My blood pressure is normal! Best side effect ever.
I have struggled with low blood pressure all my life, the kind of stand-up-too-fast-and-faint blood pressure. I laugh at the doctor shows when someone anxiously says, “His BP is 80 over 50. He’s going into shock.” Hah, unmedicated, I walk around all day with 75/45. Granted I’m exhausted and I have a splitting headache but I am actually walking around.
So I have not been needing to take my BP meds. It’s great.
Of course it couldn’t be that easy. Generally my pressure is lovely 110/65. Then it sometimes goes back down to 70/55. Then, on scary occasions, it’s up to 130 over 80 or something. The high readings are rare and the low readings are a little less rare so I can still say, this is the best side effect ever.
It would be funny if I am on the placebo because then there would be no explanation for this other than, best sugar pill ever.
I went to my GP to discuss everything that is happening as a result of being in the study. It’s hard not to call her by her first name. She is a lovely woman who is probably young enough to be my daughter. She lets her patients talk too much for her own good.
I know this because I am one of the patient offenders. I’ll give myself a pass this one time because I had to admit that I am freaking out a little bit about this clinical trial and I needed a little hand holding. We went over my overall health (robust) and my lifestyle changes (good ideas). She assured me that my cholesterol levels are great. We discussed the blood pressure issues and she gave me guidelines for when to take the meds.
I’m sticking to the lifestyle changes. Exercise is the hardest one. Working out is boring. Walking the dog is nice. I hate housework but, as an exercise, at least I have something to show for it in the end.
So I feel calmer.