A Small Change Pays Off Big

Tuesday I had an appointment with my Primary Care Physician and saw a different side of the sweet, kind, gentle physician I normally see.

She got very hot about the care I was getting from my cardiologist.

Dr. Seema Kengeri, my PCP for the past 15 years. She's also now the Tippecanoe County Health Officer but continues to see her patients. (Fortunately for me as you shall see.) Photo by Dave Bangert.

Long story short, over a year ago the cardiologist had put me on a blood pressure medication that was fine until I lost over 50 lbs. Suddenly I began having very low blood pressure measurements. At my last appointment Dr. Kengeri was concerned at how low my BP consistently was and told me to ask him to reduce the amount he was prescribing. I did so, but he told me he was confident that I was on the right dosage and made no changes.

When I told her he'd refused and why, she drew herself up and her eyes flashed.

"He deals with ONE organ!" she snapped. "I deal with the entire body and he has overdosed you and it is affecting you negatively. I am going to message him right now and request he reduce the amount." And she sat down at her computer.

Typetytypetypetypetytypetype!!  

Wow, she was angry! And she's a teeny tiny woman who is noted for her quiet, gentle demeanor. I'd never seen her angry, but within 24 hours, I would understand just why she was so upset on my behalf.

"Now, I will let you know what he says, but in the meantime, I want you to halve your dose of that medication starting tonight. I'd also like you to go to the lab before you go home and..." 

I got my lab work done, and went home, feeling exhausted and weak - my usual state.

That night, I took half the dosage as she'd recommended. (She'd also emailed me and said my cardiologist had approved the switch and to continue that new dosage from now on.) 

I had no idea just how much that drug had been affecting me. Normally when I wake up, my legs are very weak and I can't stand very long. I still feel tired and just getting the dogs outside and then fed makes me want to go back to bed. 

But that next morning, where was the weakness? My legs felt almost normal and I could move around without trouble.

I took the dogs outside, walked around the yard with them, then brought them back inside and made their breakfasts.

No weakness. No tiredness. No desire to go back to bed and rest some more. It was awesome to feel so much better!

After my own breakfast, I went outside to set Elsie Mae's baby stepping stone into my garden. But the stepping stone garden was terribly overgrown with thistles. (NEVER put a thistle bird feeder over a garden! You will have thistles for years afterward!)

I decided to just do some weeding in one spot so I could set her stone in among the others. Weeding was something I had not personally done in quite a while - Craig, Ian, Mila, and Lukie have been periodically weeding for me.

In less than ten minutes, I'd weeded half the garden. And I still had energy and strong legs!

I did a little more, then did some more after that, and in 15 more minutes, I had weeded the entire garden ALL BY MYSELF and I still felt healthy and strong! No weakness, no exhaustion, no shakiness! 

I went into the garage and brought out Elsie Mae's first stepping stone, placing it by two that her daddy had done when he was little, one made by her Aunt Trinity, and another that was a paw print from Zeus, our former dog.

I had had no idea that the weakness, the exhaustion, the inability to work hard for an extended period of time was because I was overmedicated and my blood pressure was so low. Dr. Kengeri was right to be so unhappy with my cardiologist, and for the first time in several years, I felt like myself again.

That night I again took half the usual dose, and then the next morning had a similar experience - no weakness in my legs, no extreme tiredness, no inability to get much done. 

It was incredible the change I felt. And I feel hopeful now that having no leg weakness or fatigue will enable me to make better progress in physical therapy with the back pain that I have. 

There are still other health issues that I have, but these are the two that affect my quality of life the most right now. And now one of those is so much better.

Thank you, Dr. Kengeri.