagnosis?
Doing an ultrasound and whatever other tests. It was always assumed that my high bp was linked to kidney disease, because in the past I've had protein in my urine as well (two good indicators). I had an EKG done before I joined the military and all checked out fine, so it seems if there is a problem with my heart, it's a relatively new development.

I've arranged to have EKG sent from old doc to new doc for a comparison.
 

rav3n

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I'm sorry to hear this, Beat. No one can know how it feels to be in your shoes unless they've experienced it.

High blood pressure is a complication of Polycystic Kidney Disease. One of the key treatments for PKD is to lower blood pressure through blood pressure medication, diuretics and a low salt diet. This is within your control which includes knowing that you're not necessarily dying, that you're young and in shape so you have a better chance at survival than another man at 50 years old.
 

cascadeco

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I know when my father found out 6 or 7 years ago that his blood pressure was off-the-charts horrible (he should have been dead according to nurses), and subsequent tests, his kidneys had shrunk to about 15% their normal size. In other words... all of it had been going on for a while. The doctors though couldn't really say whether the high blood pressure for so long precipitated the kidney's getting maxed out / disease, or whether the disease caused the blood pressure. More than likely it was some feedback loop and they both kind of fed off each other.

That said, his mother always had medically high blood pressure, and had been on meds for her later years, but didn't have any kidney disease. So I'm of the personal opinion that in my dad's case, he just went too long without going to the doc, had high blood pressure, and over the years of that not being addressed, resulted in kidney disease.

After finding this out, he was on a very regimented diet, and meds, for close to 5 years. Then it got to the point that he needed a transplant, and that was done successfully last August.

------------

Long story short -- I think that you're in a great position because you're relatively young, your blood pressure isn't in absolutely dire straits yet, and you are able to address the issue now, and make lifestyle choices accordingly, before it becomes critical.
 

iwakar

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Doing an ultrasound and whatever other tests. It was always assumed that my high bp was linked to kidney disease, because in the past I've had protein in my urine as well (two good indicators). I had an EKG done before I joined the military and all checked out fine, so it seems if there is a problem with my heart, it's a relatively new development.

I've arranged to have EKG sent from old doc to new doc for a comparison.

Comparing new data to old data = good. Do you plan to proceed with the ultrasounds etc. in the near future?

Immediately, I am more concerned about how you are/will be coping with this stressful news (keepin' blood pressure in check) than I am about your long-term maintenance. I know you will do well if you tackle this with a healthy perspective. You're a tough nut guy.

If you need to vent to someone and fail to do so, I will make it a point to be offended just to discourage you from your default stoicism. :hug:
 

swordpath

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I don't want a diagnosis of PKD, I just want to be able to manage my BP. This potential heart problem showing up as a result of me trying to do that is the worst kind of news. Heart issues terrify me to begin with, and this has the potential (if it is serious enough) to ruin what I've been aspiring to, occupation wise, since my teens. I'm trying not to worry yet, but I've been dwelling on this all day. It's a slow waiting game of medical trial and error at this point.

Thanks for the concern.
 

iwakar

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I don't want a diagnosis of PKD, I just want to be able to manage my BP. This potential heart problem showing up as a result of me trying to do that is the worst kind of news. Heart issues terrify me to begin with, and this has the potential (if it is serious enough) to ruin what I've been aspiring to, occupation wise, since my teens. I'm trying not to worry yet, but I've been dwelling on this all day. It's a slow waiting game of medical trial and error at this point.

Thanks for the concern.

If I need street cred. for venting, I suffer from both (mild) heart and kidney disease as well.

:solidarity:
 
T

ThatGirl

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Thanks a lot BEAT! Now I feel bad about giving you shit all the time. Probably not good for the BP.



Question, did you have any prolonged illness as a kid?
 

sciski

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A low salt diet might help with the blood pressure... perhaps massage to calm you down and lower the bp? (Hey, any excuse is a good excuse.)

Also, sorry to hear you're so stressed from this news. :(
 

burymecloser

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Congrats. Aren't we all?

So, tough luck. What are you going to do about it? It's ok to vent about it but if you're going to continue dwelling on it and being all negative, it's not going to make you better. It's definitely going to get your blood pressure even higher. Might I suggest that instead of getting yourself worked up about all the possible scenarios you can find on the Internet, wait for a professional to take a look at things and assess them with a cool head.

You can probably find some info online about people who have all that and possibly even worse as well but they're still able to be positive and enjoy life. Stay positive and good luck.
Wow, someone posts bad news and your reaction is to browbeat and criticise them? I agree that keeping a positive attitude is important, but when you first learn something like this, of course you're going to be upset. Not to have a negative initial reaction is not to be human.

Ignite, so sorry about your bad news. Keep your head up. And keep doing research -- not to depress yourself, but to learn more about what's going on and what you may be able to do about it. Lots of people have high blood pressure, and there are more and more avenues for treating it. Good luck.
 

Randomnity

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Sorry to hear about your BP. It doesn't sound like you're actually dying at the moment, although it's human nature to be worried. I'm not a doctor or anything, but I know that lots of people live long lives with high blood pressure and/or kidney problems. And lots of people have weird EKGs without it being anything serious (of course you need to get it checked out, that's all).

Hope the tests come back well and ease your mind.
 
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Phantonym

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Wow, someone posts bad news and your reaction is to browbeat and criticise them? I agree that keeping a positive attitude is important, but when you first learn something like this, of course you're going to be upset. Not to have a negative initial reaction is not to be human.

He's obviously upset, he made a thread about it to vent. Pity parties are all fine and dandy but people die all the time. My post was for later on when he stops feeling like a victim. To the bolded: Right on, as if my initial reaction was so very positive. :)
 

swordpath

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"People die all the time" -- What does that have to do with any of this?
 
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