PSA: check your blood pressure

[threeplusfire]

In the past week, I have read about four different people having strokes on my LJ friendspage. One of them is only 44 years old. This has been sort of a wake up call for me to see. Both sides of my family have heart and blood problems. My father has sleep apnea. I think it is time to bite the bullet and go get tested for that.

(My blood pressure has been in the normal range in the past year, slightly on the high side. But that could be partially a side effect of a medication I take. Still.)

Comments

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

The persistent myth that people under sixty, particularly women, don't need to worry about this stuff isn't helped when, say, my own doctor exclaims "You're so young!" re my hypertension (I was 36 when diagnosed 2 years ago, after an episode of what I didn't realize at the time was angina among other symptoms). Which used to make me feel self-conscious and like I'd done something wrong, to be "so young" and have it. Which, now that I see the number of people my age or just a bit older who also have it and are finding it out the hard way...yeah.

[halfacork.livejournal.com]

I just got mine done Monday but in retrospect considering the amount of xanax I was on I'm not sure how accurate it was.

[cymry.livejournal.com]

sleep apnea is Not Fun, especially when you're stressed and unable to deal with the machine they make you sleep with. and as mentioned above, it's kinda frightening to have the doctors stare at you and go "You're so young!" (i just turned 30). but better to get it treated than have it get progressively worse, unchecked.