Wazzup Pilipinas!?
As many of you know, health is something we should never take for granted, especially when life gets busy. Recently, I received a prescription for several medications, which has made me take a closer look at my own health. My doctor has also advised me to undergo a series of lab tests to get a better understanding of my condition. I wanted to share this update with you, not just to keep you informed, but also to remind everyone of the importance of taking care of your health.
The Medications I'm Taking
Here’s what my doctor prescribed and why it’s important:
Perindopril, Indapamide, Amlodipine (Triplixam): This combination helps manage high blood pressure. Like many people my age, hypertension has become a concern, and these medications work to keep my blood pressure in check, reducing the risk of complications like heart failure or stroke.
Nebivolol (Nebilet): This is a beta-blocker that slows my heart rate and eases the strain on my heart, another way to manage hypertension and heart health.
Rosuvastatin + Ezetimibe (Rozur): These medications are for high cholesterol. Statins lower the amount of cholesterol my liver produces, while Ezetimibe reduces how much cholesterol my body absorbs. Both are key in preventing plaque buildup in my arteries, which could lead to heart attacks or strokes.
Aspirin 80 mg: I’m also taking a low dose of aspirin, which acts as a blood thinner to help prevent blood clots. This is especially important in reducing my risk for cardiovascular events.
The Lab Tests I Need
To ensure that we’re on the right track with my health, my doctor has recommended a comprehensive set of tests:
Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c): These tests will check my blood sugar levels and see if diabetes or pre-diabetes might be a concern. Given that diabetes is closely linked to heart disease, it's important to monitor this aspect.
Lipid Profile: This will evaluate my cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If my cholesterol is too high, it could increase my risk of heart disease.
Uric Acid: This will check if I’m at risk for gout or kidney stones, both of which can be linked to high blood pressure and poor metabolic health.
Creatinine and SGPT (Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase): These tests will assess my kidney and liver function. Since I’m taking medications long-term, we need to make sure my liver and kidneys are handling them well.
Urinalysis: This simple test will help detect any potential issues with my kidneys or urinary system, or metabolic conditions like diabetes.
Complete Blood Count (CBC): This will give a general overview of my blood health, checking for signs of anemia or infection.
ECG and 2D Echo: These are heart tests to monitor how my heart is functioning. We want to ensure there’s no underlying heart disease or damage from high blood pressure.
X-ray and Ultrasound: These imaging tests will check for any abnormalities in my chest or abdomen, like issues with my heart, liver, or kidneys.
What This Could Mean for Me
Based on the medications and tests, it’s clear that I’m dealing with a few important health issues:
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is something we’re actively managing. If left unchecked, it could lead to heart failure, stroke, or other serious complications.
High cholesterol is another concern, which increases my risk for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and cardiovascular disease.
There’s also the possibility that diabetes or pre-diabetes is on the horizon, which we’ll know more about after the blood sugar tests. Diabetes, as you know, is closely linked to heart disease.
Finally, the tests for my kidneys and liver will ensure that my organs are functioning properly, especially since I’m taking medications that need to be processed by both systems. These tests will give us a fuller picture of my overall health and guide us in making adjustments where necessary.
The Bigger Picture
This process has been a reminder for me of how important it is to take care of our health. It’s easy to get caught up in work and responsibilities, but without good health, we can’t do much of anything. For me, the goal is to address these issues head-on so that I can continue leading Wazzup Pilipinas and staying active in the things I’m passionate about.
I encourage everyone to be proactive about their health. If you haven’t had a checkup or routine tests recently, now might be the time. After all, it’s always better to be aware of what’s going on in your body and to take the necessary steps to stay well.
Thank you for all your support, and I’ll keep you posted as I go through this health journey!
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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