Health update

[lnr]

Sprained/chipped ankle: sufficiently better that most of the time I don't even remember I did it any more. Even when doing things like attempting to scale a climbing wall. Success.

Hyperparathyroidism/hypercalcaemia: Have appointment to see surgeon on 28th, at which point they'll make an appointment to actually have the operation and take my overactive parathyroid out. Relatively minor day surgery, will need to take calcium/vitamin D supplements for a while afterwards until the other three glands reset to normal operation.

Kidney stone: This is almost certainly caused by the excess calcium in my urine because of the above. CT scan results are in and I have a 4mm stone in my left kidney. At this size it's 50/50 whether it's worth treating, but since I have symptoms (pain again this Tuesday, and I can still sort of feel it now) the GP has referred me to have it broken up using external ultrasound. No idea how long this referral will take. In the meantime I still have enough diclofenac left to deal with the pain.

Metabolic Syndrome: Having lost some weight I've discussed this with my GP. Since I have a strong family history of diabetes it's very likely that even if I lose more weight I'm still going to get diabetes later. He'd rather I continued to take the Metformin and statins, since apparently they can have a protective effect and will hopefully delay its onset. I'm not terribly happy with this, but will review in maybe 6-8 months time, at which point I'll ask them to re-do all the sugar/cholesterol level tests too. This does mean I still can't drink.

Weight loss: 13kg so far to 97kg, which is over 10% of my weight and more than 5 BMI points. I expect to reach 90kg (around BMI 31.5, and my next target) by mid-September. I need to reach 85kg to no longer be classed as obese. Still following Slimming World online, still trying not to go on about it.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Seems like things are slowly getting better :)

[lnr]

Well, apart from actually losing weight (and the ankle) they're mostly staying the same but slowly beginning to promise to get better at some point in the not too distant future. Which is at least progress :)

[rmc28]

I'm seriously impressed with your weight loss, I know it requires a lot of effort and concentration (and this is why I haven't lost weight in two years ;)

[lnr]

Oh if I look at the long term graph I can see that this time is much like first time round: something (this time being shown it's actually (maybe) making me (potentially) ill) has given me some serious determination, and I don't think you (well, me anyway) can do it without that. I've tried many times inbetween and made no more than a minor dent, if that, before relapsing.

[monkeyhands.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad everything is slowly improving.

[lnr]

Thanks!

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the weight loss. How are you coping with the Metformin? I've just been put on it.

[lnr]

Thanks.

As for the Metformin: definitely dodgy guts for the first week and a half, and since then if I forget one and also only have a very light meal with the one before or the one after then I find I get a brief bout of very rapid soft bowel movements again. Not fun, so I recommend remembering them better than me :) (I think I forgot 10 in the space of 16 weeks).

Apart from that I've not noticed it making me feel any different. And since I'm also on Cerazette which stops my periods I can't tell if it's having any effect on my fertility.

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Side effects not too bad so far. A good excuse to have medicinal yoghurt/minty things.