BuffyBear's Journal, 13 Feb 13

Cheers to you on the coffee! Hope the results are great! Wouldn't it be awesome to just controll all this with diet instead of drugs. Much cheaper too"-) have a great day! 

Lizzy - Thank you. The more I read about the cholesterol meds the more I wanted OFF them! 

I understand this post like I'd typed it myself. I did the same thing only last summer, my legs ached so bad from Lipitor I couldn't stand it any more so I just quit. A couple weeks ago I had more blood work done with results yesterday only to find while my cholesterol is down it's not down low enough to consider no meds. The doctor gave me a presc for a lower dose of another type so we'll see what happens with it. I also research meds, if I don't like the sounds of this one I think I'll be taking my chances of blocked arteries as I really don't like what I read about these drugs. Good luck to you, I hope yours come out well. 

That first cup after blood work always taste sooooo good...Wishing you luck with the other test..so glad the sugar level was good..Happy dancing that you don't have to take any thing for that..My family has a history of diabetics..several have died because they didn't take care of them selves..and a few have to take shots twice a day..so Buffy please take care of you...Hugs..:O) 

Fingers crossed our cholesterol is ok :-) 

Sunkeeper - What really set off my alarm bells was the latest research that statins lower the level of our large LDL ( the beneficial "fluffy" kind) more than the VLDL (the lower density harmful kind). So unless you have a specific test for the proportion of VLDL in your blood, you have no real idea of the benefit of the meds! My understanding is if your triglycerides are low and your HDL is high then there is no need to worry about slightly elevated LDL.  

Bren - Oh yes that first cup was good! Funny - while I was trying to make coffee my boss walked into the kitchen and startled me so that I spilled water all over! Fortunately, while I was cleaning up that mess, someone brought in some McDonalds coffee (my hero!).  

Skinny - I really appreciate that. Since I've not been eating as well as I should my fingers are crossed very tightly.  

Buffy - hope that you get good results with your cholesterol check-glad you are no longer pre-diabetic, that is such good news :) Diabetes can be a devastating disease :( 

Newmooney - Thanks. That diagnose was one of the contributing factors to the start of my weight loss.  

You deserve a great big pat on the back for taking care of yourself! Will be eagerly waiting what I'm sure will be great news! xoxox 

Keep on reading and researching Buffy, as you've already done...good job!!! Look for results specific to WOMEN and be sure you're seeing the absolute "risk" reductions, not the relative risk reductions, the latter is more often touted in press releases because it sounds so much bigger and more impressive. Gotta make the health choices you're most comfortable with; just be a healthy skeptic! LOL! Might want to look into "The Cholesterol Delusion" by Dr. Ernest Curtis and/or anything by Uffe Ravnskov, if you're looking for contrary viewpoints on the whole diet/heart/cholesterol theory. 

Buffy, what Sandy said...I was just going to suggest that you really research how well these medicines truly work. My middle sis was told she needed to take the meds after following a low fat diet for years, her cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides were way out of whack. Doc wanted to start her on a statin drug. My dad took them for years and every check up, his cholesterol and triglycerides rose. So did the med dose. Anyway, middle sis asked if she could try changing her diet to low carb as opposed to low fat. The doctor gave her 3 months to experiment. When she went back, all her levels were normal, she had lost almost 30 pounds, and the doctor told her to keep doing what she was doing...no meds. So hang in there...keep researching and do what you feel is best for your body. Have a great day, and congrats on getting those blood glucose levels down!  

Ruth - I am not quite in the same category as you but am working on it one change at a time.  

Sandy - Sounds like I've got lots of reading to do before next Wednesday. I have a headache already!  

Stef - I appreciate hearing your Sister's story. I was on an extreme low fat diet for years and I believe that is what drove my cholesterol up in the first place!  

My head hurts right with yours, all those numbers seem to contradict themselves somehow, well, in my head anyway. I hope your test results will prove you don't need those darn pills! 

I am SO proud of you! You always think things through and make good choices. I suppose it its a bit hard to watch cholesterol when doing Atkins - the fat is very high, isn't it? But good fats should be helpful. Have a great day! 

Wow Buffy, I should have thought that the cholesterol would have come down with the weightloss. I imagine the type of fat in the Atkins diet makes a huge difference in cholesterol. Anyway, I think you're doing brilliantly. Very proud of you for taking control of your life. 

HCB - Thanks. My diet is very high in fat but virtually 0 trans fat. Plus I try to get a good mix - Fish, coconut, olive, nut & seed oils.