Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Well, I have just been to the doctor's. Main reason for going was to get my blood pressure checked. It has come down - now 140/90 from 160/100, but doc thinks lower figure is still too high so has increased my meds by 50%. I'm OK with that.
I like to make the most of my visit, so I asked her about the retinopathy scan I had recently, that had shown 'moderate diabetic eye disease'. She pulled up the letter she had been sent which had more detail on it. Apparently, I still have background retinopathy, but the specialist had observed some deposits close to the macula in both eyes. If you're not aware, the macula is extremely important to vision, so this is why I am being asked to go for a further examination. If it had been further away they probably wouldn't have asked me back. So, worrying, but at least I know a bit more why now - sounds like luck of the draw as to where these deposits form and I lucked out
She spotted that I was still getting the multivits on prescription! She said I probably didn't need them any more, but I persuaded her that I would prefer to keep taking them so I could be sure I was getting all my essential bits and pieces (I like to use technical jargon to impress her). She also asked if I had stopped taking the statins, so I had to come clean about it. I explained how I didn't think I needed them as my cholesterol had dropped so low (2.4) on them, and is still only 4.5 without them. She tried to persuade me about the anti-inflammatory properties in addition to the cholesterol effect, but we agreed to differ on the risk/benefits of taking them, which was good. I did ask whether there was any safe lower limit for chol and she said she didn't think so, which I don't really agree with. If you agree with the studies that how high cholesterol to be a cardio-vascular risk, you should also recognise that low cholesterol is a risk factor for strokes.
Finally, to get maximum benefit from the visit, I persuaded her to prescribe me some Optium Xceed blood ketone strips and a box of test strips for my 'backup' meter - which I haven't actually got yet! I argued that the ketostix were less accurate and weren't really cheaper for me as I'd use them once in 6 months then have to throw the rest away. The blood ketone strips, although more expensive, should last a couple of years or so. Predictably, the pharmacy didn't have any in stock!
So, a mixed appointment, with good and not so good to report! 🙂
I like to make the most of my visit, so I asked her about the retinopathy scan I had recently, that had shown 'moderate diabetic eye disease'. She pulled up the letter she had been sent which had more detail on it. Apparently, I still have background retinopathy, but the specialist had observed some deposits close to the macula in both eyes. If you're not aware, the macula is extremely important to vision, so this is why I am being asked to go for a further examination. If it had been further away they probably wouldn't have asked me back. So, worrying, but at least I know a bit more why now - sounds like luck of the draw as to where these deposits form and I lucked out
She spotted that I was still getting the multivits on prescription! She said I probably didn't need them any more, but I persuaded her that I would prefer to keep taking them so I could be sure I was getting all my essential bits and pieces (I like to use technical jargon to impress her). She also asked if I had stopped taking the statins, so I had to come clean about it. I explained how I didn't think I needed them as my cholesterol had dropped so low (2.4) on them, and is still only 4.5 without them. She tried to persuade me about the anti-inflammatory properties in addition to the cholesterol effect, but we agreed to differ on the risk/benefits of taking them, which was good. I did ask whether there was any safe lower limit for chol and she said she didn't think so, which I don't really agree with. If you agree with the studies that how high cholesterol to be a cardio-vascular risk, you should also recognise that low cholesterol is a risk factor for strokes.
Finally, to get maximum benefit from the visit, I persuaded her to prescribe me some Optium Xceed blood ketone strips and a box of test strips for my 'backup' meter - which I haven't actually got yet! I argued that the ketostix were less accurate and weren't really cheaper for me as I'd use them once in 6 months then have to throw the rest away. The blood ketone strips, although more expensive, should last a couple of years or so. Predictably, the pharmacy didn't have any in stock!
So, a mixed appointment, with good and not so good to report!
🙂
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