Taking care of your health

I am now going to document my history with blood pressure medications.  I was put on something called Ziac, which is a beta blocker and a diuretic called hydrocholorothiazide. I was put on  this one week after my husband passed after a 10 year battle with COPD.  My blood pressure a the time was around 145/80, which was not bad considering I had lived on 3-4 hours sleep and many crises during that 10 years.  So on the medication I go.  Almost immediately my pressure became erratic, spiking to 155/50 or down to 100/90.  I continually brought this to the attention of my doctor.  I was told "it is low dose.  It won't hurt you."  this was in 1997, before the internet was in casual use.  So I rocked along with this med and could get no one to listen to me. 

On March 3,2003, while at work, I watched my hands develop huge purple, pus filled pustules.  Then within about 30 minutes, they would rupture and the pain was severe.  I went back to my doctor.  He had no idea what was causing this so he sent me to someone who was supposed to be a dermatologist.  He was an MD and Scott and White needed a dermatologist so they put him in an office with a sign that said "Hand doctor.".I was told it was my job.  I worked for the Postal Service and came into contact with newsprint every day.  So I was tested for industrial chemicals.  I showed a slight reaction.  And in the meantime, my arms had erupted into what can only be described as bloody hamburger oozing pus and blood.  And my hands now would swell and split open.  My skin on my fingers would turn slimy and slide off.  My fingernails would die.  No answers.  I was trying everything.  I even paid $95 for a tube of lotion.  Nothing helped.  And all this time, my feet, ankles, and lower legs were swelling.  I also had what could only be described as mild asthma symptoms.  I kept asking can this be the meds.  Nope.  They are low dose and won't hurt you.  I kept digging for information on these drugs.  And I just got worse and worse.  I developed tachycardia.  But the meds won't hurt me.  Never mind the fact that my blood pressure never came down and kept climbing as well as I was gaining weight.

In 2011 or 2012, I went to Denver to house sit for my son.  By now my feet, ankles, and legs were showing pronounced swelling.  I had changed doctors too.  While in Denver, I could not even walk across a room without stopping to catch my breath.  When I got home, I researched congestive heart failure.  I thought that is what I was having.  So I called the doctor's office for an appointment.