My GP just gave me the finger

[Merlin5]

I went to my doctor this morning to check a couple of things. I hope you're not eating. I noticed my toilet paper was stained with blood a couple of times this week. Would seem to have gone now and I suspected perhaps a mild fissure or haemorrhoid. More the latter as I could feel a sort of inflated cushion part around you know where. Doctor (mid 40's milf'ish female and not my normal male doctor) told me to pull my pants down and lie on my side in an almost fetal position. I'd already showered vigorously half expecting this. Wasn't as embarrasing as I thought tbh, you see it all the time on that channel 4 'embarrasing bodies' programme. But it's not particularly dignified, lol. She, like me, suspects it's superficial and to do with that inflated part, and doesn't think it's anything from further up the colon. As I say, it seems to have gone now anyway, so I guess it was superficial, thank god. Nevertheless she suggested getting a blood test.

Prior to that examination, she gave me a blood pressure test with the arm band. She did it 3 times to let my pulse rate settle. It went from 166 down to 150, by which time I was pretty relaxed. I'm wondering if it would be any lower when I'm not having the test, because those arm pressure tests tend to make my pulse rate go up. Anyway, 150 is nothing to really worry about she said, and I am 52 so it's more normal for higher BP at my age. However, it is borderline hypertension, so she gave me a card with 'borderline hypertension' written on it, to go book myself a blood test and cholestrol test. It's one injection. I've booked myself in for next friday morning and it means fasting for 12 hours from 10pm the night before. Gawd! Then I'll go back to the doc the following week when they'll have the results. I suspect what will come out of all this will be advice on lowering cholestrol and blood pressure, or perhaps mostly cholestrol.

Anyone here with higher than average BP? How hard would it be for me to get my BP down by 10mmHg to 140? I think i'm going to cut out almost all salt in my food for a start and remove all skins from chicken thighs and legs as those are all bad. She never told me my diastolic number, I wish I'd asked. Just the systolic.

 

[Merlin5]

Lol, sorry chaps, a horrible topic I know. But there are some serious questions in there too.

 

[Merlin5]

Haemorrhoids. Horrid things. I'd better refrain from my story about haemorrhoids, a metal telescope inserted, well you can guess where, some rubber bands and sleeping policemen

Yeah, I feel for you. I imagine they'd be painful. I remember a colleague of mine years ago who had a lot of discomfort and had them surgically removed. From what my doctor said, she couldn't feel any haemorrhoids and puts my thing down to some sort of temporary inflammation or swelling. I've had no discomfort or pain.

 

[Merlin5]

Yes, mine is on the high side of normal. I've become very fit since first noticing I had high blood pressure but it has not reduced it much. Some people are just pre-disposed to have conditions such as high blood pressure, so don't get too down if you can't lower it much. As I understand it, unless you're consuming huge amounts of fat, salt is probably more likely to cause high blood pressure than fat in your diet. It causes the walls of your arteries to constrict slightly and you heart has to pump harder to move the blood round, hence the higher blood pressure. Internal body fat will also cause high blood pressure, but you can clear this out with aerobic exercise like running and cycling.

Interesting. What is your BP if you don't mind me asking and what sort of age bracket do you fall under? Well yeah, salt then. I guess I'm going to have to take that very seriously. I just read this posted by some registered nurse answering to some 47 year old with 150/100 BP: "Do not eat salt!!! Salt holds water in your blood stream causing more fluid to be pumped through your veins and that will raise your BP. Many foods (canned foods especially) contain a lot of sodium. Read labels.
Add no salt to your cooking or at the table."

 

[Merlin5]

Chances are if you lie down for 5-10 minutes and relax your blood pressure will be slightly more normal. The anxiety and no doubt recent movement will have elevated your BP and pulse.

As for your fissure/skin tag chances are it will heal up of it's own accord. Trying not to strain during 'movements' and letting them occur naturally will help. There are softeners, not laxatives, available to help with this. It could well reoccur if you decide to have a feast and then fire out a chunky stool in a rush

With the recent bowel cancer avderts around and having had my father die two years ago from bowel cancer good on you for not being to proud to have your GP's digits up your backside.

Thanks. Good post. 'skin tag' , yes, THAT was the exact words she used. Hmm, regarding BP, yes, I do wonder if my normal would be closer to say, maybe 145.

 

[Merlin5]

Exercise helps, not smoking, getting colestral levels down. exercise helps the most in the long run after quiting smoking if you smoke.

I need to exercise more. I'm a drummer so I do at least get some cardio workouts from that. Sometimes I've had to play 2 or 3 hours almost non stop which works all the limbs, breathing and heart. I do unfortunately smoke rollups, albeit only when I'm at home, but I don't really have any excuses and I've been smoking for years.

Haha awesome thread. I had similar and had to go to the hospital for a 'probing'. The natural reaction is to fight it

"Just relax"

Yeah right, it feels like you are being fisted by an man with bandages wrapped around his hands dipped in glass.

**** knows how the gays put up with it. They should be the toughest men on the planet

Lol, yeah. I guess I was fairly relaxed and it only lasted for a few seconds. Basically you just feel a bit stupid in that position and then it's over.

I think the real question is - did you like it?

I'd like to say yes, but it was mildly uncomfortable. Guess I'm not cut out for gaydom.