Monday, October 31, 2011

Bloodwork back....

Got my bloodwork results last night from a voicemail from Dr. N.
On a positive note, I'm apparently undetectable since she said everything looked fine and she didn't mention my thryoglobulin--so yay?!  Vitamin levels, TSH level and insulin all were "fine".  Even my overall cholesterol came down from 228 to 197, and my triglycerides dropped significantly as well.  My HDL and LDL are still just on the north side of the border and seem to be stuck there despite my working out and watching my diet.  Should all be good, right?

No, something called a cardiac reactive protein, or C-reactive protein, is elevated.  I don't know how much since she didn't give me the number, but she was a little worried from the tone of her voice.  It seems that if this protein is elevated, it can indicate future problems with cardiovascular disease.  She wants to put me on a statin drug to see if it will lower the levels of inflammation;  she said it wasn't common practice, but that there is study out there showing some positive results in women.

Sigh.

I've read somewhere about higher levels of inflammation after radiation and cancer treatment, but I don't know anything about how to reduce the inflammation.  I have some research to do. Sis said she read somewhere that drinking aloe vera juice is recommended for cancer patients, but that just sounds gross to me.  Of course I've never tried it, so I shouldn't jump to conclusions here.  I'm not crazy about adding another drug to my routine==so far, I take levoxyl for my missing thyroid, something that begins with an L for high blood pressure, estrogen/progesterin to combat menopause symptoms, a daily vitamin, fish oil capsules and calcium chews.  I think that's plenty for someone my age. Is this part of the RAI aftermath?

I guess all my exercising is helping, but just knowing that there is something lurking in my heart that I can't control yet is a little freaky to me.  This just proves that I really do come from a lousy gene pool.
Off to do some research so I can ask Dr. N questions.

I am happy about the undetectable though....

1 comment:

  1. Sorry to hear about the elevated level, having to do with your heart. That is good news though about the other levels!!! Don't you just hate that, just when one thing gets better something else decides to go wacky!

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