First visit to my new doctor’s office: It still feels like this

This past Thursday I met my new PCP, to hopefully get a new prescription for Amlodipine for my high blood pressure and have my gut examined (it’s been bloated, sore and hard on the right side for 27 consecutive days). 

Oh and maybe some Flomax for my nocturnal bathroom visits.  It’s been difficult and not very pretty.  I need to go standing up, and at 3am I tend to dribble.  Too much?  Sorry!

Before I say anything else, I want to give a big thank you to my friend Mary from the senior center, who volunteered to drive me.  My new doctor’s office is nearer than my former one in the city, but still a couple miles away.  I installed Uber on my phone, was preparing to reserve a ride a couple weeks in advance when Mary said “Why don’t you let me take you.”   Thank you Mary!

I should add that after my appointment, we headed straight to the center.  When we walked in, Mary said “Oh Evvie, look who I spent the night with!”  

Back to my visit—after I got there and checked in, I was ushered into an examination room to wait.  A nurse came in (a very bubbly 50 year old named Jackie, I liked her) and took my blood pressure and weight, and told me to hang tight.

A short time later, Dr. Cool—I mean Dr. Cole entered the room.  Tall, dark and handsome this man looked like he just stepped out of a daytime soap.  His specialty is ‘older people’.

Dr. Michael Cole, who joined UPMC in 2020

He was very friendly, very polite—asked me why I haven’t had an examination since November 2023, and I explained I’d gotten long covid a month after my last exam, and was finally making a real recovery.  But I’d been halving my meds to make them last longer, which caused my BP to spike.  I was on my regular doses again, but only had 7 pills left.

He said “Your BP is 130 over 88—that’s slightly elevated.”  I said “Doctor, 2 weeks ago it was 155 over 111.  I know you’re the medical expert here, but I thought todays was a big improvement.”

He told me he’d send a prescription to my pharmacy right away and then asked if I’d fasted that morning.  No, I had a cup of coffee and a cookie before arriving.  He said too bad, they could’ve drawn blood for bloodwork while I was there. 

I was both angry and bummed—why didn’t someone from his office call and tell me not to eat or drink anything before my appointment?  Now I have to go back in 2 weeks!

He then asked if I had any difficulty peeing, I said during the daytime it was fine but not the 4 times I get up at night to do my business.  He asked me if I’d like to try Flomax for awhile and I said “If you think it will help…”  

Then he began asking about other prescriptions I’d been on, I said like what?  He said like Dilantin and Phenobarbitol.  Um, those were for seizures I had 50 years ago.  He went through my entire medical history and asked if I’d like an appointment with a dermatologist to get my body examined for melanoma.

I said not right now, my priority was managing my blood pressure, and figuring out why my abdomen has been bloated and sore for 27 days straight.  He told me to lift my shirt and let him see, and said “I think you have some gallbladder inflammation, and it’s pushing against your liver.  You have a history of gallstones, it’s probably just a matter of time before you get it removed.”  

Okay, but what do I do now?  From what I’ve been reading, I suspect it’s gas buildup in the intestines.  I’ve been using a hot water bottle at night, it helps.

He asked if I had any hobbies or friends, and seemed delighted when I told him about my blog and the senior center, and our outings to various restaurants and points of interest.  He asked if I was interested in losing any weight, I said I’d like to lose 20 pounds and get down to 215.  He told me to cut back on my carbs and up my activity, then said “I see you’ve lost a little since your last examination.”  

Dr. Cole, seriously?  According to your computer display, I am 35 pounds lighter than my exam in 2023—I’d hardly call that a little, sir.

Well, the important thing is I am getting back on track with my health.  Next I need to find a dental specialist and begin the process of bone grafts for a couple of much needed molar implants.  I just hope there isn’t an emergency gallbladder surgery in my immediate future!