Cholesterol medication

Afroditaa77
Afroditaa77 Posts: 21 Member
edited November 13 in Social Groups
My last blood work was in the 27th of April and I started Keto on the 28th. My doctor found my cholesterol out of control, she said a step away from a heart attack. My question is, should I take the meds she gave me ? I have lost 10 lbs since then and I'm consuming tones of fat, would I be attacking my diet and kick me out of ketosis if I take it.
Please help me.
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Replies

  • SlimSonic
    SlimSonic Posts: 127 Member
    Ooohhh, looking forward to the replies on this.

    My GP has just changed & increased my statins for my 'out of control ' cholesterol reading....7.2 in UK units.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Agree with @Working2BLean - follow your doctor's advice. Taking the statin can only lower your cholesterol faster, and if you are truly "a step away from a heart attack," that's nothing to mess around with. In that instance I would (personally) be of the opinion that the benefit from taking the medication and getting your cholesterol under control faster, would outweigh any risk.
  • Afroditaa77
    Afroditaa77 Posts: 21 Member
    Thanks for the input. I will take the meds hopping ketosis doesn't have anything to do with it.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Have you read cholesterol clarity or the great cholesterol myth? I would do this ASAP do that you can make an informed decision.
    I do agree that there are plenty of doctors that jump straight to statins in an over reaction quite often but of course I would never advise you to go against their recommendations.
    I do believe that the recommendations are not necessarily the best advise sometimes though and the only way to ask the right questions and make a decision you'll feel confident with is to fully understand all the ins and outs of your situation.
    Those resources will help you very much.

    Here's a video too.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAWdHYSrh7M
  • Afroditaa77
    Afroditaa77 Posts: 21 Member
    Wow fablevins. Thanks for the info. Very interesting.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I'd say this really depends on what your levels are. Doctors tend to exaggerate or get overly dramatic when they think you will put off meds or be non-compliant aka scare tactic. It would take a heck of a lot for me to agree to cholesterol meds under any conditions...
    KarlynKeto wrote: »
    Me personally I would not to go on the drugs until I could get lipid particle test. Different labs have different names for them, but your doctor does know what it is and without question it is a far better 'look under the hood'. The standard cholesterol tests are far too vague to conclude if one really needs to jump to drug therapy. For example, losing weight can cause triglycerides and even LDLs to raise as there is more fat in the blood since the fat cells are releasing the fat. Thyroid issues can also cause LDLs to spike when all else is good because cell receptors which dispose of old LDL do not work as well anymore. Without seeing your numbers, I can't tell what exactly may have prompted your doc to suggest drugs and to suggest 'imminent death'.

    I have high LDLs (which I firmly believe is due to losing weight, and will stabilize when my weight stabilizes. I have read about this many times now) so I got a particle test last month after my doc suggested meds. I am so glad I did, as meds are now not even a discussion.
    I'd get a second opinion from a integrative physician. Docs are notorious for mis reading lab work. I've been primal fat adapted for a few years and my cholesterol lab results read "high" but when I look at the actual details it's the good cholesterol that is high and the triglycerides are very low so WTF! So I totally disagree about trusting the docs.
    Have you read cholesterol clarity or the great cholesterol myth? I would do this ASAP do that you can make an informed decision.
    I do agree that there are plenty of doctors that jump straight to statins in an over reaction quite often but of course I would never advise you to go against their recommendations.
    I do believe that the recommendations are not necessarily the best advise sometimes though and the only way to ask the right questions and make a decision you'll feel confident with is to fully understand all the ins and outs of your situation. Those resources will help you very much.

    All gems of great advice.

    Of course, there will always be members of the medical establishment who tend to issue attention-grabbing pronouncements with utmost conviction. Many doctors have preached over the course of decades seeking to convert the masses to a low-fat (and what for many of us turned out to be a carb-spiking) nutrition plan, and many prominent institutions still confidently advise Type 2 diabetics to choke down enough carbs in the course of a day to guarantee a market for insulin producers.....

    So it always helps to know what, exactly, underlies any piece of advice you get from any health-care provider, blogger, fortune teller, or, er... MFP commenter.



  • Afroditaa77
    Afroditaa77 Posts: 21 Member
    I do have thyroid problems and I wasn't taking anything. I'm also losing weight slowly but little every day
  • KarlynKeto
    KarlynKeto Posts: 323 Member
    Here is a good article about thyroid and LDL cholesterol. For many people it may just be a result of a mild to moderate iodine deficiency. You really need to talk to your doctor more. Fixing symptoms (the high cholesterol) without really understanding the causes (thyroid, iodine, diet...etc.) is never smart medicine, IMO. Especially when the medicine has such side effects as statins. Let him know if you are willing to do the natural path and if avoiding meds for now would be advisable. Some people love the thought of just popping a daily pill so they don't have to change their bad diets, and maybe your doctor assumed that was your point of view.

    http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/the-overlooked-cause-of-high-cholesterol
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    KarlynKeto wrote: »
    Here is a good article about thyroid and LDL cholesterol. For many people it may just be a result of a mild to moderate iodine deficiency. You really need to talk to your doctor more. Fixing symptoms (the high cholesterol) without really understanding the causes (thyroid, iodine, diet...etc.) is never smart medicine, IMO. Especially when the medicine has such side effects as statins. Let him know if you are willing to do the natural path and if avoiding meds for now would be advisable. Some people love the thought of just popping a daily pill so they don't have to change their bad diets, and maybe your doctor assumed that was your point of view.

    http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/the-overlooked-cause-of-high-cholesterol

    And definitely don't just take Iodine - it can mess you up!!! My PCP doc put me on it without testing first as I had all the symptoms. By the time my Endo tested, I was at almost triple the max recommended level. Weaned down to half pills, and in 6 months when still high, off to every other day, then off completely. Had to up my thyroid dosage to compensate... So frustrating, for as much as we talk about electrolytes being a delicate balance, so too are thyroid meds. If you tend toward auto-immune, excess iodine can even push hypothyroidism to turn into Hashimoto's!
  • KarlynKeto
    KarlynKeto Posts: 323 Member
    edited May 2016
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KarlynKeto wrote: »
    Here is a good article about thyroid and LDL cholesterol. For many people it may just be a result of a mild to moderate iodine deficiency. You really need to talk to your doctor more. Fixing symptoms (the high cholesterol) without really understanding the causes (thyroid, iodine, diet...etc.) is never smart medicine, IMO. Especially when the medicine has such side effects as statins. Let him know if you are willing to do the natural path and if avoiding meds for now would be advisable. Some people love the thought of just popping a daily pill so they don't have to change their bad diets, and maybe your doctor assumed that was your point of view.

    http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/the-overlooked-cause-of-high-cholesterol

    And definitely don't just take Iodine - it can mess you up!!! My PCP doc put me on it without testing first as I had all the symptoms. By the time my Endo tested, I was at almost triple the max recommended level. Weaned down to half pills, and in 6 months when still high, off to every other day, then off completely. Had to up my thyroid dosage to compensate... So frustrating, for as much as we talk about electrolytes being a delicate balance, so too are thyroid meds. If you tend toward auto-immune, excess iodine can even push hypothyroidism to turn into Hashimoto's!

    Very true. How much did they have you take?! There is mixed info on how much we should really take, but iodide/iodine supplementation should never be taken without other supplements like selenium. I hope he had you do that, I have read some sad side effects when people just pop a lot of iodine/iodide without the nutritional support it needs in larger doses. When it comes to having a healthy thyroid it takes very little, a good one-a-day vitamin should have about half of that amount.

    As for lowering LDL, I read a study where a company was recently testing a mouthwash with iodine and just the small amount the participants got through rinsing & spitting was enough to greatly lower their LDLs. It was a surprise finding, one they were not even testing for, but now their is a second study being done to see if it can be used as a 'cholesterol lowering' product.
  • Afroditaa77
    Afroditaa77 Posts: 21 Member
    Thank you guys. Wow a lot a things I didn't know.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    KarlynKeto wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KarlynKeto wrote: »
    Here is a good article about thyroid and LDL cholesterol. For many people it may just be a result of a mild to moderate iodine deficiency. You really need to talk to your doctor more. Fixing symptoms (the high cholesterol) without really understanding the causes (thyroid, iodine, diet...etc.) is never smart medicine, IMO. Especially when the medicine has such side effects as statins. Let him know if you are willing to do the natural path and if avoiding meds for now would be advisable. Some people love the thought of just popping a daily pill so they don't have to change their bad diets, and maybe your doctor assumed that was your point of view.

    http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/the-overlooked-cause-of-high-cholesterol

    And definitely don't just take Iodine - it can mess you up!!! My PCP doc put me on it without testing first as I had all the symptoms. By the time my Endo tested, I was at almost triple the max recommended level. Weaned down to half pills, and in 6 months when still high, off to every other day, then off completely. Had to up my thyroid dosage to compensate... So frustrating, for as much as we talk about electrolytes being a delicate balance, so too are thyroid meds. If you tend toward auto-immune, excess iodine can even push hypothyroidism to turn into Hashimoto's!

    Very true. How much did they have you take?! There is mixed info on how much we should really take, but iodide/iodine supplementation should never be taken without other supplements like selenium. I hope he had you do that, I have read some sad side effects when people just pop a lot of iodine/iodide without the nutritional support it needs in larger doses. When it comes to having a healthy thyroid it takes very little, a good one-a-day vitamin should have about half of that amount.

    As for lowering LDL, I read a study where a company was recently testing a mouthwash with iodine and just the small amount the participants got through rinsing & spitting was enough to greatly lower their LDLs. It was a surprise finding, one they were not even testing for, but now their is a second study being done to see if it can be used as a 'cholesterol lowering' product.

    @KarlynKeto - They didn't have me supplement selenium, but all tests showed that to be in the normal range. I was taking one Iodaral pill per day. It is a combo iodine/iodide since not everyone absorbs each type. I was started at 1/2 a pill a day for a week to tolerance, then up to 1 pill a day, and saw DRAMATIC improvement by day 5 of my thyroid symptoms. Feel fabulous until I thought to ask them to test my levels (because of the autoimmune risks), and it was off the charts. My endo did tell me that the body would dump what I didn't need, but went ahead and notched back the dose for 6 months, and was still high, so weaned down. Went from 231 to 182 to 91.6 (upper threshold per this lab is 92, per the original lab said 109). If it continues going down, I'll check into a lower quantity supplement or something. Selenium during this time was 120/121 respectively...

    And the diabetes summit thing I just listened to had three different thyroid experts say that using mouthwash was terrible, particularly for those with thyroid issues! I can't imagine how nasty iodine in it would taste anyway. My LDL is going down WHILE I cut out the iodine supplement, from calculated 176 (measured was 164) to 155 (did VLDL, but not measured LDL)...

    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.

    I am starting to question the value of Multi Vitamins based on this info?

  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.

    I am starting to question the value of Multi Vitamins based on this info?

    @GaleHawkins Yes, I haven't taken a multi in a long time. I'd rather buy separate ones of quality.

    Powder/liquids absorb better. Some folks can't digest cellulose pills or tablet coatings. Some folks don't have food/pills stay in the body long enough to get absorbed, etc.

    Multis were started because people started seeing the values of vites - so dumped them together to do a once and done. At the very least there should be an AM and a PM formula, to split up the conflicting/fighting for absorption ones. I used to do an expensive one, but it didn't have all I needed - and had stuff I didn't need. I've done the liquid ones before, but they were disgusting beyond belief. I've considered trying the nutrience, but I don't have hundreds of $$ sitting around unused. Once I was sure it worked, I might be able to do the multi-month to get the monthly cost down to reasonable levels...

    In the morning, I do Rx meds for thyroid and allergies. With breakfast I do D3/K2 and B-Complex. Around 9 (after giving the others time to absorb), I do C, Lysine, and fish oil. after my workout/with lunch I do magnesium. In the evening I do A, Magx3, Lysine, C, and Fish Oil. Still working out details on adjusting anything else...
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.

    I am starting to question the value of Multi Vitamins based on this info?

    In the morning, I do Rx meds for thyroid and allergies. With breakfast I do D3/K2 and B-Complex. Around 9 (after giving the others time to absorb), I do C, Lysine, and fish oil. after my workout/with lunch I do magnesium. In the evening I do A, Magx3, Lysine, C, and Fish Oil. Still working out details on adjusting anything else...

    Thanks!

    Do any of these tend to create digestive problems?



  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.

    I am starting to question the value of Multi Vitamins based on this info?

    In the morning, I do Rx meds for thyroid and allergies. With breakfast I do D3/K2 and B-Complex. Around 9 (after giving the others time to absorb), I do C, Lysine, and fish oil. after my workout/with lunch I do magnesium. In the evening I do A, Magx3, Lysine, C, and Fish Oil. Still working out details on adjusting anything else...

    Thanks!

    Do any of these tend to create digestive problems?



    @RalfLott The only things that cause a digestive thing for me are the magnesium, which I hope you're well acquainted with - and the Fish Oil - if I don't have enough stomach acid going on, I have to add some ACV, or I'll get the burps and extra gassy feeling.

    The Lysine I take because of a separate thing I've got going on - the others I'd recommend to most everyone!
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    I seem to be able to tolerate magnesium if I take it with my last meal (when I also take my last Metformin). Between the two (and eating limited calories on LCHF), my morning BG and night leg cramps are pretty much under control.

    Taking ACV would make sense for meds that require the acidity to be absorbed properly. Wish I had a complete list!

    Thanks.
  • kmn118
    kmn118 Posts: 313 Member
    Just saw my PCP today to discuss labs and my A1C was coming down nicely, even after I stopped insulin without permission... but my Triglycerides and cholesterol skyrocketed, after i stopped my statin, also without permission. So i agreed to go back on statin for the next 4 months until next labs to see if that corrects anything. I am NOT happy about it, but the numbers were scary high. When I asked about the LDL, VLDL numbers that were missing from the report, I was told that the Triglycerides were too high to make those cholesterol breakouts valid.

    Not sure enough of my grasp of all these lab values to ask for specific testing, although I did ask for thyroid tests and she said that there is no indication that that test was necessary. HA! Just all the symptoms.
  • KarlynKeto
    KarlynKeto Posts: 323 Member
    edited May 2016
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    And as for "one a day" pills, did you realize how many things compete/interfere with absorption? Like taking A and D together essentially negates them both? etc.

    Ulp... Another obstacle in the steeplechase!

    A question, if I might..... How do you time & dose your vitamins & minerals?

    Thanks.

    @RalfLott For me, it's still a work in progress. I am using a lot of the info I absorbed in those summits to just try to keep things in check. Like, no calcium within 2-4 hours either side of my thyroid medication. D in the morning, A at night. NO COPPER. Don't take zinc with folic acid/folate - they form an insoluble bond that means neither absorbs. No Cobalt with B1 or B Complex. No sugar with Vitamin C, Calcium, or Magnesium, as it blocks absorption. Look for vitamin names with a d-in front of them, not a dL- DL means it's synthetic formulation, D-means its a natural formulation. K needs to be in the body when calcium arrives. Magnesium, Zinc, calcium compete. Zinc and Copper compete for receptors, as do Lutein and Beta-Carotene. Copper reduces B5. No B5 & B7 in same dose.

    I'm sure there are more... Those are the ones I found my notes on readily.

    I am starting to question the value of Multi Vitamins based on this info?

    Powder/liquids absorb better. Some folks can't digest cellulose pills or tablet coatings. Some folks don't have food/pills stay in the body long enough to get absorbed, etc.

    So true!!! My sister is an x-ray technician and she once told me they frequently see elder people who have their large intestines backed up with undigested cheap vitamins and those one-a-days. You know those hard cake-like horse pills? Yep, those. There is a reason they say they contain doses like "1000% of RDA", as at most you will only absorb 10% of the pill. It is assumed that people will just eliminate them, but clearly not everyone can do it easily.

    So everyone - make sure you get liquid, powder, chewable, sub-lingual...etc. where and when you can, and research any actual pills for best bio-availability. Plant based vitamins are generally high in bio-availability. Brands like MegaFood and Garden of Life have some great choices. And if you don't like the taste of a powder, you can buy empty gel capsules of different sizes. Some liquid options even taste great. My one-a-days tastes great (LIQUID reViva Multivitamin), and my vitamin D drop has a light citrus flavor.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    kmn118 wrote: »
    Just saw my PCP today to discuss labs and my A1C was coming down nicely, even after I stopped insulin without permission... but my Triglycerides and cholesterol skyrocketed, after i stopped my statin, also without permission.

    How are your fasting and post-meal BG readings without insulin? Would be great if your diet lowered your resistance enough that you no longer need it!

    There are strong "statins-are-evil" undercurrents in many forums, but some people tolerate them pretty well, and many docs (including my drug-hostile endocrinologist) still recommend that statin-tolerant T2Ds stay on at least a low dose, unless both BG and lipids are pretty well under control without it.
  • kmn118
    kmn118 Posts: 313 Member
    @RalfLott my BG readings are coming down from very high while Dr. kept upping the dose of insulin. When I began LCHF, my legs and feet were so swollen that I could barely walk up the stairs and after watching Dr. Fung, I decided to ditch the insulin and see what happened to BG. Ha! With the lower carbs and metformin, my readings came down down down. Yay! So she agreed that insulin was off the board for now.

    I don't think i am tolerating the statins that well, as the joint pain began to get pretty bad, but I am willing to try again to bring down the triglycerides. Trial and error. She was very pleased about the weight loss of 21 lbs in 6 weeks. :smiley:
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    My dad was on two statins, and three different medicines to help control his type 2 diabetes (metformin, Januvia, and glypizide) and couldn't get his blood sugars under 200. After reading "Cholesterol Clarity" I learned that there can be interactions that the statins prevent the diabetes medication from working properly. My dad's A1C was 8.9, and the doctor wanted him on insulin, but he refused. He took a leap of faith, and dropped the statins back in November. His blood sugars began to drop to normal range within a couple of days without dietary changes! In April his A1C was 5.5! The doctor just scratches her head! And his cholesterol lab work is within normal limits too!

    Just know that medication can work against you sometimes!

    Personally, I wouldn't take a statin if my cholesterol was high. I would insist on the doctor finding the cause, which is inflammation somewhere, and treat that! The side effects of statins can be detrimental to one's health! I believe my father in laws dementia is a side effect from taking them! Be informed, because knowledge is power!
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    kmn118 wrote: »
    @RalfLott my BG readings are coming down from very high while Dr. kept upping the dose of insulin. When I began LCHF, my legs and feet were so swollen that I could barely walk up the stairs and after watching Dr. Fung, I decided to ditch the insulin and see what happened to BG. Ha! With the lower carbs and metformin, my readings came down down down. Yay! So she agreed that insulin was off the board for now.

    I don't think i am tolerating the statins that well, as the joint pain began to get pretty bad, but I am willing to try again to bring down the triglycerides. Trial and error. She was very pleased about the weight loss of 21 lbs in 6 weeks. :smiley:

    Congrats!

    Even on LCHF, I have to fast for at least 12 hours before my triglycerides come down all the way, though fish oil seems to help (if you can tolerate it!), and magnesium has helped with cramps. Also, I got my doc to tell my insurance company that due to cramps, I need to be on Crestor instead of the others. The lower effective dose of Crestor may have helped, too.

    But I would really like to ditch all my meds for a couple months to see how I feel, but I'm not quite there just yet.....
This discussion has been closed.