Went to the doctor

Went to my doctor yesterday because I have been having swelling in my feet that will go away for a day and then be right back.
Plus with all my efforts at losing weight and I don't seem to do anything but gain more, I'm ready to slit my throat.

My blood pressure was elevated a little bit but not real bad. First time they took it it was 140/100 and then when I got back to the room the doctor took it again and it was like 132/80.
Anyway, he gave me Triamt/HCTZ that is the generic for maxzide-25 for the water retention.
They drew a couple of viles of blood from me to run some other test.
I asked him about my resting heart rate being so high and he wasn't real worried about it. He said that he would be worried if I was riding 12 miles on my bike and then wasn't able to go more than 9 all the sudden, or going 3 miles on my treadmill and now being unable to go more than 2. Then he would be concerned. Since I can do the exercise and not seemingly have trouble with it, then he thought I was fine.

He tested my Thyroid back in Oct. and it was fine, but he is checking it again, and my iron and I think my hormones. We'll see.
Something has to give on me trying to get this weight off.

Hugs to you!

That's such a frustrating situation, and I'm glad you Dr. is doing tests.

Please keep perspective - your Doctor thinks you're OK and you're able to get out and ride your bike 12 miles! I'm not *at all* trying to minimize your frustration - just to remind you that you're ahead of lots of people out there!

*hugs* Swollen feet are no fun.

Here's hoping you can get your doc to listen and that you can find out what's wrong.

When you say your resting heart rate is "high", how high is it and has it always been that way or has it gone up recently?

Well, I'm talking about my sitting around in my chair watching tv rate. It runs around the mid 90 to 100. I'm not sure what it was before I got my heart rate monitor I never kept track of it. I joined here and exercised all last summer and rode my bike and couldn't lose weight and the girls here suggested I get one to make sure I am exercising with enough entinsity so a couple of months ago I got one, and tend to leave it on after I am done exercising while I am resting up.
I asked the doctor if maybe I needed to get a stress test to make sure everything is okay and he said no. So, what do you do?

Ummm, I'm not sure I like your resting heart rate being around 90-100. Along with the edema of the feets...

Keep us posted how the diuretic works.

Do you have kidney problems? Urinary tract infections? Diabetes?

Liver function normal?
Have you had any tests for cardiac function (stress, EKG, ultrasound)?

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Ummm, I'm not sure I like your resting heart rate being around 90-100. Along with the edema of the feets...

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That is exactly what I was thinking. Maybe an echocardiogram would be in order...

whoa! I don't mean to startle you, and tho I am currently writing this from a Holiday Inn Express (really I am!) I'm by no means a doctor. But that sounds more than a bit high. I'm not a fan of "chat room doctoring" :rolleyes: but I would try to get in w/ another doc for a second opinion. Have you had any other symptons?
Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
Denise

I haven't had any other systems other than my feet swelling and the high heart rate, oh and the inability to lose any weight.
I thought the same thing as you all did, that the sitting around heart rate was too high. My husband doesn't like it either, but the doctor didn't not seem concerned at all. I even specifically asked if I should get a stress test or something. He said no.

Being with an HMO, you have to see your primary care doctor and he has to send you to the specialist. I am not sure how to get around that.

Now that I am taking the medicine the swelling has gone down in my feet. Heart rate is the same. I would think as I got fitter that my heart rate would go down.

DDH... so sorry to hear about this frustration
I know how hard you have been working at this and having fun while you do it.
I'm no doctor, so I will make no comment at all about the medical issues...

But here is my experience of weight loss and fitness...

The first full year I started biking regularly, I lost no weight, but I did drop two dress sizes. It is only the past 2 years or so that I have begun to see permanant weight loss and a downward trend...

You say you lost no weight - but did your body change shape as you became fitter?

Wishing you well-behaved feet, and an end to frustration,
Rave

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Originally Posted by DDH

I haven't had any other systems other than my feet swelling and the high heart rate, oh and the inability to lose any weight.
I thought the same thing as you all did, that the sitting around heart rate was too high. My husband doesn't like it either, but the doctor didn't not seem concerned at all. I even specifically asked if I should get a stress test or something. He said no.

Being with an HMO, you have to see your primary care doctor and he has to send you to the specialist. I am not sure how to get around that.

Now that I am taking the medicine the swelling has gone down in my feet. Heart rate is the same. I would think as I got fitter that my heart rate would go down.

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most HMO's allow for a second opinion!

Many HMOs also allow you to switch primary care doctors. It might be time to do that.

I think you are right. I hate to change, I've had the same guy for a long time over 20 years, but I am losing my faith in him I think.

I looked up Webmd, which I know we shouldn't self diagnose, but with my symptoms, the swelling of the feet and rapid heart rate it shows congestive heart failure as a diagnoses, along with Hyperthyroidism, which my mom has the congestive heart failure, and in the past I was diagnosed with Graves disease years ago, but have never had anymore symptoms and just have my thyroid checked on occasion to make sure it isn't worse.

The doctor told me back then that it would eventually get worse but for now it was not bad enough to do anything about and to just keep a check on my thyroid. One of the symptoms is weight loss which I SO don't have, in fact I have more symptoms in my opinion of HYPOthyroidism that Hyper, which is what graves disease causes.

Oh man, what a pain. When did it become so hard to get a doctor to pay attention, and do something besides give you a pill and tell you to come back if you don't get better. ARRRGGGGG

I don't want to scare you, but CHF was my first thought. I don't know you, or anything about you, but I think you should follow your gut instincts and find a new primary care doc.

and it doesn't mean your life is over if that's what you have.
I want you to read this; it comes from the forum for the book Younger Next Year:

exercising with heart failure
I'm almost all the way thru the women's version pf Younger Next Year and just wanted to say I love the book and that this plan can work for for those with heart failure. I rarely see exercise mentioned in relation to heart failure (heart muscle mediated not coronary artery disease) but following the heart rate work out plan, working within my limits, and working closely with my cardiologists I have completed 2 triathlons and several 5 ks. Also I think exercising has has increased my recovery confidence and changed my definition of myself from a chronic cardiac patient (which I still am) to an athlete. I just wanted to say that and see if there are others out there exercising with cardiomyopathy.

It got hard when you got fat :(. I *hate* it, but I see it every time I'm around my mom. People (including doctors) will interact with me in preference to her all the time. And trust me, it feels wrong to have the doctor listen more to me than to their patient.

Whatever you do, don't panic. All the things which seem likely are treatable. You can and will find a doctor who will listen to you.

The health care system is in a really sad state. It seems that we as patients are required to take a more active roll and essentially become advocates for ourselves. It is good that you are doing research. I can understand the loyalty that you feel toward your DR. 20 yrs is a long time. The reality is that your DR is betraying your loyalty by not actively listening to your concerns and proactively treating your health. You are right when you say you should not diagnos yourself, you can't treat yourself so why bother. It is really important to educate yourself so that you can guide your DRs toward your better health. You say you have symptoms more like hypo-thyroid, maybe your thyroid is getting ready to blow, maybe you are having endocrine problems. I imagine that you have really scaried yourself with the thought of congestive heart failure. What I really want to know from you is WHAT is the name of your new DR and WHEN is your appointment. If I seem a bit harash please understand that I am speaking from experience, my SO has a life altering disease and I can not sit silent we have to fight so hard to get DR to listen but once one does good things happen.

Definately get this issue checked out. See if your present or new dr. would run a BNP, not a BMP panel on you. Its beta natriuretic peptide, something we use to determine if and how bad a person is in CHR (congestive heart failure) and how to properly treat.

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

I don't want to scare you, but CHF was my first thought.

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Same here--I didn't want to say it, but that is exactly what popped into my mind with those symptoms.

What about caffeine? I had a period of time in my life where I was drinking Diet Coke like nobody's business, and I also had a stressful job. The caffeine was doing a number on my heart rate. Do you consume a lot of caffeine? And, if not that, do you stay hydrated? A fast heart rate could be about dehydration, too.

Karen

Well, I don't think I consume a huge amount of caffiene. I drink usually 1 to 2 cups of coffee in the morning, then I will drink usually 3 20 oz bottles of water and then in the evening I will have a glass of tea.
That is my normal intake, when I go on bike rides you can add a couple of water bottles of iced water with that.
Of course lately with the down pours of rain we have been getting bike riding has been out completely. I'm sick of rain.

ah well, it was a shot, anyway.

Karen