Funny, I thought the bypass pain was fairly moderate. Maybe about the level of gout.
My shoulder and ribs the year before was a bit more intense.

and then there are kidney stones. The undisputed champion.
I make a point of drinking lemonade once or twice a week to keep those little bahstahds dissolved.

 

I had my cardiologist appt Thursday.
My cholesterol was a bit higher (299) but at least it was under 300.
She was kind of on me about making sure I keep taking my meds.
I've seen the movie so many times, new med, great results for 3-4 months and then it goes back up again.
My body simply has a broken cholesterol level control, a bad thermostat cholesterstat. Not my fault it's simply genetics. ( familial hyoerlipoprotienemia Type IIa)
When drugs are introduced, it can trick my body for a little while but not for very long and my body adjusts.
Diet isn't relevant, if I don't eat it, my body will make it. I
I'm not sure what reaction she was expecting. I've dealt with this for 51 years since my Dad died of a massive Myocardial Infarction.
I've gotten rather used to the gun against my head and I don't get real excited about it anymore.
But she was acting like I wasn't taking it seriously.

I don't think that there is a cholesterol drug on the market that I have not at least tried. Almost all have had obnoxious side effects.
I was one of my prior doctors case studies.

I just went looking for my old doctor's published works and found this.
https://www.umassmed.edu/medicine/ab...a-s.-ockene-md
I'm bumming. He was a brilliant guy who simply cared about people.

 

My father passed away with ALS, he was diagnosed in his later years - 65 (survived 2 years after that). Every time I get an ache or pain or certain ailment it makes me "wonder", as I head towards 60. I don't know if my father had genetic ALS or if it was caused by environmental variables (he was around agricultural pesticides for many years), or spinal chord deterioration/injury ( he performed tremendous amounts of physical work his entire life).

I spoke to a lady the other day and she told me that her friend was planning to end her life the next day as she was suffering from end-stage ALS. I told her that my father passed away with ALS. She asked me if I would ever be tested for ALS and if I wanted to know if I was susceptible to getting it. I told her that I would rather not know, so no testing planned. She told me that her friend first started with something like carpal-tunnel symptoms. I told her that I have carpal tunnel symptoms , I thought it was a good time to end the discussion at that point.

 

I am sure your doctor meant well but she could have been more understanding in expressing her concern. Who cares more about one's health than the actual patient?
I think it is more important to empathize with the patient and share the helpless frustration than presuming patient is not taking the situation seriously as there is no magic pill.

 

She is actually a nice doctor with a PhD so a doctor doctor. Also an assistant professor.
Perhaps she was channelling her own frustration.
There are simply very limited options open at the moment for me, so not a lot of levers to pull.
Throw in associated conditions like peripheral neuropathy which makes exercise more challenging and a treatment plan is very constrained.

 

Aches and pains postings have never seemed to make it here lately, but that's ok.

I will add my latest, though I have posted about this on Facebook and I realize only a few of you are on there (Lainey, Patty, JerryMA)

I had my left knee replacement done on July 23, 2024, and it seemed to be healing fine. EXCEPT, I have tripped and fallen at least 3 times in 2024, with all of the falls landing dead on my left knee. Subsequently, the progression of healing has taken a backward turn. Finally. I saw my surgeon last week and through the x- rays, he has determined that some scar tissue in my knee, which may or may not have been caused be the falls, has shifted my kneecap to where the pain is real. Therefore, it's back to the operating room on August 20 for what he says will be a minor operation.

Here's a pic of the x-ray, showing the obvious displacement of the kneecap. (It's the one on the right, my left knee)




To top it off, August 20 is Bea's birthday.

 

Ouch! Please stop falling on that knee!!

 

That looks most uncomfortable Gene. Good luck!

 

Gene, I hope the new minor surgery fixes everything. That would be a good birthday present for Bea.

 

You're all hypochondriacs!*

* I.m one.