Relief

For the last six days I thought I was teetering between having a stroke or a heart attack. I was wrong.

The last round of chemo caused my blood pressure to elevate. I will not mention my specific BP’s or heart rate because everyone has their own baseline. But we have a blood pressure cuff and I’ve been monitoring it every couple of hours and tracking it.

Recently my blood pressure rises then some tightness in my chest. My family doctor gave me a number to be concerned about and I hit it every day. Then I would take a nitroglycerin pill that immediately dropped it by 30 points. I doubted that this should be a daily event.

Today I went to my family doctor to address the issue. I showed them my records and symptoms and the attending nurse asked “Why didn’t you call 911?” They immediately gave me an EKG that came out normal. After a pow-wow they realized this might not be a heart problem. Now to the expert.

Finally, to resolve the issue, I went to a cardiologist this afternoon. I could not believe a busy specialist suddenly had time for a new patient. After reviewing the tests done in the cardiolab, he gave me solid information and sound advice. The numbers my doctor gave me were over-cautious. Everyone’s BP changes through the day. My variable blood pressure can be higher and is acceptable to all of us. The discomfort in my chest is not heart-related, it’s just chemo damage. Put the nitro back on the shelf. Rest easy. This too shall pass.