MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

suzwes

Love it E, I was the one driving 4 miles an hour last week and they just NOW brought out the salt trucks, 2weeks late rather than three weeks late.   And, I am NOT showing my face on ELAB for a while. I think I will forgo the scale this week.

jo1955

elimar - I have had the hot flash hell since I was taken off HRT in August.  If the Tamox makes it any worse, I will ask my onc for Effexor.  I have read on the threads and through research that it does help and for some almost takes them away.  I am already prepared for the joint pain, have degenerative joint disease in my hands so I know how to treat that.  The one plus I did find with Tamox is it will lower my cholesterol - that is good for me as I am on meds for that.

Happy Holidays to Everyone

 

elimar86861

jo1955, Now that you mentioned Tamox. and cholesterol, I want to say that I used to have cholesterol checks yearly, but due to treatment and having blood drawn for every other reason, I missed a year last year.  Now I just had it done.  That was the big bruise I mentioned in an earlier post.  Don't have the results yet.

The weird thing was my MedOnc, who checks everything else (three vials of blood) would not do the cholesterol screening, and Tamox. -- the meds. he provides -- does alter the blood cholesterol levels (or so we are told.)  He said he does not check it, because he does not treat cholesterol issues.  He said go to my PCP for that.  Well, my GYN doc always included it as part of my yearly exam and "physical" so I asked him to do it a couple weeks ago and told him I thought it was kind of crazy that my MedOnc (who had enough blood to spare!) would not do it.  GYN doc thought it was odd too.  He said, "I don't treat cholesterol either, but anyone can order that test.  If your numbers come back high, I would just refer you to your PCP for further monitoring."  At least I have one sensible doc in the bunch!

jo1955

elimar - I don't know if my med onc does cholesterol screening - will have to ask.  I have to see my PCP every 3 months for a recheck, so I know it will get done on a regular basis.  My PCP rarely lets me go any longer than that - don't know why.  Never asked - been seeing him for about 10 years and and I guess it is just a habit.

But your GYN doc is right - any physician can order any test.  If the levels are high, and he does not treat, he can send you back to your PCP. 

sheila888

Since I started taking Zocor he sees me every 3 months for lipid tests and BP.

My oncologist was doing the same test every 4 months.

He wasn't aware of. Now oncologist does only CBC and TM test.

jo like you said its maintenance every 3 months I don't believe I need it since everything is under control for years.

But I like my DR and I don't question it.

heartnsoul76

Glad to be here, Elimar! Thanks for the welcome! I am in fact having sore ribs - hate to hear that it lasts soooo long, but I guess that's just another thing we learn to live with.

Love those Michigander ads! Snow paralyzes Georgia, which is fine by me. Then I have the roads all to myself to play on! I like to go to empty parking lots and skid around - boy, you'd think I would have grown up some by now....but in snow years I am only 20!

Here's another cool video made at a church here. It's a remake of "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", only it's about Santa Claus. This was just made a few days ago:

North Point Community Church

suzwes

My Med onc won't order the cholesterol test either for the same reason as E's dr.  I was told the PCP has to order it. 

So much for keeping medical costs under control - if you're having labs drawn then the ordering dr. needs to order EVERYTHING and send the results to appropriate docs for follow up.  No one, including the insurance company, should be paying for an unnecessary lab draw.  Sorry, that's my nursing soap box.  I'm done now.

BarbaraA

HnS, welcome to the Cheeto thread!! Well, we do have other stuff going on like hot flashes, neuropathy, you name it we got it.

My friend Melissa has a friend David who has too mush time on his hands. Check out his Dog Nativity. Adorable.

Edited to say that the MUSH was a Freudian slip.

 

elimar86861

HnS, Funny vid., but OMG! did those church people just say, "But if you lose, Santa is your ho'?"  Did I hear right???  That's some holiday blaspheming, right there!

suz, That's exactly what i was thinking too.  What a waste of money, not to mention I get punctured  twice.  Grrrrr!.

BarbA, ROFSMHO (That's ROF Shrieking My Head Off!) over the Dog Nativity.  Love it!!!  A big...

                                  

Had to copy that on for posterity!

BarbaraA

Glad you liked it Eli. I ROTFLMAOUIGH.

ROTFLMAO until  I got hiccups.

sheila888

Barbara that picture is hysterical. hahahahahahahahaha

Can I copy and send it to my DD?

BarbaraA

Sure, SV won't mind. It is hysterical.

sheila888

Thanks Barbara and SV. How is she doing did she recover from that terrible experience?

heartnsoul76

OMG, Elimar! I'm sure they're not saying THAT, but I can't tell what they're saying! My son thinks they're saying "Santa is your OWN". Haha - I think they're a pretty good church, not a bunch of weirdos.

That reminds me of the time my son's lit class was reading Shakespeare out loud. He wasn't paying attention (of course), so when it was his turn someone nudged him and he just blurted out:

Give me a light there, HO!

The class burst out laughing and the teacher said, "It's ho, not HO!" 

BarbaraA

HnS, kids crack me up. Sheila, she is coming around. What a terrible experience.

elimar86861

               

                                   

SNOWBALL FIGHT!  This is especially for everyone who hasn't had any snow yet.  Hohoho!

NativeMainer

Elimar-here's at tip for you, when you have to have blood work done for one doc, call your others and find out if they want any tests done or will want any done soon and have them send you a prescription or lab order for those tests. Then the lab can take enough blood to do all the tests at once. Another thing that's important to do is make sure a copy of all the lab tests (and every other test for that matter) are being sent to your PCP. And your Med Onc is an a$$h0[e IMHO. The tube of blood that he/she had drawn to check your chemistry (blood sugar, sodium, magnesium, kidney function, etc) has enough blood for a cholesterol test, too, In fact, your PCP could have called the lab that took the MedOnc's blood and asked them to run a cholesterol test on the sample they already had. Make sure you get a copy of each result, too. You'd be surprised how many times the same blood test is being done by different docs just because they don't all get the results.

Jo1955-your doc is correct, any doc can order a blood test and then refer if needed. Any doc can also instruct the lab to report the results of any test to your PCP in addition. For that matter, so can the patient. I routinely make the lab send copies of the test results to my Med Onc, BS, and PCP, regardless of who ordered it and why. I get a copy, too, and keep them all in a 3 ring binder that I carry to all appointments. I would get twice as many sticks for blood tests if I didn't do that.

Seyla888-make sure your doc is testing your liver enzymes at least yearly. One of Zocor's most common side effects is liver damage.

BarbaraA-That pic is GREAT!!!!!! I love it!

sheila888

native...yes liver enzymes are checked every 3 months with my cholesterol by my Medical DR.

I don't think its necessary I'm on this Zocor over 10 years now and never had a elevated LE except during chemo. In my opinion once a year or even every 6 months should be enough.

Thanks

elimar86861

NMainer, with a little advance work, I will do better on my next blood draw circus event.  (I have the CBC & liver enzymes every six mos., and trying to do cholesterol yearly.)  Oh yeah, forgot this twist:  Did asked my MedOnc for the thyroid test this time around and he did that one, no prob.  Something is not adding up right is it, 'cause he sure doesn't treat thyroid disorders, so that contradicts his cholesterol excuse.  Methinks you might be right about him!

catbill

I know this sounds crazy, but some years ago when I was in the hospital having a hysterectomy, I was put on the maternity floor.  (Go figure!)  Anyway, my roommate was there for severe nausea & vomiting because she was pregnant.  She was sucking on lemons (I kid you not) and found that it was helping quite a bit.  I have never tried this, and I don't know if it works, but I thought I'd mention it because who knows????  Sometimes crazy things happen.

Meece

Did someone say snowball fight?

"

Meece

Meece

jo1955

Meece - You crack me up - love the snowball fights.  I am in deep south Texas - we don't get snow.  Although we did 5 years ago on Christmas day - had two inches.  First time it snowed in 109 years.

I take Zetia for the cholesterol.  Can't take stains - give me a severe case of insomnia after about 3 months.  I don't care who does the testing for liver, etc just as long as it gets done. 

elimar86861

Actual footage of Elimar and Meece battling it out.  She said I throw like a girl.

Meece

Well...look at that draw back.  Doesn't look like a guy, does it?

Why didn't you show the video of me beaning you in your scarf covered face?

elimar86861

Because that's the "lost footage" only available on  "Director's Cut."

sheila888

Im having fun watching you.  LOL

Meece

Well, at least you are admitting it happened.

elimar86861