I have coronary artery disease

So glad to see this post, although certainly not pleased to read that you have coronary artery disease Terry. I have it too. After living for 50 yrs with type 1 with nothing but a couple of very minor complications I was hit with needing stents. I had just buried my mom a week earlier and my dad 4 months before that. We were starting a hike, when I became suddenly very fatiqued and my arms felt very heavy. I googled it and told my husband that we needed to go to emergency.
I did not have a heart attack, but did need two stents.

The procedure was pretty simple really, and I was back to living a full life 3 days later.
That was 2010. I had been eating low carb or several yrs and had an A1c of 4.9.

I canā€™t take statins and this week my cardiologist was urging me to try a new injectable drug for high cholesterol since diet and exercise hasnā€™t helped. My LDL is 120, although when my cholesterol is analyzed I have only a few of the small dense particles. My cardiologist wonā€™t pay that any credence.

I just had another nuclear stress test which I passed with flying colors. By now eating a low fat plant based diet and getting a lot more exercise I have done all I can to reduce my cholesterol level. My mom had high very high cholesterol and lived with it until she died at 89. I doubt that she took a statin.

I suppose I will try the injectable, but I donā€™t trust it. I looked at Dr McDougalā€™s site and even he thinks people should have a total cholesterol number under 150.

Ugh

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Your story and many others have convinced me how capricious the incidence of diabetes complications are. While we know that uncontrolled diabetes definitely leads to a higher rate of secondary complications, I realize that the single biggest factor involved in these complications probably derives mostly from genetics.

Sometimes people with diabetes offer the fact that they have no secondary complications, the unstated dark side of that assertion is the implication that secondary complications are primarily the result of poor blood glucose control. I think this argument appeals to peopleā€™s sense of justice. I know people donā€™t intend this implication but humans are especially good at interpretation, often inspired out of fear.

Thank you for offering your successful story regarding stents. As much as I am steadfast in my dedication to heart-healthy lifestyle changes, I think placement of stents may be in my future.

Your were smart to raise the alarm after your unexplained hiking fatigue. You may have saved yourself a heart damaging heart attack.

I am now seeing a naturopath to help provide an overall plan to the many tactics Iā€™m employing. Next month Iā€™ll have blood drawn and I hope to see some improvements in cholesterol, thyroid and other heart markers.

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I felt very betrayed when I heard that I needed stents. I have no idea if genetics, in my case, made a difference or if I was being paid back for the first couple of decades of poorly controlled diabetes. Urine testing left a lot to be desired.

I was one of the folks whose cholesterol numbers rose to very unhealthy levels while eating 30 carbs a day. I was not alone and several members of the forum dropped out because of this. While Dr. Bernsteinā€™s numbers stayed wonderfully low, ours didnā€™t. After the stents, I remained eating low carb and my LDL settled at 120. Many people on the Mastering Diabetes diet see very dramatic decreases in their cholesterol numbers and blood pressure. Not me, I stay at 120. So far I donā€™t need meds for blood pressure.

I have seen naturopaths since my stents and all encouraged me to stay off of statins and with my history of side effects from them, I canā€™t take them. I am scared silly to try the injectable med. I donā€™t want to try something that could be hurting me in the long run. Cardiologists keep stressing the importance of getting my ldl down to 70. I donā€™t know who to believe.

So glad that your stress test turned out well. It is a good feeling when we know that at least now we are ok.

Iā€™m not sure that high cholesterol is, by itself, an unhealthy condition. Many sources refer to the process whereby cholesterol penetrates the lining of arteries as a mystery as to what the fundamental cause for this is.

Another weird facet cited by statin-happy practitioners is they say theyā€™re not sure why or how statins works and that they believe there is some desirable, yet unidentified, x-factor that statins cause. Some conjecture that statins may help with inflammation. All this waving of hands and foggy explanations donā€™t help with my skepticism.

I, of course, could be wrong about all this. I am not an expert but I only have one body and life. I therefore am the absolute authority about what medications I take. I suspect that the whole statin phenomenom will be studied in the future and held up as an example where group-think and big money served to harm many people.

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Marilyn - I wouldnā€™t beat yourself up over your LDL. You fit the profile of a LEAN MASS HYPER-RESPONDER almost to a T.

Iā€™m of the opinion (and Iā€™m not a doctor) that 30% of the population is prone to CVD, regardless of their lipid profile. The fact that your LDL was high played no role whatsoever in your arterial blockage / atherosclerosis.

As they say, itā€™s all in your genes.

I believe this is true of many other medications, though. From what Iā€™ve read, they are not entirely sure how metformin works. And Iā€™m taking a proton pump inhibitor for my eosinophilic esophagitis, and they donā€™t know exactly why PPIs work for that condition (they suspect some anti-inflammatory effect in the esophagus). So I donā€™t think this not fully understanding medication is limited to statins.

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You make a good point, Jen. Science, by its inherent nature, exists at the margin between the known and unknown.

This is interesting Jim. 30 grams a day raised my LDL but not to 300 although my HDL was high and my triglycerides were very low. After getting two stents, my LDL level dropped. I donā€™t consider myself athletic, since I would much rather stretch out on the couch reading than ride the exercise bike. I am lean, but only because I try to be. Like everything else I really have to work at it.

My parents both lived to be 89, but one of my grandfathers died at 65. I believe he had a heart attack. Sometimes I feel like I hit the genetic jack box. My sister on the other hand seems to be free of all the genetic mess.

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@Marilyn6 - You and me both. Iā€™ve got 2 brothers and a sister, and all of them (and their children / grandchildren) are in perfect health. Meanwhile, I have 3 autoimmune disorders. Go figure.

All this luck and I still havenā€™t won the lottery :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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Terry4;

I know this news is scary. Ikept asking my GP if I needed a cardiologist. She did ECGs. She said I was fine. Iā€™ve had type 1 since 1970 when I almost died at the age of 22 months. At 47 I was almost entirely blocked. Could not have stents. Marc Ruel at the Ottawa Heart Institute did open heart surgery. After 2 years and a severe brain injury I am fineā€¦ I will be 50 on Jan 6. Do not be afraid.

Beleve in God. Trust him. I know what you are going through. It sucks. You have to believe. Dog love helps. I have a year old dachshund and he makes me happy every day. Just believe you are going to be ok. Thinking of you.
Remember that God is dog spelled backward. I wish you all the best. There is nothing to be afraid of. I know. My email does not reflect my name. I am female.

Thank-you for your support, @joakim. I am feeling hopeful at this time. I have a plan that addresses my heart health and I am executing it. I am doing everything that I can do, so now I just need to accept what fate will uncover. In the meantime, life is good.

Terry4: Thanks for this thread. Your skepticism with the ā€œcredentialed eliteā€ (great phrase btw) is valid especially with things diabetes, diet, CAD prevention, etc, but Iā€™m not sure you should be as skeptical about your cardiologist. Once you are in the CAD stage you seem to be, the the Drs become less predictive and more like ā€œplumbersā€. Their tests are designed to reveal arterial blockage, a hard, objective number. Verifiable. Please donā€™t be entirely skeptical. Accept recommendations for the catherization. It is definitive re blockage. You can control the stenting process, donā€™t give permission within the catherization. A hospital accredited for stenting is not necessarily approved for more significant heart procedures. Iā€™m 3 months past a triple bypass, my cardiologist saved my life by insisting on an evaluation of the % blockage (in my case, 75 yr old, 95%, 93%, 90% and an 84% , no identifiable, real symptoms prior). Yes, Iā€™m 15yr diabetic, but as with me, your diabetes has done its thing and your situation is no longer a diabetes management issue. Praying things work out, God speed

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This is a good distinction, @chris07732. This striking of the balance between healthy skepticism and cynicism is something I try to do.

My cardiologist, following my stress-echo test that showed no electrical or visible functional abnormalities, did not suggest any additional tests, including the cardiac catheterization. He did not say I was in the clear, however, and still strongly recommended starting on a statin. I concluded that my performance on the stress-echo test was a diagnostic off-ramp for him.

I am on the path of making significant lifestyle changes. I will monitor, with the help of a naturopath, various blood markers to see if my lifestyle changes are working.

I appreciate your bringing forward your experience with heart disease. I think you and your doctor made a good choice for you. I think both doctors and patients struggle with honoring the ideal, ā€œfirst, do no harm.ā€ Thank you for your perspective!

Wow Terry, These numbers are phenomenal. And so is your spirit.

I am still getting over getting myself (mostly) on the loop. The day before yesterday, I did not remember that my G5 is often off the first few days. I didnā€™t think all day about that and fought lows for a good 12 hours. Then came time to calibrate. G5 was reading way higher than my bs. AH SOOO said the wiser humbled student. Is it ok to message you with a few questions? Happy Holiday! Kim

Sure.

i like mild best. boy, i want some now. yum.

Iā€™m puzzled by your comment.

Terry4,

I am so sorry. I am puzzled too. I see what happened. The comment went in entirely the wrong place. It was supposed to go under a thread on KimChi, fermented cabbage. Please forgive me. You must think I am an idiot. LOL. My prob is not always having on my glasses.

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Like it or not humans are at the very top of this planetā€™s food pyramid, and as such can pick and choose what to eat. I get about 25 percent of my calories from carbs which is helpful since I try to spend at least two hours a day walking. I am also a strong believer in eating a balanced but varied diet. The only food I would never eat is beef, especially now that the world health organization officially has classified red meat as a carcinogen. Otherwise as a rule Iā€™ll eat seafood three days a week, pork 2 days and vegetarian and chicken each one day a week. That gives me all the energy and nutrients I need, and helps me avoid putting on weight,

The World Health Organization report is controversial.

Your diet certainly is varied and your energy levels and health provide great feedback about your food choices.

When it comes to various ways of eating, it is difficult for scientists to measure and analyze things. Few studies can afford locking people up for long periods and controlling everything people get fed. They often rely of food frequency logs that depend of peopleā€™s memory of what and how much they ate. This method is rife with data corruption.

Science uses animals as proxies for humans in some of these studies. As we all know about mice and diabetes - a cure in mice does not equal a cure in humans.

While the World Health Organization grabbed some impressive headlines, it set a poor table to enable a healthy discussion.

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