Yesterday on the return leg of my morning walk with our Golden Retriever Dickens, I could feel the dreaded effects of low blood pressure starting. I felt slightly light-headed, was becoming a little short of breath, and had sweat on my upper lip although the wind was blowing and it was on the cold side. I made it home, got Dickens off his leash, had to lean up against the kitchen wall for a bit for my gyros to settle down, and then went into the living room and sat down. After a bit I felt good enough to take my blood pressure: it was 80 over 58, substantially below the target minimum of 90 over 60. So what now?
My wife Linda naturally inquired “What can you do to bring your blood pressure up “immediately?” I have previously reported on this and suggested for lunch we have something prepared like packaged chicken noodle soup and along with it some olives. We did and further, I made myself fried canned potatoes with sausage patties and onions for supper with lots of salt. I also halved my evening BP med.
I informed my dialysis nurse Cindy as soon as this happened and she suggested hydration and using only 1.5% dialysis solution for a couple of days. Tuesday morning my blood pressure was 110 over 64 which I’ll take to the bank any day. On Tuesday’s dog walk, all was copesetic.
In discussions with my dialysis nurse about my blood pressure and associated medications, she informed me that it is not unusual at all for dialysis patients to “go off” of meds as a result of dialysis. I am informing readers of this blog what is going on with me in this area so that they are sensitive to the possibility of change in their prescriptions, especially regarding blood pressure. I have also noted a reduced need for insulin to control my glucose along with insulin requirements becoming much more aligned with exercise. More exercise, less insulin needed.
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