4.3

The drugs are working - which is really good news.  After three weeks on Statins my Cholesterol score has dropped from 6.9mmol/l (millimoles/litre) to 4.3mmol/l.  Target is under 5mmol/l.  Now I'm praying I'm not one of the very few who suffer some really horrible side-effects after about 3 or 4 months of taking them. That's not the only down side of my treatments.  A study has revealed that Calcium supplements increase the risk of heart attack.  I had just re-started taking the calcium.  I may need to reconsider as my calcium levels have always been within the expected limits.  So the next thing to measure is blood pressure.  I'm told I can get a home machine to take my own measurements.  That will be another thing to add to the spreadsheet I keep of weight and waste-line measurements. 
Isn't getting older fun?

Health update / Lost Son

Since returning from holiday I have joined what has been called the biggest drugs trial of all time - giving everyone who is over 50 and has an elevated cholesterol reading statins.  My last Cholesterol reading was 6.9, up from 6.7 in a little over a year.  I was offered the chance to take these tablets - to try them and see if they are OK.   I'm told they save 6 of 100 people in 10 years.  It doesn't sound impressive, so put another way my chances of a heart attack in that time go from 1 in 4 (25%) to 1 in 5 (20%).  The latter is a more convincing statistic (to me anyway).  So every night (but one - it was late and I forgot - memory pills next!) I have taken a 20mg Simvastatin tablet.  Soon it's back to the doctors - to get my blood measured again, I expect.

The main reason for the entry is really to mark the 18 month recovery period for the broken (smashed, destroyed, mangled) shoulder.  Most days I would not know that I had received such an injury.  I rarely experience pain and have adequate movement to live my normal life.  In reality the range of movement has continued to increase since I stopped the physiotherapy but the increase is slow.  I have also compensated by using other movements to achieve my aim.  I have noticed recently that I have started reaching for things with my right arm - a good sign.  The osteoporosis tablets have stopped - the side effects are too extreme to continue.

This morning we were woken to sounds of barking.  Brody (our chocolate Labrador) had returned home and found his way into next door's garden - and their dog was barking.  Andy was missing.  A phone call soon established what had happened.  Brody had run off with another dog, got himself lost, and decided to come home.  Andy was still in the meadow looking for him.