More on blood pressure.

[John Baker]

I'm 66 and have always been in fairly decent shape. When I was in my thirties, for a brief time I had borderline high blood pressure. I wasn't put on medication and I started jogging every morning before work. That took care of my blood pressure problem.

About two years ago, I started noticing my hands would be kind of shaky from time to time. One of my customers is one of those alternative medicine practitioners and she noticed it when I was helping her. I'm not one for all that weird kind of medicine, but this lady has spent many thousands with me over the years so I made an appointment with her.

She put me on some dietary supplements that helped my shaky hands a lot, but has not yet cured me of it completely, at least nobody except me notices it any more.

The one thing I have noticed is a significant drop in my blood pressure, down to the lower end of normal. I have one of those digital blood pressure machines, so I check myself frequently.

The two supplements are: 'Taurine' put out by a company called Allergy Research Group, they are in Alameda, CA.. I take four of those every morning when I get up, before my shower and on an empty stomach.

Then at night I take a product called 'Mag Glycinate' put out by a company called Metagenics in San Clemente, CA. I take two of those every night.

The results as far as blood pressure goes are even better than jogging five miles every morning.

Other than lower blood pressure, I have not noticed any other side effects except for this compulsion to make posts on Internet forums.

If you are going to try something like this, I think you should run it by your M.D. first.

John

 

[Doggtyred]

I'm 66 and have always been in fairly decent shape. When I was in my thirties, for a brief time I had borderline high blood pressure. I wasn't put on medication and I started jogging every morning before work. That took care of my blood pressure problem.

About two years ago, I started noticing my hands would be kind of shaky from time to time. One of my customers is one of those alternative medicine practitioners and she noticed it when I was helping her. I'm not one for all that weird kind of medicine, but this lady has spent many thousands with me over the years so I made an appointment with her.

She put me on some dietary supplements that helped my shaky hands a lot, but has not yet cured me of it completely, at least nobody except me notices it any more.

The one thing I have noticed is a significant drop in my blood pressure, down to the lower end of normal. I have one of those digital blood pressure machines, so I check myself frequently.

The two supplements are: 'Taurine' put out by a company called Allergy Research Group, they are in Alameda, CA.. I take four of those every morning when I get up, before my shower and on an empty stomach.

Then at night I take a product called 'Mag Glycinate' put out by a company called Metagenics in San Clemente, CA. I take two of those every night.

The results as far as blood pressure goes are even better than jogging five miles every morning.

Other than lower blood pressure, I have not noticed any other side effects except for this compulsion to make posts on Internet forums.

If you are going to try something like this, I think you should run it by your M.D. first.

John

So have you seen a real doc about the tremors yet? Or you intend to wait til they aren't able to be ignored anymore?

 

[John Baker]

So have you seen a real doc about the tremors yet? Or you intend to wait til they aren't able to be ignored anymore?

Actually, I have. A friend of mine is an MD, he has a family practice. He gave me a rundown on the medications that would probably be prescribed.

The supplements I mentioned above have toned down the tremors to the point they are barely noticeable, so I want to stay with this regime for now. My medical is due by the end of this month, so I will be seeing my regular MD plus the flight MD.

I had a huge list of medicines that the FAA frowns upon, so I do my best to avoid any prescription medications that may be long term usage. I can't find the list, but it seems they don't like much of anything.

The tremors were so bad at one point, I could barely read my own writing, now that is no longer a problem.

To answer your question, I will bring the issue up when I see my regular doctor, if it is an issue.

Last night I took my blood pressure 106/65. This morning it was 122/73

Prior to the supplements my BP was usually in the mid to high 130s over the 90s to the low 100s

John

 

[Doggtyred]

The tremors were so bad at one point, I could barely read my own writing, now that is no longer a problem.

To answer your question, I will bring the issue up when I see my regular doctor, if it is an issue.
John

Wouldn't be a bad idea when you get around to it to have a cat scan of the head and a neurologist evaluation...

It may be nothing to worry about, but I wouldn't ignore it either. It sounds like whatever you are taking is masking the symptoms but the underlying problem still exists

Good luck on your next medical.
Dave

 

[John Baker]

Wonderful, something new to worry about. Um...are you an MD by any chance? You sound informed.

John

 

[Doggtyred]

Wonderful, something new to worry about. Um...are you an MD by any chance? You sound informed.

John

Nope. Not a doc. But I am informed. Registered nurse for 10 years, had my specialty credentials in ER and ICU. Paramedic for 8 years before that. I've worked in every adult ICU setting imaginable from burns to trauma to cardiac to neuro/neurosurgery. I've seen lots of heartache and a few miracles along the way, and more than my share of people who put off seeing docs for whatever reason, and ending up in worse straits because of the delay.

There's a couple very nasty, but relatively rare things that could be causing the tremors that need to be ruled out ( say, a tumor, for instance). If its something like early onset Parkinsons they may have certain meds that can completely abolish the tremors in the early stages. And if everything comes back negative for "very bad things", you have the piece of mind knowing that, PLUS having a neurologist backing you up if the AME notices the subtle tremoring. If it IS something bad, you have the knowledge to make informed decisions about your continued flight status as well as further healthcare. Knowing is half the battle.

My intention is not to scare the bejeezus out of you. Its to get you to make sure of your health status and remain as healthy as you can for as long as you can.

 

[John Baker]

I saw my doctor today and asked him about my shaky hands. He said hold them out. No shaking at all, nada, nothing. He suggested that perhaps I worry a little too much.

John

 

[Doggtyred]

I saw my doctor today and asked him about my shaky hands. He said hold them out. No shaking at all, nada, nothing. He suggested that perhaps I worry a little too much.

John

Good deal!

 

[silver-eagle]

I saw my doctor today and asked him about my shaky hands. He said hold them out. No shaking at all, nada, nothing. He suggested that perhaps I worry a little too much.

John

I had a doctor suggest the reason for my shortness of breath was I was overweight. Turned out it was pneumonia. Seems to me that if you noticed a tremor, and your customer noticed, there might be something there worth looking at. If your GP isn't all that concerned, I wouldn't worry a lot about it but I would go a little further getting it checked out. If he doesn't want to, find another guy or get him to recommend a specialist.
Guys wait WAY TOO LONG to visit a doctor. I'm not advocating hypochondria but when was your last general physical NOT with your FAA MD?

 

[John Baker]

What do you mean "Guys wait to long"? I just had a complete physical in 1962 just before I went to Recondo School at Ft. Campbell, KY.

Actually I had the whole song and dance done while I was in the hospital for a week back in January, including that weird Xray machine that they move your whole body in to, like going into a small plastic tunnel. They even gave me one of those disgusting colonoscopy exams, no fun there.

John

 

[BillTIZ]

I saw my doctor today and asked him about my shaky hands. He said hold them out. No shaking at all, nada, nothing. He suggested that perhaps I worry a little too much.

John

Stop taking the suppliments, let the hands start to shake again so you can't read your own writing, then go bcak to the doc and see what he says.