When I got to the maison médicale yesterday I learned that our médicin traitant (GP, ot primary-care physician) has simply changed his work hours. I don't know why. He no longer sees patients on Wednesdays. The doctor who saw me yesterday is a young woman who is described as a médecin remplaçant.
All went smoothly. She reviewed my file on her computer screen and I helped clarify some of the entries therein. Why I had one treatment or another, and when, for example. We talked about the arthritis I developed (or fell victim to) last summer. She examined me and said my heart is strong and my lungs too. That was good news.
However, she found my blood pressure to be slightly higher than it should be and advised me to buy a tensiomètre and test my blood pressure monthly or even weekly at first. There's a very complicated-looking form to fill out and return to the doctor. I can do that. In fact, we have a tensiomètre and we'll see how well it works Walt bought it in the U.S. on a trip last year. A new one costs as little as 20 euros here in France.
She also wrote me a prescription for Prednizone to treat my current arthritis flare-up along with a renewal of a prescription for an ointment that contains Ibuprofen. I told her I have some Ibuprofen tablets on hand but I'm not taking any right now and haven't felt the need to for several months.
My wrist joint inflammation seems to be less painful this morning. I don't know which doctor I'll see when I go back for other consultations this winter and spring. It might just depend on the appointments that are available and on which days. I'll definitely need to go back in about six months, as always. Or before, as need be. That's my status report.
It is good to see another Doctor from time to time... a different mindset.
ReplyDeleteAs for blood pressure, yours is probably fine, I have to use a "tension-meter" and my blood pressure is fine when I take it and do the chart... then she does one when I am in the surgery and it is always a bit higher!!
She thinks it is down to the fact that I am in a surgery andunfamiliar surroundings... my list of pressures is the more important in her mind. [NB: Our machines are from the same maker... mine straps on my wrist and hers around the arm.]
Sadly, I am allergic to Ibuprofen, as it triggers my urticaria... so tablets are out of the question.... but topical Ibuprofen seems to be fine... Pauline was prescribed some for her wrist and I have used that.
I have used it on various aches and pains.... my presumption is that the dose is localised and lower, and I am not flooding my system getting the medicine to where it is required.
I meant to say with regards the ergonomic mouse.... you will tire initially because it is a new way of using your hand and lower arm... and I do find that supporting my elbow as I use it helps too.... I have the arm of my computer chair abour 1/2 to 3/4 inch higher than the desk. Before, I found that my wrist rubbed on the edge of the desk.
Anyway, glad you are finding some relief....
My new doctor said the blood pressure monitors that put a cuff on your upper arm rather than on your wrist are more reliable and give truer results. I think I'm going to buy one with an upper arm cuff and compare the results with the wrist-cuff model.
DeleteNot a doctor, but watch the prednisone as far as your mood. I don't know if this is a common side effect but it can really do a number on you (speaking from personal experience).
ReplyDeleteThanks for that warning. See my comment to Evelyn below.
DeleteI'm taking prednizone for a skin problem. So far it seems to be helping. It's good to keep ourselves checked up these days.
ReplyDeleteWell, there's that mystery solved!
ReplyDeleteOne thing to be careful with about blood pressure monitors at home, is that they can sometimes be out of whack, and give you a crazy reading. I think there's a way to set its calibration somehow, or something like that. We had one we bought for about $50 from CVS, and I did my husband's blood pressure one day, and it was CRAZY high, through the roof (even though he didn't have a history of blood pressure issues). We took it two more times within the next couple of hours, still crazy high, so I made him let me take him to the emergency room. We ended up spending the entire day there (like, 6 hours or more), as they continuously monitored his blood pressure... and, it was never in a dangerous zone.
I don't know how to do the calibration, but there may be instructions with the machine, or available online.
Thanks for that, Judy. The doctor I saw this week said it's important to run the monitor a few times and to keep running it until the results stabilize and give approximately the same result half a dozen times in a row. Or something to that effect. I've never had blood pressure problems before and I don't really think I do now.
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