Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...

Okay, you've not really had a "personal" post from me in a while, so time for a catch-up on the health front.

Why "Testing, Testing..." for a title? Because I've had 3 lots of blood tests over the last week & a half or so.

You know I've been going back & fore to the nurses with a sore bit on my leg all summer? Well, they suddenly started to wonder if maybe I was diabetic, or had circulation problems to my lower legs, that was slowing down healing of what they are now calling the ulcer...

So, first of all, a couple of weeks ago, I had a random blood test (ie, without fasting first) to test my blood sugar levels... and that came back at 6.9 whatevers... a bit high, they said, but they'd like to do a fasted blood sugar test...

A few days later, I had to go from 10pm one night without eating or drinking, and then come for a blood test first thing in the morning... and the result was 7 whatevers...

At that same time, I had a doppler test on both arms & legs, to check circulation. It took about an hour altogether, and the worst part was that they had to put the blood pressure cuff thing RIGHT ON TOP of the "ulcer"... and of course, they pump it up and it squeezes like buggery... and my fuck, it hurt! And - to make matters worse - they had to take something like 4 pulses... so they had to pump it up - yep, you got it, 4 times!

Then they informed me that the blood test was still inconclusive, so I needed a "glucose tolerance test". Basically, fasting from 10pm again, then into the nurse first thing for a blood test... then a glass of lucozade... sit in the nurse's waiting room, twiddling my thumbs, surrounded by sick folk, for 2 hours, and back in for another blood test to see how my body has metabolised the glucose.

Got a phone call this morning to say that the doctor wanted to discuss the results with me... so, in I went...

The upshot is, I'm not diabetic - yet! After 2 hours, my blood glucose level was 9.5, and diabetes diagnosis is usually made at 11. So, I'm "glucose intolerant", which the doctor said is kinda pre-diabetic. But it is reversible.

Basically:

Cut down on sugary foods & drinks
Cut down on starchy & fatty foods
Exercise a bit more
Lose weight

Do all that (does he want me to tap-dance too? or turn water into wine?), and I should be able to avoid medication, or insulin, in the future.

I've also got to go back for ANOTHER blood test on Friday (that'll be the 7th lot of blood they've taken... anybody got any they can spare me?) - this time to check for polycystic ovary syndrome, as this could be a factor in weight problems... he asked about "womanly problems" (and I don't mean do my shoes match my outfit), and decided that I might have this.

So that's me... not as healthy as I should be, but not as unhealthy as I could have been.

Looks like I'll be making some early New Year's Resolutions!

Something's Bugging Me...

Well, my leg, to be precise...

I've been going back and forth to the nurse with this sore bit on my leg for a couple of weeks now, getting it dressed (last time and this time, with dressings with silver in them... although I'd prefer white gold)... and today I went along just after dinner, and got the results of the swab they took... which could have been better.

Basically, the test came back positive for Ecoli AND Streptococcus B. God knows how they got there, but I've got penicillin and some other anti-biotic or whatever to try and shift them. 2 of the one kind 4 times a day, and 1 of the other twice a day. With that and my anti-depressants, I'm going to be rattling for the next week, and I dread to think what sort of state my head and stomach are going to be in.

This all appeared about the time I was moving, and working in lots of old and dirty stuff... and I was stressed out and feeling a bit low, so I guess my resistance to bugs and beasties wasn't the best... but I wish they'd just bugger off so my leg can get better. I mean, it's lots better than it was (at least it's not leaking out this watery stuff anymore), but I want it to be better yet by the time Viki comes... not that it curtails anything I want to do (I can still walk around, and it's not really sore at all), but it's a pain in the neck (or leg, actually).

People, there's a lesson here - If you've got something wrong with you... go to the doctor, because trying to sort it out yourself just doesn't work.

Here Lies Ally...

Okay, okay - It's not quite as bad as that! I just liked that smiley!

But I was forced into going to the doctor today with the sore bit on my leg - a whole 3 days before the ultimatum made by a friend (who told me on Sunday night that if I hadn't gone to see the doc a week from then that she would never speak to me again... and I believe her - those Hungarians are tough, you know). Over the last 2 or 3 days it's not got any sorer (it really doesn't hurt), but the yucky watery stuff that's coming out of the surrounding area is getting more and more - to the point that I put on a dressing yesterday morning, and had to replace it by about dinnertime.

Anyway, got an appointment (with the practice that's temporarily looking after us) at half past 10, and the doctor was worse than useless! Would you believe, he didn't even take off the dressing I had on to see what it looked like? All he did was write a prescription for some anti-biotics and tell me to "lose weight" - like it's that simple(!)

Back after work to see the practice nurse to get some better dressings put on it... not that they're much better. That was 5pm, and by 7o'clock, I was sticking tape round the edges to try to stem the stuff running out. I've got another set of dressings for tomorrow morning, and I've got to go back and see her tomorrow after dinner to check on it and get more dressings for the weekend. At this rate, it would be better if they just hacked the damn thing off!

Pissed off as well because I managed to burn my tea, so my meal was the fillings only of a little chicken & mushroom pie and a cornish pasty - Still, that's surely a start on the weight loss?

Yes, I'm in a grump.

Right, going to bugger off now and watch last week's "Heroes", repeated on BBC2 (yes, I know I went to watch it at my brother's last week, but the bastards at the BBC had decided in their infinite wisdom that they were going to show it at 10o'clock instead of the usual 10:30pm, so I only saw the last 10 minutes). Then I'll wander round the corner to D's to watch the new episode (which is back to 10:30 - I checked).

Doctor! Doctor!

I feel like a pair of curtains...

"Well, pull yourself together then!"

Today I finally did something that I only ever do if I REALLY have to... I went to the doctor...

I started taking my anti-depressants more erratically around August last year, and I've probably not taken any at all since October. I kidded myself that I wasn't doing any better with them, and wasn't doing any worse without them... so it didn't matter if I took them or not. But the simple fact is that even though I say I'm "fine", most days I'm not. I'm not sleeping, and when I do sleep, I waken up just as tired in the morning. I can't concentrate at college, I don't have any energy, and if I was in my proper mindset, I wouldn't have had a major panic during that simulation I had to do a couple of weeks ago.

And I've still got a cough and tightness of breath, that seems to have been around for months... And I've been advised to get a letter from my doctor to help me get a house transfer quicker, coz the doctor can say that such a big house with poor heating is not good for my chest, or my depression.

Well, I finished college a bit early today and along I went to see my doctor, having phoned for an appointment this morning. And didn't I really time it badly? As of Monday this week, my doctor's practice is (for some reason that we weren't informed of) being looked after by the other practice that shares the Health Centre... so I couldn't see MY doctor - instead, I had a foreign doctor who doesn't know me from Eve, and didn't seem to have my full notes with her.

So, after a long explanation, I left with 2 inhalers for asthma (although I don't think she's convinced of my doctor's diagnosis... she was going on about indigestion and acid irritating your throat - well, possibly, but that doesn't explain the tightness I have trying to breathe when I DON'T have indigestion) and my anti-depressants back again.

And then she told me I had to speak to my OWN doctor about getting a letter... which is all very well, except they're uncontactable for 3 months. So I asked at reception, and one of the LOCAL doctors spoke to me... asked a few questions, and was going to write a letter, no problem at all.

Came from the Doc's... got my prescriptions from the chemist (£20.55!), and then off to the shop for the rest of the day.

So, there I am - officially "ill"...

In the shop tomorrow, Friday, Saturday and Monday... and probably most of the rest of next week...