So I saw my cardiologist today...

[propita]

...damn! Will that man stop talking about himself and get down to business?!

I had a big CT-Angiogram a few months ago. It found that I had the most minimal amount of calcification on 1 of 7 areas of my coronary arteries (0.76 on a scale of 400 or 5000 or something like that--I was told 400, he says it's 5000). The other 6 areas were "0.00". And "<50%" soft plaque in that one area--which could be ANYTHING lower than 50%, including 2%. The test is that discerning. Right.

This guy wants to do a full out preventative treatment, with more tests over time, more meds, more whatever. Yeah, I had chest pain--mostly last year (a tiny bit this year)--but that was due to stress for the Bar and law school. I always react badly from external stressors (heartburn, migraine, tendonitis--usually only one at a time). Other tests showed NO cardio damage as would be caused by a heart attack, so likely all the pain was from stress alone.

I can't get a clear answer out of him--yeah, he's a great cardiologist and one of the best in the country (according to him, but I've been told that by other doctors, too), but what the hell?!

I don't want to be on some damn meds for the rest of my life, taking chances with whatever side effects, because of a test that says only "<50%" as its low reading. He's ready to treat me for frickin' diabetes (or pre-diabetes) because my pancreas MAY have problems in the future. My fasting blood sugar is 86! It's ALWAYS been around 86 +-2 --for the last 25 years.

He keeps talking about treating 19,000 patients (really! 19,000!), and most of them likely Medicare, that I suspect he just wants someone who has actual insurance that will pay him.

I'm not sure what to do--continue seeing him and do what he says, or just stop this. He's pissing me off, making me nervous, and just seems to be over-reacting.

Anyone have cardio problems and face the same issues?

 

[SVD]

No medical problems, but if it was me in your shoes, I'd be seeking a 2nd and even 3rd opinions, not telling them what the current doc said until after they have rendered theirs.

 

[Captain Ice]

Let me boil it down for you. You don't like this doctor. Why you don't like him is irrelevant. There are probably 20 other cardiologists in or near Fresno. Ditch his ass and go see one of them. He may be the world's best in his field, but if you don't like him, then you shouldn't see him. Don't put up with his bullshit.

 

[Gryffindorian]

If you have a family history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. (like I do), it couldn't hurt to take medications as a form of "preventive maintenance"; such meds might even save your life in the long run. I don't know what kind of medical plan you have, but one thing you can never take for granted is your health.

If you don't want to be medicated, that's your prerogative, but there's going to be a need to commit yourself to a more healthful diet and a regular exercise regimen. (Sometimes those are not enough.)

When diet and exercise are not enough, statin may help. Statin may not be suitable for everyone, including those with liver problems. Side effects may include muscle pain, weakness, and headaches. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of liver disease; a simple blood test can help determine your liver function. Do not take statin if you're pregnant or may become pregnant. Ask your doctor if such medication is right for you.

 

[thestrangequark]

I echo those who say go for a second opinion. People have to remember that doctors are fallible, and frankly, the idea of treating some one with a fasting blood sugar of 86 for prediabetes sounds utterly ridiculous to me.

I had a doc who wanted to put me on blood pressure medication for prevention's sake (as I do have type 1 diabetes). She never listened to me about anything, including the fact that I get floaters in my eyes nearly every day and my blood pressure generally tests at around 105/60. I found a new doctor who listens, who understands that I'm educated and that, ultimately, my health care is up to me. And she agreed that if I took blood pressure medication I'd pass out every time I stood up! Finding a doctor whom you like and who respects you is just as important as finding one whom you respect.

 

[Rii]

I'm not sure how to put this politely: get a blog.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ I do know how to put this politely: If you don't like the Topic, don't read the Thread.

propita, a second (and third) opinion should be covered by your insurance. Also, Captain Ice is right: If you're going to be cared for by a doctor, you should find one that you like. There are tons of competent physicians around, so you should be able to find one that you click with.

 

[Captain Ice]

I don't know what kind of medical plan you have, but one thing you can never take for granted is your health.

I'm learning a good lesson in this right now, as well as in finding health care professionals that you like. If you like and respect them and they are willing to listen to you, you're more likely to follow their instructions.

I've just had a mass removed from the inside of my mouth and sent off to be tested for cancer. I would not have even noticed it except for the fact that the wonderful dental hygienist that I've been going to for 5 years spotted it and made the dentist look multiple times when he didn't see it immediately. He sent me to my GP, who while he has no time for idle gossip and no patience for people who won't do the work to get well themselves, is absolutely wonderfull about telling you what needs to be done and why in great detail. 8 weeks and three additional doctor visits and it was decided it had to come out.

Oh, and if the ENT had not listened to me when I told him that he kept insisting on looking in the wrong spot, who knows how far this would have gotten before it was taken care of.

 

[Thena]

I'm going to echo everyone else who says to get a second opinion and find a cardiologist who listens to you.

My guess is that this doctor is afraid of being sued later on if you ever have other heart problems. By putting you on medication, he is setting himself up to defend his actions later on.

 

[Rii]

^^ I do know how to put this politely: If you don't like the Topic, don't read the Thread.

Who said I did?

Propita has started 25 threads over the past year concerning either her medical issues or the bar, the two usually being intertwined. At the very least one would expect the staff to discourage redundant threads as they do everywhere else on the board; you could even make the condensed thread a sticky. I don't want to be too hasty in suggesting 'Propita's blog' as the title, so let's see what other threads are out there under Propita's name:

Today is my birthday!!
I picked up a potato ricer on sale
We're supposed to hit 100 F today
I voted! Who else voted today?
Good news and bad news*
I'm going to Vegas, baby!
I'm back from Vegas
Sitting at work with nothing to do
My chicken soup smells goooood!
It's cold and wet outside, time for chicken soup!**
So I bought some organic strawberriers
Hubby's b-day present got here

* Link because its bloggy nature is remarkably even amidst the sea of general bloggery.
** Remarkably, this thread and the one above it appear to be unrelated.

... and so on. Yeah, I'm totally out of line in calling this a blog.

But then I guess whether that statement is objectionable or not depends upon whether the mods like you (propita) or don't (Trekker4747).

 

[propita]

Wow! Sorry, Rii, that I offend you.

25 threads? An average of one every 2 weeks. Is that a lot? No, I'm asking honestly because I don't know--is that a lot? Maybe it's a lot if one is as self-absorbed as I've been this past year or so.

I do know that, yes, I'm preoccupied with my health and the damn Bar for the last year and a half. I feel I need to defend myself on this. This frickin' Bar is a mind-consuming and, evidently in my case, body-consuming thing. It has literally sapped my body and figuratively sapped my soul--to the point that the doctors have warned me that my inability to successfully handle the stress could kill me. So, yeah, it's been on my mind and I post here about it because, as we're told in law school, no one we know would understand unless they've been through it.

Well, here, people DO understand because they've been through other things which resonate similarly. So I post here to vent, to seek advice, to seek support.

The mods have not broached me about this or anything, ever. I doubt this is because "they like me" as we've had no interaction--aside from posts in threads which everyone has or could read. And I know that some threads of mine die very quickly. I assume that's because they're uninteresting and undeserving of much comment.

Honestly, shall I just back away a bit? I'm going to be away, regardless, next week--but should I come back, besides just lurking? I hope I'm not over-reacting, but what self-confidence I have is a bit shot right now, and when snapped at, I have a tendency towards absenting myself if I'm unsure.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

But then I guess whether that statement is objectionable or not depends upon whether the mods like you (propita) or don't (Trekker4747).

None of the mods "dislike" Trekker that I'm aware of, and that includes me. I actually like him a lot and think he contributes positively and in an entertaining manner to the forum a great deal. Occasional disagreements (of which there haven't been any in quite a while) don't equal dislike.

I also don't think it's right to use him as an example in something he's not even involved with. You could have made the same point without naming anyone or making an accusation of bias. Sometimes the idea just doesn't occur to the mods. Not everything is a conspiracy or bias.

Propita, to answer your question, I do agree that you could have consolidated the Bar exam threads a bit. You don't have to "back away" from posting at all, just add to the already existing thread instead of creating a new one. But you're right that none of us said anything to you, so you couldn't have known that. But I wouldn't have chosen a completely separate topic about health issues to make that stand, personally.

Now, let's return to the topic, please.

 

[propita]

Thank you for the clarification. I honestly hadn't thought of tacking on to a prior, and I thought "dead," thread for updating.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

No problem. If a thread hasn't been posted in for months or something, there's not much point in resurrecting it unless you have something significant to add. But a few weeks or a month later? No big deal.

 

[Kestra]

Doctors go through a lot of training to get where they are so I tend to trust them. That being said, each doctor may have a slightly different approach on how to treat the same patient. This may be due to different educations, policies, or their own experiences.

If you do not feel confident with the advice given by your physician, the right thing to do is to seek out other medical professionals. The doctor patient relationship works best when therE is communication, understanding, and trust between both parties.

That being said, some people tend to sort of shop around until they find someone who will tell them what they want (or won't tell them things they don't want to hear). Be honest with your doctor and yourself, because really he's just looking out for your health.

 

[JonathonWally]

Sounds like he's getting kickbacks for writing more Rx from a pharma company.

 

[Captain Ice]

But then I guess whether that statement is objectionable or not depends upon whether the mods like you (propita) or don't (Trekker4747).

None of the mods "dislike" Trekker that I'm aware of, and that includes me. I actually like him a lot and think he contributes positively and in an entertaining manner to the forum a great deal. Occasional disagreements (of which there haven't been any in quite a while) don't equal dislike.

I also don't think it's right to use him as an example in something he's not even involved with. You could have made the same point without naming anyone or making an accusation of bias. Sometimes the idea just doesn't occur to the mods. Not everything is a conspiracy or bias.

I for one usually find Trekker's threads amusing if a little narrowminded at times. He's a positive contributor who at least makes an attempt to entertain. Again, an occassional disagreement or occasional irritation with him or any other poster does not equal dislike.

Word of advice, if you feel propita's threads are too bloggy, then you don't need to click on them. Just roll your eyes and find ind something else to read. A condescending and snarky post does not help to solve your problem.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ I do know how to put this politely: If you don't like the Topic, don't read the Thread.

Who said I did?

Propita has started 25 threads over the past year concerning either her medical issues or the bar, the two usually being intertwined.

Since you're not a Mod, that isn't your problem. If you think a Thread is inappropriate, use the Notification system.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Doctors go through a lot of training to get where they are so I tend to trust them.

After several decades in health care, I can attest to the fact that doctors are only Human. It's good to respect their knowledge and skill, but trust should not be unconditional. Also, medicine is really as much an Art as a Science, and patients are all individuals. The knowledge base of health care should be seen as a set of guidelines not pure facts; treatments do not work the same on all patients, and some "artists" are a better match for some patients than others. It's not unreasonable for someone to search around to find a physician that is compatible, both medically and temperamentally. If it's one thing I've learned in this biz, it's that people should be more engaged in their own health care, not just be passive observers.

 

[Rii]

Wow! Sorry, Rii, that I offend you.

You don't offend me. That bit about not knowing how to convey the sentiment politely wasn't just there for show: I knew it read harsher than I intended.

Sorry about all the rest of this.

None of the mods "dislike" Trekker that I'm aware of, and that includes me. I actually like him a lot and think he contributes positively and in an entertaining manner to the forum a great deal. Occasional disagreements (of which there haven't been any in quite a while) don't equal dislike.

'Dislike' was probably the wrong word; as was directing the comment to mods specifically. To clarify, I'm aware that a number of members have, at one time or another, raised the issue of Trekker's posting habits, including the refrain for him to 'get a blog' passing unchallenged - and indeed, there's no reason it should be - on several occasions.

Propita's posting habits are far more blog-like than Trekker's ever were; and yet I've not seen a word said about it. And really, that's neither here nor there. Propita's posting habits don't bother me so much as that I've simply observed their pattern over time, and on a whim decided to post about it today.

You could have made the same point without naming anyone or making an accusation of bias.

Ah, but this is where it gets interesting; because it's RJ's response that annoyed me, suggesting that he believed I disliked the thread, thereby implicitly professing complete innocence as to what the hell I was actually talking about. This could be a simple memory/pattern recognition problem, but is more interesting when one notes that RJ is one of the most consistent and supportive responders to Propita's threads. No, this was a deliberate - and very fast - defence of Propita herself (not 'her behaviour as a poster') seeking to deflect my criticism and make it my problem. It's the action of a friend masquerading as that of a mod. Or maybe I just missed RJ telling you to stuff it when you told Trekke4747 to 'get a blog'.

My concern for Propita's posting habits doesn't extend beyond that initial one-line comment. I do indeed, as suggested, just simply not read the vast majority of such threads. Bias on the part of moderators, OTOH, is far more irritating.

Since you're not a Mod, that isn't your problem. If you think a Thread is inappropriate, use the Notification system.

And here comes the knight in shining armour himself.