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

NicoleC1971 · Mar 26, 2019

briped said:
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.

I take BPs all the time and many people have a higher rate due to walking or 'white coat' syndrome. Best time is actually when you've literally just awoken. If there is any doubt or concern you can get it done over 24 hours.
With a great HBA1c and less meds it is likely that your BP will stabilise unless there is some non diabetic reason for it to be high.
With regards to the cholesterol remember that LDL is reckoned to be a poor measure of heart risk but just happens to be something that could be easily measured (many heart attack patients have normal OR low ldl after all).
A better risk predictor could be your trigs/HDL ratio which at present is greater than 1:1 indicating your body may not be dealing with the carbohydrates you are eating too well. When the liver can't use the carbs you eat by storing them in the liver or as glycogen, then they circulate as triglycerides (fatty acids) in the blood. The HDL is supposed to sweep up the excess and take them back to the liver however it can become overwhelmed.
As I understand it, your doctor will calculate your Q risk of a heart attack in the next 10 years based on a number of factors including your cholesterol numbers so it is worth having a discussion about all the factors that go into this including those that you can change.
I'd also research the cholesterol debate. See Ivor Cummins, Malcolm Kendrik on YouTUbe are both sceptical of the current LDL phobia but try to balance this with what your more orthodox doctor may say knowing your full medical history.

lessci · Mar 26, 2019

I always have my BP done the "old fashioned" way with a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope, it's actually on my note, the automatic ones are always high, the manual ones always spot on

briped · Mar 26, 2019

NicoleC1971 said:
With a great HBA1c and less meds it is likely that your BP will stabilise unless there is some non diabetic reason for it to be high.

Thanks Nicole, no I don't have a history of hypertension, and am not really worried, because I know that last time it was measured it was perfectly acceptable and was even coming down a bit. No, I'm sure it was those scales and my reaction to them. She did measure it three times, and saw it coming down Just funny how sheer worry over my weight could make me react that strongly.

NicoleC1971 said:
A better risk predictor could be your trigs/HDL ratio which at present is greater than 1:1 indicating your body may not be dealing with the carbohydrates you are eating too well. When the liver can't use the carbs you eat by storing them in the liver or as glycogen, then they circulate as triglycerides (fatty acids) in the blood.

If @ziggy_w is right, and she usually is, my trigs could well be a little higher because I wasn't fasting, so maybe the ratio was 1:1, but isn't it annoying how I didn't know she was going to do my lipids? I'd have fasted, had I known. As it is I hardly eat any carbs. I try to stay below 16g per day, so I don't see much room for improvement there.
I also watched a couple of videos on how LDL tends to go higher on LCHF. I'll have to admit that much of the biochemistry was Russian to me, but I think I got the gist, and basically the video confirmed the numbers I saw today after one year on Low Carb. Higher HDL for example, and I'm fairly sure my trigs have come down. Cholesterol is quite confusing, isn't it? Also, I'm no longer so sure that LDL is the monster it's made out to be, only if the particles tend to be small, which mine didn't.
My GP does indeed seem to be very orthodox, but also open minded. Maybe I can turn her around? I know that she was ever so impressed by my HbA1C, and even took notes when I told her about my way of eating. "Only above ground veggies? Brilliant!No fruit!? True, fruit does make your BS shoot up".

briped · Mar 26, 2019

lessci said:
sphygmomanometer

I. Love. That. Word. So. Much!

Pinkorchid · Mar 26, 2019

Different doctors have different ideas about statins. My husband has T2 but has never had high cholesterol so statins were never suggested by the doctor. Last September he had a heart attack not a big one but enough for stents to be put in his arteries He was put on 80mg of Atorvastatin a day when he came home. When he had a GP appointment a few weeks ago I mentioned the statins and said were they a good thing for him to take as he is 86 and had never had high cholesterol and I had read somewhere it might not be a good idea to give statins to the over 80's. He said to come off them as he did not think there was any benefit in him taking them now so now he is not taking them. I do not know what the cardiologist will say next time he sees him. Has anyone here been put on them after having had a heart attack but did not take them before for high cholesterol

Mr_Pot · Mar 26, 2019

Pinkorchid said:
Has anyone here been put on them after having had a heart attack but did not take them before for high cholesterol

My wife had a heart attack 5 years ago and was put on Atorvastatin although she has never had high cholesterol. As she hasn't had any heart trouble since, I am certainly not going to suggest she stops taking them.

Jomary · Mar 26, 2019

briped said:
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.

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

My lovely Doctor is well aware of my white coat syndrome, so I do a week of blood pressure readings before I see her

Jomary · Mar 26, 2019

Jomary said:
My lovely Doctor is well aware of my white coat syndrome, so I do a week of blood pressure readings before I see her

I do this at home with my own monitor from boots

Deleted member 475901 · Mar 26, 2019

I also get high BP when near scales in GPs surgeries.
I was very interested in the information about the thyroid tests - mine are apparently OK, yet both my mother and older sister have needed thyroid hormone treatment and I have hair loss including my legs and arms (GP thought it was age related but I have hair loss, and the individual hairs are much thinner, all over.)
I'm over 4 months into the first lot of treatment from the dermatologist - which hasn't helped. Second appt due in a month or two.
Hope your goes better!

briped · Mar 27, 2019

TriciaWs said:
(GP thought it was age related but I have hair loss, and the individual hairs are much thinner, all over.)

I thought it was age related too, till my GP convinced me otherwise.

TriciaWs said:
I'm over 4 months into the first lot of treatment from the dermatologist - which hasn't helped.

I'm sorry to hear that, and it doesn't exactly make me feel optimistic about the dermatologist project. What sort of treatment are you on? Tablets? Special shampoo? Sometimes I get this feeling that they're fishing for solutions.

ickihun · Mar 27, 2019

I haven't had my BP checked for more than 6mths.
I know if higher bgs then my head pulsates in bed.
Good bgs can influence steady BP. For me.

My bg varies alot throughout my stressful day.
However my up coming op should reduce my BP tablets.

briped · Mar 27, 2019

ickihun said:
However my up coming op should reduce my BP tablets

Do you have a date yet?

Seacrow · Mar 27, 2019

Wow, I didn't realise white coat syndrome was so common. I'm the other way around. Measurements at home are consistently 136/96, but in the consultants weighting room 128/82. I got curious at one point and took my own machine in, thinking it might be calibrated wrong, but no, it's a genuine effect. I have lower blood pressure at the doctors.

Weight is also different, but I stand on the scales naked at home, and can't see the doc approving that!

WJP1055 · Mar 27, 2019

I'm confused folks. I haven't had fasting bloods done in years. The blood for my HBA1C, cholesterol and other bodily functions tests are taken whenever I can get to the hospital. Therfore does it matter if you fast or not. In our area it seems not to.

derry60 · Mar 28, 2019

Tophat1900 said:
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

You are correct. I have always had to fast with my annual Cholesterol test over the past 14 years. Only water is ever allowed.

derry60 · Mar 28, 2019

Seacrow said:
Wow, I didn't realise white coat syndrome was so common. I'm the other way around. Measurements at home are consistently 136/96, but in the consultants weighting room 128/82. I got curious at one point and took my own machine in, thinking it might be calibrated wrong, but no, it's a genuine effect. I have lower blood pressure at the doctors.

Weight is also different, but I stand on the scales naked at home, and can't see the doc approving that!

That is unusual regarding your BP being lower at the doctors it is usually higher at docs. The doctors usually allow for BP to be higher at their surgeries. My doctor takes mine twice, as they allow for nerves.

derry60 · Mar 28, 2019

When I go to the doctors I always say to her " I don't want to know my weight, so don't tell me lol" Last spring, she said " I won't tell you, your weight but you have lost weight, so that was good enough for me. I always go by my clothes. I am due for my check up this coming May. I doubt I have lost anymore though. I would like to lose more. I think I may be eating too much meat, cos I am a piggy lol..I am planning to cut my portion sizes with my broccoli and cauliflower also. Just over 3 grams carbs for a 100 gram. I probably have 200 grams of broccoli and the same with Cauliflower as I often have both together. That would make over 12 grams carbs. Carbs are carbs whether veg or not. I just need to cut the portion sizes, maybe I will kick start the weight again.

ickihun · Mar 28, 2019

briped said:
Do you have a date yet?

Before July, if no emergency cases inbetween.

briped · Mar 28, 2019

ickihun said:
Before July, if no emergency cases inbetween.

That's soon. I hope you'll find yourself in much better health afterwards. Holding my fingers crossed

ickihun · Mar 28, 2019

briped said:
That's soon. I hope you'll find yourself in much better health afterwards. Holding my fingers crossed

Me too.
Ive lost 11kgs since September but have stalled losing again. No add though.
My BP varies hour by hour. I will be thankful for blood pressure tablet reduction.

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

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