The Good News and the Not So Good News
Well. I guess it could have been worse.
The trip to the doctor today didn’t go quite as well as I would have liked, but it wasn’t a horrifying disaster either.
Six weeks ago my LDL was at 138. Today it was a 123. The doctor was pleased and said that 15 pts was an excellent reduction for someone who wasn’t taking any medication to lower it, but that it wasn’t low enough. According to the American Health Association, a healthy level of LDL is anything under 100, however, I have a history of stroke and heart disease in my family and, as such, he wants to see my number under 70. He doesn’t seem to think that this kind of reduction is possible without medication.
Even though I was relieved to see that it had gone down, this wasn’t the news I was hoping for.
And so, after a long discussion, I was given a prescription for Crestor. The truth is, I don’t want to take it… but I feel like I may not have much of a choice. My recent echo cardiogram was basically clean except for “minor buildup” of plaque in one artery. My doctor says this, as it stands, is nothing to be concerned about, but that, especially due to my family history, is something that cannot be allowed to get worse. And that means medication. My husband was in the room with me at the time and, he’s even more anti-medication than I am, and even he said upon leaving that I needed to take the Crestor.
*sigh*
So… now I’m left to do some research on this new drug, monitor whatever side effects I notice upon taking it and hope for the best.
