..do i look unwell!!??!!

...i think i look the picture of a healthy 44 year old! apparently not!
after the marathon on sunday, which saw me run a fairly reasonable 5 hours 3 minutes, i embarked on phase one of my journey to hernia surgery! off i went to the hospital for my pre-op assessment which would lead me nicely into my operation next and nicely into my 4 to 6 weeks recuperation! ah bliss!

....no - not to be..... the nurse in the hospital shook her head after telling me that i seemed like a fairly healthy individual when the blood pressure monitor gave out some rather alarming (it would seem) numbers. 200/100! and what's normal i asked - a lot less than that she said (somewhere in the region of about 140/90 i think from asking the internet guys). sit outside she said and we'll see if you calm down.... sits outside ...blood pressure taken again ...still the same

...operation canceled ...go to gp practice nurse for some blood pressure monitoring ...if it settles op in 2 weeks ...if it doesn't - medication - and op when the medications works (maybe 6 weeks) - bugger

...off to practice nurse ...oh she said lets take it again, you'll just have been stressed due to being at the hospital ....nope ...even higher!! ...and she was lovely and not stressing me out in anyway - so that was worrying. let's do the cardio risk test she said. ok i said. (time passes) ..oh dear she said ...you have a 14% chance of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years! excellent i said! turning out to be a great day this!

...so i have an appointment with the nurse again on thursday, and an appointment with the gp on friday and i am on orders from the nurse to relax! oh well - every cloud, and all that!

...lifestyle problem? genetic problem?
salt - don't use it
coffee - apparently has some limited impact
exerceise - i've just ran a marathon for goodness sake i can't do any more
weight - a little high but she didn't seem too concerned
smoking - don't do it
alcohol - a little too much but not excessive (her words not mine!)

work??? ahhh??