High Bp

[cupotee]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Health-and-Fitness/Question1260549.html

As above I wrote about my ankles swelling and change of meds. The new ones had the same effect as the Amlodipine seemed to have making my ankles swell.

Another check with the GP who took my BP and found it to be pretty good at 140/80. At that she suggested I carry on with the Ramapril only and see how it goes in a few weeks.

I felt fine for some time but this past 10 days or so I have a thumping in my chest feeling my heart beat ten to the dozen and not feeling up to much at all.

Slightly dizzy getting up from a chair too.

Went back to the surgery yesterday where a Health Care Assistant took my BP twice. First time was 180/100, second was 168/90.

She also asked was I aware my heartbeat was erratic seeming to miss a beat every few beats.

She disappeared upstairs to speak with the GP and returns with a prescription to double the Ramapril from 5 mg to 10 mg.

I'm not sure I am happy with that and wonder what anyone else thinks. Its like pulling hens teeth to get an appointment these days but I am inclined to want to see a GP and not a health care assistant.

I still feel under the weather.

I also asked for an appointment with a nurse to have 3 stitches removed from my stomach next Monday..a whole week in advance but they are full up! Stitches from a biopsy last weekend.

I don't have too many complaints with our NHS but the surgery is a different matter unfortunately.

[Sqad]

Well, i woul;d n't get too worked up as increasing your Ramipril to counteract your BP rise seems to be a good move.

However, considering the appearance of irregular heartbeats I would have thought that the GP might have seen you and performed an ECG.

No big deal at the moment, but if the irregular heart beats and "thumping" return, I would ask your medical advisers for an ECG recording.

Don't worry.

[cupotee]

Thank you for your reply squad.

I will hope to get an appointment sooner rather than later as the thumping is present all the time.

[boxtops]

sqad, these days HCAs are trained to take BP readings and perform ECGs (among many other delegated tasks) - they're not allowed to interpret as that (not surprisingly) is still the realm of the registered professional.

That's why cupotee will have seen the HCA to get the BP checked, but she then took advice from the GP. Happens very often these days.

[slaney]

Indeed boxtops, this is the case, but hard to understand why if the GP was told there was an irregular heartbeat an ECG was not done.