Medical info overload causing angst

[John Galt]

There is a great thread right now that involves a few members discussing their experiences with blood glucose monitors and tracking. I binged on the entire 192 (and counting) replies. Great insight on the technology and how it interacts with the smart phones and iPads we use. I was going to post this inside that thread but feared it would derail the wonderful back and forth going on so here it is as a separate topic.

A year and a half ago I returned from almost 4 weeks in Florida (where we ate out every night and had big breakfasts every morning) the day before my appointment with a new doctor for my first visit with him combined with my yearly physical. I had fasted since 6pm the day before and they did a blood draw and pee tests. I was probably at my heaviest at around 237 because of the eating and lack of any real physical activity. A week later I returned for the blood test results and the doctor pulls out the blue pad and says my cholesterol is high at around 240 and he wants to put me on a statin. I took no medications and politely declined the script and said what can I do to get my cholesterol down. He said diet and exercise and I said I’ll do that. He smiled and said everyone says that and it usually does not work. I promised to return in 6 months for a follow up blood test.

I went home and mail ordered an Apple Watch Ultra II which arrived the next day. I was aware of the health app on my iPhone but never checked it on a regular basis. The Apple Watch Ultra changed that immediately and within a week I’m signed up for an hiking app called AllTrails, hiking in the woods, counting towards 10,000 steps every day, monitoring something I’d never heard of called a VO2max score, tracking my hours of sleep and sleep score, tracking my step length and breathing rate plus heart bpm while walking trying to stay in something called “zone 2” and all other health results available to me. I’m doing the watch EKG test once a week or more and when blood oxygen becomes an available health test I am all in on that too.

Six month later I’m back to the dr at 208 pounds and my cholesterol is 202 .... No Statin. Yea.

I should be thrilled with the test results (I am) but now I’m developing a health tracking compulsion that is leading me new health issues like excessive worry and angst. It seems I’m healthier but mentally I am exhausted and in a constant state of health anxiety.

The availability of a continuous blood glucose monitoring intrigues me but I’m resisting going down into that rabbit hole since my fasting Glucose is around 95 which I thought was good but after reading the mentioned post I am not sure about that anymore. More to worry about!

My blood pressure is normally low, last reading from a week ago in the doctor office by a nurse was 108/71. That after I had just climbed three flights of stairs to get to the doctors office, bypassing the elevator as I normally do. It is rather common for both pressure numbers to be below 100, been that way my whole 68 years. Every new dr I have seen responds to my BP reading asking if I’m on anything (I’m not) and if I’m an athlete. I say look at me and we both have a good laugh on that. They all say lower is better and be thankful. I have read that my resting BP is on the low side but don’t want to add that to my growing list of health metrics to monitor/worry over. It’s the Mrs Galt’s role to elevate my BP and she is just not very good at that I guess.

I am trying to back off and find the sweet spot for health monitoring. Enough info so something doesn’t develop and wallop me, but not so much info that monitoring causes its own set of health issues. Anyone out there facing this same conundrum and how are you managing it?

 

[Leo99]

Do you get dizzy with such low BP? I can pretty much tell my BP without a monitor based on how I'm feeling. If I'm dizzy, it's below 110/70, if I feel find, it's about 120/85, if I feel on edge, it's 140/95. My BP goes up from Thanksgiving to New Years. It will settle back down in January. My heartrate measured at 53 bpm last week. I'm no athlete. That's a bit low so I'm keeping an eye on that. A friend of mine was dropping to 43 bpm overnight and had to get a pacemaker.

I should exercise more to watch my blood sugar. I'm prediabetic for the past 30 years.

My in-laws are 86 in fair health and they don't care or worry. They know next to nothing about their health issues and don't want to know. I watch my father in laws continuous EKG results and he throws PVCs and Afibs every minute. His kidney bloodwork has just about every test out of range. His cardiologist tells him he's going great to keep his mood up, so if you ask him about his heart or kidneys, he'll say he's doing great! So, he's the opposite of you. He does what the doctor tells him and the rest is in the good Lord's hands.

 

[Patman]

My blood pressure when I wake up from a nap is usually very low, I’ve seen it as low as 90/60, but it’s typically 95/65 after a nap. If I check it in the morning when I first wake up though, it’s usually around 110/70 and that’s where it’s usually at for most of the day. I never feel dizzy or anything odd when it’s at the lower readings though so I’m not overly concerned but I will mention it to my doctor when I see him in the next few weeks. I only recently got my own blood pressure monitor a few weeks ago so I’m not sure how things were before that point.

 

[Leo99]

My blood pressure when I wake up from a nap is usually very low, I’ve seen it as low as 90/60, but it’s typically 95/65 after a nap. If I check it in the morning when I first wake up though, it’s usually around 110/70 and that’s where it’s usually at for most of the day. I never feel dizzy or anything odd when it’s at the lower readings though so I’m not overly concerned but I will mention it to my doctor when I see him in the next few weeks. I only recently got my own blood pressure monitor a few weeks ago so I’m not sure how things were before that point.

My dr doesn't care that my BP gets down to 90/60 from a medical perspective, he only cares that I might get dizzy and fall. If I eat well, have low stress, exercise, and take my meds, my BP can down that low and cause dizziness. My doc says eat a little salt or gatorade if necessary to bring it back up a bit

 

[ecotourist]

I am trying to back off and find the sweet spot for health monitoring. Enough info so something doesn’t develop and wallop me, but not so much info that monitoring causes its own set of health issues. Anyone out there facing this same conundrum and how are you managing it?

I'm a retired physician. I have a family doctor. She refers me to specialists as required, I do what I'm told and let them worry about my health.

By the way, losing weight isn't easy but keeping the weight off is even harder. The usual outcome is putting the weight back on and then gaining a bit more for good measure.

 

[Passport1]

"It seems I’m healthier but mentally I am exhausted and in a constant state of health anxiety."


You might be creating an unhealthy self-fulfilling prophecy.

an ouroboros can be helpful or destructive;

Remember what Ayn Rand said, 'Worry is a waste of emotional reserve'.

 

[John Galt]

This keeping the weight off was a real obstacle for me this last 6 months due to reduced activity.

I developed a hemorrhoid this past May out of nowhere that resulted in a visit to the ER after my dr took a look at it (after stupidly waiting three days for it to “go away”, it only got bigger) which resulted in an opioid shot and emergency surgery and then two weeks recovery. During the procedure recovery the doctor saw me lying flat on the recovery table and noticed my abdomen was pushed out like I was hiding half a grapefruit under my skin about 4 inches above my navel. Follow up appointment in July for that.

Feeling good in June I bought two 12000 BTU window AC units and humped them into my car and then up to my daughters condo in the city and up two long flights of stairs, twice actually, one unit was defective out of the box but found out only after I had installed it so back out it comes, into the box, down the stairs and back to Costco for a different one and repeat the process a week later.

The follow up visit for the grapefruit bulge results in an CT scan and ultrasound that lead to findings of three abdominal hernias and something called Diastisis recti which means that my “six pack” abdominal muscles have separated from each other. More like I’ve got a keg there instead of a six pack. What should have been about 1cm spacing between the muscles was up to 6 cm apart in my case. Dr surgeon said only surgery will repair the three hernias and sewing back together the six muscles using mesh and internal sutures was the only permanent fix for the diastas recti situation. Surgery instead of arthroscopic repair, it now involves a 10 inch incision down the front of my belly from the breast bone below the navel and then outward on the two flaps. Picture gutting a fish. Surgery was set for last week of August and I go through the gamut of preoperative tests but my 95 year old MIL dies two days before the surgery date and that ends that. But I can see all the test results on MyChart application feeding my medical info angst.

I had to go through the same preoperative tests again (all test results shown on MyChart again) with the surgery done on November 21 which I’m still recovering from, wearing a tight fitting corset like garment 24/7 so my belly reattaches correctly to the abdomen walls. My navel was a casualty of the surgery, pulling the muscles back together resulted in about 6 inch of excess skin which was left behind along with my belly button. I came out of the surgery a couple days later at 240 pounds and with something called an Illeus meaning my GI tract shutdown caused by my reaction to the anesthesia and the two opioid pills I took for pain. Back to the hospital for three days to resolve the illius (I’ll spare those details) and now I’m home at 215pounds with a swollen belly that is slowly reducing.

Slow and steady was advised with no straining or excessive exercise until the follow up in January. No lifting over 10 pounds preferably no lifting at all he says. I’m trying to keep the weight under control but resting and snowy sidewalks are limiting my exercise options.

BTW this was done on Medicare using my Aetna advantage plan. My total out of pocket was $1310 and another $10 to fill the prescription. They ( Aetna) wanted to send me meals and a home visiting nurse which was included in the plan but I declined all that. Based on this real use experience went and rejoined an Aetna Advantage PPO plan. The exact plan I have in 2025 was not available so I chose the closest Aetna plan offered for 2026. My prescription drug needs are minimal, about $24 per year if I go to my preferred brick and mortar pharmacy or zero if I do CVS or mail order.

 

[alarmguy]

@John Galt
I think if you are creating stress over your health monitoring you should stop. Stress is high up on the list of bad things for you.
You pose a tough question but I think one that can only be answered by the individual.
I use all the devices and information that I can to address family history issues and to learn about staying heathy as well as directly addressing head on factual concerns about my health.

However all the above does not create stress for me. I love all this learning, devices etc. They help me achieve my goals. Fact - first time in my life my blood glucose has shot up like a rocket after medical treatments this year. With a family history (brother and father) that reads like a train wreck, I have avoided my whole life by not doing what they did. Now I was faced with the possibility of heading into pre diabetes territory. So head on I am facing it, as a goal. The CGM to me makes this fun, not at all stressful, actually it removes stress for me. I dont have to wonder blood test to blood test how I am doing in addressing the issue, I get to see it right away! I get to work on a problem I have developing regarding my health and the instrumentation to correct it. I love this stuff.

The Apple Watch enabled me to be proactive a few years back with heart PVCs, it sped up the process which ultimately ended up with a cardiac ablation. 7 hours in the hospital with wires run up through my groin, up to my heart the electrophysiologist burned the short circuit that corrected the short circuit. Think of it like a cracked spark plug wire. The spark was taking a different pathway. It was fascinating. All done, heart in PERFECT shape, no damage, caught early.

Anyway, all this stuff, to me, is the same as stepping on the bathroom scale every morning. It helps me stay in control of whatever I am setting as a goal. Same with my home BP machine. Im proud of my BP. I get compliments at times in the doctors office.
I to like others can tell when its in the very low 100s. Typically when I weight less than I do now. If I get up, like off the floor quickly I can feel a slight lightheaded feeling. Right now, being overweight that isnt happening But I am still 119/80 ... I can get down to 103 ish when I lose weight.

My train wreck family history as mentioned also included them with quad heart bypassed, control boxes in their chests built in AED, multiple stents, I have none if that and the test results to prove it to myself. DO I have arterial disease? yes but its held at such as low level there is no intervention needed. I am now 30+ years later in life that my dad and brother started needed intervention. My brother almost used to make fun of me in the things I didnt want to eat.

Anyway, I think this says it best. I use all the devices as a hobby almost, stress free to verify to myself the progress I make to be more healthy. Even the new apple sleep stats are amazing to me (and my wife) sleep so important and something I dont always do well, however I am greatly improving and its cool to see stats to back it up.

Playing pickleball. My cardiologist is 100% with me to run my heart rate up to 155 or so, even peak higher but 130 to 140 is fine to stay healthy. SO I take pride as a goal, when I start a series of games, I tell my Apple Watch Pickleball workout. It records my heart rate, now my blood sugar from the Stelo app and steps I take. Very cool that during pickleball I am meeting the healthy workout by getting my heart rate to peak in the 150s.

Ok, if you read all the posts then you know mine are always long *LOL* so will end this now. To put another way, I use all this stuff, like an athlete may watch his running track times, or a ski/snow border watching their stats. I swear I dont stress. Then there is a sibling of mine who wants nothing to do with this and honestly sounds a little like your post when he talks to me, he gets far to stressed out and for some reason he thinks I do. He really is in bad shape now and it's all too late for him. He jsut doesn't want to hear it. I have to remind him I love all kinds of instruments to not only know what is going on in my body, but also my home (air quality) oil temperature of the oil in my Harley etc etc

@John Galt
PS!! Just read your second post!!! Best wishes for a complete recovery!!!! .... and yes, after 3 years in Advantage plans (2 years with UHC, then 2024 with Aetna), then 2025 in a Medigap Plan N and Plan D for 2026 I am back in an Advantage Plan for 2026 with Humana. I have NEVER had an issue or delay with Advantage plans either nor will I ever.

 

[Patman]

My dr doesn't care that my BP gets down to 90/60 from a medical perspective, he only cares that I might get dizzy and fall. If I eat well, have low stress, exercise, and take my meds, my BP can down that low and cause dizziness. My doc says eat a little salt or gatorade if necessary to bring it back up a bit

I’m worried that when I’m fast asleep and can’t check my BP that it actually might dip down below 90/60, then I can’t have some salt to bring it up. I just got in the door from running around and immediately checked it without any rest and it was exactly 120/80.

 

[Pablo]

Funny just this AM I had similar thoughts and I even posted part of that.

I will continue on a LC diet, but need to back off the fats, and just stick with ^ protein. I stopped dropping weight and actually went up a little. Nope!

I got so many rabbit holes going...........including those questioning the readings of my CGM. My interstitial readings definitely lag my blood (finger stick)

I am gonna stop being impatient and looking for quick "cures".

Eat healthy, exercise a lot more. That's it.

 

[John Galt]

I found it fascinating that just the other day the Apple health app showed a warning to me that there has been a significant change in my breathing pattern. It noted that my breaths per minute average is well up for the last three weeks, since 11/25 and the air intake for those breaths was below my average for the last year and especially since 11/25. The warning lead me to an unknown trend plot inside the health app where my breaths per minute and the air intake are plotted.

The apple breath data matches up perfectly with my November surgery date, normal breathing up to the day of my surgery, no data for the days while I’m in the hospital and then more rapid breathing but shallower intake starting on the day that I was required to wear this corset like device. This is no belly band, it starts just above my knees and extends up my torso to just below my chest, and it is tight! Breathing with it on is difficult. Taken off me when I shower it looks sized for a child.

I complained to the surgeon about all that and he said if I had not complained about it being too restrictive he would have ordered me a smaller size. I wear this torture thing 24/7 until at least the first week of January. It does make even regular walking around Costco with the wife into a gasping for breath event, people glance my way.

 

[alarmguy]

Funny just this AM I had similar thoughts and I even posted part of that.

I will continue on a LC diet, but need to back off the fats, and just stick with ^ protein. I stopped dropping weight and actually went up a little. Nope!

I got so many rabbit holes going...........including those questioning the readings of my CGM. My interstitial readings definitely lag my blood (finger stick)

I am gonna stop being impatient and looking for quick "cures".

Eat healthy, exercise a lot more. That's it.

It’s important to know that blood sugar readings from the three different sources will always vary.

Veins on a blood draw, capillaries on a finger draw and now CGM tissue sampling. No three sources will give the same number. Numbers can even vary depending on which finger you decide to prick.

If you do a search, there’s a lot written on the subject. So anyway, you can’t compare blood sugar readings between your veins and your finger capillaries the same goes for a CGM.

https://www.ihealthunifiedcare.com/articles/why-doesnt-my-cgm-reading-match-my-fingerstick

 

[Pablo]

Kinda the point. Not going to search for anything for awhile.

Slight burnout

Thanks

 

[alarmguy]

Here is the three key differences for measuring blood glucose.
https://www.levels.com/blog/why-doesnt-my-cgm-reading-match-my-finger-stick-reading

 

[CleanSump]

I'm a retired physician. I have a family doctor. She refers me to specialists as required, I do what I'm told and let them worry about my health.

By the way, losing weight isn't easy but keeping the weight off is even harder. The usual outcome is putting the weight back on and then gaining a bit more for good measure.

We have a physician giving his advice and yet, everyone continues to come up with their own solutions.
Maybe everyone should put a quart of ATF or Diesel Fuel in their veins for a flush and switch to the blood of the month.

 

[User_19876]

Six month later I’m back to the dr at 208 pounds and my cholesterol is 202 .... No Statin. Yea.

What were your LDL and apo-B numbers?

 

[Donald]

There is a great thread right now that involves a few members discussing their experiences with blood glucose monitors and tracking. I binged on the entire 192 (and counting) replies. Great insight on the technology and how it interacts with the smart phones and iPads we use. I was going to post this inside that thread but feared it would derail the wonderful back and forth going on so here it is as a separate topic.

A year and a half ago I returned from almost 4 weeks in Florida (where we ate out every night and had big breakfasts every morning) the day before my appointment with a new doctor for my first visit with him combined with my yearly physical. I had fasted since 6pm the day before and they did a blood draw and pee tests. I was probably at my heaviest at around 237 because of the eating and lack of any real physical activity. A week later I returned for the blood test results and the doctor pulls out the blue pad and says my cholesterol is high at around 240 and he wants to put me on a statin. I took no medications and politely declined the script and said what can I do to get my cholesterol down. He said diet and exercise and I said I’ll do that. He smiled and said everyone says that and it usually does not work. I promised to return in 6 months for a follow up blood test.

I went home and mail ordered an Apple Watch Ultra II which arrived the next day. I was aware of the health app on my iPhone but never checked it on a regular basis. The Apple Watch Ultra changed that immediately and within a week I’m signed up for an hiking app called AllTrails, hiking in the woods, counting towards 10,000 steps every day, monitoring something I’d never heard of called a VO2max score, tracking my hours of sleep and sleep score, tracking my step length and breathing rate plus heart bpm while walking trying to stay in something called “zone 2” and all other health results available to me. I’m doing the watch EKG test once a week or more and when blood oxygen becomes an available health test I am all in on that too.

Six month later I’m back to the dr at 208 pounds and my cholesterol is 202 .... No Statin. Yea.

I should be thrilled with the test results (I am) but now I’m developing a health tracking compulsion that is leading me new health issues like excessive worry and angst. It seems I’m healthier but mentally I am exhausted and in a constant state of health anxiety.

The availability of a continuous blood glucose monitoring intrigues me but I’m resisting going down into that rabbit hole since my fasting Glucose is around 95 which I thought was good but after reading the mentioned post I am not sure about that anymore. More to worry about!

My blood pressure is normally low, last reading from a week ago in the doctor office by a nurse was 108/71. That after I had just climbed three flights of stairs to get to the doctors office, bypassing the elevator as I normally do. It is rather common for both pressure numbers to be below 100, been that way my whole 68 years. Every new dr I have seen responds to my BP reading asking if I’m on anything (I’m not) and if I’m an athlete. I say look at me and we both have a good laugh on that. They all say lower is better and be thankful. I have read that my resting BP is on the low side but don’t want to add that to my growing list of health metrics to monitor/worry over. It’s the Mrs Galt’s role to elevate my BP and she is just not very good at that I guess.

I am trying to back off and find the sweet spot for health monitoring. Enough info so something doesn’t develop and wallop me, but not so much info that monitoring causes its own set of health issues. Anyone out there facing this same conundrum and how are you managing it?

For almost everyone there are no side effects from a statin.

Forget about total cholesterol. Forget about just LDL number by itself.

Divide your triglycerides by HDL. What is the ratio?

Get BMI your at 25 or less. If older than 60 get a cardiologist.

Get a CAC and have Lp(a) checked. I would also get insulin level checked.

 

[Number_35]

For almost everyone there are no side effects from a statin.

Forget about total cholesterol. Forget about just LDL number by itself.

Divide your triglycerides by HDL. What is the ratio?

Get BMI at 25 or better. If > 60 get a cardiologist.

Get a CAC and have Lp(a) checked. I would also get insulin level checked.

For amusement purposes, I went to the NIH's online BMI calculator and entered increasingly weights until I achieved a BMI of 60.

I will have to overdo it a bit over the holidays to hit 430 lbs (and a BMI of 60).

I did have a supervisor in the 1980s who probably weighed at least that much and likely more.

 

[Donald]

For amusement purposes, I went to the NIH's online BMI calculator and entered increasingly weights until I achieved a BMI of 60.

I will have to overdo it a bit over the holidays to hit 430 lbs (and a BMI of 60).

I did have a supervisor in the 1980s who probably weighed at least that much and likely more.

I meant an age of 60. Not BMI.

And BMI of 25 or better meaning 25 or less.

 

[Number_35]

I meant an age of 60. Not BMI.

And BMI of 25 or better meaning 25 or less.

Thanks for the clarification, I took it as BMI of 60. Not impossible, but hopefully rare, and of course one would need medical help long before that.

During her career, my wife saw several people (always men) with so much fat in their blood that their blood was pink!