Grrrrrrrrrr.. bit in the medical card....

Dreamer · Nov 28, 2003

Well... DANG DANG DANG DANG DANG!!! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I shoulda known.....

As most of you know, I'm experienced in expediting, first starting back in 1993 with Roberts(D1115), and then a couple years ago drove for them again under the FedEx name til my truck(D3650) got yanked by a retiring Fleet Owner. I had determined I would not go back to driving until I could afford my own truck/van, under my conditions, so I would never again lose a ride because someone ELSE decided they would get out of the businss. I've been workin, and tryin to save since then, and I've been plannin my return to expediting, this time in my OWN truck/van, whichever, for the last little while now.

Finally got my finances straightened out, figured out how to come up with downpayment, money to run, decided which company I was goin with this time, got the paperwork, etc....

Nuttin left but to decide WHEN.. and oh yeah.. pass that DOT physical....

DANG

OK, I'm not a little guy, but that's never been a problem, because I've always been strong enough to carry it, BP was low, etc, no other problems..

Well.. I've had back problems for a couple years now, but they were gettin better, but dang it.. my BP is up now!

Anyway, with my back problem history, my BP being up, combined with my weight, my doc advised against me driving right now, and will not approve me until I lose a good bit of weight, at least back to my old driving weight,(for health purposes, not because I can't move) and lower my BP. He offered me BP meds, but I don't wanna get dependent on something like that, so I'm just gonna do it thru diet and exercise..

This will delay my return a few months, but.. I'd rather go back in better shape, (tho I'll never be skinny..lol) and not depending on BP meds.

So.. take care of your back out there newbies and experienced alike,and watch that diet and BP.. it could jump up and bite you in the medical card... :-( :-(

Dreamer

RichM · Nov 28, 2003

If you don!t mind sharing it ,what was your BP.Extra weight and high BP seem to go hand in hand.Best to staighten it out without medicine if you can.

Dreamer · Nov 28, 2003

>If you don!t mind sharing it ,what was your BP.Extra weight
>and high BP seem to go hand in hand.Best to staighten it out
>without medicine if you can.

Nah.. I guess not :'(

After excercise.. topped out at an amazing 202/110

(yeah, I know)

After relaxing, lowest we could get was like 160 something over 100 or so... I don't remember exactly... I was already stressin and it was goin back up

He said we could probably get a lower reading if I laid down for a while, etc, low enough to pass, but.. combined with the other factors, weight, and back problem history, I had to agree it probably wasn't a good idea.

I mean, what if I get out there, and I'm tailgatin some 50gal drums up at PPG, (a regular run for me from here) and the BP jumps up that high again, just because of that lil bit of exhertion?? That's stroke or heart attack levels he said...

It's kind of embarassing actually, but.. I shoudn't have been surprised, since I've gained quite a bit of weight since coming off the road, and not getting that much exercise ridin a desk..

I've always been proud of having good numbers, even tho I was big, ya know? BP when I got my last physical was 120/78, right on.. my last cholestrol was 159, sugar 75 (lil low, but doc said was ok).. now.. nasty BP, cholestrol is up 40 points to 209, sugar was 94 (doc actually liked that, said it was closer to normal, he didn't like the low one)

Oh well, I know what I gotta do..

like I said before, I'll never be a little guy, don't really WANNA be.... LOL.. but... I gotta get where I'm not outta breath and shootin sky high BP from a few minutes of exhertion.. that's ridiculous.

Dreamer

RichM · Nov 28, 2003

One of the things I have read about high BP is that it is always worse in the morning.When you have been in a horizontal position all night you blood is distributed evenly throughout your body. Then when you get out of bed gravity causes your blood to flow to the lower half of your torso.At that time you heart and arteries kick in and start pumpng hard to bring you blood up to the top half of your body.If they didn!t do that you would probably pass out.Sometimes it can take several hours to stablize and also the white coat syndrom can cause your bllod pressure to rise. Best to take your BP in the early afternoon with no caffine in your system.
Also avoid those BP machines you find in Walgreens etc,they are noted for not being accurate. I would like to have cholestrol at 209,I think we were better off when we didn!t know about stuff like that.LOL Good luck.

Whiterabbit · Nov 29, 2003

Sorry to hear that bud!,my BP was up there a bit ago so i went on a dried fruit an nut diet,along with peanut butter an jelly sandwich for a snack,(sugar),and fish tuna ,salmon...feel great now...and lots an lots of good ol H2O...its really quite amazing how lttle one really needs to eat ,once yur stomach shrinks back down to normal size...the hunger pangs subside etc etc...best to ya!

Whiterabbit · Nov 29, 2003

Dreamer...almost forgot...COFFEE,lay off bigtime before blood pressure cks etc, decaff still has caffiene...Coffee ,well its a drug ,a good one if used rightly...One will build up a resistance to the stimulant properties after awhile.like if you drink it all day long,youll get nervous as heck but when you need it like at 2 pm, or at 3am it wont do that much good cause ya got a resisitance built up to it... so if youre using it to stay awake,use it only on a "as needed" basis...HERES MY BIG PET "PEVE" as far as diet etc...its aspertaine they use it in diet pop sugar substitutes etc etc...NEVER use that stuff its POISON...if it get above a certain temp ,cant remember exactly but its not at all high...it;ll turn to like into a arsenic substance...my daughter had three miscarriages before the last blessed delivery of my first grandson,she couldnt carry past 4 mo., i silently watched what she was eatin,over a year, and dang once we went out to eat and i saw her put TWO bags of that fake sugar and i Knew what to do...i waited till the right time,ya know. then i had a talk, begged her imean actually begged her to stop the diet crap , all drinks and sugar substitutes...Then just let it be. ...One day met her for breaskfast right after she became pregnant the last time ...She ordered coffee, when it came she went" dad ck this out" she grabbed a bag of REAL sugar and emptyed it into her coffee cup ...i nearly broke down...welp she delivered me a granbaby...I cant say that it all was layin off the diet stuff but welp ,the proof is in the puddin!...my youngest daughter coudnt drop any weight UNTILL she stopped the diet pop thing...keeps water on the bod!...Ya know yur stomach is only supposed to be a bit bigger than a big "fist" welp thats enough of preachin ...take it for what its worth..>>>>>>.THINK of what we ate when we were "hunters and gatherers"<<<<<<<<...eat like that and you wont believe the difference after a spell...and lots of purified water...boy i could go on an on but not today...bunches to do times a wastin..many blessings

Lady Expediter · Dec 12, 2003

Greetings Dreamer,

This might help you, I know it has been a couple of weeks since you posted.

Look up Dr.Ted Broer he says try diet before any meds also, I hear many many have had immediate great results from his "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy" information.

I believe he has a web site, but I have not looked it up yet. I saw him on a TV show today.

Good Luck & Happy Holidays!

Weave · Dec 12, 2003

On all my DOT physicals, my BP was over the 160/90 required for DOT when the doctor checked it right after I got into the office. After I sat down and relaxed for about 10 minutes and he conducted the rest of the physical, it returned to well within the DOT specs.
-Weave-

geo · Dec 13, 2003

have to watch those number's all the time
sents running for egl from feb to presented have lost 60 lbs
didn't know at the time how much work running local is
just can't break 260 lbs

marmon01 · Dec 30, 2003

My family doctor recently told me that new BP quidelines will allow a maximum of only 140/90 to pass DOT physical. Any one else aware of this?

Brandy · Jan 1, 2004

Dam dreamer, sounds to me like your three 16oz. prime ribs away from a heart attack or stroke. I don't mean to offend you but seriously you need to start losing mad pounds and quick. Your doc was right in not passing you when he gave you a physical. You should make losing 250 by years end your new years resolution cause if you need to lay down and dam near go to sleep to lower your blood pressure that means you have blood, and all the bacon grease you can drink flowing through your veins.

Dreamer · Jan 1, 2004

LOL... Bacon grease??? YUCKK!

Wait... I don't eat bacon...nevermind..lol.....

seriously, I cut salt out almost all together, and started drinking more water, and it's already droppin. Sides, if it was grease, my cholestrol would be crazy. Just heredity and stress mostly.

lose 250 by end of year? LMAO ..you're too, too funny Sean...someday we're gonna have to meet.

Happy New Year! Glad you're doin good! Take it easy on those amateur co-drivers!

Brandy · Jan 1, 2004

Dreamer its been a long time, good to see you still have your sence of humor. My New Years resolution is to loose the weight I put on over the holidays. I have woken up and smelled the coffee, I know that its too late to be a teen heart throbe, but its not too late to look good for the ladies. I plan on cutting several things out of my diet in the year '04, caffine, salt, too much carbs, bread, pasta, red meat, food of all shapes and colors. I'm gonna go on the Karen Carpenter diet that everyone is talking about. Hey if it could work for her then it can work for me.

teacel · Jan 1, 2004

I must be living in a shell, Brandy, What is the Karen C. Diet? We all or most have been talking about and doing the low carb diet.

Wanted to add --- My wife bought me a book for Xmas, cause she loves me and wants me around long after her. The book is called "Ultimate Weight Solution" The 7 keys to weight loss freedom, by Dr. Phil McGraw. This is a must read and do as my New Years Res!!!

Lawrence · Jan 1, 2004

Just a follow up on our Adkins Adventure....

We have lost over 25 #'s and have not been hungry at all.

Lawrence,
Expediters Online.com

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Brandy · Jan 1, 2004

Hey if it could work for Karen Carpenter then I know her diet can work for me, I just won't over do it cause I want to live to see next year.

Dreamer · Jan 2, 2004

I just caught that part.

That's really a sick little joke. I can take a lil poke, I'm a big boy... but what Karen Carpenter died from is a serious illness that affects over 8 million people.

For those who don't know or remember, Karen Carpenter(of the group The Carpenters fame}, died of an eating disorder.. Anorexia Nervosa.

Put bluntly, she was so paranoid about gaining weight, her own and others view of her body, she made herself throw up. She lived on water, thyroid pills, and laxatives.. and made herself throw up anything else. She got to a point before her death where she weighed 80 pounds, at 5 foot 4. She received treatment, and got up to 108 pounds, but the damage had already been done. Her body was too far gone.

Over 8 million people today suffer from eating disorders, most brought on by the extreme image that is prevelent as to what a person is 'supposed' to be.

"The Karen Carpenter Diet"

Not a funny joke at all.

http://atdpweb.soe.berkeley.edu/quest/Mind&Body/Carpenter.html

OntarioVanMan · Jan 2, 2004

In the last little while they have added an Adkins Breakfast menu at the Detroiter and boy oh boy if I did that diet i'd be dead of heart disease in 6 months How in the world can they promote the intake of so much colesterol, eggs cheese milk...Give me fibre of whole wheat bread any day! Oh yeah I spoke with my doc on this and she did not recommend this diet for me. The bottom line is if your having a colesterol problem this one ain't for you!

Dreamer · Jan 2, 2004

OntarioVanMan,

You would think so, wouldn't you? I have some friends on it, whose cholestrol has actually gone down, and one friend with diabetes is now doing GREAT. Her sugar is under control, and she's lost 72 pounds... you couldn't GET her to go back on a regular diet... she loves it. She's healthier than she's been in years. Her doctor is keeping a close eye on her numbers, but says as long as it's working, and her numbers stay good, to do what works for HER.

The proponents of the Atkins system say that the high protein diet makes your body react in such a way, that waste is eliminated more quickly, therefore not releasing as much of the harmful cholestrol to your system. Now, I don't know the technical details of all that, but.. I do know, I read an article, that some researchers are now grudgingly admitting The Atkins Diet is NOT as harmful as they had originally thought.

BY THE WAY: Congrats Lawrence on your loss! Awesome!

I tried the Atkins, lost 18 pounds on it, but, I have an acid reflux problem, and it made it flare up worse. I was eating a pack of Rolaids a day...LOL... BESIDES my prescription acid reduction medicine..

I now am just doing a 'lower' carb diet.. not as restricted, I still base my diet on protein, just make sure it's quality, lean meat, etc... and that my carbs are more 'quality'.. good breads, pastas.. I don't really eat chips, so that wasn't a problem.

As of last week, I have lost 49 pounds, (as a bigger person, I can lose faster starting out) and my resting BP has dropped from 166/98 to 132/96. My exercise BP still spikes too high for comfort, so I plan to rejoin my local YMCA this month, so I can return to working out. I used to lift 4 nights a week+cardio, but got away from it the last couple years.

Anyway, important thing is, I chose to do something about it now.

Dreamer

Lawrence · Jan 2, 2004

OMG!

49 LBS! That is fantastic!!! Best wishes!

Lawrence,
Expediters Online.com

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On the keyboard of life, always keep
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