Type 2 Dear GP, please don't weigh me before doing my BP.

briped

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947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
I normally have my BP done at the endo clinic, but today I'd consulted my GP for possible thyroid issues, but more about that later. I've been her patient for at least 30 years, so the tone between us is friendly and familiar.

"Is your BP normally this high?" she asked, and I replied "no, but can't you see what it was back in November when they checked it at the hospital?"

So she did, and exclaimed "Ah, I know. Obviously I shouldn't have asked you to step on the scales before taking your BP." I laughed and said "That'll teach you". I haven't lost any weight since October'ish, on the contrary. I've gained something like 3-4 kgs over the last couple of months due to water retention, so I'd been staying away from my own scales for a while because I was feeling quite demoralised, hence my "oh no!" and high BP when she asked me to step on the scales. :hilarious:

She was deeply impressed with my HbA1C, which had come down to 37 from 41 in October, moreover, she looked decidedly flabbergasted when I told her how I'd done it, but without mentioning the word 'keto'. I even confessed to her that I was taking way less meds than what she saw on her screen, and she agreed that 500mg of metformin was enough rather than the 2 x 500mg I ate till this morning. She also laughed when I told her I'd rather stay on 0.6mg of Victoza per day, as that would ensure my free and unlimited access to strips. I do like her :)

The only fly in my ointment was the usual ... cholesterol. I'd be happy if you lot could help me take a look at the breakdown. She wasn't happy that I refused statins, and went on about how my LDL was high, but ceased when I asked her if one shouldn't take a look at the particle size of the aforementioned LDL. "You do have a point, and yours look fine". Yay, victory. Anyway, here goes.

Total Cholesterol (not fasting. I didn't have a clue she was going to test me) 7.3, so up from fasting 6.4
HDL 1.8
LDL 4.6
P-VLDL Cholesterol 0.9 (I assume this is the figure that says something about density?)
Triglycerides 2.05 (max. 2.0, so she wasn't bothered)

And then there's the possible thyroid issue. I'd consulted her for hair loss. I've no hair left on arms and legs, my eyebrows look terrible and I've lost about 2/3rds of the hair on my head. No fun for a woman.

T4;P 16.4 (min. 12 max. 22, so that looks ok, right?)
T3, total;P 1.3 (min. 1.4 max. 2.8) So it looks as if mine is low, but she felt sure that this wasn't the cause of my hair loss, and referred me to a dermatologist.

I will be very grateful for any insider knowledge you can share with me. Thanks :)
 
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Well done on your Hb1AC and your great GP.

I am sorry that I cannot comment on your other issues. I hope you get some results soon.

Your point about measuring BP is an important one and one that caught me out recently.
My annual diabetes review is done at my local hospital. Public transport is convoluted and if you drive you have to factor in 10 minutes or so to find a parking space which is all a bit much when the hospital is only 2 miles from home. Therefore, I have found the most efficient way for me to get to the hospital is to run. Unfortunately, the nurse was not used to this and decided to measure my BP and resting heart rate as soon as I walked it. Unsurprisingly it was a tad high.

Perhaps surgeries need a chilling corner to relax in for 5 minutes before BP is taken. It doesn't have to have scented candles, relaxing music and comfy sofas but ... hey, why not? I'm not suggesting a bed or bath with bubbles!
 

briped

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947
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Type 2
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Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Therefore, I have found the most efficient way for me to get to the hospital is to run. Unfortunately, the nurse was not used to this and decided to measure my BP and resting heart rate as soon as I walked it. Unsurprisingly it was a tad high.
You're so right. I didn't even mention that I walked to the surgery, which is about 30 minutes away, and that Muse might have got me a bit too excited for my own good :) Anyway, I do believe that those scales didn't help at all, but yeah, it was a bit funny too.
 
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Tophat1900

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That's good news on the hba1c, nice work. ;)

The cholesterol wasn't fasted for, not sure why you had that done if you hadn't fasted. It has to be fasted for to get a proper result.
 
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Everyone in a white coat that has ever measured my blood pressure would asume hypertension :D

Well done on the HbA1c. I have nothing constructive to add regarding the cholesterol as it’s something I am largely not interested in.
 

briped

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
The cholesterol wasn't fasted for, not sure why you had that done if you hadn't fasted
I know, but she just did a few vials of blood a couple of weeks ago, allegedly for thyroid and nothing else, so I didn't know. I did protest today when I realised she'd done my cholesterol, and told her I hadn't been fasting. She'd done a 'cholesterol course' (yay) and didn't think it made much of a difference. Well, like I said, cholesterol was up, probably because I wasn't fasting. Conclusion: Never eat anything in case you find yourself in the vicinity of some medical personnel with a needle.
 

briped

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Type 2
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I have nothing constructive to add regarding the cholesterol as it’s something I am largely not interested in.
I'm basically just looking for more ammo ;)
 

Tophat1900

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I know, but she just did a few vials of blood a couple of weeks ago, allegedly for thyroid and nothing else, so I didn't know. I did protest today when I realised she'd done my cholesterol, and told her I hadn't been fasting. She'd done a 'cholesterol course' (yay) and didn't think it made much of a difference. Well, like I said, cholesterol was up, probably because I wasn't fasting. Conclusion: Never eat anything in case you find yourself in the vicinity of some medical personnel with a needle.

I would disregard the cholesterol reading completely if it were me, it certainly makes a difference whether it is fasted or not, but yeah, never eat anything when near someone with a white coat on holding a needle.... Oh, I meant medical white coat, not one of those white coats that ties in the back :D
 

briped

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Messages
947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
That's good news on the hba1c, nice work. ;)

The cholesterol wasn't fasted for, not sure why you had that done if you hadn't fasted. It has to be fasted for to get a proper result.
Oh, I meant medical white coat, not one of those white coats that ties in the back :D
Oh, stay even further away from those, if the wearer is holding a needle :hilarious:
 

Flora123

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Tablets (oral)
I normally have my BP done at the endo clinic, but today I'd consulted my GP for possible thyroid issues, but more about that later. I've been her patient for at least 30 years, so the tone between us is friendly and familiar.

"Is your BP normally this high?" she asked, and I replied "no, but can't you see what it was back in November when they checked it at the hospital?"

So she did, and exclaimed "Ah, I know. Obviously I shouldn't have asked you to step on the scales before taking your BP." I laughed and said "That'll teach you". I haven't lost any weight since October'ish, on the contrary. I've gained something like 3-4 kgs over the last couple of months due to water retention, so I'd been staying away from my own scales for a while because I was feeling quite demoralised, hence my "oh no!" and high BP when she asked me to step on the scales. :hilarious:

She was deeply impressed with my HbA1C, which had come down to 37 from 41 in October, moreover, she looked decidedly flabbergasted when I told her how I'd done it, but without mentioning the word 'keto'. I even confessed to her that I was taking way less meds than what she saw on her screen, and she agreed that 500mg of metformin was enough rather than the 2 x 500mg I ate till this morning. She also laughed when I told her I'd rather stay on 0.6mg of Victoza per day, as that would ensure my free and unlimited access to strips. I do like her :)

The only fly in my ointment was the usual ... cholesterol. I'd be happy if you lot could help me take a look at the breakdown. She wasn't happy that I refused statins, and went on about how my LDL was high, but ceased when I asked her if one shouldn't take a look at the particle size of the aforementioned LDL. "You do have a point, and yours look fine". Yay, victory. Anyway, here goes.

Total Cholesterol (not fasting. I didn't have a clue she was going to test me) 7.3, so up from fasting 6.4
HDL 1.8
LDL 4.6
P-VLDL Cholesterol 0.9 (I assume this is the figure that says something about density?)
Triglycerides 2.05 (max. 2.0, so she wasn't bothered)

And then there's the possible thyroid issue. I'd consulted her for hair loss. I've no hair left on arms and legs, my eyebrows look terrible and I've lost about 2/3rds of the hair on my head. No fun for a woman.

T4;P 16.4 (min. 12 max. 22, so that looks ok, right?)
T3, total;P 1.3 (min. 1.4 max. 2.8) So it looks as if mine is low, but she felt sure that this wasn't the cause of my hair loss, and referred me to a dermatologist.

I will be very grateful for any insider knowledge you can share with me. Thanks :)

The nhs thyroid test is very different to a private one which is more in-depth. When tested you get TSH, T4 total, free T4 and free T3. My doc said my thyroid was fine (went really hair loss) yet a private one said it was not and my T4 total was low. Might he worth getting it done elsewhere if you can.
 

briped

Well-Known Member
Messages
947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Might he worth getting it done elsewhere if you can.
I could, but I really don't have the pecuniary means :inpain: Well, I got the T4 free and the T3 total, but not the T3 free, and I've no idea to which extent that T3 is way too low, or just slightly low (1.3)
 

ziggy_w

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I normally have my BP done at the endo clinic, but today I'd consulted my GP for possible thyroid issues, but more about that later. I've been her patient for at least 30 years, so the tone between us is friendly and familiar.

"Is your BP normally this high?" she asked, and I replied "no, but can't you see what it was back in November when they checked it at the hospital?"

So she did, and exclaimed "Ah, I know. Obviously I shouldn't have asked you to step on the scales before taking your BP." I laughed and said "That'll teach you". I haven't lost any weight since October'ish, on the contrary. I've gained something like 3-4 kgs over the last couple of months due to water retention, so I'd been staying away from my own scales for a while because I was feeling quite demoralised, hence my "oh no!" and high BP when she asked me to step on the scales. :hilarious:

She was deeply impressed with my HbA1C, which had come down to 37 from 41 in October, moreover, she looked decidedly flabbergasted when I told her how I'd done it, but without mentioning the word 'keto'. I even confessed to her that I was taking way less meds than what she saw on her screen, and she agreed that 500mg of metformin was enough rather than the 2 x 500mg I ate till this morning. She also laughed when I told her I'd rather stay on 0.6mg of Victoza per day, as that would ensure my free and unlimited access to strips. I do like her :)

The only fly in my ointment was the usual ... cholesterol. I'd be happy if you lot could help me take a look at the breakdown. She wasn't happy that I refused statins, and went on about how my LDL was high, but ceased when I asked her if one shouldn't take a look at the particle size of the aforementioned LDL. "You do have a point, and yours look fine". Yay, victory. Anyway, here goes.

Total Cholesterol (not fasting. I didn't have a clue she was going to test me) 7.3, so up from fasting 6.4
HDL 1.8
LDL 4.6
P-VLDL Cholesterol 0.9 (I assume this is the figure that says something about density?)
Triglycerides 2.05 (max. 2.0, so she wasn't bothered)

And then there's the possible thyroid issue. I'd consulted her for hair loss. I've no hair left on arms and legs, my eyebrows look terrible and I've lost about 2/3rds of the hair on my head. No fun for a woman.

T4;P 16.4 (min. 12 max. 22, so that looks ok, right?)
T3, total;P 1.3 (min. 1.4 max. 2.8) So it looks as if mine is low, but she felt sure that this wasn't the cause of my hair loss, and referred me to a dermatologist.

I will be very grateful for any insider knowledge you can share with me. Thanks :)

Hi @briped,

Congrats on fabulous HbA1c. Wonderful achievement. Also great GP.

Given that this wasn't a fasting test, it would be difficult to do some of the calculations involving cholesterol -- not fasting will especially raise your trigs. HDL looks great though and personally, I never worry too much about LDL. Based on what I have read, the correlation with heart disease is not very strong.

As to blood pressure, no wonder your blood pressure was raised. I have (hopefully) convinced my GP not to take my blood pressure in his office anymore because during appointments it is always high. I have a monitor at home and my average bp is 107/68 and even after half an hour of rigorous exercise, it is only around 120/80. Seems I have a really bad case of white coat syndrome.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the dermatologist can help with the thinning of your hair.
 

Mr_Pot

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Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Why not arrive early for a BP appointment, sit quietly for 5 mins before announcing that you have arrived?
 

briped

Well-Known Member
Messages
947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Why not arrive early for a BP appointment, sit quietly for 5 mins before announcing that you have arrived?
Because i was convinced that this appointment was all about my thyroid ...
 

hankjam

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4,270
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
My surgery has a little room with BP device. I try to get there a little early, sit round for 10 mins and then go through and take 3 to 5 readings....
 
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Mr_Pot

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4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
Because i was convinced that this appointment was all about my thyroid ...
I wasn't replying to you in particular just a general suggestion for people with raised BP due to the stress of the journey. It's what I do after having trouble finding a parking space on several occasions.
 

briped

Well-Known Member
Messages
947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Given that this wasn't a fasting test, it would be difficult to do some of the calculations involving cholesterol -- not fasting will especially raise your trigs. HDL looks great though and personally, I never worry too much about LDL. Based on what I have read, the correlation with heart disease is not very strong.
Thanks, Ziggy, I am pleased with my HbA1C, oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm almost an inch taller than last time she measured my height. I've grown taller! This means that my BMI has improved slightly not to too bad at 58, right? If I carry on like this I'll end up within normal weight range, but when I'm 3 meters tall people will still notice me. I didn't know keto would have that effect on me.
I think I was a little annoyed because I wasn't prepared for the great cholesterol debate at all, so I simply refused the statins she wanted to offer me. I tend to go a bit quiet when taken by surprise, which is something that really annoys me about myself.
 

briped

Well-Known Member
Messages
947
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
I wasn't replying to you in particular just a general suggestion for people with raised BP due to the stress of the journey. It's what I do after having trouble finding a parking space on several occasions.
I see, sorry that makes sense.
 

ziggy_w

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks, Ziggy, I am pleased with my HbA1C, oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm almost an inch taller than last time she measured my height. I've grown taller! This means that my BMI has improved slightly not to too bad at 58, right? If I carry on like this I'll end up within normal weight range, but when I'm 3 meters tall people will still notice me. I didn't know keto would have that effect on me.
I think I was a little annoyed because I wasn't prepared for the great cholesterol debate at all, so I simply refused the statins she wanted to offer me. I tend to go a bit quiet when taken by surprise, which is something that really annoys me about myself.

Hi @briped,

The miracles of a keto diet! They never stop, don't they? Though I definitely think, you've discovered an absolutely new benefit. (Had a big smile on my face imaging you being three meters tall.)

I'm the same as you. I find it a bit annoying if the GP springs a test on me, we didn't discuss before.

Can you get a copy of the test results before your meeting with your GP? (I know in Germany, this isn't possible, but maybe in Denmark?). This way you could have a look at the results and be prepared.