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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

The woes of getting older....

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In a few days I will be celebrating another year of life.....46 of them exactly!! At one point I was pretty rattled by that number as it is closer to 50 than I wanted to be. But something happened. Somewhere along the way I started to become comfortable in my own skin. I believe it occurred when I decided that being a couch potato just didn't work for me. I'm now more conscious about what I put in my body and making time for my health appointments. For the longest time I've been a MOM..and mom's don't worry about themselves. Moms only go to the doctor when they've been sick for 18 days and finally surrender to the war going on within their bodies. I was that MOM. I no longer subscribe to that definition of a mom. I'm me, a woman, daughter, wife, mom, friend, and someone who deserves to take care of herself.

 So......today I had a stress test. I've noticed that when I'm running that my heart rate gets a tad too high. I mentioned it to my chiropractor and he didn't want to worry me, but he was concerned that it might be stress on the heart instead of being an aerobic workout. After that appointment I took his concern seriously and made sure to bring my runs back down to a slower speed when my HR got too high. My dad had a heart attack when he was 44 and his dad when he was 45...heart disease is in my genes. Honestly, I was a little scared. And then I read an article about a runner who was 45 and died during a 5K. That sealed the deal for me. I made an appointment with my physician and they got the ball rolling with the blood work and stress test.

I have to wait for about a week for my results from the stress test, but I'm feeling pretty good about the outcome. I was able to log in to my health account today and looked over my blood work. And of course, I had to call my mother to give her the numbers so that she could confirm and reassure herself and my dad that I was (knock on wood) going to be okay. My cholesterol numbers are pretty good--
Triglycerides 68, HDL 64, LDL 114 (I'm working to bring that below 100). I feel that my heart is in pretty good shape. In fact, I think I'm in good shape.

However, even though I have (some) faith in doctors, I still think something is off. Not once did any of the doctors ask me if I could possibly be going through menopause. I firmly believe that I am either in peri-menopause or the beginning stages of menopause. I think that my estrogen levels are out-of-whack...because I've been experiencing anxiety, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, hair loss, heat flashes...and of course, my doctor says my thyroid is just fine. I think I will have to be my own doctor for right now and try to find a better doctor.  A doctor who looks me in the eyes and is listening to me. I'm sure there is one out there!


17 comments:

  1. Take care of yourself and keep pushing for answers. I am in menopause and have the beginnings of thyroid disease and it is not fun!

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  2. I am glad you got the stress test just to be safe. I am that mom you described, walking on broken bones before heading to urgent care months later because the leg still hurts, or dealing with a sinus infection for 6 months before seeing a doc. I don't know. I just hate going to the doc since I go so much already for the lupus and with two kids I feel like I always have an appt.

    Keep us posted on the results of your test.

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  3. Oh, yes, you want to find a doctor who listens to you! Those symptoms sound very familiar, like the ones I had just before the onset of menopause.

    But we can't diagnose ourselves...nor should we automatically believe a doctor who doesn't listen.

    They are hard to find, but they are out there.

    Good luck, and enjoy your upcoming birthday. Ah, to be so young again...LOL.

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  4. keep looking for that doctor. My doctor missed diabetes--my foot doctor caught it. That's when I went looking for a new doctor.

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  5. Keep looking for the right doctor. Once I bring my weight down a little more, I'm going to switch doctors. My current doctor wants me to keep the pharmacy in busy. So many pills!

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  6. Glad you listened to your body and had the test. Please let us know the results. We'll worry, ya know. BTW, "anxiety, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, hair loss, heat flashes" are pretty much exactly what I had when I was in perimenopause. It's been 3 years now since my last period and all that remains is those damned hot flashes. :)

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  7. Happy early birthday my friend! I just turned 43 and I can tell you ... I don't like that # either! LOL!!!

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  8. Good for you for taking your health seriously! I am working on focusing that as well although I hate going to the doctor so I admit that I avoid it at times :) Happy early birthday!! I hope you have a great one!!

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  9. Yes! I totally agree that you need to see another doctor. It's a sad fact that far too many physicians don't really listen to our concerns. Case in point, my husband had pains in his side. His doctor said it was his gall bladder, but I pushed my husband to see a different doctor. Turns out he had an aorta aneurysm!

    Please keep us updated, my friend. Wishing you a happy and healthy birthday!

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  10. We're the same age...I'm far from menopausing but some women start in their forties.

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  11. Well if you feel you need another opinion, do it! I am a big proponent of that. You have to be your own health advocate! You are in great shape for 46!

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  12. Yes, find a doctor that will listen to you, listen to your symptoms and not look at test results. I have been struggling with some issues too, and the tests are "normal", but I am not yet. Have a fantastic birthday!

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  13. Good for you! I am still in the MOM phase and have no time for my own health. I hope that changes soon because I know it's important but I cannot do it now. Like your dad, mine had a HA young, 37, and it's scary.
    And, not to hijack the post, but only because we've mentioned it in passing, is why I am 100% FOR parental choice. Currently, no doc knows my kid like me and that it why it is so important. I hope you (and Gage :)) find the answers you're looking for! The fact that I need to start thinking about menopause at this point in my life is terrifying! Better you than me ;)

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  14. You're in great shape my friend and being pro-active about your health. You know your body better than anybody else so find a Doctor who listens to you and don't be afraid to ask for referrals to specialists. My GP kept fobbing me off, seeing him with all the symptoms you mentioned because even though I'd had a hysterectomy I still had my ovaries. Seeing a Dr that actually listened to me and then tested accordingly, it turned out that my ovaries had given up the ghost and I was in menopause lol. Now I see an endocrinologist.
    I've got my fingers crossed that your stress test is all good news, take care xx

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  15. Happy Birthday! And take care of yourself. And get a second opinion if you feel that in your gut. And..... well, you go girl!
    xoxox

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  16. Oh, hell, yes - you have all of the symptoms of menopause, or peri-menopause. I wonder if doctors are as afraid to say that as husbands are to say "it must be that time of the month." I'd definitely find a doctor who will check your hormone levels.

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  17. Staci, I just wanted to say "HELLO!!" to you. I've come back to blogging after a long time away and have a new blog. Wanted to invite you to visit if you get a chance. No longer 'My Random Acts of Reading' but now 'kay's reading life'. It's so nice to see you posting a big again. Always enjoyed anything you had to say. And good for you in taking such good care of yourself by running, eating better, all those good things. Honestly, I think that menopause hits most women in such a unique way. I would definitely pursue a hormone check. It's amazing how out of whack we can get when those levels are messed up. Again, hello, nice to see you. So happy to reconnect.

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