Testing Times

Testing, testing, one, two....and three!

Must have had 30 blood tests in the last few weeks and changed BP meds 5 times!

Oi!

I've never been one to visit the doctor, no thanks, unless I have a list of woes a mile long and have been sat on them for months, even years. I'm very much a 'I'm not dead yet soooo'........Honestly though, I'm not a fan of doctors surgeries generally and feel that advocating for my own health is often too stressful in itself! I don't wish to battle but mostly we are just another patient, another puzzle to solve. A number. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think I've seen the same medic twice in the last few weeks! It's hard to get continuity of care with the medic being a surprise every appointment. I also saw that as one ages, the amount of effort put in to getting you well wanes. Sometimes I feel that doctors surgeries post Covid don't actually want to let anyone in the door!

I also found the womanly chapters of periods, pregnancy, child birth and menopause left me a bit too poked and spent to want to ever visit a surgery again. To be a woman is to be undressed and prodded like a piece of BBQ meat, invasive!

Plus the hundreds of hours I spent being dismissed by doctors, when fighting for my eldest daughter's mental health rights was rather disturbing and it all left a black mark. GP surgeries became somewhere I'd rather not be and so often I didn't bother, possibly to the detriment of my future health. That all changed once I found myself in Resus not that many weeks ago!

Talk about a rude awakening!

We don't get many warnings and I have heeded mine, I promise.

My new GP surgery isn't a great communicator and to be brutally honest, if it wasn't for the NHS app telling me my test results, I could have remained in the dark about the red flags and consequently left untreated! It's not good, is it?

They are disturbingly typing 'patient informed' on the app but it's a big fat lie sadly. No Sally, no one rang me at 10.50 pm to inform me of possible issues! No one informed me of anything at any time. We need them to put 2 x 2 together right!

Of course we must be completely and forever be in charge of our own health just as we are our own happiness and as I explained to the doctor recently, it's my body and I know whats normal and whats not, thank you very bloody much. We can be bamboozled by medical jargon but truly, Doctors are googling symptoms and meds right in front of us. Are we living in the age of AI medics now? Are we being constantly being medically gaslighted as woman of a certain age?

I think so.

I'm very aware that I have developed a healthy mistrust of doctors and Pharma BUT I'm not stupid enough to not seek treatment when needed. That said, I'm not gonna shove meds down my throat willy nilly that make things worse, not better, work with me here Doc. I'm very happy to become a real pain in the ass at my surgery if need be, because I need to be well without caring about their 'feelings'.

The meds I was on recently included a lot of potassium and I had two 'abnormal' potassium blood tests, weak legs and swollen knees. Quality of life was at a rotten 4/10. I got to the point I was so swollen and bloated I couldn't walk. It couldn't go on. He argued with me and I gently pointed out the two test results and he back tracked pretty quickly.

Then they hit me with the potential diagnosis of diabetes and I felt ashamed! I'm also still confused and hoping the next test tells me I'm not a diabetic. It's all to play for. As we all know diabetes 2 is part genetics and part lifestyle and in many cases, fixable.

Coming of age eh or just bad choices and a spoonful of bad genes?

We all have to deal with what we are blessed with eh?

Apparently, according to my notes, in 2015 I was pre diabetic. Was I? No one told me and then I remembered reading that the NHS and NICE have changed where the borderline marker sits many times in the last decade. I was probably within normal range and so of course I wouldn't have known! Then I read that the NHS testing for diabetes is deeply flawed and 55k need retesting due to faulty tests!

Keep up patients!

I'm not convinced I am a diabetic but I remain open to being proved wrong and anyway a change to the way I live now to continue living to a great old age, is no skin off my back. I've already made huge changes to my diet. Stress however is not a life choice and rather a constant, I guess it's just learning to roll with it all a bit better.

I actually eat really well, those that know me, know that, but I have to admit to liking the red wine and since being back, I've been in processed gluten free food heaven, which is mostly full of sugar or other nasties! I understand nutrition, always have. France did me in completely. Why not blame France again! Too much stress, too much wine and too little exercise. Coming back to UK and topping up on all my missed favourites, kid in a sweet shop stuff, oh boy! I've been ticking all the boxes for an early demise.

My red wine habit was easily kicked by coming back to the UK because I can't bring myself to pay the prices! That was easy. I've never drank much in the way of spirits, so thats never been an issue. I truly believe my downfall is replacement Gluten Free breads and pastry!

I could say 'whatever' but it's important to be clear of the causes when ones health is in the doldrums and one feels 89 not 57!

I've taken a little time off the socials these last few days to process things and also get a fecking grip. Sometimes we just have to shut out the noise in order to figure out the next move. It's all been rather challenging because of the change of meds, the latest meaning I have constant stomach cramps and can't trust my bowels out in public! I mean, cheers life!

When I was diagnosed with celiacs in France in 2017, I thought the days of sh*tting myself were over! Fast forward to 2025 and it's like deja vu! Thankfully we were in M&S foodhall when the 'accident' happened but gratefully I wasn't on my own and P managed the situation with aplom. I turned to him white faced, mid shop saying 'we need to leave' and he didn't need it explaining, phew. He did the fresh knicker shop and I sorted myself out, then we finished the shopping. Consequently we cancelled a much needed DATE NIGHT last night before he travels. Our date was supposed to be in a recommended chic Michelin restaurant! Nevermind, we've rebooked for the end of the month. Anyway, my pre-ordered pretty dress never turned up and the rest of my online clothes shopping has either been returned or sent to my youngest, it will suit her better! Ouch!

In sickness and in health. Thats all.

I don't know if the stomach cramps were the new meds but I think the timing feels right. I did a covid/flu test and it was negative. So I'm thinking it's the new meds, ingredients which include Lactose, I'm sure are the issue. In fact I bothered to read the contraindications just yesterday and rarely, 1 in 100 get the trots and painful tummy cramps! Just fabulous! Hopefully it wears off and settles in, or I will be on med no.6! I know it takes a while to get it right but it's leaving me rather unwell.

This latest meds issue is ongoing but I have an appointment tomorrow where the Doc will ask cheerily ' what can I do for you today?'........like I turned up to order a cappuccino and scone ffs!

Save me from this dysfunctional crap please!

The thing is, when thinking about where our health is today, we have to travel back in time don't we? My insides are already affected by the last almost 6 decades from conception. Healthy enough as a child, IBS from the tender age of 11. Chicken pox at 22. Ruptured appendix at 30 but mostly not an unhealthy bean really. I think it all started to go south when having the children, hyperemisis on steroids, hence the many unknown meds I took on an empty stomach and probably that IBS diagnosis was in fact food related allergies/celiacs.

We are only as good as the medical information at the time I suppose. Even now, I dispair at the TIK TOK age of health. The reality is that supplements often do nothing but rape your pocket. Eat sensibly and in moderation, drink hardly any alcohol and hydrate, keep the party mode at bay. No fancy crap needed. Most supplements are peed out and those left can do futher damage to your guts and organs. Have a cheat day but don't cheat everyday because in the end we are only cheating ourselves.

I guess in the end, its super simple, eat and drink well, walk a lot, keep moving, don't be desk bound, rest when needed, listen to your body, sleep well and keep stress to a minimum. Don't spend a fortune on gym and supplements. Advocate for yourself, read your results and do your own research. Get outside into nature and get a natural vitamin fuel up. Get therapy. love and laugh a lot!

The sweet and simple recipe of life. Why don't we listen to it?

Dx