I booked the appointment.
I said to the cardiologist today, I don’t know if I’m over reacting, under reacting, or just fine. But I found myself struggling hard enough for breath at Costco last Friday that a random stranger stopped and asked if I was okay and if he could help? (ie, he was clearly debating whether to call 911 anyway when I smiled and said I was fine.)
The nurse took my blood pressure. I’ve taken a med for 25 years to raise it but it does still tend to run a bit low.
The doctor did his careful history and exam.
An initial reading of 80/32 had left the nurse freaked out so she’d done it again with a different cuff and it had come out more normal and she’d blamed the first one.
The doctor made it clear to me that there was nothing wrong with that cuff.
I have been prescribed more salt in my diet. (Again.) There are other things they can do but that’s the easiest. He also said, Next time, put your head down to the level of your heart: that alone can raise your blood pressure 30 points.
Will do.