'I had no idea'

A chance PR opportunity led Tom to discover he had high blood pressure. The local authority was running a Know your Numbers!® blood pressure testing event and, as Chairman of the Council, Tom was asked to lead the way by having his own blood pressure checked.

"I shall never forget the look on the occupational health advisor’s face when she checked my blood pressure," said Tom. "She told me my readings were high and that I should see my GP, who, after further tests, diagnosed me as having high blood pressure. It came as a shock because I had no idea that I had a problem."

With the help of his wife, Tom is now controlling his blood pressure through medication prescribed by his doctor and is looking at ways to change his lifestyle, by watching what he eats and losing weight.

"I used to enjoy a good fry up every now and then and this has come to an end. It’s case of fruit and toast in the mornings now!

"I’m thankful that I was diagnosed when I was, otherwise who knows what could have happened. My wife asked me if I feel any better now that my blood pressure is under control but the truth is, I didn’t feel unwell before, so I can see why it’s called the silent killer. It just goes to show that you can have high blood pressure and have no idea you’ve got it.

"I’d advise getting your blood pressure checked regularly. Having high blood pressure isn’t the end of the world. There’s plenty you can do easily to look after yourself."

Links:
How can I lower my Blood Pressure?
Where can I get a free blood pressure check?
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