Being your own doctor

So over the past few weeks, I have been having problems with my blood pressure. I currently am on  seven different tablets a day to lower it and my doctor has been trying to improve the results by switching around how I take them.

So along with my other blood pressure tablets, he had me taking my Physiotens .4 in the morning with my other Physiotens .2. As well as the other ones.. all at once.

This did not go over too well with my body. An hour after taking them, I became so sleepy that I fell asleep at my computer. I then had to sleep them off for about three hours in bed.

My mouth was so dry I couldn't swallow easily as food would get stuck in my throat.and my eyes were dry, making them red and sore. I was craving water like someone in the desert...

It was aweful at times as I would suddenly come over sick and nearly retch. I got normal BP readings but I was not happy with  how I felt.

So I did a Google search and Viatris who make Physiotens said that the maximum dose a day was .600 and that amount should not be taken at the same time. Further, all my symptoms were side effects of the Physiotens or Monoxidine

I had a phone consult with my doctor and told him the story and said it's true  not to take the .600 in one hit, but on occasion it had been done in cases of stubborn high BP and was effective. But at what cost? I thought.

I told him I wasn't happy with how I felt so he said to experiment myself. I felt like saying.. but I am paying you to direct me but I didn't... he usually is very good.

Anyway, last night  I woke up for the bathroom and I felt weird. I could hear my heart thumping in my ears, I felt dizzy and my legs didn't seem to want to hold me up.

I ran my wrists under the cold water in the ensuite vanity, took a couple of paracetamol tablets and went back to sleep- which hasn't been that good since I changed the tablets around- another side effect apparently!

Waking up at 8am, I felt nauseous and dizzy so I thought my BP would be low- it was high at 214/88 with 69bpm. My bpm is usually 59-60. I immediately took all my tablets, except the .2 which I plan to take tonight.

I checked my BP an hour later and it was 161/82 62bpm. I went to sleep for a few hours and retook it. It was 136/73 57bpm which was much  better.

It's not the first time that I have thought it is sometimes better to be your own doctor these days.