Don't be embarrassed, Steph. In a wierd way, it's good that they see you really in pain, so they leave you alone :)

Yeah, I'm still on the Wellbutrin. So you took the BP meds for a short period of time and then once it got under control, you stopped without making other adjustments? Or did you stop the Wellbutrin in the meanwhile.

Also, OMG TEPPY'S BACK. Do not do this! I'm so sorry.

Yeah, I'm still on the Wellbutrin. So you took the BP meds for a short period of time and then once it got under control, you stopped without making other adjustments? Or did you stop the Wellbutrin in the meanwhile.

I had to stay on the BP meds, though I can't say for sure that that was because of the Wellbutrin, or because of my family history of all kinds of cardiovascular stuff. I do know that when I took Wellbutrin the first time, a few years ago, when I stopped it (the Wellbutrin), eventually I stopped the BP meds because my BP normalized and the meds were making it too low.

So far, since I stopped Wellbutrin (again) a little over a month ago, I'm still on BP meds. Though, to be fair, I haven't been to the doctor since then, so I haven't had my BP measured (I don't really trust the accuracy of the machines in CVS and whatnot).

Also, OMG TEPPY'S BACK. Do not do this! I'm so sorry.

I insisted to Tim that it's all because I just turned 40, that I was in perfect health until then. PERFECT, I say.

He told me the percocet was making me crazy in the head.

I haven't been to the doctor since then, so I haven't had my BP measured (I don't really trust the accuracy of the machines in CVS and whatnot).

My doctor told me to try to measure (with the same machine) at one of these at different points during the day between now and the next appointment.

My doctor told me to try to measure (with the same machine) at one of these at different points during the day between now and the next appointment.

That will at least give you a pattern of measurements, and, honestly, it's the best option when the other choices would be (1) buying your own equipment or (2) not measuring. I think they err towards high, although it might just be that my own BP trends high and I don't want to admit it. But I think a reading done by a human with a BP cuff and a stethoscope is always going to be more accurate.

Finally, I feel really strongly that plus-sized people should make sure to ask the nurse/doctor/PA to use an extra-large cuff for the BP reading. Using a standard-size cuff on a plus-sized arm tends to give false high readings.

Using a standard-size cuff on a plus-sized arm tends to give false high readings.

Yesyesyes!! When I went into my PCP's office for my checkup in May, the nurse used the standard sized cuff and it said that my BP was some outrageously high number. I had just donated blood the day before, and it was about 40 points lower than, so I asked if they'd try again with the other cuff, and it came out pretty equal to what the blood people read.

Finally, I feel really strongly that plus-sized people should make sure to ask the nurse/doctor/PA to use an extra-large cuff for the BP reading. Using a standard-size cuff on a plus-sized arm tends to give false high readings.

I did mention it, and it seemed like she did. I mean, it fit around my arm, which the standard one doesn't really.

So last week (or so) I was trying to avoid stepping on a cat and tripped over my pedestal fan and broke the blade. Everything else was fine and I didn't want to chuck.

Turns out the maker, Lasko, sells replacement parts, so I bought a new blade and it was here, just in time for a hot day. Although the shipping was the blade so it was about half the cost of a new fan. But I feel better not throwing away perfectly good stuff.

I hope the back calms down quickly, Teppy.

It took her like 30 seconds of squeezing and kneading my finger just to enough blood to even test.

You may be like me and make a ton of platelets. Have you ever tried platelet donation? They used to think the lower the blood pressure, the better. This infuriated my mother, who fainted from low blood pressure fairly often when she was younger. Now they think there are also low blood pressure strokes.

As I'm sure you know, Nora, the big culprits are processed foods. They have my mom on low sodium to cut down the edema from her congestive heart failure, and it's shocking to read the labels for sodium. I was always busy looking at calories and didn't pay much attention.

You may be like me and make a ton of platelets.

This is also apparently me. When I gave blood, the tech cheerfully told me that if I ever got shot, I probably wouldn't bleed out.