What's in a number?

Yesterday, I got a letter from my primary doctor in the mail. It states that her office has been trying to get in touch with me for two months. I don't see how this is possible in that had they called as they said there might have been some indication of it on my phone. I imagine that someone just did not do their job and decided it would be easier to pin it on the patient. The reason they were "trying" to get in touch with me is that I had blood work done a couple months ago for which I had never received any results. Apparently, the only negative result of that lab work was that my Cholesterol was a bit high at 229 (200 or less is good). Well, as a result my doctor has decided that rather than altering my diet, I should go on a medication called Lovastatin (10mg). Now, I'm not that kind of doctor but, this makes no sense to me. Couldn't those 29 points be arrested by a few less ham and cheese omelettes and a few more bowls of oatmeal? All of my other stats are markedly characteristic of a man with a much higher bum than my own. So, if those 29 points are the only indicator of ill health then, why medication?

I went on line immediately and Googled, Lovastatin. One of the first lines of the three different sites I checked stated that the stuff is normally prescribed when adjustments to diet, exercise and weight have failed. I ask again, why medication? I read further to discover that possible side effects can be constipation, muscle damage severe stomach pain, kidney/liver problems, yellowing, of the eyes yada, yada, blah.

Now I'm confused. I feel that it would be a silly waste of time to start on these meds rather than adjust my diet and all. Well, why don't you discuss this with your Primary Care Physician as they do on the commercials? I'm not good at that besides I suspect she thinks I'm a whiner anyway. The "I know better, I'm the doctor," stuff does not set well with me either. Besides, the letter failed to actually mention the 229, which I thought significant. It just read it was "high." It was not until I telephoned the office and whomever answered the phone and looked up my file told me me the actual number. That person even questioned medication and told me that diet could easily adjust the number. She added that she wasn't the doctor though. I guess the bottom line here is that I am not at all pleased with the level of professionalism at that office and as such this situation makes me a bit uncomfortable. Why medication?

Right now my options are to call on Monday and try to get in touch with the doctor or follow my gut which at present is experiencing absolutely no severe stomach pain.