measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- going to the doctor's Highlights of today's doctor visit... a broken throat stick (aka Mega Popsicle Stick) scratched down the inside of each arm, creating two long, puffy welts and a comment by my doctor that "oh, you ARE having issues with your dermatographia, aren't you?" *sigh* He gave me a nice big allergy shot of straight antihistamines afterwards to control the welts... I feel MUCH less itchy tonight. Don't know how long the feeling will last, but oh, it's blissful to not be scratching my shoulders or my face constantly. Before the shot, they took four test tubes of blood for my histamine count and other routine blood tests. It's weird-- since I started donating blood, needles just don't phase me. I can't watch as they poke me, but once they're in, it's no big deal to me at all. We discussed the sleep issue-- for now, he's recommending that I make sure I get exercise every day (to get my energy up, giving my body a reason to feel more fatigue in the evening, rather than a constant low-energy state all day). Cut back on caffeine. He recommended that if it's a pop craving/carbonation desire that I have, I should switch to Sprite or Ginger Ale in the evening (or club soda with a splash of cranberry juice or something). Make sure I keep the window shades down to keep the room as dark as possible in the morning, since apparently it's very easy for the body to start waking up when it senses it's getting light outside (damn ancient hunter-gatherer genetic disposition to light). He said to try that for two months, and if my body isn't working itself through the insomnia, to call him so we could arrange a visit with a sleep therapist. He agrees with me that the depression is most likely a sleep-deprivation issue. He did give me the name and number of a counselor should I want someone to talk to about issues (Dad, weight, etc). Right now, I can't afford it-- money's a bit too tight. But I thanked him for the recommendation. He was pleased with my weight loss so far-- told me not to be so hard on myself for it not going faster... and to just keep chugging at it. Any surgery for my ankle will be held off until I lose more weight-- he wants to see how much my weight is aggrivating the injury, and whether decreasing the weight will decrease the pain. My blood pressure is in normal range, but was up ten points (both upper and lower number) for the first time in the eight years I've seen him. I'm normally at 110/70. Today I was at 120/80. We'll be following up on that also-- the change in diet might have affected it slightly, since the foods I've been eating are a bit higher in sodium than I'm used to. It was a good visit. The one downside is that I discovered that my OB/GYN is quitting his practice. It's not surprising. I know first hand from my dad how obscene insurance premiums are for OB's (my dad pays over $100,000 per year for his insurance... in Montana). My general practitioner is a friend of my OB/GYN, and thought I'd want to know... it's a shame, because I actually *do* like my GYN. He's a nice guy-- willing to talk about issues and concerns, never seems like he's too rushed to actually care about his patients. It's a shame. But it's a sign of the times. Not much can be done with all of the lawsuits out there. Thanks everyone for your emails and messages... I appreciate it. Hopefully things will get better-- I just need to work this stuff out. :) ~ Mel. 11:43 p.m. - 06 June 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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