Sorry I have been scarce

Howdy all,

Just wanted to let you all know why I've been kind of scarce lately. As a few know I've been given 2 months to get my Blood Pressure down to safe levels or end up taking medication for it. I've changed my eating habbits, not much of a change as I had already cut back on processed foods. Started riding my bike for excersize and awakened my long desire for touring by bicycle. I've been into bicycles for all my life but never really GOT INTO them so to say, well now I'm REALLY diving in and building my own touring bike from vintage parts. My other projects came from my youth and being broke and scavenging parts to repair what I broke on my Schwinn Stingray. The touring bike is alot more complicated than a stingray to say the least :boohoo: So I really have alot on my plate with this task...

Part two of this is that My BP is not getting better and in fact got ALLOT worse in the past few days. This week I have been in and out of the hospitol wth chest pain and general weakness. with my BP hitting 166/108 my wife dragged me to the VA and we are now trying to get things fixed. I have to get the meds but so far the ones the Doc's have tried only dropped my heart rate... yippy... I was given some painkillers that are sending me over the hedge so I don't get alot done as I can't focus on doodaly squat...

As things start to stableize around here I'll get back to posting regularly as I have alot on my mind when I can think straight, but that gets easaly derailed by my riding (currently not allowed to do sayish my Doc :rant: ) or the meds...

Post ya all asap...

Thanks for sharing. take care brother.
G.

All the best mate. I know what you mean about touring by bicycle. I've had a long term dream of doing just that too. I could think of nothing better than riding the back roads, camping were you like, pulling into a country town somewhere to partake of a the wares of a coffee shop for a break, no set time limits to be anywhere...Cloud nine...I wish you all the best in getting your health back on track and getting into a bit of short distance or weekend touring at the very least.


Mick

Hang in there DC. Hope things balance out soon for ya !

All the best DC! Hope all this clears up soon!

DC- My thoughts are with you. Here's hoping this passes quickly and you are back to your old self soon! Remember, what does not kill you only makes you stronger!

Sorry to hear about your BP trouble. Do what it takes to get it under control.
I have to take BP meds myself.
The Doc's will scare the crap out of you.
Getting old is no problem, It is the falling apart that is getting me.
Thank God for good Doctors, I have had no energy since they changed my pain meds for my FUBAR back, thought my heart was fixing to let go.
Yesterday they gave me my blood work stats and said my thyroid was not working right. To slooooow, Went and got the new meds for that and 2 pills later I feel much better. Now maybe I can drop the 35 pounds I added on when the thyroid whacked out.

Yep you could have knocked me off the pot with a feather before.

Keep a positive attatude and you will be fine.

PS. stay away from hard liquor. It really spikes your BP


Silver2

Removing pits and patina from old razors is a great way to lower your BP!



I kid, I kid. Truly do hope you start feeling better and please post some pics of that bike as it progresses.

Sorry to hear of the BP issues. They will find the right combo of meds and you'll be pedaling that tourer sooner than later. I had health issues coming on a decade ago and healthy eating and bicycling gave me a new life and it can for you too. Hang in there DC.

Hello, DwarvenChef:

I am sorry to hear of your health problems.

Yes, exercise, diet and weight loss will often help with lowering blood pressure, explains my daughter. She is a registered dietitian, diabetes educator and personal physical trainer — and in charge of my diet and exercise — and what she says I listen to.

Take care and may good fortune ride in your lane.

Regards,

Obie

Take care of yourself and get that BP down...

Chief, may the care givers have extreme skill & your BP respond favorably. And enjoy the changes you make. Cycling is wonderful.

Hi DwarvenChef,

Sorry to hear about your BP troubles. Finding the right meds will help, and also healthy food (diet), moderate exercise, enough sleep and stressless/positive attitude are those that help you in a long run.
Hope you get ok soon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

Howdy all,

Just wanted to let you all know why I've been kind of scarce lately. As a few know I've been given 2 months to get my Blood Pressure down to safe levels or end up taking medication for it. I've changed my eating habbits, not much of a change as I had already cut back on processed foods. Started riding my bike for excersize and awakened my long desire for touring by bicycle. I've been into bicycles for all my life but never really GOT INTO them so to say, well now I'm REALLY diving in and building my own touring bike from vintage parts. My other projects came from my youth and being broke and scavenging parts to repair what I broke on my Schwinn Stingray. The touring bike is alot more complicated than a stingray to say the least :boohoo: So I really have alot on my plate with this task...

Part two of this is that My BP is not getting better and in fact got ALLOT worse in the past few days. This week I have been in and out of the hospitol wth chest pain and general weakness. with my BP hitting 166/108 my wife dragged me to the VA and we are now trying to get things fixed. I have to get the meds but so far the ones the Doc's have tried only dropped my heart rate... yippy... I was given some painkillers that are sending me over the hedge so I don't get alot done as I can't focus on doodaly squat...

As things start to stableize around here I'll get back to posting regularly as I have alot on my mind when I can think straight, but that gets easaly derailed by my riding (currently not allowed to do sayish my Doc :rant: ) or the meds...

Post ya all asap...

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Hi maestro,
Man...that's quite a lot of stuff you have been dealing with. The biking tour sounds like a very interesting hobby to undertake.

Regarding your BP...Looks like you are stage 2 hypertension. I am sure you have considered "natural" remedies as well, like garlic, Hibiscus tea, fish oil (Omega-3...you probably get more than enough Omega 6 from diet), etc...a few BIG things that make a HUGE difference:

1) Weight
2) Smoking (quit if you are a smoker)
3) Sodium intake - this is bad
4) Potassium intake - this is good. Low potassium can result in elevated sodium in cells, because the two balance one another.
5) Alcohol

Just a few things you can control naturally.

We are 100% behind you in this fight :)

Not much for me to say except that I hope you feel better. You posts are always welcome and occasionally helpful. If you need any help on that bike let me know I've been restore bicycles since I was 12 with my father. I only quit as a bike mechanic about 3 years ago. My dad still owns the shop and my interest has changed to mods, but still into my japanese '70s touring bikes, my never ending project now is a Nishiki. My problem is figuring spoke length for a new type of lacing as my brother and I invented it there is no standardization.
Good luck and be well.

-G

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silver2

Sorry to hear about your BP trouble. Do what it takes to get it under control.
I have to take BP meds myself.
The Doc's will scare the crap out of you.
Getting old is no problem, It is the falling apart that is getting me...
Keep a positive attitude and you will be fine.

PS. stay away from hard liquor. It really spikes your BP


Silver2

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Talk about getting scared by your Dr.: 65 lbs later, 4-6 mile brisk walk/slow jog ( and I mean slow....) 4 times a week and cutting my daily calories in half has my BP back to 112/64. Resting pulse 60, and No more meds of any kind. I do have those old guy moobs we all hate so much but I am working on that now.
It can be done with some discipline and work. I still enjoy a little Scotch on the weekends but the Doc says that is OK now.

We have two choices: Get old or become fertilizer. I choose old so I work at staying healthy.

Stay focused, stay strong minded, you'll win. Take the Doc's advice and put it to good use.

PS: It took me a year to make my goals.

Best of health to you!!

If you plan on sticking around this planet normal blood pressure is one of the most important things to have. If you eat good and have normal wight and get some exercise and it's still high you need the meds. You have to keep experimenting until you find the one or ones to do the trick and make sure some other condition isn't causing it.

Have you considered taking up str8 shaving? I know it relaxes me and lowers my blood pressure:)

Seriously - get well soon DC. I really enjoy watching your SOTD videos - I've learned a lot from watching them.

Thanks guys you a huge up lift for me :)

Ya I'm going in today and try squeeking into see MY Doc, I'm double booked just incase someone is late or no shows.

I'm looking for a Raleigh touring frame, Aylyaska (sp), Kodiak, or Portage. Only reason I can give you on wanting it... Alaskan theme :p lol I want to build it from scratch so it's not going to be a full restoration, I'll use what parts get me the results I want :)

Right now I'm trying to figure out what is keeping my BP so high. Haven't looked at the patssium levels yet, but i think the Doc yesterday mentioned it was ok, but still made me take a chewable... Gawd that tasted nasty...

Again thanks for all the support :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by commiecat

Removing pits and patina from old razors is a great way to lower your BP!



I kid, I kid. Truly do hope you start feeling better and please post some pics of that bike as it progresses.

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Eveil, evil man :medvl::) :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

I'm looking for a Raleigh touring frame, Aylyaska (sp), Kodiak, or Portage. Only reason I can give you on wanting it... Alaskan theme :p lol

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Don't know if this is off topic or just my lateral thinking. Interesting you mention Alaska. Natives have a traditional diet high in fat & protein yet very low incidence of heart & circulatory problems. You need to eat more whale blubber:p Just messin with ya :D

What everyone else said, and here is my .02 as someone who teaches chronic kidney disease classes for patients with stage 3-4 and 4-5 kidney disease: you are going to benefit from all the things you are doing to help your B/P, but it is going to take several different medications daily to get it down to a safer level. On average, a rule of thumb says that each medication reduces the systolic B/P only about 10 mmHg. That is a lot of pills, buddy, but what it takes. Here is a link to the National Kidney Foundation KDOQI guideline for blood pressure in chronic kidney disease, which very extensive and educational. The guideline targets people with CKD, but whether or not you have any degree of CKD, you will learn a lot about the treatment of hypertension. Hope it is useful information for you! http://www.kidney.org/professionals/...mmentaries.cfm

Sorry to hear it, pal. My prayers are with you.

If you see this, it would be good to hear from you as you're able.

Hey D.C. Hope everything works out for you. Your B.P. is nothing to mess around with. Left alone it can lead to ckd (chronic kidney disease) and having to deal with treating that would be alot worse then just having to take some norvasc or other meds. Best of wishes to you.

Michael