Cholesterol News

It has been a super long day, so this is going to be quick, real quick.

Cholesterol update: 135
Last year at this time: 241

Cholesterol Update

Today my mother and I headed up to The University of Chicago for our check-up visits. Last time we both saw the Cardiologist was back in March.

I have great news!!!!

When I saw the doctor in March my total cholesterol was 202. After four months of Vytorin, (at the lowest dosage) total cholesterol today was 146. Ninety-five mg down from my November results whic was 241. Today my LDL (bad cholesterol) was 73. In March 139.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!!! Thank you God!!!

I asked the doctor where the champagne was to celebrate. Then I told him I was going to eat a Big Mac for lunch. All jokes aside, amazingly enough, we were impressed. Due to that genetic factor-lipoprotein(a)- diet & exercise simply is not enough. However, my family assumed the gene was inherited from my mother...but we found out today that she does not carry it! Could it be my father? More than likely. Could it have skipped a generation? Possibly, however the doctor thinks my father is carrying it. So, guess who is next to see the best Cardiologist of lipid profiles at U of C? Yep, my dad.

~flygirl~

Blood Pressure

One week ago today my blood pressure was 170/108. Way, way too high. For those of you not familiar with these numbers-I could have had a stroke. As my colleague drove me to the doctor, all I could think about was my little man. Thankfully God had me make it to my new family doctor. My blood pressure actually went down some to 160/100.

Since my appointment wasn't until a few more days and I left school early, I did not have all my readings that I had been taking for the past two weeks (never as high as it was that day). However due to my family history as well as where it was that day, the wonderful doctor gave me a prescription. I was suppose to take one a day, but since my job plays a big role in affecting my stress level, I decided to be proacitve and take two (which I was allowed to do in a week or so).

Seven days later and I have not had any headaches-yes mom, you were probably right, the headaches were most likely related. My blood pressure readings have been in the low 130's or high 120's/88-82. In fact, I took it before coming to Blogger and it was 121/81. Amazing what a difference I have felt such as energy, or even stress within this past week.

Health Update Week #3

I have had a busy couple of weeks and haven't updated the progress of my health. So here we go...

I'm down 5.5 pounds.
I'm exercising at least 4 days a week at 45 minute sessions. Strength training at least one day.

Good news is that my blood pressure is down 122/82. After it was 170/108 on Monday the doctor got me in and perscribed me some meds. I am actually starting to have more energy. I suppose that is due to my heart not working as hard as it needed to.

I took my stress test, which was quite interesting, on Thursday at the University of Chicago. By 5:00 that evening the doctor called me to let me know it was okay. I surely wasn't expecting a call that day and once again it was the doctor who called me. Let me mention that he called my cell phone. He said he wanted to make sure he got in contact with me. He told me to keep doing what I was doing. Little did he know I had Wendy's the day before for lunch and Chinese on this day. He also reminded me to bring my mom with me when I go back in March. They surely are at the forefront of medicine. So we shall see where my cholesterol levels are in March and continue with the diet and exercise.

Health Update Week #1

One week after visiting a cardiologist at the Universiy of Chicago:

• I have lost 2 pounds.
• Enrolled in a step aerobic class
• Exercised 4 out of the past 8 days
• Changed my diet (at least from my point of view)
• Taken my blood pressure at least twice daily
• Made an appointment with a new family physician for my blood pressure issues
• Enlisted in the Walk Across America at our local YMCA

So I have to say I am proud of what I have started.

I come home from school and there is a message to call my doctor at the U of C. I think okay my thyroid results are back and it is underactive so I will see one of their specialist, need some medicine and gee, I'm thinking, I will lose that weight. WRONG. When I return the call, the doctor actually answers the phone-I was given his direct line-how often does something like that happen? It has never for me. It takes forever just for the nurse to get back to me. So now I'm kinda thinking, oh shit. He informs me my thyroid is fine. Now this is a bigger oh shit because I thought, gee my mom suffers from an underactive thyroid so this clearly must be my problem as well. He goes on to tell me that the "lipoprotein a" in me is abnormal. It is a gene related issue, so I was born with it. After discussing it a little bit and realizing this is most likely coming from my mother since she has high chloresterol and takes medication, the doctor says that it would be in her best interest to be tested for it to make sure she is being properly treated. The kicker is, the test is only done at certain facilities. He tells me she can come in when I come back to see him and have her blood work done then. In the meantime, no need to rush in. I am just to call the office once I have my stress test done.

Wow. What can I say? I called my mom right after talking to the doctor and she is going with me. She wants to make sure she is taking the right medication, better yet, being treated properly.

I believe there was a reason for me going up to the U of C for something that seemed so minor to take care of around here in Northwest Indiana. Once my diagnosis is complete and I am under the care of a physician, my little man will be next to be tested. So I will continue to work on that diet and exercise. I will have an update next week with the results.

University of Chicago

On this wonderful rainy morning I ventured out to the University of Chicago. First of all, let me say that it was my choice to go up there. Back in November I had some blood work done and my numbers for total chloresterol and bad chloresterol were high. Since heart disease, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems run in the family I decided I needed to do something.

Of course I began with praying as well as getting annointings from the elders at church. I had to stop and think what was His plan. Now this is where the problems usually begin, we think too much about what He has planned for us, not how to use these as signs. Anyways, I couldn't imagine not being able to see my little man grow up. Also, there was no way that I was going to let him be raised by someone else, although I'm sure Number Twelve as well as his daycare provider, who I will call, Tinkerbell, would take care of him in a flash.

So I begin to exercise. I call the University of Chicago and make an appointment with a Cardiologist who specializes in lipid profiles. In fact, he is the one who found good chloresterol! In the meantime my happy pill gets a dosage lift (I wasn't even at the minimum dosage yet) and I decide to take it easy, trying not to get too stressed.

Finally the day arrives. In fact, it is the first day back to school after vacation so I actually have an extra day to relax! I leave my house at 6:10 am, take my little man to Tinkerbell's, and head off to Chicago. I am listening to my new CD by Jamie Foxx-Unpredictable. I just fell in love with him while he was on Oprah. By the time I park in the garage, walk over to the building, and go up the elevator to the correct floor it is 7:09. Doing good. I go and wait to have some lab work done. I didn't even feel the needle. About 7:50 and I go with the nurse who takes down all of my history. After waiting to see the doctor, who basically asks me all of the same history questions, and looking at the results from my bloodwork he concludes the following:

1. High total chloresterol, although it did go down since November
2. High bad chloresterol, and that went down too
3. I'm overweight, not to be condenscending, but obese
4. Family History
5. Thyroid Issues

Dispositions:

1. Change diet and exercise-limit carbs he says
2. Check thyroid today before leaving
3. Get a stress test before seeing him again
4. Buy a machine to take my blood pressure morning and night
5. Come back in three months at least 10 pounds lighter

"Do you have will power?" he asks, "because there is no pill for that". He truly saw in my face that I was hoping that he would just prescribe to me the medicine I needed so that I could be on my merry way. He tells me that we have to try the diet and exercise first. He assures me that my levels are definitely too high at my age, however so is my weight.

(You mean I have to lose my J-Lo ass? No matter how much I lose, it will still be there-it always has.)

As disappointed as I am that I'm not getting any medicine today I realize a few things...

1. Prayer works if you have faith
2. I do need to lose weight
3. My eating habits need to improve
4. I will have to fight this the rest of my life especially since it is in my genes

I wanted to make sure before I left that I was okay to leave without that RX. I said, "I'm not going to be like the lady in the commercial that is walking and falls flat on her face before I see you again, am I?". The doctor assures me of the excellent facility and reputation that the University of Chicago has and that diet and exercise will help lower all numbers. However he is not done with me. There is still more to do-his dispositions.

But wait! After consulting with the doctor I go and get more bloodwork done and leave not knowing where my thyroid levels are. If my thyroid is low then that is making my chlerosterol high amongst other things.

So I will continue to pray, eat better, and exercise more consistently. Let's see what happens in three months time.