I Admitted Myself To The A&E (Accident & Emergency) At The General Hospital

Early today morning, around 2.30am when I was getting ready to sleep, I felt a bit of discomfort on my chest and back. I have this worrying "deja vu" kind of feeling because the first time I felt like this was back in December 2007 when I first discovered my HPT (hypertension - high blood pressure) problem. I tried to ignore it as I was confident that since I am taking much better care of myself by watching my diet very carefully and cutting down my work, and on top of that, I have been on medication the last 9 months.

For almost 45 minutes, from 2.30 am - 3.15am I tried to get myself to sleep. But other than the discomfort I mentioned, I have started coughing and felt a bit tight around my chest and also a slight difficulty in breathing. I immediately got up and measure my blood pressure and was shocked that it was unusually high 161/104. Yep, the same problem again.

At 4.00am, since it is already middle of the night (early morning), I have no choice but to immediately admit myself to the A&E (Accident & Emergency) department of the General Hospital.

After checking my blood pressure and realised that it has become higher (204/130), the doctor admitted me to the observation ward and another doctor took over. Immediately he asked the nurses around to carry out some tests (ECG, blood tests, etc.) and sent me to have my x-ray taken too. Around 4.30am, my blood pressure was still very high, so the doctor gave me a tablet to take while he observed me further and waiting for my tests results.

Finally, around 6.00 am, my blood pressure was around 160/100, and the doctor sent me to a temporary ward to rest while he studied my case. I could not sleep even after tossing and turning around.

Around 7.15 am, a nurse came and took my blood pressure and we were relieved that it has gone down to 136/94. The nurse asked me to rest further.

Around 7.45 am, the doctor came and tell me that I may go home. He has decided to make some adjustments to my medication. With immediate effect, my PERINDOPRIL dosage will be doubled. Instead of taking 1 tablet daily (4MG), I will now take 2 tablets daily (8MG).

So, after today's latest adjustment, here's my medications:

• ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID SOLUBLE 300 MG TABLET -
  
• 0.25 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 75MG DAILY)

• PERINDOPRIL 4MG TABLE -
  
• 2.00 TABLETS DAILY (TTL: 8MG DAILY)

• BISOPROLOL 5MG TABLET -
  
• 0.50 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 2.5MG DAILY)

• LOVASTATIN 20MG TABLET -
  
• 1.00 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 20MG DAILY)

• METFORMIN 0.5G TABLET -
  
• 2.00 TABLETS DAILY (TTL: 1G DAILY)

• ALLOPURINOL 150MG TABLET -
  
• 0.50 TABLET 2 TIMES DAILY (TTL: 300MG DAILY)

He asked me to take the adjusted dosage for my medications for the next one week, and then go to a nearby polyclinic to have my blood pressure measured by a doctor. He also reminded me that I should measure my blood pressure myself everyday and keep a record (I have actually been doing that since I discovered my HPT).

It seems that the doctor's diagnosis of my situation for what happened this morning is "HPT uncontrolled". Yep, somehow, some adjustments needed for my medications because I am still not doing much better than before.

I slept much of the morning. In the afternoon, I took some time off from work and slept better around 5.00 pm - 8.00pm. Felt much better now.

brb

Medical Appointment With The Urologist At The General Hospital

This morning I had my second appointment with the Urologist at the General Hospital. A much younger and very friendly doctor attended to me today. After some discussion about my health conditions, and the possible options, basically these are what have been finalised today at the Urological Department of the Surgical Clinic:

• A PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) to remove my kidney stone has been tentatively scheduled for April 2009. But this is subject to the advice of the Cardiologist on whether my "heart condition" can still allow me to go ahead with the operation (surgery). My next appointment with the Cardiac Department is in Dec 2008.
• My next appointment with the Urologist will be somewhere in Jan 2009 (just AFTER my appointment with the Cardiologist in Dec 2008. I wanted to make the appointment but was informed by the staff behind the "appointment counter" that their computer system has not been updated yet to accept appointments for 2009. I was advised to come back somewhere around Nov 2008 to make the appointment.
• The Urologist added a new medicine to my daily medication: "ALLOPURINOL" for my gout.

So, as of this moment, my daily medication list is getting longer with a new type of medicine:

• ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID SOLUBLE 300 MG TABLET -
  
• 0.25 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 75MG DAILY)

• PERINDOPRIL 4MG TABLE -
  
• 1.00 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 4MG DAILY)

• BISOPROLOL 5MG TABLET -
  
• 0.50 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 2.5MG DAILY)

• LOVASTATIN 20MG TABLET -
  
• 1.00 TABLET DAILY (TTL: 20MG DAILY)

• METFORMIN 0.5G TABLET -
  
• 2.00 TABLETS DAILY (TTL: 1G DAILY)

• ALLOPURINOL 150MG TABLET -
  
• 0.50 TABLET 2 TIMES DAILY (TTL: 300MG DAILY)

Yep, hehe I am taking many types of medicine now.


brb

Replenish My Daily Medications At The General Hospital

Went to the General Hospital (GH) to take the remainder of my medicines. I was given the remainder of my daily medicines:

• ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID SOLUBLE 300 MG TABLET - 0.25 TABLET DAILY
• PERINDOPRIL 4MG TABLE - 1.00 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• BISOPROLOL 5MG TABLET - 0.50 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• LOVASTATIN 20MG TABLET - 1.00 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• METFORMIN 0.5G TABLET - 1.00 TABLET 2 TIMES DAILY

Scary isn't it that I am taking so many types of medicines? :)

brb

Medical Appointment With The Cardiologist At The General Hospital

This is my second appointment with the Cardiac Clinic but the first time I get to meet a Cardiologist as my first appointment a few months ago was for a scan.

The Cardiologist informed me that he is transferring me over from the Medical Clinic to the Cardiac Clinic. He will make some changes to my daily medications and see my response. Here's my daily medications as of this moment:

• ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID SOLUBLE 300 MG TABLET - 0.25 TABLET DAILY
• PERINDOPRIL 4MG TABLE - 1.00 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• BISOPROLOL 5MG TABLET - 0.50 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• LOVASTATIN 20MG TABLET - 1.00 TABLET DAILY 1 TIME DAILY
  
• METFORMIN 0.5G TABLET - 1.00 TABLET 2 TIMES DAILY

NORVASC (amlodipine besylate) that I have been taking for the last 6 months for my hypertension (high blood pressure) have been stopped. The Cardiologist told me that even though for the last 6 months, my blood pressure has been hovering around 120/80 (which is good and normal), but he didn't want it to be too low too. That's why he has decided to change my medications and to make me stop taking NORVASC altogether.


brb

ps. actually for the last 6 months when I was taking NORVASC, my blood pressure was really good. when I measured my blood pressure myself using an OMRON device, my blood pressure is always around 120/80. once in a while around 126/82 but quite rare. but somehow my pulse is always quite fast (around 100+)

ps. after I have stopped taking NORVASC and with the slight changes in my medication, somehow my blood pressure will be around 140/90 but my pulse is now normal (70+). Physically, I find that I become tired easier and my stamina not as good. I will observe myself for a little more time and talk to the Cardiologist when I next see him in Dec 2008