Sidelined

For the last several months, I’ve been having frequent headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath.  I’ve attributed it to the weight gain I’ve had coinciding with these symptoms, but the last two weeks things have stepped up inducing me to reevaluate the situation.

Throughout marathon training, I was slowly loosing weight, from around 215 in November 2010 to 192 in late March 2011.  After the marathon, I plateaued then started gaining it back.  For the last 2-3 months, I’ve been back to around 210-218.  Even through half-marathon training, I continued gaining weight.  I thought it was due to laziness and lack of tracking my nutrition.  I’ve been tracking it again, trying to eat between 1500-2000 calories a day, still, the weight hasn’t dropped and my fatigue, headaches, and shortness of breath has continued. My blood pressure has, for the most part, remained consistent, roughly 135/85 to slightly higher.  I’ve been on bp meds for over two years and back in March my doctor was considering taking me off of them since the numbers we so well.

Last week I started thinking something else might be happening besides just weight.   Several days in a row of severe fatigue and frequent headaches induced me to call the doctor and have some bloodwork done.  My though was a thyroid issue or anemia.  I made the appointment on Thursday while at work.  On the way home that evening, I was feeling very light headed.  Immediately, I checked my BP and it was a whopping 154/106!  Yes, I took my meds that morning.  My temperature was 96.8.  I typically run near or slightly over the 98.6 standard, so something obviously wasn’t right.

Friday morning I had my 4 month post-surgery eye exam.  Things went well for it.  I read at a 20/20 in each eye, and 20/15 combined.  The doctor could see some dryness and suggested I return to using the tear drops to help lubricate them throughout the winter. 

I then had my doctors appointment to address the above issues.  His thought is it’s blood pressure related, and switched me to a three-in-one pill with the two meds I’m on plus an additional one.  Bloodwork was ordered “to rule out other things”.  Now most of the symptoms could be bp related, but up until last week, it’s not fluxuated much the last few months.  And I haven’t read anything linking low temperature to high blood pressure.  I’m not convinced, and neither is Jen.

Since Friday, I’ve basically been lounging the house, feeling rather crappy. Its too early to tell if the new meds will work better than the old, but I’ve mostly been down around 120-135 over 80-95.  My temperature has stayed below 97.7 with a low of 96.2 this morning.  I’m waiting to hear back on the bloodwork.  I had it drawn Saturday morning and hopefully the results will be in early on Monday.  I’m anxious to get some answers so that I can treat what it is accordingly. 

For now, I’m holding off on any running.  Trying to eat doubly healthy and just get myself back to functioning normally.  Thankfully it was a holiday weekend and my normal day off giving me a four day weekend.  I sure hope I’m feeling better by Tuesday, I’ve got a critical food sanitation inspection in DC early morning.  Due to the specifics of it, I’d hate to have to reschedule. 

More to come as things change.  For now, I’ll finally catch up on all the movies I’ve been waiting to see. 

YUK!