Last Friday, I attended my annual physical and had blood drawn for some basic tests. What fun! Well, just as all seemed well at my exam, all seems well with my blood numbers, too. Here is the profile:
Complete blood count: normal
Glucose (fasting): 94
Cholesterol: 153
HDL (good cholesterol): 62
LDL (bad cholesterol): 80
Thyroid function test (TSH): 0.97
I am ecstatic about my fasting glucose number, as the last reading was 104 (in 2002). My cholesterol has gone up about 20 points in five years, 133 to 153. Of course, it was 140 when I was 24 years old, so I appear to be waffling within an acceptable range; I would just like it to be a bit lower. I was hoping my HDL would be a little higher and my LDL a little lower, but they are both within range as well. My thyroid number is especially pleasing (to me) since I live amongst the thyroid-challenged on a daily basis. Overall, I am at peace with the picture.
My biggest challenge for the year, which isn’t reflected in these blood work results, is my blood pressure. It tends to wander between 115/72 and 136/84, with the higher number manifesting itself as “white coat hypertension,” that phenomenon where blood pressure spikes in the doctor’s office. Since some physicians see this as an indicator/predictor of future hypertension, I feel I need to address this as aggressively as possible. Looks like a 30-minute walk should happen every day and not just on occasion.
So, now you know my health picture. How about you? Have you scheduled your annual physical and blood work for 2007? If not, I can recommend a great doctor.
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