Hi Ho Hi Ho It's To The Doctor I Go

Went to my Internist for my annual check up on Monday. I've only been to this Doctor three times. I don't get sick very often and certainly not sick enough to go to the doctor. I started going to this one when I got tired of arguing with my doctor of 25 years over things like tetanus shots, flu shots and medication. This doctor at least listens to me, does not get combative and much to my amusement, actually agrees with me occasionally.

When she told me I was due for my tetanus booster, I told her I would pass. She asked why and I told her. I think it's unnecessary. She said that the health department is having them add pertussis to the tetanus because of the whooping cough that is going around. Are you kidding me??? Stop this insanity! A few kids get whooping cough therefore every person should get inoculated for it?? Stop flooding our bodies with stuff and let it do what it was meant to do.

The doctor actually laughed which was a good sign. She said when she was in Germany years ago...where they don't immunize for every little illness, kids got whooping cough. She said they would get a bad cough, be sick, get treated if necessary and get well. So is there really a need to "prevent" illnesses that aren't life threatening. I'm not sure.

Our bodies are amazing machines, capable of healing themselves in many cases if given the chance. If we prevent every non-life threatening illness, what happens when we really need our body to fight off something? Will it remember how?

Now before anyone starts yelling at me....I am very grateful that we have some of the drugs we have. They save lives. I do believe there is a time and place for drugs, and I've blogged about this before so I won't so off on it again today.

Anyway, my doctor visit was good. I went over the results of some blood work I had done at my chiropractor's office. I am almost deficient in the very important Vitamin D, so wants me to take a supplement for that. I also asked her how she feels about fish oils. I am a vegetarian and I don't eat fish, so I worry about whether I get enough in my diet. She recommended taking flax seed oil instead of fish oil. She said she is seeing more and more people with high levels of mercury in their systems because of the fish they eat and the fish oil they take as a supplement. She said that since supplements aren't regulated, companies can say that their brand doesn't contain mercury, but you have no way of knowing if it does.

The other thing we discussed was the blood pressure medication she has me on. I want off, but I still don't have my blood pressure under control. If I eat a lot of salt over a period of time, my blood pressure goes up. It's really strange because my daughter's does the same thing. So right now it's higher than it should be thanks to the cheese and pizzas and chips I've been consuming since the holidays arrived. If the meds are supposed to control it though...how come they aren't? Or if I wasn't on them would it be sky high?

Once I get it down to normal and it stays there for a good 6 months, I will ask to go off of it and see what happens. I don't think I need it...the doctors all disagree. The other thing is that the medication I am on helps the heart, and mine gave me a bit of a scare about 18 months ago when it went into a-fib (atrial fibrillation) three times in 6 months. That is where your heart feels like it is flopping around in your chest. It isn't the issue where it races or skips a beat....it's different than that. I had tons of tests and my heart is fine, but this medication....she says.....is what is keeping that from happening. Hmmmmm....how do we know that if I never go off of the meds???

I argued long and hard against the medication and in the end I finally gave in. I had them put me on a very old medication because I do not want to be on anything new. They don't test drugs long enough or well enough in my opinion and I prefer to not be a human guinea pig.

She also wants me to go for another bone density test since I haven't had one for a while. I just hope it's okay because I am not taking Boniva or that other drug and I'm especially not having the new super duper annual IV to help my bones!

So, here is what I need to do. I need to get my rear outside and start walking again. I seem to have fallen off the wagon with the frigid weather we've been having. I need to be more consistent with my pilates and yoga, or at least do some exercises of some kind every day. I need to continue to avoid the foods I am not supposed to be eating on my food sensitivity diet...I'm doing good except for the darn wheat and potato...I love pizza and I love fries and I enjoy having them once a week.

I need to stock up on the supplements I should be taking and maybe, just maybe I won't have to see the doctor for another year!!