The season changed! Spring has sprung and so was my allergies! At the back of my mind, I knew it was coming, as in every year since we moved in Santa Fe. Maybe, I felt confident it won’t happen again since we transferred to Rio Rancho some 10 months ago, but I guess I was wrong.
Six hours after I sprayed the nasal spray left from last year’s prescription (it hasn’t expired yet!), I continued to sneeze and sneeze so bad! The foolish in me grabbed an over-the-counter allergy med, bought it and popped a tablet. I thought it made me well for the rest of the day, Saturday.
Sunday, there was a free heart screening at the church and I told Dennis, my husband, that we should take advantage! We did. Results: my heart blood pressure was abnormal! 150/100! The nurse told me to just relax and take deep breaths. I informed her, maybe, it was high because we ran to the building? Well, the next day, Monday, I felt funny.
I called in sick and went to check my blood pressure using our machine, 160/110. I called my doctor. They explained that they cannot book me in until next month. I insisted. I reported my blood pressure numbers and was simply asking if I should just sleep it off, monitor it, or go to the hospital already? They called me back and set me for the 1 pm appointment.
Still, with high BP, I shared my diet efforts to the doctor, I was thinking it was what is causing the abnormal numbers and that it is time for me to drink BP meds? The doctor agreed and prescribed two meds.
That evening, Dennis and I went to watch movies, it was our pre-Valentine’s date and then I had a full body massage. It was really a neat treat and I felt great!
At around 9:30 pm, we pulled at Walgreens to get my prescribed meds but for some reason, the insurance card wouldn’t work, we were asked to come back the next day. Since Walgreens is located very near Walmart I told Dennis maybe I could check my blood pressure again.
I did. Results: 182/110. Whaaaat?!
I panicked and really couldn’t comprehend what was happening! I just had my massage and felt relaxed. I tried again: Results: 195/105!
In panic mode, I blurted to Dennis to take me to the hospital. As in that instant!
I’m not sure about the hospital’s protocol on emergency patients but for some reason, they said yes when I told them I only need a nurse to confirm my BP because Walmart’s machine read: 195/105. The nurses checked it and, guess what the numbers were? 201/105. She asked me all the questions and my answers were all no. No headaches, no pains, no numbness, no blurry vision, nothing!
I sat down for some minutes and the nurse checked it again, it read 198/100.
Still puzzled, I asked the nurse what I should do. The nurse told me it was my choice if I want to check in because there were 14 more people ahead of me or I could just go home and sleep, take my meds in the morning, and to think happy thoughts!
Wait, what?!
Think happy thoughts, she said again.
At the back of my mind, those high BP numbers called for an emergency! And I was at the emergency room already! I asked, so what is the probability that nothing will happen to me if I go home and sleep? The nurse said, the same probability if you will wait here until all 14 people get treated and when it’s your turn, you will only be given me a dose of medicine, which you were already prescribed to take.
Bottom line: there’s nothing they can do! I simply have to wait and see. Well, it was past 11 pm and I was tired, Dennis was too. We decided to go home.
While in the car, I tried to sleep but couldn’t! My BP was still mind-boggling!
It was Valentine’s Day in the Philippines so I decided to call my parents instead. Hearing their voices made me forget about my high BP. I told them, it’s Spring season here and my allergies went back and rambled on our other planned activities.
The next day, out of the blue, I knew it! It was the meds I took!!! The allergies were causing my high blood pressure or maybe because of the nasal spray which should have lasted for 24 hours and yet just after six hours after I took the OTC tablet because I was feeling so bad!
Oh well, life moved on. I hid our BP monitoring machine. I asked the doctor to change the prescription to nasal spray instead of the two BP meds. I sneezed. I turned on my air cleaner system in the office. I sneezed. I drank more water. I worked on my technical reports. Winter came back. Spring fought its rights.
Life is beautiful.
And yes, I think happy thoughts too! Lol.
Some notes:
- I’ve had normal BP prior to the allergies.
- This is my third year of sharing allergy stories.
- I have to learn my lesson with over-the-counter-allergy-meds!
- There are some things I can’t use my mind-over-matter, like allergies! Lol! (I think I need to get allergy tests or something)
- Weird, but the following day, upon knowing what was causing my high blood pressure, my BP started calming down, Lol.
- My blood pressure became normal a week after that incident. I think my body simply reacted violently to that extra med (that I shouldn’t have taken) for allergies!
- This was my story, not intended for any medical advice or legal use. Please visit your doctor for any medical issues you may have.
- But, thinking happy thoughts do not harm either!
- My blood pressure is normal to date. Life is good! 🙂
Hatchoo! oops!
Yes, Gemma Life is Beautiful! Be humble and stay calm or else your BP will be high as 250/100.😂😂😂 you mentioned to me when you came here… sickness, anxiety, depression ?? It’s only in the mind. however, maybe you just stressed from work! our daily routine will keep us our mind and body loaded with wrong psychological perception! If you need intervention just call me😂😂😂” just joking” LOL:)😘😘😘 Take care and Godbless❤️❤️
hahaha that’s really scary! but it was the seasonal allergies that caused it… must be the Juniper!