health – Page 4

joined up health care

Attentive readers may recall that I spent a fun morning in the Eye Clinic at Hull Royal Infimary in April, getting a full inspection, including a retinopathy test. A couple of weeks ago, a letter arrived from the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening mob at the Infirmation, inviting me for an appointment.

I phoned, explained the situation, but they still wanted me to come in. So in I went this afternoon, and they did exactly the same test they’d done two months ago, thus wasting their time and mine, and the hospital’s resources. They indicated that there was no way they could use the first test for the diabetic stuff, which is just bizarre, really.

We took a nice round trip, making a walk of just under five miles in all, in weather so hot and humid we were practically steaming! I bought a gel saddle in a bike shop on Anlaby Road, where they had an extraordinarily stylish men’s bicycle with cream tyres, a leather saddle and a wooden rear carrier – really quite splendid. If only I’d had the sense to make a note of its manufacturer, I could share it with you.

We wandered back through Western Cemetery, one of my favourite places. I hadn’t seen this one before. I really must get out there with a “proper” camera.

climbing back on the wagon

I’ve been very tired again recently. I’ve pretty much stopped losing weight. And I’ve realised that my diet is slipping back to its old ways – not watching the carbs particularly, certainly not sticking to “good” carbs, drinking a little more than before (but still a lot less than before that :), eating out more and saying “what the hell”, not exercising as regularly.

So – this must stop. I need to drop another stone really, to lose the paunch, to drop the blood sugar levels, to sleep better, to feel better. I have the nice silver machine now, and I will start cycling in the mornings rather than walking to the baths, and I will start using the gym (although I need this horrible pulled muscle to heal up faster). I WILL LOOK AFTER MYSELF BETTER.

confirmed

A trip to the doctor this morning to get the result of my blood tests shows an HbA1C result of 10.6 (it should be 7). So I am now officially diabetic. Curiously, this actually comes as something of a relief, as now I know for sure, I can keep on doing something about it – I’ve lost 8lbs in 6 weeks so far, feel far fitter, sleep better and *look* better, so I shall keep on keeping on with the diet and exercise.

Apparently my cholesterol levels are a bit high too, but that’ll drop with the weight, hopefully.

She offered me Metformin, knowing full well I’d already said I didn’t want it (yet), and for now is happy-ish for me to manage things myself. Using a practice set in the middle of what passes for Hull’s intellectuals (lots of university folk live in the Avenues), she said she’s used to patients being well informed 🙂

I’m booked for another set of blood tests on 21 July, so we’ll see how things are progressing there. I got a free glucose meter from Bayer last week, but the PCT won’t pay for its strips and lancets, as they’re too expensive, so that was a waste (unless I fund them myself). However, I don’t really need it yet, and if I do, I’ll spring for the bits.

Note for self: if I don’t get on with Metformin, when I need to start taking it, they’ll move me onto delayed release? Metforming, which works better, but is more expensive to the PCT; no problem with that scenario.

So it’s carry on regardless, I guess – eating well, getting plenty of exercise (doing lots of leafleting for the LibDems at the moment, which is quite hard work).

I see the nurse next Wednesday, have an appt at the retinopathy clinic tomorrow, and am starting to feel that it’s all taking over my life a bit, but I suppose it’ll all settle down. To celebrate, I ate two *white crumpets* with Marmite for breakfast – my bad.

phlebotomy

I went to the surgery this morning for a fasting blood test – this means nothing to eat or drink after 9 p.m. except water. I never eat after 9 as a rule, and rarely have breakfast before 9 in the morning, but inevitably I was absolutely starving this morning, and even before I went to sleep last night …

Arrived at the surgery at 8.10 for an 8.20 appointment, to be greeted by locked doors, and a big sign showing the opening hours started at 8.30; I checked the card in my pocket, and it definitely said 8.20, so then I started to panic that I might be in the wrong place. Thankfully they opened the doors at 8.15.

The phlebotomist was named Marrian, and is full time at the surgery – I was amazed there was enough work for her, but she said she is rushed off her feet. I told her that I was very nervous, almost needle-phobic, and that my veins tended to disappear in such circumstances. She gave me a weary smile, said she’d heard all these tales before, and then took about six minutes to cajole one vein into a state where she could stick a needle in it! She was very kind, very patient, chatted all the while, and got enough blood for all three tests in one go; the woman is clearly a professional.

She asked me to ensure that I asked for a double appointment in future, as it took so long to get my bloods, and to drink plenty of water before a test, keep my arms and hands warm, and remind her where she managed to draw the blood from in future. I’m quite proud, really 🙂

So now I wait for the results – if the test comes out really bad, they phone and “tell you what to do”; straight to the hospital, I’d guess. If positive for anything nasty, but not urgent, it’s a phone call to tell you to make an appointment, and if nothing shows up – nothing. They don’t get in touch, which I hate.

They’ll have the results on Friday, and if I don’t hear anything, I can phone on Monday. So now I wait.

progress …

I have been to the doctor. I told her I was concerned about having diabetes. “Oh yes”, she said. “You’re right to be concerned – those glucose tests are very imprecise”. So WHY THE FSCK didn’t they call me in for a proper test?

I’m having a fasting blood test on Wednesday, which will be fun, because I’m very close to phobic about needles; I’ll need to lose that fast if I’m diabetic.

The doctor tells me that the “current thinking” is to put everyone with diabetes on Metformin. I don’t want Metformin – I want to try diet and exercise. She explained to me how diabetes is a lifelong condition, how it doesn’t get better, etc., but even so – it’s my body, and I want to manage the condition myself, so I can see some battles there too.

What really bothers me is that she thinks it’s quite possible I am diabetic, and yet the surgery was quite happy not to do a proper test; I think that’s appalling.

hmm …

I threw caution, and the diet, to the wind over the weekend. There was a couple of glasses of wine on Friday night, and (I’m ashamed to say) a frenzied attack on a packet of Cadburys chocolate fingers. On Saturday there was fruit cake, and fish and chips, and ice cream in the form of a Magnum; Sunday was better – cereal for breakfast, half a baguette (white) with chicken and cucumber and mayo, lentils and rice for supper. But another couple of glasses of wine, and a singleton faux Bahlsen chocolate bikkit (from Aldl, or possibly Lidi).

And my word – I felt like shit this morning. No energy, bloated and miserable – didn’t even go swimming, which I’d planned to do. So back on the diet I go – don’t like feeling like this.

And you will be pleased to know (well, those who give a toss :), that I have made an appointment to see the doctor on Friday.

Bulletin

On 19th March, a routine visit to the surgery gave me a fright – a standard test indicated Type 2 diabetes. I’m waiting for the diagnosis to be confirmed, but I decided that I would take control, and act as though it has been.

So I upped my exercise levels (I had made a vague stab at starting running a couple of weeks before), and started eating a more healthy diet.

Since 19th I have lost 1.5 kgs. Since 23rd, when I started tracking it via Runkeeper.com, I have walked, cycled and swum 35.7 miles. I feel better than I have for years, and have dropped a dress size.

I am dead chuffed with myself!

I’m going to do one of these postings at the end of every month, just for my own records.

morning exercise

2.23 miles, including a half hour swim in the middle. Really really enjoyed it. Haven’t been swimming for over 6 months, and it was tough – only did 10 lengths, and the last one was very hard. But boy, am I pleased with myself!

[Edited to remove the map]