Right so here’s the story. In September 2010 I had my first A1C and full lipid panel done. The A1C was fine. However my cholesterol was flagged up as something to worry about. Here were the results:
Total cholesterol: 6.9 mmol/l (269 mg/dl)
HDL : 1.99 (77)
LDL: 4.71 (183)
Cholesterol/HDL ratio : 3.4
Triglyceride: 0.6 (52)
In December at my endo appointment, the doctor said the blood sugar control was ok, but he was worried about my cholesterol levels. Particularly given the fact that my father suffered a disabling stroke in his 50s. Normally I like my endo and I find it strangely reassuring that he himself is a heffalump. But he pointed out, he is a heffalump with LDL in the normal range (2 point something in the mmol/L scale). He strongly pressured me to start taking a statin and said he would be referring me to a colleague of his who specializes in lipid problems.
I tried to argue that one possible reason for the high LDL figure was the switch to a low carb diet. I have read somewhere online that that happens when people go low carb. It’s the body purging itself. I also asked for the test to find out if the LDL was the harmless fluffy sort or the harmful dense sort. But he never got back to me about all this - maybe he thought those were issues I should be discussing with the lipids doctor.
A second endo I saw 2 weeks ago, upon looking at my file, confidently predicted that ‘if you are not on statins now, you will be on them in the next 10 years’.
Last week I had some more bloodwork done and again the A1C was OK. Here were my cholesterol results:
Total cholesterol: 5.1 mmol/l (197 mg/dl)
HDL : 1.90 (73)
LDL: 3.00 (116)
Cholesterol/HDL ratio : 2.6
Triglyceride: 0.6 (52)
The bloodwork was done at my family doctor, not at the hospital. When I told the GP about my appointment at the lipids clinic, she got quite upset and said it was a ridiculous waste of time. She told me to tear up the appointment and forget about statins.
I am not quite sure what to do next as the HDL and triglyceride numbers look OK to me; the LDL is OK for a non-diabetic but some people believe the range should be set lower for diabetics. I have heard the statin horror stories and also have a long track record of having nasty side-effects to medications.
I posted the following in the OmniPod User discussion group last night. I’m pasting it herein as perhaps Welchol could help your cholesterol. Welchol was added to my treatment plan to help lower both my LDL & blood sugar levels.
I’m NOT an OmniPod User. I just added Welchol (colesevelam HCI) for oral suspension 3.75g 1 package 1X a day to my diabetes treatment plan of Metformin 1,000 mg 2X day, restricted carb diet, & exercise. (I’m an other diabetic–that is, diabetes due to surgery as a result of most recently ERCProcedure induced pancreatitis and previously pancreatitis for an unknown reason & gall bladder pancreatitis.) I’ve taken three doses/three packages. I haven’t experienced any side effects. Endo gave me a week or two of free samples. However, after I took the initial package–citrus flavor isn’t bad–I got the prescription filled to take advantage of a Target gift card offer before it expired.
Welchol is expensive even w/insurance: $30 - free $10 Target gift card w/new prescription = $20 for 30 packets. I’ve since enrolled in the Welchol Savings Plan [LoyaltyScript program] online by printing off a card to “Save up to $25 off each of your next 3 prescriptions”. (Call 1/877-264-2440 8AM-8PM ET, M-F for info as I was unable just now to find the web site again.)
My most recent A1C of 3/11/11 is 6.3%. Prior was 6.5 in 11/10. (I simply reduced my consumption of apples by switching to a snack of celery, mushrooms, or cucumbers w/humus instead of apple w/peanut butter. Plus I actually starting using the food scale I bought to measure portion size which has been an eye opener.) It will be interesting to see my A1C in four months. My most recent LDL is 104. Prior was 109. My blood sugar numbers seem to be coming down but it’s too soon to tell for sure. Marty Peters, Please keep us posted on how you’re doing on Welchol. Do you think you’ll switch to the package version of Welchol from the “horse pills”?
Additionally, my most recent cholesterol is 165; prior was 166. Triglycerides 57; past 53. HDL 51; 53. and VLDL 11; 8.
I was pressured into going on a statin about 2 years ago when my total cholesterol was 202. My HDL was also high like yours. I went on it for about 15 months until it almost killed me. I guess I had small signs of tiredness and muscle pain throughout the year, but didn’t make the connection. In June it hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt like I aged 30 years and could barely walk. My brain was constantly in a fog and I was dizzy and legs were swelling. Once I decided it must be the statins and stopped taking them most of the symptoms disappeared. 8 months later I still have some residual muscle damage but I at least feel human. Most people I talk to feel their Doctors push statins on all diabetics just for preventative value. But I am not sure there is any research that it works. I will stick to my LC/HF diet and keep my weight in normal range and hope for the best.
Well, if you go to see a lipid specialist, you will get offered lipid treatment. That is the hammer they use after all. I personally have had such a bad experience with statins that I consider myself allergic to statins and list it on my chart. If your total cholesterol is a little below normal, your HDL is high and your triglycerides are low, why in the world would you want to mess with that?
I actually recently read a study of water quality. In many places it IS in the water. Nowhere close to therapeutic levels but at some point the “extra” statins from waste got in to the water supply. In some cities it was worse than others. They also found the second most common drug was barbituates I believe. I wish I could remeber where I read that…
Your triglycerides to HDL ratio is spectacular i.e. mucho great. New hypothesis now say that means that the LDL is present in big flocs and not very harmful small particles.
They just did a study and found elevated levels of hexavalent chromium in all major cities across the US. Some higher than others. Time to call sparklets.
Thats the stuff Eric Brokovitch went after PG&E for in Ca for giving everyone stomach cancer. Oh joy! Average Cr-6 levels in Hinkley, CA were recorded as 1.19ppb with a peak of 3.09ppb. The PG&E Topock Compressor Station averaged 7.8ppb and peaks at 31.8ppb based on the PG&E Background Study. Compare to the California proposed health goal of 0.06ppb.
