Another 50+ member

[imagood1]

hi Norah -- mom is doing great - 20/20 vision in both eyes now - she's thrilled!!

Got my blood tests...not good!!!

Total Chol (should be less than 200) old result 177 - new result 259
Triglicerides (less than 200) old result 299 - new result 241 (better)
HDL (more than 35) old result 34 - new result 37 (yea)
LDL (less than 70) old result 83 - new result 174

I have to have another blood test done in 2 months....they did say my urine test was good (checking for the diabetes) and my liver looks better but the cholesterol being so much higher was concerning.

I exercise everyday -- I've lost 33 pounds since I started this - I feel better than I have for years.....I just don't understand and it's very upsetting.

The old test results were from June 2008 when I was first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes......My A1C went from 10.3 in June of 2008 to 5.0 in June of 2009....

I'm just crushed right now.

[FLdoodette]

Oh, Carole, so sorry about the numbers; although, your triglycerides did go down and your HDL level did go up a bit ... so it's not all doom and gloom, but I know you are disappointed.

But so glad to hear your mother's eyes are A-OK !

[imagood1]

I have heard people's numbers go up at first....but I've been doing this 5 months and thought for sure I was going to see great results. Yep, I'm really down tonight....doctor sent a nasty little note along with the results - I have to go back in 2 months (instead of December as originally planned) and have more blood work done then back to see him....grrrrrrr!

I'm going to have to really stop and see what I'm doing or could change to make the numbers come back to at least where the total cholesterol and bad cholesterol readings were last year. He thought they were bad then....he's ballistic now.

[sallyseachange]

Carole... very sorry to hear your chol numbers weren't what you'd hoped they'd be. I understand totally how you feel, as a similar thing happened to me and at first I panicked and almost felt as though Atkins had 'betrayed' me. Not so.

Anyway... it seems to me that the only number that is a little "wonky" is your LDL, which has gone up. You might want to have that special LDL test (Dr A talks about it in DANDR) that tells you which kind of LDL has gone up, the good or the bad.

Total cholesterol numbers mean nothing, as I'm sure you know. I'm sure you also know that exercise is a terrific way to help with bettering the numbers.
There is also the 'mitigating' factor of our age. We're here in the "50 +" forum so I assume we're all either menopausal or perimenopausal. It's absolutely normal for a woman's cholesterol level to go up considerably when the menopause approaches, or hits. Losing weight also changes hormonal balance, so this could all be very normal indeed. Try not to worry... give it more time... keep up the exercise and see what your next results are. The most important figures are the trigs and the risk ratio between LDL and HDL, I believe.

Betty (ttdriver) has some awesome links to a site that tells the cholesterol story from another point of view. Very compelling arguments. Why not ask her if she can pass them on to you. They really helped me, so hopefully they'll put your mind at rest too. If I can find them in the labyrinth of files that is my computer, I'll post them for you, but I have a horrid feeling they're gone. Betty is sure to help you. She's very knowlegeable about cholesterol. Ask her about flush free niacin too, which helped her greatly.

Hang in there, don't get down or depressed, and above all, don't try to drop your fats. If you believe the "sat fats are bad" argument (and I don't... but then I don't really believe cholesterol numbers mean much), then you could try to change the kinds of fats you eat, but do read up on the other side of the cholesterol coin too.

Another important factor just comes to mind... did you fast for 12 hours before your blood was tested? That's something that often gets missed and it's important.

Hugs to you Carole. You'll be fine... I just know it.

[imagood1]

Thank you for posting that -- it's what I needed to see....I said before when I saw the numbers it was like a kick in the stomach - and my doctor was just a raving maniac about my numbers....he's NOT an Atkins believer so we've never really had this talk with him...I just knew better.

As far as hormonal reasons....I had a hysteroctomy when I was 32 because I had a walnut size tumor in my uterus - they left my tubes & ovaries ... 10 years ago (when I was 41) I had another tumor - this time in my left tube so they took that tube and ovary -- the other side are still intact. I never was on any hormone replacement - I just lived with hot flashes, mood swings, etc. because the doctors thought I was too young for meds. So I turned 51 last November and have really "enjoyed" the last 19 years - I left one husband and married another who luckily understood my mood swings, anxiety etc and stayed with me. We celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary on Wednesday of this coming week. The hubs....he's 1 in a million!

I'll PM ttdriver to get the info from her. Thank you so much!!!

[FLdoodette]

Originally Posted by imagood1

Thank you for posting that -- it's what I needed to see....I said before when I saw the numbers it was like a kick in the stomach - and my doctor was just a raving maniac about my numbers....he's NOT an Atkins believer so we've never really had this talk with him...I just knew better.

As far as hormonal reasons....I had a hysteroctomy when I was 32 because I had a walnut size tumor in my uterus - they left my tubes & ovaries ... 10 years ago (when I was 41) I had another tumor - this time in my left tube so they took that tube and ovary -- the other side are still intact. I never was on any hormone replacement - I just lived with hot flashes, mood swings, etc. because the doctors thought I was too young for meds. So I turned 51 last November and have really "enjoyed" the last 19 years - I left one husband and married another who luckily understood my mood swings, anxiety etc and stayed with me. We celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary on Wednesday of this coming week. The hubs....he's 1 in a million!

I'll PM ttdriver to get the info from her. Thank you so much!!!

The doctor who DIDN"T give you estrogen was a beast, Carole! Gee, a young woman having a surgical menopause needs HR more than anyone. You suffered so, and unnecessarily. I got spayed at age 47 and was on Premarin for five years until the "big scare" about it came out; followed by five years of hot flashes, anxiety attacks and night sweats. Men have it easy!

Speaking of which, congrats on your upcoming anniversary!

I do think the cholesterol numbers are overhyped in general. Plenty of people with normal cholesterol levels get heart disease. My doc isn't an Atkins fan, either, but he mellowed out the last time I saw him. Maybe yours will come around, too. Or maybe get another opinion?

[imagood1]

Yes Norah he was a beast but I was also the kind who thought I could get through it without anything. By the time I finally figured out what I was experiencing wasn't "normal" I was having the 2nd surgery. The hot flashes have pretty much subsided now and the mood swings and anxiety are pretty much gone also. Once in awhile I have a moment where I'm fine and someone blinks and I take their head off. I don't know if the people around me have learned how not to pizz me off or if I just am mellowing....maybe a little of both!! LOL

I haven't been real strict the last 3 days -- haven't been to FitDay to put my food in since Friday. I haven't been bad but I've probably eaten larger portions than I should have. Tomorrow that all goes away -- I've had my fun...my "Last Supper" as it was...so I hit it again and see if I can make some changes for the better.

[imagood1]

It's Tuesday and still raining. Yesterday morning we received 4 inches of rain between 8:00 a.m. and noon - my backyard had a river running through it. Sadie's soccer ball started at the far end of the east side of the yard and ended up at the other end next to the gate - if the gate wouldn't have been there I have no idea where her ball would have ended up. I had 2 boards (2x4's) along the fence to keep the weeds down (from the neighbors side thank you very much!!) - they went under the gate and ended up in the front yard. We are having more rain today - it started with lightening & thunder at 2:30 a.m. -- it's been a long morning so far!!! We are suppose to get between 1 and 3 inches again this morning. Right now it's 62 degrees - tomorrow they are saying it will be 98 degrees.....can you say HUMID!!!!!

I got some Plumrose bacon yesterday (no sugar) so breakfast was 2 soft boiled eggs and 3 slices of bacon. Lunch is going to be corned beef (lunch meat), salad and leftover green beans. Dinner will be roast beef, cabbage and broccoli. Yep, I just noticed I'm having no "white" meat today....maybe I'll have tuna in place of the corned beef...yep - that's it - strike the corned beef, write in tuna! Ok -- tuna salad is made and in the fridge getting cold -- I like all the flavors to meld together before I eat it and I like it cold also!

Time to ride the bike...I haven't been on it for a couple days so I need to get back on today or I'll get out my stride! Later gator!!

[imagood1]

We lucked out and only got about an additional inch of rain this morning...not the 1 - 3 they had predicted.....honestly I don't know where we would have put any more rain - the lawns are so soggy. The weatherman said tonight starting tomorrow it's going to get hot (close to 100) and stay that way for 3 days.....hoping I'll be able to get into the yard to get it mowed before I have to use a sickle out there on it!

Whatever my body is doing I'm tired and wish it would stop....I've been lightheaded for 2 days, no energy whatsoever. I had to get on the bike today - I hadn't been on it since Friday and I knew I needed to get back or I'd run the rish of never getting back on it again. It wasn't easy and I was exhausted when I got done but I did make the 25 miles. I ate lunch and took a nap. I hope this runs it's course and I feel better soon.

Part of my exhaustion is the fact that I've been up and down during the night watching the storms. I don't sleep during storms -- one of the side effects of being in 3 tornadoes. The second one we were in we were at a boy scout camp (my dad was camp director) - the camp had closed and we were spending a couple extra days while dad got all the ending paperwork done. We knew a storm was coming so my parents went to the waterfront to tie up the sailboats we'd been out on during the day -- just as they got back into the trailer the tornado hit and when we landed we were 1/2 mile away. I found the pictures of the next morning the other day -- it is still scarey to look at them. Anyway -- that's the reason I don't sleep during storms. I woke up at 2:30 this morning when the storm started and laid down at 2:00 p.m. when I finished eating lunch and had rode the bike. I got about an hours sleep and have been up since....I'm ready to go to bed for the night.

[Fancy1952]

My word Carol, that would be very scary. I've seen tornadoes around here as well, but just in the last 5 years. Never before have we had them. Tells you what Global warming is doing to the weather.

Speaking of more fun things, I was so intrigued by your radish notes, I planted some today! I made sure to get mild ones tho', we aren't big on "hot" foods. So now my garden is all seeded down, and it's raining. In fact it was sprinkling as I was gathering up my tools....M,m,m I think I forgot to close the toolshed door. Better go do it.

You stay dry Carole, get some rest if you can.: NewDay
Suzanne
Maybe that will get rid of the storms