It's been a year

As people say. And it's only April 8. I've been looking for more info and images of the stress echo (cardio) test I took late last month but I haven't found any yet, unlike the plethora (great word) of info I found on the January tests. After two consecutive "atypical" ECGs from St. Mike's hospital in November and negative/positive test results from the five-hour cardiac perfusion and treadmill tests in late January (at a clinic that my cardiologist says has ancient and unreliable equipment, though I'm sure they use fresh radio-isotopes), and a further ECG in the cardiologist's office a few weeks ago, I was told that the angiogram is the "gold standard" for determining heart function. As a post-menopausal diabetic (aged mumblemumble-two) the typical tests aren't very informative. The angiogram has a "tiny" (one in 500 is tiny??) risk of injury. So I picked the stress echo. (Pardon me a moment while I donate some more money in appreciation to TEGH for their great efficiency. OK, done.)

On the morning of, I skipped my coffee and ate a light breakfast as ordered, wore jeans and runners, walked to the hospital (about 20 minutes), arrived about 15 minutes early and got admitted immediately. I undressed from the waist up. I got sticky sensors all over the place. About three techs at a time. The tech did my echo cardiogram in about 1o minutes. Then I got on the treadmill and marched increasingly uphill for about 10 minutes until I said I wanted off. Then I was flung back on the gurney for the second echo while my heart rate and blood pressure were still high. My cardio was there the whole time and I got results by 9:05 am. I was having fresh coffee (but not from the hospital's cafeteria, blech) five minutes later. I found out I should have bused or cabbed to the hospital, but what does one do when transit takes just about as long as it took to walk? And as a diabetic, I need all the exercise I can get?

Anyways, immediate test results: the chances are 80 percent that I DON'T have cardiomyopathy. Yet (I'm too young?). Cardio advised daily low-dose aspirin. I've been doing that for about 4 years now. Also statins. The scariest part. I said let's wait until we see my next cholesterol levels. I don't have to see him for a year now. I'll try to stop eating cookies for lunch and dinner.

Meno Paws

I've been DM'd for over 12 years but I've had night sweats for way more than that. My mom, who is 75, bless her heart, says she still gets them, godammit. She also claims her mother was going deaf before she died (in about 1952 or so), and both she and her last brother (who's about 78, I guess) both have progressive hearing loss. I didn't hear about this until a couple of years ago, but I'm lucky at age 51 to have pretty acute hearing still. My older brother suffers from hearing loss as did my dad (1923-1986).

Anyways -- if I didn't have four cats piled up against me every night, would the night sweats be worse or better?

Also, I've had exactly one mood swing in the last two years, lucky me.

And (guys, close your ears), my last period was last August (two in summer after 9 months of none---AUGH!). Diabetics should stay away from black cohosh in "natural" HRT remedies, I guess. I'm keeping my stash of feminine hygiene products in case any overnight guests need them. Or in case I do.