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Nov. 9th, 2009 06:59 pmThe muscle spasms are pretty bad today. They've actually been a lot better since I've been making sure to stay well-hydrated and keeping my electrolytes in better shape. So have the other flu-like symptoms with feverishness. No wonder I'd been craving salt and potassium!
Yes, I still haven't made it to the GP's. But, recognizing the problem with dehydration did finally remove one (worked up) concern standing in the way. The last time I was there, my blood pressure was 140/80 (in the middle of a panic attack, with my heart going like a triphammer!). It's always been low to the point of getting symptoms--used to run 90/50 pretty regularly, at least before more "white coat" factor kicked in--but the insulin resistance will raise it, and the GP was making noises about putting me on medication unless getting my blood sugar under control lowered the BP. That terrified me, after seeing how much worse my mom's quality of life became after starting the blood pressure med dance. She never felt good again, and things were really awful at times. Unless her liver was threatening to shut down or similar, doctors just kept telling her she had a choice between learning to live with the side effects or dying of a stroke. (Nice!)
I finally put it together: polyuria from undiagnosed/poorly controlled diabetes* + diuretics == serious dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
Talk about an obvious connection, probably missed all too frequently. That will make you feel terrible--and put your life in danger!--right there, before you even get to any atypical ethnic reactions to meds. Most of the non-liver-related "side effects" she experienced could be attributed to that combo.
So, I'm not nearly as afraid of having trouble avoiding medications likely to make me sick. Glad to have that one mostly out of the way. After watching how that played out with her, it did have me worried. Maybe that will make it easier to psych myself up to see the doctor, and not have my blood pressure shot as borderline-high by anxiety.
Another couple of posts elsewhere:
Benzodiazepines and sensory issues
Just the links: more stuff I’ve been reading
__________
* Turns out, she probably had the kind of gestational diabetes that doesn't go away (they were not screening for this in the mid-'70s), based on her having lost 40+ lbs. and having spent the whole time barely able to hold down food (it will cause more nausea and vomiting). The high blood pressure started at the same time. Her diabetes was not diagnosed until I was 25. They still prescribed diuretics after that, and didn't watch for dehydration.
Yes, I still haven't made it to the GP's. But, recognizing the problem with dehydration did finally remove one (worked up) concern standing in the way. The last time I was there, my blood pressure was 140/80 (in the middle of a panic attack, with my heart going like a triphammer!). It's always been low to the point of getting symptoms--used to run 90/50 pretty regularly, at least before more "white coat" factor kicked in--but the insulin resistance will raise it, and the GP was making noises about putting me on medication unless getting my blood sugar under control lowered the BP. That terrified me, after seeing how much worse my mom's quality of life became after starting the blood pressure med dance. She never felt good again, and things were really awful at times. Unless her liver was threatening to shut down or similar, doctors just kept telling her she had a choice between learning to live with the side effects or dying of a stroke. (Nice!)
I finally put it together: polyuria from undiagnosed/poorly controlled diabetes* + diuretics == serious dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
Talk about an obvious connection, probably missed all too frequently. That will make you feel terrible--and put your life in danger!--right there, before you even get to any atypical ethnic reactions to meds. Most of the non-liver-related "side effects" she experienced could be attributed to that combo.
So, I'm not nearly as afraid of having trouble avoiding medications likely to make me sick. Glad to have that one mostly out of the way. After watching how that played out with her, it did have me worried. Maybe that will make it easier to psych myself up to see the doctor, and not have my blood pressure shot as borderline-high by anxiety.
Another couple of posts elsewhere:
Benzodiazepines and sensory issues
Just the links: more stuff I’ve been reading
__________
* Turns out, she probably had the kind of gestational diabetes that doesn't go away (they were not screening for this in the mid-'70s), based on her having lost 40+ lbs. and having spent the whole time barely able to hold down food (it will cause more nausea and vomiting). The high blood pressure started at the same time. Her diabetes was not diagnosed until I was 25. They still prescribed diuretics after that, and didn't watch for dehydration.