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Old 10-03-2015, 02:06 PM   #161
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Sorry to hear that Audrey but hopefully it is just a warning that your "high" caffeine days should be behind you.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:11 PM   #162
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W2R, I shouldn't worry too much about one anomalous reading, but it is scary none the less. Hopefully the cuff had just loosened or something on that particular use.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:14 PM   #163
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W2R, I shouldn't worry too much about one anomalous reading, but it is scary none the less. Hopefully the cuff had just loosened or something on that particular use.
Oh!!! Good idea. I'll bet that was it. I was still half asleep, and probably didn't attach the cuff properly or something. Thanks.

As long as it doesn't mean I'm a goner, I'm OK with it.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:20 PM   #164
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Oh!!! Good idea. I'll bet that was it. I was still half asleep, and probably didn't attach the cuff properly or something. Thanks.

As long as it doesn't mean I'm a goner, I'm OK with it.
My wife just can't use our Omron device or any of the machines you can use in grocery stores as her arm is too slim and she gets flaky readings. So she only has her BP taken 2 or 3 times a year at doctor visits, and it's always been well in range.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:23 PM   #165
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Oh!!! Good idea. I'll bet that was it. I was still half asleep, and probably didn't attach the cuff properly or something. Thanks.

As long as it doesn't mean I'm a goner, I'm OK with it.
57 isn't that bad, I think athletes or long distance runners regularly get lower readings. The one you want to watch out for is 0.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:28 PM   #166
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57 isn't that bad, I think athletes or long distance runners regularly get lower readings. The one you want to watch out for is 0.
Yeah, but I admit it, my general physical condition is just about as far opposite as you can get from being a marathoner.

Plus, I have exercised even less than usual this week due to my crummy vision (cataracts); I'm getting scared of tripping due to not seeing stuff. I'll be glad to have that fixed this coming week.

A diastolic of 0 would definitely give me pause. I think I'd find religion pronto.
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Old 10-03-2015, 07:29 PM   #167
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Yeah, but I admit it, my general physical condition is just about as far opposite as you can get from being a marathoner.

Plus, I have exercised even less than usual this week due to my crummy vision (cataracts); I'm getting scared of tripping due to not seeing stuff. I'll be glad to have that fixed this coming week.

A diastolic of 0 would definitely give me pause. I think I'd find religion pronto.
I was getting some of those. If I understood correctly 57 is OK if you're not dizzy. I was and my MD had me go off of an alpha blocker. I'm trying to stop the calcium channel blocker he has me on. I've had a couple of false starts letting one anomalous reading scare me back on, next time I'll wait an hour.

I was told once they couldn't get a diastolic reading; I was trying very hard to not pass out in a dentist's chair. The look on the assistant's face was priceless, she thought I'd stroked out. Twenty four years later I still kid her about not passing out when she takes my BP.
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Old 10-03-2015, 09:00 PM   #168
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57 isn't that bad, I think athletes or long distance runners regularly get lower readings. The one you want to watch out for is 0.
Mine is occasionally in the mid 60s, but I haven't seen it drop below 60 yet!
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Old 10-03-2015, 10:48 PM   #169
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Audreyh1, that's scary! I'm glad you noticed it. I don't think I'd recognize that symbol so I should probably look it up in the manual.

I had a scare this morning when I took my BP with my Omron monitor this morning, too. In the past I seldom took my BP without a reason, but I have been recording it once a week for a month or two. Anyway, this morning, instead of diastolic being around 75-80, as it usually is, it was 57.

Kind of unnerving, since I have never had a diastolic that low before in my life AFAIK. The only possible causes I could think of, were that

(1) I was having a harder time that usual in fully awakening and also

(2) I had just taken my beta blocker seconds before measuring.

Anyway, after I lingered over two cups of coffee for an hour, it was back to 76 and I was much more wide awake. Weird. I hope this is not a sign from the supernatural that my time has come (joke! just a joke!)

I used to have low blood pressure (back when I was young and very fit).... many times would get a 95 or 90 over 60 to 55....

And, when I had any kind of procedure from a doc, it dropped... the lowest measure I know about was 60 over 30.... it was in the recovery room after an operation.... nurse said 'Oh my god!!' and it went up

My problem now is that sometimes I get HIGH readings... my normal is in the 120s over high 60s low 70s.... but I got a reading of 155 over 89.... I was not feeling well... kept checking... finally went back to normal a few hours later.... I think it is something that I eat, but have not narrowed it down yet....
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Old 11-19-2015, 01:44 PM   #170
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At my physical back in 2006, my GP noticed my heart rate was 40. I’m in pretty good though not fantastic shape, I lift weights and do some form of cardio for at least 30 minutes 2-3 times per week. I’ve noticed that my pulse gets that low when I’ve been sitting at my desk for a while in a mellow state, so I wasn’t surprised. Also, I’d been fasting for bloodwork, and had only a partial dose of coffee that morning, so naturally my metabolism would be down a notch. And, I like to do a slow exhale when they’re checking my pulse, just to make sure it’s nice and low. Well maybe that overdid it because she said I had bradycardia, and sent me to a cardiologist.

The cardiologist thought my HR was ok, but noticed I have carotid sinus hypersensitivity, which is where when you compress the artery in the side of your neck you tend to pass out. I’ve noticed that before, for example when resting my neck against my hand, but thought it was normal. Of course you’d feel faint when you squeezed off the blood flow to your brain, right? That was the only time I noticed it, and I’ve spent a lot of time in wetsuits that squeeze my neck a little, and never had any trouble there, so I didn’t think much of it.

Anyways, the cardiologist said I needed to get a pacemaker within the next month or so, but sent me to another cardiologist for a second opinion. The second guy put me through the tilt-table test, which gave inconclusive results. He said he didn’t think I needed a pacemaker, and instead recommended that I drink more coffee and eat more salt. I went with that prescription, and wish he’d written it down so my health insurance would support my coffee habit.

At my recent physical, I mentioned I’d been having some palpitations, which I’m pretty sure is normal for a woman heading into menopause, and my HR was rather low again (44), so my doctor is sending me to a cardiologist again. I’m not happy about it because the last coffee-and-salt recommendation cost me hundreds of bucks in deductible and co-pays.

Also, I’m hoping to ER in a couple years. My post ER budget has $983/month for health insurance premiums plus, hopefully to err on the side of caution, maximum deductible.

Can anyone tell me if a diagnosis of bradycardia raises health insurance premiums much? How about having a pacemaker?
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Old 11-19-2015, 01:50 PM   #171
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Can anyone tell me if a diagnosis of bradycardia raises health insurance premiums much? How about having a pacemaker?
In the US, premiums aren't based upon health anymore. You can get an idea of premiums by going to healthcare.gov. If you aren't getting a subsidy you can also buy ACA compliant policies that aren't on the exchange. You can shop those on the insurer's web page.
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Old 11-19-2015, 02:52 PM   #172
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I recently got quotes for insurance through healthcare.gov, and I never had to declare my bradycardia or Atrial Fibrillation, or any other existing conditions or past treatments.
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Old 11-19-2015, 03:11 PM   #173
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In the US, premiums aren't based upon health anymore. You can get an idea of premiums by going to healthcare.gov.
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I recently got quotes for insurance through healthcare.gov, and I never had to declare my bradycardia or Atrial Fibrillation, or any other existing conditions or past treatments.
I did get a premium estimate on healthcare.gov, but had the idea that you need to list existing conditions when you actually purchased a plan.

I'll share this with my DBF, he'll be glad to hear that his melanoma (all cut out) and possible thyroid condition won't affect his premiums.
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Old 11-19-2015, 04:15 PM   #174
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At my physical back in 2006, my GP noticed my heart rate was 40. I’m in pretty good though not fantastic shape, I lift weights and do some form of cardio for at least 30 minutes 2-3 times per week. I’ve noticed that my pulse gets that low when I’ve been sitting at my desk for a while in a mellow state, so I wasn’t surprised. Also, I’d been fasting for bloodwork, and had only a partial dose of coffee that morning, so naturally my metabolism would be down a notch. And, I like to do a slow exhale when they’re checking my pulse, just to make sure it’s nice and low. Well maybe that overdid it because she said I had bradycardia, and sent me to a cardiologist.

The cardiologist thought my HR was ok, but noticed I have carotid sinus hypersensitivity, which is where when you compress the artery in the side of your neck you tend to pass out. I’ve noticed that before, for example when resting my neck against my hand, but thought it was normal. Of course you’d feel faint when you squeezed off the blood flow to your brain, right? That was the only time I noticed it, and I’ve spent a lot of time in wetsuits that squeeze my neck a little, and never had any trouble there, so I didn’t think much of it.

Anyways, the cardiologist said I needed to get a pacemaker within the next month or so, but sent me to another cardiologist for a second opinion. The second guy put me through the tilt-table test, which gave inconclusive results. He said he didn’t think I needed a pacemaker, and instead recommended that I drink more coffee and eat more salt. I went with that prescription, and wish he’d written it down so my health insurance would support my coffee habit.

At my recent physical, I mentioned I’d been having some palpitations, which I’m pretty sure is normal for a woman heading into menopause, and my HR was rather low again (44), so my doctor is sending me to a cardiologist again. I’m not happy about it because the last coffee-and-salt recommendation cost me hundreds of bucks in deductible and co-pays.

Also, I’m hoping to ER in a couple years. My post ER budget has $983/month for health insurance premiums plus, hopefully to err on the side of caution, maximum deductible.

Can anyone tell me if a diagnosis of bradycardia raises health insurance premiums much? How about having a pacemaker?
With ACA there should not be pre-existing conditions. But to give you an idea, we were looking at costs of insurance back in 2012 or early 2013. I had (have) paroxysmal AV block (class 3 heart block). It's not bradycardia, but solved with a pacemaker and is an electrical problem. I asked the insurer that I had my company policy with (BCBS) and they came back with $1300/mo for a high deductible plan just for me. Before that we were looking at more like $350 - $400/mo for a high deductible with much lower deductibles and max oop. If I had not been on a policy with them, they would not have covered me and I would have had to got to high risk pools with much less favorable coverage.
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