Amazing how quickly your six-month duration prescription runs out, especially when you dodged the hard questions about weight and blood pressure the last time because a Locum doctor was on duty.
I gave up drinking alcohol about four or five weeks ago, following my stomach upset, and have lost around a stone and a half (21 pounds, for our American friends; 9.55 Kilos for our Euro pals) since going off the liquid bread. My face has only two chins now instead of three. And bones in it. And I appear to have only one back now.
I know what my doctor is like, though, so I didn't put much faith in making an impression on him with this news.
"Hmmm," he said. I think doctors say that to make a nice noise in their own heads when the ear pieces of the stethoscope are in. "Your blood pressure is kind of okay in that arm anyway."
"I've lost a stone and a half to come here," I said, half-heartedly. "And I've given up booze."
"It's a good idea to cut down," he mumbled, looking at my computerised record.
"Given up entirely," I said. In a moment I would be giving him the paw for a Scooby snack.
"What weight are you now then?" he asked, absently.
I told him.
"How much is that in Kilos?"
"Ah. I don't know. Knew I meant to convert something to something else before I came out.."
We looked at the cheapo model weighing scales under the examination couch. On the dial the maximum it went to was about a stone less than I weigh.
"But I have lost a stone and a half," I tried, one last time.
"Have I ever given you diet pills?"
"What?"
"To lose weight. Have I ever tried you on something?"
"No... I'm losing weight... No beer... Walking..."
He "Hmmmm-ed" again and printed out a prescription for appetite suppressants.
"I'm not likely to use these...."
"Well, if you feel like you want to, you'll have them."
I was so caught on the back foot by all this I paid my €55 to the doctor's receptionist and next door I just handed the prescriptions to the pharmacist. While he filled them he started asking about whether or not I had a rebate card. Then he got me to fill in a form. Then he got me to sign something. Then the fucker asked me for eighty Euro.
"In the name of Jaysus the-most-fucking-merciful!"
I had to use my Laser card to pay for my usual medicine, a pill for my chesty cough, and a rub for my scabby leg. And for those bloody diet pills I now hear give you the droop and make you lick rusty nails.
I'm still not drinking and I'm still losing about four pounds in weight a week.
Bastard doctors.
My health appears to be someone else's wealth.
Friday, August 03, 2007
So, this man goes to the doctor....
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17 comments:
that's good going Willie. is it just giving up the beer and doing some walking ? I could do with losing a few pounds...well... a stone....
Good for you Willie but I hope you are feeling better too. Diet pills !!! that doctor would be a pal to many an overweight person. Was he taking any notice of your great weight loss. LOL he must be of the old school if he could not convert the lbs.
Keep up the good work, you will feel in tip top form. Look at me............ I can now walk quickly up a steep road on my speed walks with my friend. We used to nearly get up the hill with our knees hitting our chins it was so steep. Now my friend and I get just perspire and I don't even cough !!. Mind you my friend says I am killing her, she reckons we run up that hill. She is only 37,I could be her MUM !! Arghhhh
Well done. Joan
Fitz >> Yes, just cut out the beer and work on occasionally walking further than normal, as in home from work maybe once a week. Might not seem like elite athlete stuff, but I have about five stone (70 lbs) to lose, so I have to lose weight before I can start losing weight, if you know what I mean?
Joan >> Yes, I'm also feeling a difference in moving about ewasier, although this damned chest infection means I cough if I laugh, climb a stairs, lift anything or have to raise my voice. It kind of ruined my reaction to the chemist's €80 demand, collapsing in a quivering, frothing heap on the floor. I suppose he's used to it at his prices though.
Hmm. I might give it a lash. It's the red wine that has contributed to my downfall.
The booze just adds weight to me more than food. Shame as I don't go out as often as I used to. My social life is beng disrupted !.I would have a drink or two at home but it's no fun drinking on yer own.
To be sick in Ireland would make you ill. Shocking the prices over there. Joan
Well, there are facilities for the low-paid, as in a doctor only medical card. And for pensioners and the long-term unemployed or disabled, a medical card which pays for the doctor, hospital visits, prescriptions.
The waged are entitled to a rebate card which means up to €80 a month is paid for by the patient, the remainer free. And there is a tax benefit to saving up receipts for the year and making a claim to the Revenue Commissioners for a partial rebate.
But it is still very expensive, as you say.
I'm so happy you're losing weight Willie, but do have a care with the pills for suppression. I've used them numerous times and they do work well, but coming off them is hard. Very easy to abuse them, because they make one feel good! I can't take them anymore BECAUSE of my BP...but I learned last year that I CAN lose weight by just being active...as was the case when we had to move house in such a rush. I lost 10 pounds in a hurry at the time, finding all
that muscle again after so long.
I've never given up drink as a diet aid. though we DO drink Lite beer now.
Anyhow, I hope your weight loss program, however you work it, turns out successful for you...you WILL feel better I'm sure, and your loved ones will be happier with you healthier.
I'm one pound off my first self-imposed target weight, which would bring it to 2 stone lost (28 pounds) from my total so far. Wore a teeshirt without any camouflage over it to the B&Q store yesterday. The only thing I felt self-conscious about was my Laser card which took another hammering!
The kitchen project is on its final leg, so I should sweat out another stone on completing it. Worrying about my DIY plumbing skills will account for half of that!
I'm posting a reply just to see what it looks like.... seems I've got someone else's cookie on my computer and I'm logged in as someone else
A man with two Brains, eh...?
That's a great loss Willie ! Maybe it's because I'm that much older but I am in a constant battle to lose a lb a week. It does get a bit boring but actually having to think of a tasty enough meal or meals each day is the boring part. I am limited at times as I have an "odd" stomach and some lovely grub we should all be able to eat, is a no go for me.
I am a stone and a half lighter but wish I could shift more a lot quicker than the way it is going now. I actually LIKE the walking thing I do, but two nights a week with speed walking is just not enough. I would go every night. What is stopping me ? My other half does not want me to be on my own !! My friend and I walk on the main footpaths ! Trouble is, we know so many people on the way that we are constantly waving to people going by in their cars *S*. We pass out local pub on our walk and there is always one or two of the lads standing outside having a fag, some nights there are more. We usually get a cheer LOL. Joan
Yes, it is going quickly, but I'm not under any illusions regarding the initial speed of weight loss. I know it eventually stops as the bod gets used to the lack of calories. That's when the extra exercise and so on will have to be entered into... not something I'm particularly looking forward to... in fact, I think I'd rather starve than go walking for the sake of walking. I can just about manage walking for the sake of getting away from work and home -- most days a VERY big incentive! *L*
Hey there,
Well done on your weight loss! That is so great!
I am going to take your advise and give up the wine and walk more!
How about that? I seem to have started a trend!
Desserts. Those are the most troublesome to give up. Last week in work I was well behaved and swapped a cooked dinner for a bowl of soup.... followed by a lemon meringue pie...!
how come you never offered to sell me those pills yesterday when we met over breakfast in the canteen?? you are beginning to sound like me now talking diets and weight loss, and you laughed at me as I counted the points.
not too sure about the drooping thing though. this would concern me a little. I wonder what affect they might have on us females?
Well done anyway and lets compare notes when i get back.
Joyce
I'll still laugh at you for counting points, if it makes you feel any better. I have now lost about 2 stones (28 pounds), but I don't intend letting the diet pills affect the 2 stones I DON'T want to lose, thank you very much...
Mealtimes are presently diet-story free in our canteen. I shall lose my weight with dignity until the day my trousers fall to my ankles on the last downward step of the stairs from the office.
You may laugh at the notion, but it is not a far-off event.
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