When I was in cancer treatment, they always gave me the "mental health check" questions about once a month. "Are you depressed, blah blah." I mentioned that I was depressed and anxious, so that same afternoon a mental health counselor contacted me. I was livid, and told her that I was not interested in any counsel. If they think any sane person going through chemo, surgical removal of body parts, and radiation isn't depressed then they are the ones needing therapy. So annoying and dumb. She asked if I had thoughts of ending my life and I scoffed in her face. What kind of idiot believes that a person will submit to that harsh treatment TRYING DESPERATELY TO LIVE and then kill themselves? Stupidest crap ever.
Oh, and the doctor visit went surprisingly well. My BP was slightly elevated but not scary so she is happy with that. I didn't even get a lecture about the stupid statin. She ordered labs, mainly to check my blood purines. I had asked if I should start taking a gout preventative medication (such as Alopurinol) since I'm having fairly frequent gout attacks. I'm curious to know what that blood test will show.
Totally understand Beth, just a thought of going to a Dr. can send my BP to the moon. I was telling you a day or two ago that the losartan 25 mg, was bringing my mind down to low; unless I go to a dentist or Dr. , so I've been breaking them in half and so far today it was 118/70/86, with the halves. They have less side effects. Maybe you could try this kind, Marie is taking it and it's working for her, they say it's really good for diabetics'kidneys too. My brother Bobby, told me about it he takes them. As I told you in another post I'm checking it daily so if it starts back up I'm going back on the full pill; there are little tiny pills, that break pretty easily. Maybe it's time to get a new Dr.; if she doesn't like you to participate in your own care.
Posted you on the way to your Dr.; guess I should've read a little further for results, then posted to you.
I use several things , Marie. We do not fry at high heat very often, and usually are sautéing veggies and some kind of protein (meat, fish, etc), and I often use my extra Virgin olive oil for cooking. If I am frying chicken, where I do use a higher heat, I use cold-pressed coconut oil, and if i am cooking something simple, like an egg, I use butter. Sometimes I use a combination, if I want to add butter flavor, but am using the EVOO or coconut oil. About the only things we have in the house that have seed oils are mayonnaise and salad dressings. I have pretty much stopped using any mayonnaise, but I have seen recipes for making it with either EVOO or liquid coconut oil, so I might try that if I am going to want to use mayo for something. The salad dressing I use is Caesar salad dressing, and I only use a little bit on my salads, but I really should make my own and use the olive oil instead of the canola or cottonseed oil they use in regular mayo. We made the switch from margarine to butter several years ago, and we buy very little processed foods of any kind, so we have mostly eliminated seed oils.
Jake likes French fries now and then and I switched to butter years ago, about 20 years since I used margarine. I too use olive oil on low heat foods like stir fry and butter in eggs. 40 or so years ago I used lard for biscuits and many fried foods. Then seed oils became the thing,like Crisco for biscuits and pastries.
I got notification that my lab results were posted in MyChart this morning. Here's the uric acid result... Weird that it seems to be in the normal range but the report says "target for gout patients" is less than 6. Anyhow, it isn't as bad as I thought it would be but I assume my doctor will start me on the medication. I guess I'll find out on Monday.
Hope all goes well, Beth. I hear gout is a really painful thing, I know a few people over the years, who had it, and told me that.
It really is horrible, Jake. The first time I had a gout attack was right after gallbladder surgery in 2012. I swear I could have sawed my foot off at the ankle with a hacksaw. I had never had anything hurt like that before.
That's what my neighbor talked about; just how painful it is; and my brother, Bobby told me he's dealing with it, next time we talk, I'll ask what he's doing to deal with it.
After the first time I had an attack, it was several years before I had another one. When I went through cancer treatment it seemed to exacerbate the gout and I started having attacks every couple of months for the past 3 years. I remember that on the day of my cancer surgery, I could hardly walk due to gout and I couldn't have any pain meds due to the surgery. Gout preventative medicines are available but aren't usually prescribed until a person has fairly regular flare ups and I am finally to that point. I have learned how to manage the attacks by use of a steroid dose pack and Naproxen, but I'd really prefer to not have to deal with them at all. Gout is a horror and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I'm grateful that mine has not progressed beyond the joint in my right foot; some people have it all over their body in various joints. That must be truly hell.
I'm sending prayers your way, Beth, and I hope it goes away, as I was telling you; everyone who I know, who has it , said it's a horror too. You really have been through it, and I'm so sorry, for having so much happen with you. I tell Marie all the time, we're lucky not to have some of the things others are going through. Things can change so fast; I say prayers, and thank God, for everything he blessed us with, and pray for everyone to be healthy.