About a year and a half ago, I went to my family doctor for the first time in years. I went to get a prescription normally dolled out by a ears/nose/throat specialist I saw...but he died so off I went to the family doc for a new referral and/or the prescription. While there he decided to check my blood pressure.
Now most of you know that I'm not a small man and don't have the best eating habits...so as soon as he wrapped the monitor around my arm I knew it was going to be high...and sure enough it was. However, he asked me to monitor it at home as he was sure I had white coat syndrome causing my blood pressure to be high in the doctors office. I started measuring it and it was still high but not as high as in his office. I continued to monitor it and last October had a check in with my numbers and he asked for blood work to check my cholesterol and blood sugar. Again it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that all would be high. And sure enough it was. He asked that I keep monitoring my blood pressure and come back in 6 months (i.e. this week) with my numbers and new blood work. He also mentioned that I may want to shed a few pounds that may help. He mentioned it rather casually, but in my brain it was what I needed to hear to motivate me a bit.
The past six months I've swam 3-4 times a week, stopped buying junk to eat, increased fruit, veggie and fiber intake, moved to exclusively diet soda, and decreased portion size...but still had the odd dessert...the odd night of junk appetizers, etc. Things have seemed to work as after about a month of doing this people started to notice some weight loss. Shortly after that I started to notice too, clothes started to fit better, I went down a belt notch..then two..then three...and more and more people started to notice my changing figure. I don't own a scale and thus didn't know how much I had lost...but decided I wouldn't find out until my next doctor's visit. A lot of people (including myself) were quite curious.
Fast forward to this week and my most recent doctors visit. Now I should mention that I have a love/hate relationship with my doctor. He doesn't always have the best bedside manner, in that he can be a bit cold, but is very knowledgeable, explains things well when need be (i.e. when asked to), and is sometimes a bit cautious in prescriptions and other treatments.
As soon as I was escorted to the examination room I jumped on the scale (just in case the doctor forgot to have me do it). My own personal hunch and goal was confirmed when I saw that I had lost 50 lbs.
The doctor soon arrived and asked what he could do for me. I resisted the urge to ask for copious amounts of drugs..and it was my blood pressure check in. I showed him my numbers, he asked if these were my numbers or someone else's (he was in "good" humour), he checked my pressure in the office...asked if there was anything else he could do while I was here...I asked about a few minor things...my pressure was high in the office..but lower than it had ever been while in the office. While he was checking my pressure I mentioned that I had gone for blood work the week before. He said "I see your bruise, so either you had blood work done or you're a junkie." Two jokes in one visit...he either got paid or laid to produce such good humour.
I couldn't wait for him to ask to weigh in...so I said I had lost a bit of weight which may have helped my numbers. I jumped on the scale...told him what it was. He said "OK"..and then said "What did you say?" I told him again. "That's more than a bit...that's quite good." He asked how I was doing it. I told him. I also said that he was concerned about my cholesterol and blood sugar. He looked and my numbers from last time and this most recent time. Again he was a bit surprised in the improvement. Showed me and explained to me the numbers and that all were within normal. He was surprised and commented that he couldn't recall if he'd ever seen such an improvement in weight, blood pressure, and blood numbers. He seemed pleased...and sent me on my way to keep checking my pressure and if they increase to come and see him.
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4 comments:
Eating salad is one thing but I think most of the credit must go to all that curling...or at least the sweeping;-)
throwing rocks, sweeping, chasing curling studs across the ice ... it all helps (and way better for you than a plate of poutine)... congratulations Lotta, you slim and sexy thing
ya..I realize that curling may have had a role to play...will make it all the more difficult to say no to curling next year...will just have to make sure I swim extra next winter...
Congrats on getting healthier in a sane and ... healthy way. (What can I say? Words fail me.)
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