A Health Journey - Our Broken Health Care System

In late 2019 and early 2020, I started noticing a pretty rapid weight gain that did not match my eating habits.  In early 2020, before the pandemic, I made an appointment with a local doctor's office.  I couldn't get in with a doctor, as they weren't taking new patients, so they put me with a nurse practitioner, which is fine.   I saw the NP in early February 2020, then the pandemic hit and you couldn't actually go into the office anymore for several months.   Once they were allowing patients in office, they rescheduled my follow up appointment, except my NP had left and I was put with someone else.

This is where the revolving door of NPs started.  Every time I had a follow up, it was with a new NP as the former one had left.  Sometimes my appointments would get rescheduled because the new person I was seeing didn't have an opening, so appointments were 6, 9 and sometimes 12 months apart.  So each time I saw a new NP, we started over at ground zero.  The only think I could get anyone to look at was my A1C (not even prediabetic), cholesterol (normal) and blood pressure, which was high.   We tried 3 different BP meds, under as many different NPs, and all three caused allergic reactions.  We finally landed on one that the body tolerated and then we had to work on the correct dosage.  I'd have to call in to get it refilled between elusive NP appointments.

In October 2023, I was scheduled to see a new NP (after having had my appointment with her rescheduled THREE times).   I was happy when I saw her because she listened, agreed that something was off and ordered a full panel of fasting blood work.  So the next morning I was up early, went to the lab to get my blood work done, only to find that my first visit happened to be on her LAST day of employment, and the lab wouldn't take her lab work order.   So I had to call back and get someone else to sign off on the labs, except they only signed off on A1C, cholesterol and triglycerides.   GAH!

January of 2024 I saw my newest NP.  She was wonderful, saw why I was so frustrated with the practice and agreed that we needed to look deeper.   She ordered labs to check my thyroid, but only the T4.  It was fine.  She upped my BP med and we started getting the numbers back in the normal range.  We did a colon check (normal), mammogram (normal), pap test (normal).  She "thought" she heard a heart murmur and sent me for an echocardiogram and a stress test.  I finally got scheduled for the tests in May.  Let me tell you, the copays for those two things were enough to jack the BP back up.   At that January appointment, she gave me a referral to a gynecologist, because at 56 I'm still having my monthly cycle and it's a BEAST.  

(On a side note, since when do you need a referral for an ob/gyn?  What do all the newly pregnant ladies do when it's months to get in to see someone??)

In June, the follow up with a cardiologist showed that there was absolutely nothing wrong with my heart.  She said she didn't even know why I'd been referred to her "but let's send you to XXX hospital for a heart CAT scan".  Um, no.  If these two very expensive (and apparently unnecessary) tests showed a healthy heart, we weren't going out of town for some other test.

She then criticized my NP for the BP med I was on and said she was going to prescribe amlodipine.  I was quick to point out, that if she looked at my chart, I had an allergic reaction to amlodipine and wasn't about to go back on it again.  That seemed to annoy her, so then she said she was prescribing a BETA blocker to get my BP in check.  I explained that I check my BP each morning and evening and it's ALWAYS in the normal range, unless I eat something very salty.  I asked about side effects of a BETA blocker and was told "we don't have time to talk about that now".  Um, no.   She made a few other rude, and condescending comments, at which point she encountered the side of my personality that she wasn't equipped to handle and I walked out of her office with jacked up BP from anger, but feeling like a boss.  

She also did a referral to the local weight loss clinic, and within 2 days of having the referral, I received a letter in the mail saying they aren't taking any new patients.  I was assured they'd reach out to me as soon as they had an opening.

July 2 I finally had my gynecologist appointment.  Yes, seven months after my referral was issued.  Now this looked like it was a game changer.  It's a small practice, and not only did she listen, she agreed that until someone actually looked at something outside of A1C and cholesterol, there was no way to know what was going on inside.  She ordered a full panel, including hormones, cortisol T3 (which is converted into T4).  She also scheduled a uterine ultrasound to make sure there were no polyps or fibroids that are causing the heaving and frequent menstrual cycles.

Test results showed that my hormone levels were a little wonky in that one that is usually low at my age is high, and the one that is usually higher is low.  What I came away with is that "You're just not aging as fast as other women your age."   Uh-huh.   Ultrasound was fine, and then once the OB/GYN saw there was no problems that required her "fixing", she dropped me like a hot potato.

So, here I am in 2025 with having just had my NP check up, and all of my blood tests are perfect, but I still have high BP because of my weight.  My A1C isn't even close to pre-diabetic.  I'm morbidly obese. The weight loss clinic never got back to me (shock).  I'm frustrated, and tired of being over weight.  But, I'm apparently the healthiest fat person around. 

Go me.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

This week, I decided to do something different.  I went to the YMCA to exercise.  We've had a membership for years, and there for a while I was going several times a week.  I could blame my hiatus on covid, but that's a lie, I just stopped going.  So, I decided that it was a multifunctional trip event.  First, it would get me out of the house (bleck), second it would put me around other people (eew, people) and third it would benefit my weight loss/healthy body journey (ok, that's a plus).

The first day, I just rode the recumbent bike for 30 minutes and watched people.  Not watched them in a creepy way, but watched them to see how they used machines, and their routines.  No one spoke to me, not even the front desk person, and I was fine with that.  I scurried back to my humble abode and fixed a delicious breakfast of avocado and egg (with nutritional yeast) on toast and some everything bagel seasoning.

The second day, I did 1000 meters on the rowing machine and then rode the recumbent bike for 40 minutes.  I'd only planned to do 30 minutes, but a grandfather from the kids' little league days recognized me and stopped to chat around my 25 minute mark and...time got away from me.  

The third day, my goal was to use the rower and then move to the bike again.  Unfortunately, someone was camped out on the rower, so I started with the bike and did 6 miles in 30 minutes.  Side note, my right hip/top thigh has been uncomfortable for a bit, as in, I can't sleep on that side.  When I moved to the rower, that same area was very uncomfortable, so after about 200 meters I realized I had to stop.  Not sure what that is about, but I'll research and try to figure it out and do some stretches or something.

The fourth day, I mixed it up a little by going to the Y in the evening.  It's a different crowd there later in the day.  I think I'll stick with the mornings, unless I get a wild notion to do two visits in one day.  I did the rowing machine first (1000 meters in 7 minutes), then 30 minutes on the bike.

Day five, was back to mornings and doing the rower before the bike.  This works best for me.

Day six, yes, I went to the gym on Saturday!  Very few people were at the gym, and those who were there were hardcore, and not just camping out on the machines, but moving through their routine.  I was able to get the rower first, then the bike.  My goal next week is to get to 2000 meters on the rower.

Overall, I was pleased with myself for getting up and going.  I'd like to say I enjoyed it, but days 1-3 were torturous...by the fourth day it was getting more natural feeling.  There was some additional stressors this week and I did some stress eating along the way.  I'd like to say I've gotten past that, but apparently not.  Although, on a positive note, I was binge eating zucchini brownies, so at least there was a vegetable involved.

Here's to health!

The End of an Era

Well, I graduated my last homeschooled child last week.  I'm officially done with that season of my life.  I've been unsubscribing to newsletters and vendors email lists left and right, it's been very liberating.   I have stayed in two local Facebook groups, so that I can help new people navigate the waters.  I don't know if that will be a long term commitment, but for now I feel it's my way of giving back.

Here are two of my favorite senior photos of Lindsey.

So, what does the future hold for me?  No clue.  I have applied for a part time position at our local library.  I've also been binge watching "The Biggest Loser" trying to get ideas and motivation on how to make progress with my weight loss.  I've also ordered several "Biggest Loser" books and cookbooks from the local library. I should get those the first of the week.

Graduation was the last "big" thing I had on my radar, so now I can focus on my goal of getting myself fit and healthy, not necessarily skinny, but healthy.

Weight Loss Wednesday #12

 

Here we are on "Weight Loss Plateau", ahem.  I'm still stuck at 10.2 pounds gone.  I've lost/gained the same 2 pounds for the last couple of weeks.  I guess I'm just not working hard enough, and of course, losing weight after 50 sucks.

Weight Loss Wednesday #11

 

I'm up two pounds this week. No idea why, honestly.  We did go out to dinner for Mother's Day, but other than that, I've been eating pretty clean.    I'm frustrated...sigh.

Weight Loss Wednesday #10

 

I've finally turned the ship around and am heading in the right direction once again.  I'm at a total of 12.8 pounds lost as of this morning.

So, the month of April was basically "lost" in the sense that it was more up than down with way too many celebration foods.   Ordinarily that would have been enough for me to have given up and just gone back to "regular" eating habits.  This time, I realized it for what it was, a setback.  I picked myself up and got back on track.

What's working:  Raw veggies and avocado toast seem to be what my body likes.  

What's not working:  Sleeping has been an issue.  Partly because I'm walking more (minimum of 10,000 steps a day) and my legs ache at night.  Partly because I'm drinking more water and getting up to pee during the night.  Poor sleep slows down the weight loss train, but I'm hoping the steps and water are going to outweigh (literally) the sleep deprivation.

Weight Loss Wednesday #9

 

This week I saw the scale take a huge move back in the right direction.   I'm at a current weight loss total of exactly 10 pounds.

What's Working:  Raw veggies, nuts and plenty of water.

What's Not Working:  Peppers and hummus aren't as tasty as they were at the beginning of April, so I'm shifting to carrots and broccoli.