30 November 2009

Accolades and Setbacks

Thank you Rebel Mother

Thank you Infactorium

On the accolade front, I should like to thank Infactorium and Rebel Mother for thinking of little old me when handing out the above awards. I really am amazed that people think of me as worth reading. Remember, I am doing this partly to get things off my chest, partly to alert people to the problems of living with alcoholism and partly to reach out to others in the same boat. That anyone should think I deserve a reward honestly comes as a bit of a shock. Anyway, many thanks Infactorium and Rebel Mother. I have pounced on so many people of late with awards, that I feel it is time to leave them alone , and not pass on these awards for the moment, although I am sure there are many who deserve it more than me. Hope that is all right.


So far as setbacks is concerned, you may remember I was having my cholesterol level monitored (see here) and had managed last time to keep it down (and avoid taking statins) by sticking hard to a self-designed diet full of pulses, oats and fruit/veg. The doctor had asked me to have another fasting blood test six months later and I went for the results of this a few days ago. I have to admit my "diet" had gone to pot over the summer and autumn months and I was not eating porridge any more (not one of my favourite foods I have to say), and had been comfort-eating, as I always do when I am stressed, with such naughty things as chocolate peanuts, chocolate anything and crisps. But I did partly deliberately go back to eating rubbish to see what effect it would have on my cholesterol levels. I knew things were not looking good, because my waistbands were getting a bit tight. (I think my clothes must have shrunk in the wash, ehem!) Anyway, the doctor confirmed my cholesterol levels had risen again. She asked if there was any history of strokes or heart attacks in my family. Most of my mother's side have gone with strokes; most of my father's side with heart attacks. I could see the horror on her face. Given my age, the genetic risk and my high levels of cholesterol, she said she should really be prescribing me statins. I have tried to hold out against statins, because of the known side efects of these little blighters, but I waved the white flag and agreed to start , with the proviso that if they made me ill, I would stop. So I have been taking them for the last few days now. I must admit, it means I can eat a rubbish diet now and again without feeling too guilty, because the statins will do their stuff overnight to eliminate cholesterol. Watch this space. Another blood test in two months to see what progress the statins have made.

10 comments:

laurie said...

while i can empathize and understand why you don't feel like watching your diet when you're watching every last other thing in your entire life, dear, please don't think that statins alone will do the job or that you can eat rubbish now that you're on medication.

not true.

statins will help. but try to be at least somewhat reasonable about what you eat. drugs alone are never enough, i'm sorry to say....

DD's Diary said...

Sorry to hear you're having to take the statins, hope they do the job and you can sneak in the odd chocolate peanut now and again x

DogLover said...

I think the occasional indiscretion is all right, but I also think that what Laurie says is correct. If you eat sensibly, the statins will pull your cholsterol levels down again.

But you are a great disappointment to me! I have been on statins for a while and my doctor says they are responsible for the poor blood circulation in my hands. So I was hoping that you had the magic diet that would enable me to follow you and come off them! Now, I fear, I shall be on them for the rest of my life - it's a cold day today and don't my fingers know it!

Sorrowfully, doglover!

Millennium Housewife said...

you deserve oodles of awards you great wally! Congrats on them and hope the statins do their job..

ADDY said...

Laurie - i know. I shall be careful, but it just made me feel temporarily that I culd pig out for a day without feeling too guilty.

Dulwich Divorcee - you bet. I shall have a secret store of them!!

Doglover. My problem is sticking to the diet. It works, if I keep to it, but because I am comfort-eating these days, the diet tends to go out of the window. I must be stricter with myself and go back to the porridge and more fruit than I am already eating! Sorry you are still having problems with circulation.

ADDY said...

MH - gee thanks. (Blush)

Saz said...

Well my dear, l think this must come to most of us...I went to doc in January to try again some hrt as the heats and symtoms were getting the better of me, I have since been on pills for depression, high bloodpressure, low bloodpressure, giddiness, have had spinal xprays, osteo scans and pelvic scan, blood tests, cholestin tests and glucose tests, etc ect...no hrt in sigt and lve shrnk 2 inches due to the osteo arth' in my lower spine and slight curveture....and l'm healthy...go figure!!! I think stress is the cause of the general malaise though...so some cbt classes are prescribed too...care to join me Ros!?

btw I think you may be in London, unless l misunderstand...do you know of any clean B&B's l can lay my head fairly centrally, 2 nights next week??

Anonymous said...

Hi Rosiero,

I hope the statins do their job and you have lower levels in two months time. If they allow you some comfort eating then all the better. Given what you have to put up with it would be a shame for your one outlet to be blocked and I can understand how with the time consuming and stressful role as carer a diet is hard to keep to- and the fact it doesn't taste so great.

Take care

Nechtan

Flowerpot said...

good luckwith the statins - at least you have a Plan B in the diet if they don't agree with you. I hate porridge, too!

Rebel Mother said...

Cant believe I'm so far behind with your posts!

You totally deserve that award because your blog is such a riveting read and you are an angel!

Good luck with the statins.

One half of my family went with alchol and liver problems and the other half heart attacks, stokes!

What a delightful choice!!!

Balls to the stats on that! I'll go when I'm good and bloody ready.

At least, you maybe able to enjoy the Christmas feast! Yummy, yummy, in my tummy!

Ok, Id better go now....rambling!

Much love RMxx