Hello from New York! :wave:
Here's my story today.
My doc recently said, "Your cholesterol is horrible." ok. My last carotid artery test showed that I had zero calcium in my arteries. I mentioned that. He said, "I have two patients who had zero calcium and had to have triple bypass surgery." I did some research and I found out that there is another kind of artery test that is called carotid imaging and it looks at the soft plaque.
I got doc to prescribe the test and I went to local hospital and got it. Radiologist tech said, and I quote, "You have the carotid arteries of a forty year old." I just turned 71. I saw doc after the test and he said, "Test says you have mild plaque. I think any cardiologist would put you on statins." Furthermore, "I would take you off metformin." (I take 500 mg. a day) I asked why? He said, "Because if you become dehydrated, you could have renal failure." I like my doctor but I think he's wrong about this and doesn't understand the current and I guess radical to him, way of dealing with diabetes. I told him that I wanted to have the carotid artery test annually to keep track of the soft cholesterol. He said, "ok."
I haven't yet figured out how to put info in my sig. line, so here's a little bit:
Female, 71, was diagnosed as pre-diabetic a year ago when A1C came in at 6.0. Before and since it was in the mid to high 5s. It is now 5.5. I went on LCHF diet a year ago when I got the diagnosis, and have lost 25 lbs. My current weight is 132. Height 5.5 1/2. My BMI is down from 24 to (I think) 21.
Here are my lab results taken two weeks ago.
F Cholesterol 264 H <200 (mg/dL)
F HDL CHOL., DIRECT 62 >50 (mg/dL)
F Triglycerides 219 H <150 (mg/dL)
F HDL as % of Cholesterol 23 >14 (%)
- Evaluation: AVERAGE RISK
F Chol/HDL Ratio 4.3 <5.8
- Evaluation: AVERAGE RISK
F LDL/HDL Ratio 2.90 <3.56
F VLDL, CALCULATED 44 H 7-32 (mg/dL)
F Non-HDL Cholesterol 202 H <130 (mg/dL)
I would be very happy for any comments from members of this forum.
Thanks for listening!
