tired of doctors (today) *&^%$

[Christine]

ok, my turn to vent.. now my faith is very strong and normally I don't let things like this get to me, but today i'm just tired of dealing with all of this..

i'm finally back to testing every 3 weeks via lab drawl and i found out this morning that i was at 3.5 yesterday.. i thought good, my cardio thinks little high and tweeks yet again, my dosage from 5mgs mon/wed/fri and 7.5mg rest of week to just alternate everyday the two dosages - yipee (sarcasism) - my protime unit read 2.7 - i have a work ticket in with QAS and they're great in trying to get me more in line with lab so that i can convince doc to use the machine more than the lab- but in the meantime, still frustrating..

on top of that my cholesteral is still high.. i started 20mg pravacol beginning of october - most likely go to 40mg.. but my triglycerides are still way too high - 318 - but cardio nurse says the doctor normally doesn't handle triglycerides, just cholesteral, that my GP would most likely get involved in my trigs - i see my cardio friday for my checkup but speaking of my GP..here i thought they were dealt with together... go figure

i get to see her again thursday to go over my mamogram/sonagram i had done 2 weeks ago per her referal..
she found a tiny nodule and requested mamogram/sonagram - both came back clear.. they did not find anything, after being squeezed, poked and sticky (from the gel for the sonagram)..i'm thinking cool, i'm good until next year.. she wants me to come back for her to do another manual breast exam to make sure she doesn't feel it.. and if she does, refer me a breast specialist.. (never heard of that one) - so on top of that, i also get to discuss my high triglycerides and what we're going to do about it.. fun fun..

maybe i should be like my boyfriend and be in denial about my health.. his cholesterol and trigs are higher than mine, but since his doctor didn't say anything, except mailed a letter asking to come back in 4 mnths to retest.. he thinks it was a false reading.. like his 3-8 beers a day, whole milk, steak & potatoe, cheese and potatoe chip , smoking diet has nothing to do with it.. but he did promise me that when he goes back in january to retest and his numbers are still high, that he will make some changes.. unfortunately, i don't see that happening either.. he'll need a heart event (and that if he survives) to make him change his lifestyle -

ok, i'm done venting.. feel somewhat better..

thanks for listening

chris

 

[Nancy]

Hi Chris-

Things can surely get frustrating can't they? My husband has five specialists he sees on a regular basis, at least every 3 months per, if there are no problems, and more frequently if there are. He is also currently on a two week protime schedule, plus he just got a batch of additional bloodwork scripts yesterday. He'll be going for his pacer check soon, and then another round of appts. will start again. For two days in a row, we've had to call different doctors and wait for callbacks. They're tapering down one of his meds and starting a new one. This will affect his INR and bloodpressure, so he'll be on a more frequent protime schedule for awhile, and I'll be taking his bloodpressure about 3 times a day.

It's tiring for both of us, because I go with him. It's the name of the game for some heart patients. But my husband is alive and that's all that counts.

Venting is good and this is the place to do it. See, I just did some myself! LOL

 

[Christina]

Hi Christine,

Just be done with the stupid lab and TRUST your machine. You will continue to be a frustrating mess going to the lab, because there are too many variances.
You should tell your doctor (remember they work for YOU) that from now on YOU will test only with your machine and that's it. Then DO IT! If he doesn't accept this, get another doctor and from the start YOU tell him what you do, and he either says yes, or no. This is how I dealt with this problem.
I had the doctor from H__LL and every week I was a nervous wreck because of him, until I put a stop to it, and got another doctor. When I finally got another doctor (I had to wait couple of months) I told him that I home test and that I would call him once a week with the INR results. I changed this a while later and only call him every two weeks now. I am his only hometesting patient, the rest all go to the lab.

As for cholesterol. It is a BIG MYTH! Read up on this stuff and you'll find out.

http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/cholesterol_myth_1.html

http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm

This is the biggest cholesterol campaign scam yet from the pharmaceuticle companies as they want everyone taking these high cost, dangerous to your health drugs, that may shorten your life?

My total cholesterol is higher than my doctor wants it to be too but how can it be that when I had my surgery my arteries were clear as a bell. I eat normal, and eat natural stuff like real butter, cream in my coffee, delicous salad dressings and REAL icecream if I want some. None of that chemical laden, awful tasting none fat stuff.

Did you know that cholesterol is not a deadly poison but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals? That your body produces three to four times more cholesterol than you eat? That this production increases when you eat only small amounts of cholesterol and decreases when you eat large amounts.


Christina
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
Tucson, AZ

 

[Christine]

Christina, thanks for the imput.. I too was told my arteries are clear but my numbers were too high.. down the road it could cause me problems. .. - i'm also thinking of finding another cardio along with a GP who doesn't refer me to everyone and their brother..

thanks again for the imput

 

[Christine]

coumadin clinic

coumadin clinic

well i found a coumadin clinic right up the street from my office... the nurse is to call me tomorrow to go over it.. they are familiar with the protime and they finger stick.. i hope to move my coumadin 'management' from the cardio to them..

niki - in case you're courious.. it's on coit and 15th.. texas regional heart center..

chris

 

[Zazzy]

Hi Christine,
I wasn't going to reply to this until I read your reply that said,
"- i'm also thinking of finding another cardio along with a GP who doesn't refer me to everyone and their brother.. "

Personally, I think you should be happy that your docs are looking out for you! I know that it is bothersome and painful to get second mammos, but in the long run it is a wise thing to do.

I had two questionable mammos in two years. The first year I just accepted my docs opinion that it was probably just a cyst. The next year I decided to have it investigated further. Good thing... a fine needle biopsy revealed that the mass detected was breast cancer and I had a mastectomy.

Take care,
Zazzy

 

[Christine]

hi zazzy

i agree with you.. i think i was just venting.. i saw my GP and she still felt it so i called the surgeon she refered me to and see him on the 2nd.. i agree, better safe than sorry.. my cardio is fine.. i just found a coumadin clinic to switch too so i dont' have to have blood drawn every month.. they finger stick.. today, i saw my cardio and i'm back on blood pressure meds.. (runs in family) i'm a normal high, but being a heart patient, no such thing as a normal high..

i think i just had a bad week.. boyfriend gets depressed this time of year due to his father's death next week.. so right now, i'm dealing also with mr. moody scrooge...

but thanks for your imput.. i may bitch about having to deal with all this, i do truley believe better safe than sorry.. and i do realize it beats the alternative..

chris