cardiologist appointment

[Press]

tomorrow im going to make an appointment because im gettng low diastolic blood pressure, chest pains, and headaches. when i woke up BP was 115/59 i left the gym today because i thought i was going to pass out. anyway are there and specific tests i should ask for?

 

[phatkid77]

Fuck. Good luck!
My unit must be shit. I saw some 55 and 60 diastolic. Then also saw a 90 am 105. Wtf


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[Medic08]

What is your BP normally? Some people's normal BP is considered in the HYPO-tensive region, but that is what's normal for them. Typically its small/petite women that have normally low blood pressures bc their body is obviously not carrying nearly as much blood volume as someone who weighs 20-30lbs more. I doubt you're a small person, but genetically you could have a normally low pressure. We think of a normal BP as 120/80, but if you're pressure is normally on the lower side (110/70) then 120/80 is actually beginning stages of hypertension for them.

115/59 isn't necessarily a bad BP, but if you're having symptoms like you stated then I think you're doing the right thing by getting checked out. Just like people with a "runners heart" have crazy low heart rates, such as Lance Armstrong. His resting HR is between 35-40BPM which would be considered severe bradycardia with someone with a normal heart (60-100 BPM).

As far as blood tests go, your physician will most likely order all the normal cardiac panels along with electrolytes. If he's concerned that your ejection fraction is low or that your in heart failure then he may send you for more testing such as a stress test or an echo to get an idea of how "forceful" your heart is pumping. Not trying to scare you, rather prepare you.

I would at least mentally prepare for a 12 lead EKG, full cardiac enzymes (H&H, troponin levels, CK, CK-MB, BNP, etc...) a full electrolyte panel such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and a full blood work on the renal system.

If you keep having symptoms such as chest pain, near syncopal episodes (fainting), headaches, or any other cardiac related symptoms then I wouldn't wait for your Drs. appointment. I would go to the ER. I don't typically tell people to go to the ER very often bc ERs are already so over crowded, but chest pain accompanied with other acute cardiac symptoms is nothing to play around with.

Are you currently on any medications such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors?

Also, most insurance companies require a referral to specialty doctors such as a cardiologist so you might have to make an appointment with your PCP, get blood work and EKG done, and if he feels like you need more testing then he'll refer you to a cardiologist. If you already see a cardiologist on a regular basis then they probably won't ask for a referal.

 

[Medic08]

Fuck. Good luck!
My unit must be shit. I saw some 55 and 60 diastolic. Then also saw a 90 am 105. Wtf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The higher end BP monitors should have an option to calibrate the machine. Sounds like its time to calibrate yours. Another simple thing that will give you false readings is if your batteries are low. It will throw all kinds of numbers out there.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

If you're having symptoms it's not a bad idea to go but that is not alarmingly low BP. Off cycle my BP is consistently 105/65. My mom is the same way. Thank God I get her genetics for that at least.

As for the cardiologist, a 3D echo is a great thing to get periodically anyway. Can check lots of things with that.

 

[Press]

thanx for the replies. i wasnt able to get into the cardiologist today because i couldnt find one that accepts my insurance. so ima have to go thro my physician first. ive always had high blood pressure/anxiety.so 60 for diastolic is low for me and it got as low as 45 at one point. the anxiety is caused by rosacea and hyperhidrosis. ive been on propranolol for a while but have not been taking it the last week or so. ive stopped all supps that involve lowering blood pressure garlic, magnesium, hup a, and primapexole. i do feel better today my last reading was 134/71. systolic is hi 90% of the time. oh and im not a big guy im around 170 5'5" and dont use gear.

 

[Press]

so i ended up going to my doctor about a month ago and she wanted me to get some tests done, but my insurance just sent me a letter in the mail denying me. honestly at this point i dunno what to do. i jst took a BP reading cause my heart felt pretty tight and it was 111/66 pulse 51. i mean wtf am i doing paying insurance if i cant get what i need to done. :banghead:

 

[Miss Q]

so i ended up going to my doctor about a month ago and she wanted me to get some tests done, but my insurance just sent me a letter in the mail denying me. honestly at this point i dunno what to do. i jst took a BP reading cause my heart felt pretty tight and it was 111/66 pulse 51. i mean wtf am i doing paying insurance if i cant get what i need to done. :banghead:

That's terrible. I hope u can find another doctor that will accept your insurance. Did u get insurance under the Obama act?

 

[Swifto]

tomorrow im going to make an appointment because im gettng low diastolic blood pressure, chest pains, and headaches. when i woke up BP was 115/59 i left the gym today because i thought i was going to pass out. anyway are there and specific tests i should ask for?

My BP is about this and I've never had any issues to note. At least not obvious ones such as passing out, dizzy, etc...

I've been as low as about 105/50 before, averages about 115-120/50-60 now.

 

[nothuman]

so i ended up going to my doctor about a month ago and she wanted me to get some tests done, but my insurance just sent me a letter in the mail denying me. honestly at this point i dunno what to do. i jst took a BP reading cause my heart felt pretty tight and it was 111/66 pulse 51. i mean wtf am i doing paying insurance if i cant get what i need to done. :banghead:

Do you still have the same symptoms such as chest pain, etc?

As for insurance, use zocdoc.com to see which doctors cover your insurance

 

[Press]

That's terrible. I hope u can find another doctor that will accept your insurance. Did u get insurance under the Obama act?

no i didnt.

My BP is about this and I've never had any issues to note. At least not obvious ones such as passing out, dizzy, etc...

I've been as low as about 105/50 before, averages about 115-120/50-60 now.

yeah i dont think the pain is related to blood pressure.

Do you still have the same symptoms such as chest pain, etc?

As for insurance, use zocdoc.com to see which doctors cover your
insurance

yeah, i have chest pain pretty much all day for many years now. sometimes it gets pretty bad and thats when i will take my BP just to see where its at since i dunno what else i can do.

my physician found someone thats cover my insurance. it was the insurance company that denied me the test. there was some paper work i can fill out if i dont agree with the decision. so ima do that but i doubt its gunna help.

 

[mewalrus]

basically the doctor has to tell the insurance you need the test with a reason

the reason must not have been good enough.

 

[QuietStorm]

no i didnt.



yeah i dont think the pain is related to blood pressure.



yeah, i have chest pain pretty much all day for many years now. sometimes it gets pretty bad and thats when i will take my BP just to see where its at since i dunno what else i can do.

my physician found someone thats cover my insurance. it was the insurance company that denied me the test. there was some paper work i can fill out if i dont agree with the decision. so ima do that but i doubt its gunna help.

did you call you insurance company and ask them why it's been denied? That is where I'd start.
You can also sue the hell out of them if you actually end up having a heart problem, so mention that to them when you speak to them. They don't like hearing the words sue, lawyer, court... you get my meaning.
If your doctor deems it necessary, they have to tell you why they don't feel it is. It could be a matter of specific things that have to happen in a specific order. However, you wont know until you call them and ask them WTF?
Also, it could simply be something your insurance doesn't cover and that would suck pretty bad for you.

 

[Press]

basically the doctor has to tell the insurance you need the test with a reason

the reason must not have been good enough.

prolly cause my blood test came back fine.

did you call you insurance company and ask them why it's been denied? That is where I'd start.
You can also sue the hell out of them if you actually end up having a heart problem, so mention that to them when you speak to them. They don't like hearing the words sue, lawyer, court... you get my meaning.
If your doctor deems it necessary, they have to tell you why they don't feel it is. It could be a matter of specific things that have to happen in a specific order. However, you wont know until you call them and ask them WTF?
Also, it could simply be something your insurance doesn't cover and that would suck pretty bad for you.

ya, ur right i gotta give them a call and figure out why i was denied. what they said in the paperwork they sent me was that they werent given enough information. so hopefully when i call them i can figure out what that information is and have my doc send them it.

 

[Jmuls]

Press,

If you're actively having chest pain, the type of chest pain that isn't reproducible through pressing on the chest, taking a deep breath, etc etc, just chronic consistent pain, then go to the emergency room. You can not be denied care. I don't understand why your insurance provider is denying you. Though you should call them and have a lengthy discussion with them about the circumstances. You need to get down to the bottom of this.

Propranolol is a pretty strong medication, in the class of beta blockers. I'm not quite sure why other classes of medications weren't prescribed first, to see if there would be an improvement. Especially considering that the issue here was only hypertension. Diuretics, ACE Inhibitors, ARBs can be highly effective while carrying minimal side effects.

If your PCP was the doctor that initially prescribed the Propranolol, I would recommend going back to him/her and having a discussion about the symptoms you've been experiencing. I think you made a wise decision discontinuing the supplements you did. Without a doubt, they could have contributed to the decrease in your BP you've experienced.

Most importantly, you must be vigilant and proactive with regards to your health here. Chest pain is not something you should be living with day after day. Nothing about that is normal. Keep pushing to get answers and don't stop until you've got them. Good luck and I hope you get down to the bottom of what exactly this Chest pain is and that your pressure normalizes.

 

[Press]

Press,

If you're actively having chest pain, the type of chest pain that isn't reproducible through pressing on the chest, taking a deep breath, etc etc, just chronic consistent pain, then go to the emergency room. You can not be denied care. I don't understand why your insurance provider is denying you. Though you should call them and have a lengthy discussion with them about the circumstances. You need to get down to the bottom of this.

Propranolol is a pretty strong medication, in the class of beta blockers. I'm not quite sure why other classes of medications weren't prescribed first, to see if there would be an improvement. Especially considering that the issue here was only hypertension. Diuretics, ACE Inhibitors, ARBs can be highly effective while carrying minimal side effects.

If your PCP was the doctor that initially prescribed the Propranolol, I would recommend going back to him/her and having a discussion about the symptoms you've been experiencing. I think you made a wise decision discontinuing the supplements you did. Without a doubt, they could have contributed to the decrease in your BP you've experienced.

Most importantly, you must be vigilant and proactive with regards to your health here. Chest pain is not something you should be living with day after day. Nothing about that is normal. Keep pushing to get answers and don't stop until you've got them. Good luck and I hope you get down to the bottom of what exactly this Chest pain is and that your pressure normalizes.

thanx for the reply bro. ive actually been thinking of just going to the hospital. i know my anxiety would be real bad but atleast id be at the hospital. thats why im on the propranolol for anxiety caused by rosacea/hyperhidrosis. everytime i leave the house my rosacea flares up so it really holds me back from everything. so i hate going to the docs even tho i need to go. i have been there 4 times tho in the last 6 months. ive tried many other medications im also on a diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. im pretty much a mess. the only thing is i dunno how much its gunna end up costing me if i go to the hospital even with insurance. im in a tuff spot right now money wise. i was laid off a while ago but am actually going for my PT exam next tuesday and already have a job lined up. tho its hard being on me feet to long. so i gotta do something.

 

[QuietStorm]

prolly cause my blood test came back fine.



ya, ur right i gotta give them a call and figure out why i was denied. what they said in the paperwork they sent me was that they werent given enough information. so hopefully when i call them i can figure out what that information is and have my doc send them it.

It sounds like they need more info from your doc. That usually means they have let your doc know what they need. Call them anyway, but then call your doc to make sure they are on it...whatever 'it' is. Best of luck brother.