Practicing Medicine

As I awaited my appointment with my primary care physician (PCP), I found myself diligently recording my blood pressure readings. With each measurement, I felt a mix of apprehension and frustration, knowing that managing my elevated blood pressure was crucial for my overall health. Turning to natural remedies, I explored various strategies to help regulate my blood pressure. I started with dietary changes, like reducing sodium intake by limiting processed foods, canned soups, and salty snacks. I tried stress-relief techniques such as mindfulness meditation and deep breathing exercises. I also experimented with herbal teas and started journaling as additional tools for managing stress. It seemed that I was stressed out more trying to become stress free.

When I initially reached out to my primary care physician, I was sure to convey the challenges I faced with managing my diastolic blood pressure. I mentioned the impact it had on my overall well-being and the frustration I experienced because no one thought it was important. I started experiencing headaches and felt the need to lay down more often. This could have been from the treatment I just received or symptoms of having an elevated blood pressure. It was hard to determine the exact cause.

I recognized the significant role my blood pressure played in triggering my headaches. Yet, I also acknowledged the broader range of stressors that had emerged in the wake of recent health discoveries. I went from being a healthy individual to one with an extensive and significant medical history; needing medication to keep my allergies under control, to requiring a medicine cabinet of required medications to keep me afloat.

As the days continued to trickle on, my body tried to adjust to the toxins that had been infused into it the previous week. I continued to expel all fluids from my body. The more fluids I drank, the more fluids were flushed out. If I didn’t drink enough fluids, my body still flushed fluids out and left me feeling drained and dry. My skin cracked and my mouth was a desert. I didn’t know if the headaches were a side effect from the medication, possibly being dehydrated or a different origin. My appointment was just a couple days away and I hoped it would result in having a plan in place.