meOUCH

Well, here we go.  My first blog, journal, foray into public anything.  I know there will be haters and trolls out there, but I reckon I’m quite a strong person so hopefully I can take it.  I’m not looking for approval, sympathy (maybe empathy) or anything like that – just a way to vent about what I’m feeling and how this next challenge travels its course.

My name is meOuch.  This is me, overweight, unhealthy, cholesterol high.  Nothing I haven’t known for years and things haven’t suddenly got worse or increased to a point of imminent death!  But, things have to change.  They really do now.

Today is 26th January 2026.  A couple of weeks ago I had my annual blood test to check my thyroxine and HRT levels (mid-50s lady here, although I’ve been on HRT for over 20 years, but that’s a story for later).  Both levels turned out to be fine, but that’s where the good stuff ended.  Don’t worry, there’s nothing scary to report but the way the doctor conveyed the results to me has frightened me a bit.  This is a GOOD thing.  I needed something to kick my fat arse into action.

In short, my cholesterol level which should be no more than 5 is apprently 6.1.  Bad cholestrol which should be 2.5 is 4.8.  On top of that my liver function (something about proteins) should be 50 but mine is 60.  As you can probably already tell I have a ton of research to do on all this, which will be on NHS website rather than simply Googling it, because I know me and if I go just to Google I’ll turn into a hypochondriac.  But, none of the numbers are double or trebble what they should be, and since I last had them checked they haven’t increased much, and for the cholesterol it’s been a while.

It’s taken years but I’m finally at one with the size and shape I am now.  I hate it but haven’t been able to flick the switch in my head to do anything about it.  I get by, I do ok, I plod along.  I’ll never look or feel like I did in my 20s or early 30s – and that’s ok.  Now though, the doctor said he wanted to put me on statins, which seemed a bit harsh given my numbers aren’t horrendous (still need to research whether they are, but deluding myself for a little bit longer).  Anyway, no way I’m taking anything like that.  Feels like a road that goes nowhere and this IS fixable.  The doctor has given me 6 months to sort things out and it involves the predicable improved diet and exercise, which also makes me think this can’t be so bad, or he would insist on me taking the tablets.  Right?

I don’t belive I have a terrible diet, but yes it could be a lot better.  I don’t eat chocolate (migraines), don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t eat processed foods or lots of sweets.  But I barely move and have a weakness for salt and butter.  I have way too much salt on everything and chuck butter on for good measure at any opportunity, not to mention croissants, brioche and stuff.  Now I’m turning into something stuffed.

So, here we go.  Day 1.

meOUCH