Blood Pressure/Medical (longish)

June 2007. I failed my 3rd class medical exam and was grounded. I am 50
years old, 5'9", 158 lbs. No family history of hypertension. But due to a
number of current stress factors in my life, mother in law and father in law
both passing away recently and suddenly, the work of disposing of the
estate, a promotion at work entailing additional duties and
responsibilities, a consistent lunch menu of Chinese food, and white coat
syndrome, my blood pressure was elevated over the FAA acceptable limits.

When a second visit to the AME the next day resulted in even higher
readings, he was forced to send the paperwork to Oklahoma City with his
findings. Note to self, don't drink coca-cola for lunch right before your BP
test.

I scheduled a visit with my personal doctor and he did the whole 9 yards,
EKG, blood and all. The only thing he found wrong was high blood pressure of
course, and that my cholesterol can be lowered a bit. But the BP was enough
to have him start me on 5 mg Lisinopril and 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide daily.

I don't like taking drugs. I don't smoke, drink and never have. I push
through pain of headaches when I get them, which is pretty rare anyway,
thinking it's best to let my body rely on it's own coping mechanisms. Sorta
'what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger' mentality. This is not making me
happy, on top of not being able to fly. I grumble and fuss.

I begin to run. Long ago, before 30 years of monotony, er, monogamy and
kids, in the Land of Fruits and Nuts, I ran. 10 miles every other day at the
beach. I loved it. If I couldn't run for a few days for whatever reason, my
legs would get twitchy and the pent-up energy would explode the next time
out. If you've never had a runner's high, I can tell you it's amazing. You
feel as if you can run forever.

But now... now it's a bitch trying to get those 18 year old legs back. My
lungs are back after 2 months of slogging 3 miles every other day in the
heat and humidity of North Georgia, but the knees and ankles are still
protesting quite loudly. A good pair of running shoes help, but on some days
they help too much. I begin to feel comfortable with small glimpses of the
ol' high and end up pushing it too much, paying for it the next day with
very sore Achilles tendons.

Two more checkup visits to my personal doc, a new one this time, and he
feels the need to change the meds to 10 mg Lisinopril and 12.5 mg HCTZ.
Sigh. At least it's combined into a single pill now, so I don't have 2
prescriptions that run out alternately. But the doc says now he has enough
info to write the FAA a letter and let them know my medical status. So he
did. And I waited, not knowing how long the paperwork would take to work
it's way through the system. Surprisingly it isn't that long. Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back from
the FAA.

I can fly again.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Nice post, thank you.

I am sure it will help many people facing similar events.

John



Wizard of Draws wrote:
June 2007. I failed my 3rd class medical exam and was grounded. I am 50
years old, 5'9", 158 lbs. No family history of hypertension. But due to a
number of current stress factors in my life, mother in law and father in law
both passing away recently and suddenly, the work of disposing of the
estate, a promotion at work entailing additional duties and
responsibilities, a consistent lunch menu of Chinese food, and white coat
syndrome, my blood pressure was elevated over the FAA acceptable limits.

When a second visit to the AME the next day resulted in even higher
readings, he was forced to send the paperwork to Oklahoma City with his
findings. Note to self, don't drink coca-cola for lunch right before your BP
test.

I scheduled a visit with my personal doctor and he did the whole 9 yards,
EKG, blood and all. The only thing he found wrong was high blood pressure of
course, and that my cholesterol can be lowered a bit. But the BP was enough
to have him start me on 5 mg Lisinopril and 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide daily.

I don't like taking drugs. I don't smoke, drink and never have. I push
through pain of headaches when I get them, which is pretty rare anyway,
thinking it's best to let my body rely on it's own coping mechanisms. Sorta
'what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger' mentality. This is not making me
happy, on top of not being able to fly. I grumble and fuss.

I begin to run. Long ago, before 30 years of monotony, er, monogamy and
kids, in the Land of Fruits and Nuts, I ran. 10 miles every other day at the
beach. I loved it. If I couldn't run for a few days for whatever reason, my
legs would get twitchy and the pent-up energy would explode the next time
out. If you've never had a runner's high, I can tell you it's amazing. You
feel as if you can run forever.

But now... now it's a bitch trying to get those 18 year old legs back. My
lungs are back after 2 months of slogging 3 miles every other day in the
heat and humidity of North Georgia, but the knees and ankles are still
protesting quite loudly. A good pair of running shoes help, but on some days
they help too much. I begin to feel comfortable with small glimpses of the
ol' high and end up pushing it too much, paying for it the next day with
very sore Achilles tendons.

Two more checkup visits to my personal doc, a new one this time, and he
feels the need to change the meds to 10 mg Lisinopril and 12.5 mg HCTZ.
Sigh. At least it's combined into a single pill now, so I don't have 2
prescriptions that run out alternately. But the doc says now he has enough
info to write the FAA a letter and let them know my medical status. So he
did. And I waited, not knowing how long the paperwork would take to work
it's way through the system. Surprisingly it isn't that long. Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back from
the FAA.

I can fly again.

"Wizard of Draws" wrote

Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back
from
the FAA.

I can fly again.

Happy days!

I have no idea of what your weight situation is, but I'll pass along one
thing from my experiences.

I was having some BP problems, and went on medication.

A year or so later, I decided to lose some weight, but I resolved to do it
without a diet, but just eat smaller portions of everything.

It worked. 5 months later, I had gone from 195 to 175. No exercise
increase, no cutting out certain foods. Just less.

Guess what. No more BP medicine is necessary, now.
--
Jim in NC

On 9/25/07 8:06 PM, in article , "Morgans"
wrote:


"Wizard of Draws" wrote

Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back
from
the FAA.

I can fly again.

Happy days!

I have no idea of what your weight situation is, but I'll pass along one
thing from my experiences.

I was having some BP problems, and went on medication.

A year or so later, I decided to lose some weight, but I resolved to do it
without a diet, but just eat smaller portions of everything.

It worked. 5 months later, I had gone from 195 to 175. No exercise
increase, no cutting out certain foods. Just less.

Guess what. No more BP medicine is necessary, now.

I'm 5'9", 155 as of this morning. I asked the doc what BP he was looking for
in order to stop the meds: 100/60.

As of the last visit, I was 132/90. This may take quite a few miles, but I
will not be on meds for the rest of my life, no way.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Wizard of Draws wrote:
On 9/25/07 8:06 PM, in article , "Morgans"
wrote:


"Wizard of Draws" wrote


Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back
from
the FAA.

I can fly again.

Happy days!

I have no idea of what your weight situation is, but I'll pass along one
thing from my experiences.

I was having some BP problems, and went on medication.

A year or so later, I decided to lose some weight, but I resolved to do it
without a diet, but just eat smaller portions of everything.

It worked. 5 months later, I had gone from 195 to 175. No exercise
increase, no cutting out certain foods. Just less.

Guess what. No more BP medicine is necessary, now.


I'm 5'9", 155 as of this morning. I asked the doc what BP he was looking for
in order to stop the meds: 100/60.

As of the last visit, I was 132/90. This may take quite a few miles, but I
will not be on meds for the rest of my life, no way.

I would have thought that 100/60 is pretty bloody low. Is the Doctor
getting kickbacks from the drug company? I get told my BP is pretty good
when it is 115/70. Genrerally I am 120/80 and the highest I know about
is 130/80. I did get a reall high reading after cutting myself badly,
152/95, but that does not really count!

James.

James wrote:
I would have thought that 100/60 is pretty bloody low.

I just had mine renewed last week. My BP was 102/62. They just said it
was "good", nothing whatsoever about it being low.

Shirl writes:

I just had mine renewed last week. My BP was 102/62. They just said it
was "good", nothing whatsoever about it being low.

It's low, but low is generally good as long as it doesn't produce symptoms and
is not the result of any disease.

James wrote:


Wizard of Draws wrote:
On 9/25/07 8:06 PM, in article , "Morgans"
wrote:


"Wizard of Draws" wrote


Ten business
days after the letter was mailed, I received a medical certificate back
from
the FAA.

I can fly again.

Happy days!

I have no idea of what your weight situation is, but I'll pass along one
thing from my experiences.

I was having some BP problems, and went on medication.

A year or so later, I decided to lose some weight, but I resolved to
do it
without a diet, but just eat smaller portions of everything.

It worked. 5 months later, I had gone from 195 to 175. No exercise
increase, no cutting out certain foods. Just less.

Guess what. No more BP medicine is necessary, now.


I'm 5'9", 155 as of this morning. I asked the doc what BP he was
looking for
in order to stop the meds: 100/60.

As of the last visit, I was 132/90. This may take quite a few miles,
but I
will not be on meds for the rest of my life, no way.

I would have thought that 100/60 is pretty bloody low. Is the Doctor
getting kickbacks from the drug company? I get told my BP is pretty good
when it is 115/70. Genrerally I am 120/80 and the highest I know about
is 130/80. I did get a reall high reading after cutting myself badly,
152/95, but that does not really count!

I'm guessing that is the BP the doc is looking for while taking the
meds. It needs to be unusually low with the meds if it is to stay low
enough without the meds.

Matt

Matt Whiting writes:

I'm guessing that is the BP the doc is looking for while taking the
meds. It needs to be unusually low with the meds if it is to stay low
enough without the meds.

Maybe. But if the meds counteract the body's own attempts to raise BP it may
never drop that low, simply because the body keeps raising it to more normal
levels. Thus, you never get off the meds. The only way to see if it's normal
without medication is to stop the medication, but most doctors won't risk
that. The bad effects of hypertension are well documented, and doctors don't
want to run the risk that the BP would run away if the meds were stopped.

James writes:

I would have thought that 100/60 is pretty bloody low.

It is.

Is the Doctor getting kickbacks from the drug company?

He is just being extremely conservative. I suspect he just doesn't want to
take him off medication.

I get told my BP is pretty good when it is 115/70.

It is.

Genrerally I am 120/80 and the highest I know about
is 130/80. I did get a reall high reading after cutting myself badly,
152/95, but that does not really count!

Injury and disease can temporarily raise BP. So can dozens of other things.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many things that lower BP, besides medication,
so if you have a lot of things raising it, and you can't identify those things
and eliminate them, you end up on medication. Diet and exercise are very
important, although some people might prefer medication without diet and
exercise requirements rather than be required to diet and exercise in order to
avoid the meds.