Well, that's my week kinda ruined.....

You are not wrong - I couldn't find my staff bus pass yesterday morning (couldn't see!) so it hurt enough having to pay £2.40 each way on the bus, but then parting with with the thick end of £25 in one hit for prescriptions, well that really stung - especially as I have got to get my normal repeat prescription next week.

Going to go for a pre-pay I think, as I seem to be at that age where things are going to start falling off

 

The difference between this GP and our last one is remarkable - the current one seem to be really pro-active as well as being really nice people; even the receptionists are wee stars - not the usual grumpy 'doctor defence' that you often get.

ECG was over in a couple of mins today, nothing of any note to worry about which is good; took the nurse longer to put the sticky pads on and take them back off than to do the ECG itself. My pulse is still fast, but no doubt that will settle; the nurse did wonder if it might all be a result of a virus or an infection - time will tell I suppose.

 

Done, done and done

Salt was one of the first things to come under scrutiny - I haven't cut it completely, but have reduced significantly (and I mean a hell of a lot), and then the remainder that I have control over has been replaced with Lo-Salt.

Bananas have become my 'portable breakfast' - I am of the mind that a lot of my problems have been created by me getting up, going to work, and flying all day on nothing but coffee until getting home and having a meal at around seven at night. Not good. I think the woman on the till in Sainsbury's the other night thought I had a monkey stashed away somewhere when I put three huge bunches of bananas onto the belt

Oddly enough, I have been wanting/craving more fruit for a wee while, so I reckon my body was already telling me something.

And finally, the exercise - I have taken to going out to incidents myself when at work, instead of sending others, which invariably means that I am running about getting vehicles out of road closures, re-directing passengers, or directing traffic.

I am not done yet by a long chalk, and no doubt I will be getting to know my GP really well over the coming weeks.

 

Sorry to hear about your problems

"M"'s advice is good.

There's no need to cut salt totally but reducing it (as you say you're doing) is essential. One of the problems is that any meals that you buy from the supermarket or take away are very high in salt. You need to check the labels on products you buy and don't, necessarily, go just for low in salt products. A lot of them reduce the salt and put in extra sugar - and vice versa! So check the labels properly.

High blood pressure at the surgery is affected by 'white coat syndrome', where it goes up just because they're taking your blood pressure. As others have said, don't have yourself put on 'pills for life' when they may not be necessary. Tell them that you're going to work on your lifestyle to reduce the levels - and start your own readings.

Breakfast is very important. Some porridge and a banana would be a good start. Don't overdo the bananas! You said you're trying to lose weight and bananas are quite fattening. If they're checking you for blood sugar levels as well and you find that the levels are too high then swap fruit for lots more veggies. Even then, remember that green veggies are better than having too much root veggies. Parsnips, carrots and turnips are fairly high in sugars. So you can definitely eat them but don't overdo them. Greens, cabbage, broccoli, beans, cauli etc are fine.

Don't become a martyr to these things but just bear them in mind.

Best wishes