Medical bulletin
Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 11:20 It was my birthday at the start of the month.
It was a quiet day so I did what all 53-year-olds do whose family has a history of heart problems. I visited my GP.
He began by asking me to stand on a weighing scale. It groaned but survived the ordeal.
He then took my blood pressure (slightly high) and recommended that I return the following week for a full blood test.
What, I asked, might have caused my blood pressure to go up since it was last measured six years ago?
"Anno domini," he replied casually. Or, to put it another way, "advancing old age".
He then asked, "Do you smoke?"
"No," I said.
He persisted. "Have you ever smoked?"
"No."
Abandoning this tack he then rattled through a list of other things that can cause high blood pressure and lead to heart disease: alcohol, obesity, lack of exercise and salt.
Surprise, surprise, I ticked every single box!
I don't intend to die any time soon but, when the time comes, you'll be the first to know.
Reader Comments (4)
They even ask the "smoking question" when you visit the dentist now - along with silly little side questions such as "would you like your teeth to be whiter?"
I just lie (through my teeth) and say no to everything - never ever smoked - only have the occasional drink - get plenty of excercise etc etc., and who wants pure white teeth - after all I am not American?
But I did note that you Simon, also told a little fib didn't you, when you said you have "never" smoked? If my memory serves me well, I seem to recall you saying a few years back that you tried some small cigars and quite liked them?
Peter, I took his question to mean 'Are you an ex-smoker?', which I'm not. I'm just someone who has a (very) occasional cigarette or cigar (probably less than ten a year) if I'm offered one. So, yes, I have smoked a handful of cigarettes and cigars (and will continue to do so) but I am not and never have been a smoker, if that makes sense.
I expect your blood pressure has risen a lot since July 2007 - I know mine has :(
Simon as Sainsburys Life found out you are one of the 6% or 3 million of the population who are 'secret smokers,' those who have a handful of smokes a year.
Last time I was down the docs, 2 weeks ago, they did my blood pressure 3 times. 95/65, "shall we try again... 94/63," the nurse taps the machine, "95/64". The asked me "are you sure you smoke?" I then showed them Golden Virginia packet and lighter.
I must be one of the very few people who have been accused of fibbing the other way.