Covid Vaccine

[Superman]

This seems topical.............
Just saw my PCP.
He said my blood pressure and cholesterol are more elevated than they should be, and that he has a consistent 5 years of data where he's now concerned and thinks action needs to be taken and no longer monitored.
He said, "Neither one of us like prescriptions if the problem can be solved naturally. So I'm giving you a 6 month reprieve."
Then he laid out lifestyle and nutrition changes I needed to make to lower both of these and keep them within normal range.
He did advise the cholesterol should be rather easy if I stick to the plan, but, my blood pressure may be hereditary and only medication will help.
And this is why I found and chose this particular doctor. He doesn't just get out the script pad first chance he gets.
All of my appointments with him are like being interrogated under the police lights. They're intense and he leaves no stone unturned. He wants as much input/data as possible to make the best recommendations for my healthcare.
I'm not a number and I'm not another means of additional income. He's brutally honest and doesn't sugarcoat anything.
Since I work for a healthcare system, and see/hear lots of things with our doctors, as well as having to deal with the "Company Line".
I ask him all the time about, "I heard this recently. Do you agree or disagree and why?"
And he will have an actual discussion with me and tell me where they're right or wrong and why.
And the best part about this doctor is that he gives me choices and options, and NEVER feels like he's demanding I do something or pressuring me to do something.
I asked him about the Shingles Vaccine since I'm plus 50 and had chickenpox as a child.
He broke down the possibilities for both getting the 2 doses or foregoing altogether.
Asked if I wanted it after our discussion or wanted to talk again at our 6 month appt.
Said I wanted to read some more about and then make a decision.
He gave me a list of things to read about it that would break everything down and give me both points of view.
Said I could ask any additional questions at the next appt. and go from there.

now that's just bullsheite. please, do yourself a favor and forward his name and phone number to flog.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

This seems topical.............
Just saw my PCP.
He said my blood pressure and cholesterol are more elevated than they should be, and that he has a consistent 5 years of data where he's now concerned and thinks action needs to be taken and no longer monitored.
He said, "Neither one of us like prescriptions if the problem can be solved naturally. So I'm giving you a 6 month reprieve."
Then he laid out lifestyle and nutrition changes I needed to make to lower both of these and keep them within normal range.
He did advise the cholesterol should be rather easy if I stick to the plan, but, my blood pressure may be hereditary and only medication will help.
And this is why I found and chose this particular doctor. He doesn't just get out the script pad first chance he gets.
All of my appointments with him are like being interrogated under the police lights. They're intense and he leaves no stone unturned. He wants as much input/data as possible to make the best recommendations for my healthcare.
I'm not a number and I'm not another means of additional income. He's brutally honest and doesn't sugarcoat anything.
Since I work for a healthcare system, and see/hear lots of things with our doctors, as well as having to deal with the "Company Line".
I ask him all the time about, "I heard this recently. Do you agree or disagree and why?"
And he will have an actual discussion with me and tell me where they're right or wrong and why.
And the best part about this doctor is that he gives me choices and options, and NEVER feels like he's demanding I do something or pressuring me to do something.
I asked him about the Shingles Vaccine since I'm plus 50 and had chickenpox as a child.
He broke down the possibilities for both getting the 2 doses or foregoing altogether.
Asked if I wanted it after our discussion or wanted to talk again at our 6 month appt.
Said I wanted to read some more about and then make a decision.
He gave me a list of things to read about it that would break everything down and give me both points of view.
Said I could ask any additional questions at the next appt. and go from there.

See if your insurance will cover a nutritionist, and even if it doesn't it may be worth the cost. I can give numerous examples of the benefits of following a prescribed diet, but this is the one that comes to mind. A patient of mine was a crash inspector for the FAA, great guy and always had stories to tell. He was your typical type II diabetic, overweigh, but not excessively and an LDL through the roof. Close to being max out on the biguanide, metformin, statins and long-acting basal insulin, Lantus. Nothing was really working for him and if he didn't do something, he was looking at a life cut short, so he hired a nutritionist and followed their instructions to the letter. In 6 months, I didn't recognize him and wondered why I hadn't seen him in a while. He was off every med, his HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, blood glucose levels all in the normal range, and dropped 20 pounds to boot.

I agree that if your issues are hereditary rather than environmental, prescribed medications may be your only alternative, but even so, lifestyle changes will still make a difference.
Good luck.

 

[Superman]

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Where's the duck?

 

[fedderone]

See if your insurance will cover a nutritionist, and even if it doesn't it may be worth the cost. I can give numerous examples of the benefits of following a prescribed diet, but this is the one that comes to mind. A patient of mine was a crash inspector for the FAA, great guy and always had stories to tell. He was your typical type II diabetic, overweigh, but not excessively and an LDL through the roof. Close to being max out on the biguanide, metformin, statins and long-acting basal insulin, Lantus. Nothing was really working for him and if he didn't do something, he was looking at a life cut short, so he hired a nutritionist and followed their instructions to the letter. In 6 months, I didn't recognize him and wondered why I hadn't seen him in a while. He was off every med, his HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, blood glucose levels all in the normal range, and dropped 20 pounds to boot.

I agree that if your issues are hereditary rather than environmental, prescribed medications may be your only alternative, but even so, lifestyle changes will still make a difference.
Good luck.

Thanks, Zona.
Means the world to me.
Appreciate the support and anecdotes.
I will look into the available benefits through my insurance carrier to see if there any for a nutritionist.

 

[Confluence]

This seems topical.............
Just saw my PCP.
He said my blood pressure and cholesterol are more elevated than they should be, and that he has a consistent 5 years of data where he's now concerned and thinks action needs to be taken and no longer monitored.
He said, "Neither one of us like prescriptions if the problem can be solved naturally. So I'm giving you a 6 month reprieve."
Then he laid out lifestyle and nutrition changes I needed to make to lower both of these and keep them within normal range.
He did advise the cholesterol should be rather easy if I stick to the plan, but, my blood pressure may be hereditary and only medication will help.
And this is why I found and chose this particular doctor. He doesn't just get out the script pad first chance he gets.
All of my appointments with him are like being interrogated under the police lights. They're intense and he leaves no stone unturned. He wants as much input/data as possible to make the best recommendations for my healthcare.
I'm not a number and I'm not another means of additional income. He's brutally honest and doesn't sugarcoat anything.
Since I work for a healthcare system, and see/hear lots of things with our doctors, as well as having to deal with the "Company Line".
I ask him all the time about, "I heard this recently. Do you agree or disagree and why?"
And he will have an actual discussion with me and tell me where they're right or wrong and why.
And the best part about this doctor is that he gives me choices and options, and NEVER feels like he's demanding I do something or pressuring me to do something.
I asked him about the Shingles Vaccine since I'm plus 50 and had chickenpox as a child.
He broke down the possibilities for both getting the 2 doses or foregoing altogether.
Asked if I wanted it after our discussion or wanted to talk again at our 6 month appt.
Said I wanted to read some more about and then make a decision.
He gave me a list of things to read about it that would break everything down and give me both points of view.
Said I could ask any additional questions at the next appt. and go from there.

are you saying that all MDs are alike?

 

[Confluence]

See if your insurance will cover a nutritionist, and even if it doesn't it may be worth the cost. I can give numerous examples of the benefits of following a prescribed diet, but this is the one that comes to mind. A patient of mine was a crash inspector for the FAA, great guy and always had stories to tell. He was your typical type II diabetic, overweigh, but not excessively and an LDL through the roof. Close to being max out on the biguanide, metformin, statins and long-acting basal insulin, Lantus. Nothing was really working for him and if he didn't do something, he was looking at a life cut short, so he hired a nutritionist and followed their instructions to the letter. In 6 months, I didn't recognize him and wondered why I hadn't seen him in a while. He was off every med, his HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, blood glucose levels all in the normal range, and dropped 20 pounds to boot.

I agree that if your issues are hereditary rather than environmental, prescribed medications may be your only alternative, but even so, lifestyle changes will still make a difference.
Good luck.

Don't you find more than a little sad that this diet/nutrition is not part of the MDs part of health care ahead of the list of drugs that come with side effects?

I think some ancient medicine guy once said " let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food", but it seems like modern docs, even the good ones like feeder one's, don't start with causal factors.

 

[Djfan]

Don't you find more than a little sad that this diet/nutrition is not part of the MDs part of health care ahead of the list of drugs that come with side effects?

I think some ancient medicine guy once said " let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food", but it seems like modern docs, even the good ones like feeder one's, don't start with causal factors.

Vets do when it comes to my dog, but MDs don't when it comes to me.

Science.