ARGHHHHH!
Here's my story...sad, but true. I got a call a few weeks ago from my new doctor who told me to make an appt with this specialist guy to have my lipid panel checked.
In February when I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes I also was diagnosed with high cholesterol. So, in addition to insulin I get put on cholesterol medications. I hate meds. I hate having to take them. I hate feeling sick and thats what medication does to me.
So, I go see this guy and he compares my first cholesterol numbers taken in February with my cholesterol numbers from 3 months ago...
Three months ago as in before the lapband surgery...before exercising or eating right...before any lifestyle changes at all. the only thing I was doing differently was taking medication.
Now, it's important to this story that you know one of my big goals is to get off insulin and cholesterol medications...so I ask him about all the changes I've been making and he completely poohpoohed the idea that I would be able to go off these meds. He essentially tells me that diet and exercise help, but only to reduce my cholesteral about 20% off my baseline (and the baseline is the high cholesterol that I originally tested with in February when I was diagnosed.)
Then he tells me how medications can reduce high cholesterol 30-50% off the baseline and because I'm considered a diabetic the levels that I am supposed to work toward are even lower than what a normal person should have for cholesterol because I'm at a higher risk for heart attacks/strokes/etc.
Normal - Under 200
Diabetic - Under 160
Me with medication only- 145
Normal LDL - 130-160
Diabetic - Under 100
Me with medication only- 124
He said it all so flippantly and nonchalantly...he tossed away any of my concerns about liver issues from taking a statin drug...he waved away my suggestion that going from 0 days/week to 6 days/week exercising...eating crap to eating right might have a bigger effect than what he was suggesting. Then he said to just get used to taking the meds...it was unlikely I'd ever be able to go off them and then tells me about the lady who came yesterday who was a diabetic with managed bloodsugar levels and managed cholesterol levels who had a heart attack ANYWAY.
I don't think I could have gotten any more depressed than I was at that moment in his office considering my fate at age 39 just waiting for my heart attack to happen DESPITE all the hard work I've been doing.
And I left his office and I went to the store and I bought Pringles and ate 1/2 a bucket before I talked myself out of that depression.
And now I want to go in his office and KICK HIS BUTT. And I want to tell him that while he may have years of experience watching people do XYZ he doesn't KNOW ME. And if he EVER tries to bring me down again I'm going to open a can of WHOOP ASS on him.
The ONLY bright moment in this story is that I NEARLY bought a package of Dream Cakes (those fake twinkies...) I could have eaten the entire box before I managed to talk myself down...which I think would have wiped my 450 calorie Pringles binge eating out of the water.
And here is my final parting thought...
The Cheesy Pringles are MY weakness. I expected that the lap band and weightloss would help me get off high blood pressure meds. But here I am, 90lbs thinner and still on them. I tried to go off them as an experiment, and right back up my blood pressure went. It doesn't seem fair, does it?
ReplyDeleteI know it may not ever happen that I can get off the medications, but once I thought about what he said to me...he was trying to even strip me of hope for even trying...shove me into some kind of his reality. No...it doesn't seem fair, but on the positive side...HECK YES! You are 90 pounds thinner!
DeleteFor me it would have been Caramel Bugles. The fact that you counted the calories and moved on is a victory in and of itself though. You should be proud of yourself for that.
ReplyDeleteYour anger is justified. And I kind of wish you do get to put him in his place sometime in the future. It never ceases to amaze me how smart people in a "caring profession" can sometimes be so callous.
Oh, I plan on having a chat with him. I see him again in 3 months...we'll be taking another look at more current numbers and I'll be making sure I let him know how I feel about his bad attitude. ;)
DeleteGoodness...so much negativity! Hasn't he ever heard of people who have successfully gotten off of meds? It has happened... Sorry his negativity put you in a funk. Glad you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteHe was the doctor of doom and gloom for me...apparently if I do manage to stop taking them it will be a miracle!
DeleteDo you HAVE to go back to him? I'd go to someone else (and tell his office why you're leaving!). If your doctor can't be positive, then forget him/her. There are other doctors out there.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately not as many options when you are tied to a military base. My PCM is new too...once I see how she handles my health I'll be better equipped to make changes...imagine having two doom and gloom naysayers!
DeleteYou'd think a doctor of all people would at least be willing to provide SOME encouragement towards your new healthy lifestyle!! They may not be able to promise it will get you off your meds but can they really promise it won't either? Go open that can on him and move on! I miss Tricare insurance coverage but not that lack of options :/
ReplyDeleteRight? A little encouragement would have been nice.
DeleteWow stinks you cant get in with someone else... coming off my meds was one of the BIGGEST reasons I chose WLS. I dont agree with him tellin you you have to stay on them forever.. Just let that fuel you into proving him wrong... Always works for me, Let just one person tell me I cant, thats all it take :)
ReplyDeletethats my plan. ;) Prove him wrong. lol. And in the same breath remember he means absolutely nothing to my world in the greater scheme of things...He's especially not worth 1/2 bucket of pringles!
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