Thursday, May 20, 2010

Rage Against the "Man"

This morning, I am taking my daily medications. Which to my sorrow have multiplied beyond a vitamin and my anti depressant in the morning. I realized as I was swallowing down my pills, (with much gratitude every day. I might not like taking medication, but it is way better than being almost dead!) that my Bald Man and I are on the same hypertensive meds. (high blood pressure). I do not know why my high blood pressure was not a "silent killer" like my husband's, but mine was going to kill me very loudly.
After I swallowed my pills, I looked at him and said, "how did they diagnose your hbp?" He said that he had gone in once and they said it was high and they put him on medication right away.
Here is the list of my questions that followed:

They didn't make you come in over and over to "prove" you had hbp?
No
They didn't make you keep a log for two weeks of daily blood pressure to "prove" it wasn't white coat hypertension?
No
They didn't tell you it was in your head?
No
They didn't tell you to talk to a therapist about it, because you might be having panic attacks and didn't know it?
No
They didn't tell you that you have a stressful life and you need to reduce your stress?
No
They didn't tell you to go practice breathing and meditation for it?
No.

Well that is certainly what I was told! And now I am MAD! By the way, we see the same doctor. As for the stressful life, ahem, we have the same frick'n life!
A plate of misogyny with a side order of patriarchy. Blech.

7 Kids Who Want To Play:

Lisa said...

Arrggghhh!!!! This is so not right.

Miss Melissa said...

Jo I am so mad that you had to jump through so damn many hoops to get treatment for your hypertension! When I was diagnosed, the doctor looked at me and said "I am going to get you on meds to bring this down slowly. Follow up with your primary care physician and please don't have a stroke in my office." They switched out my meds to a different one, as the kind initially prescribed wasn't working, but not once did I have to beg for treatment.

Grrr! I am so angry! If I become "that" NP, you have my permission to kick me. :P

Lady of Perpetual Chaos said...

I would be MAD too! I'm MAD on your behalf! What you had to go through for treatment for high blood pressure is absolutely ridiculous. I've had similar problems with my former doctor and, thankfully, he is no longer my doctor. I hope you give that doctor a piece of your mind. He's earned it. ;o)

K J and the kids said...

That's absolutely terrible.
If I were you I'd kick some butt and get some apologies later.

mCat said...

Something is not right about this on SO MANY LEVELS!!

Bottom line - everyone is on the meds they need to be, but usually, a physician will track hypertension for awhile before jumping on meds.

Weird

L. said...

Oh, that's awful -- is it possible that in the years since he was diagnosed, the standard diagnostic procedure might have changed?

I can see where they don't want to medicate people unnecessarily, but hopefully they ask all the same questions to men as women every time now.

elizasmom said...

Woooowwwww. Are you sure it isn't just that jerk doctor who's making your pressure spike? (Kidding!)