No More Denial

Last Monday, I was walking into the small apartment I’m renting while on assignment and had an extremely unpleasant experience. For many months I’ve suspected that I’ve segued into full-blown diabetes, not to mention developed hypertension. I’ve not been very careful about eating healthy, especially while traveling. For days I’d been experiencing nearly non-stop headaches. Excedrin Migraine has become a staple in my medicine cabinet.

As I took a few steps into the laundry room, a wispy, dark shadow crossed the vision in my left eye starting from the inner corner of my eye. As is got bigger, I started to panic. Thankfully, my husband was visiting and helped keep the panic under control. My fears caused me to quickly Google possible issues, including retinal detachment. A local optometrist took me as a walk-in.

The optometrist confirmed a vitreous bleed. He was a little concerned right off the bat and asked me if I was hypertensive or diabetic. I answered truthfully that it was possible but I wasn’t sure. He was able to secure me an appointment with a very good retinologist and surgeon for the next day. At that appointment I was again asked if I was hypertensive or diabetic. I answered the same way. He diagnosed me with a retinal macroaneurysm. After doing some research, I found that the condition is most common in diabetics.

I made an appointment with my regular doctor, since I was due for a work physical anyway, and got all of my lab work done along with my physical form. Doc confirmed I was hypertensive and put me on lisinopril. I asked him if I’d ever be able to come off of it. He said that he didn’t know, even with diet and exercise. The stress of my job is not going to change. If the hypertension is hereditary, I may be on meds for the rest of my life. He also agreed that more than likely, I’m now diabetic, but we’ll have to wait for my hemoglobin A1c to come back to be sure. In the meantime, he prescribed a healthier diet and emphasized exercise. He told me bluntly that diet alone won’t be enough.

This is my second day on the lisinopril. It’s wiping me out. Though my hypertension wasn’t extreme, apparently something my body got a little too used to. I’m also frustrated. I’m looking over dietary plans and trying to decide which direction to go in.

I could choose the Mediterranean diet. Or Atkins 40. Or the diabetic diet. Regardless of which way I go, reducing calories and moving my body are paramount. I need to figure this all out before I go back to work Thursday. I so hope that the blood pressure meds aren’t going to wipe me out for my shifts. ☹️