Cholesterol/statins And Other Bunkum

[DavidGrahamJones]

Not sure my GP will buy it

He/she doesn't have to.

 

[Tophat1900]

So did mine even though my cholesterol and lipids were all within the standard range. I asked why and she just said because we put every diabetic on statins.

Wow, that is appalling.

 

[Tophat1900]

Here is a lecture (just short of a hour) that is a little more technical and presented by Ivor Cummins.

Ivor is so easy to listen too, he explains everything so well.

 

[KK123]

Wow, that is appalling.

and it's true. Once you reach that 10% on the qwirk risk factor thing they automatically offer statins, and of course anyone with diabetes starts off with a 10% risk no matter what.

 

[Ponchu]

I feel queasy thinking about my prescription of statins I was forced to fill but will never put in my body.

My doc understands but not those who sign his paycheck.

 

[Daphne917]

My GP wanted to prescribe me statins within a week of me being diagnosed. I politely told him where to put his statins...

My DN prescribed them because ‘all diabetics should be on statins’ and, unfortunately, I took them. However after they increase my Hba1c from 48 to 54 and caused sudden dizziness and sleep disturbance I told my doctor that I would not take them anymore and he agreed. After chatting to a new doctor a couple of weeks ago my notes have been annotated as being ‘statin intolerant.’ It will be interesting to see if my DN takes any notice of this at my next review or whether she will still try to persuade me to take them.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Trouble is what do you do with all the unopened packs every time I have them taken off my repeat prescriptions eventually they magically reappear. Unbidden and unwanted..

 

[hooha]

Don’t beat up on your doctors they have a big job to do. My experience is they will always listen and explain what they are doing with you. It a team effort.

NO they don't. Tried to stop me doing the Newcastle ' cure ' Did it anyway. Sent me to the DB nurse who tried to put me on statins. One year later the GP was very embarrassed , explained she thought I had done the right thing, would have done the same herself if diagnosed as type 2, but could not advise me as it was '' not in the practice guidelines ''.Gave me handouts telling me to eat carbs and examine my feet for signs of dangerous ulcers . Told them what I thought of 'em and demanded to see a consultant privately . They did not want to give me a name . Got one in the end. Lousy service.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Told them what I thought of 'em and demanded to see a consultant privately . They did not want to give me a name . Got one in the end. Lousy service.

They're not supposed to give you a name. I had exactly the same problem when I wanted to see an endocrinologist privately. My GP explained that by suggesting a particular specialist they could be accused of favoritism or even be accused of receiving a back hander from the "preferred" consultant.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

Thanks to my statins I have been able to complete my fourth house renovation in 18 months and publish my 6th book.
Statins don't help with the T2 nor cholesterol, I manage them through diet and exercise, but they do (according to my vascular specialist) stabilize the plaques in my body preventing then breaking up and travelling to where they could cause major problems.
I know that most of you are vehemently anti-statin but I believe I fall into that small category where they may help. It's ironic that I take statins for a condition probably in part caused by T2. In other words, had I managed (or prevented) my T2 in years gone by I wouldn't even be here chatting with you.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

but they do (according to my vascular specialist) stabilize the plaques in my body preventing then breaking up and travelling to where they could cause major problems.

I'm pleased that you don't have the side effects experienced by some/many.

I've read an interesting paper which looked at the reversal of plaque and taking statins written by Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Preventive Cardiology Center in Baltimore. In his conclusion he suggests that even making the necessary dietary changes to lower total cholesterol would have the same effect, just that it has never been tested.

Personally, I made the decision to stop taking statins because my change in diet had lowered my total cholesterol anyway and more importantly I was fed up with the muscle pain and brain fog.

I've also been fortunate enough to have had the state of my arteries looked at, part of a raft of tests done in the U.S. because a crazy MD said I was having a heart attack. Milking my travel insurance more like. My GP is married to a cardiologist who confirmed I was not in need of a triple bypass (also suggested by crazy MD). It would be nice if we could all have our arteries looked at.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

Boy, I wish they would find a way to reverse plaque. In the meantime if mine are stabilized thats the best I can do. Glad you are ticking along nicely. Long may that continue.

 

[bulkbiker]

Boy, I wish they would find a way to reverse plaque. In the meantime if mine are stabilized thats the best I can do. Glad you are ticking along nicely. Long may that continue.

Have you ever had a CAC scan out of interest? Sounds like you'd be an ideal candidate and it would help monitor progression (or hopefully lack of progression).

 

[Jo_the_boat]

No, I've enough to fret about already. I eat pretty well and exercise lots so that'll have to do for now.

 

[Mbaker]

NO they don't. Tried to stop me doing the Newcastle ' cure ' Did it anyway. Sent me to the DB nurse who tried to put me on statins. One year later the GP was very embarrassed , explained she thought I had done the right thing, would have done the same herself if diagnosed as type 2, but could not advise me as it was '' not in the practice guidelines ''.Gave me handouts telling me to eat carbs and examine my feet for signs of dangerous ulcers . Told them what I thought of 'em and demanded to see a consultant privately . They did not want to give me a name . Got one in the end. Lousy service.

Makes a mockery of the disclaimers we all give. None of us are experts generally (but we can become an expert to ourselves), but I would feel comfortable saying most of us 1 year in, know more than those we are told to refer to - this has got to be one of the most bizarre situations in medical intervention treatment. I.e. the patient effectively knowing better treatments than the multiple professionals.

 

[Brunneria]

Boy, I wish they would find a way to reverse plaque. In the meantime if mine are stabilized thats the best I can do. Glad you are ticking along nicely. Long may that continue.

There has been some interesting small scale studies on the use of vit K2 and pomegranate (for the antioxidants).
Too early to shout it from the rooftops, but my Mr B comes from a family of Plaque Builders, and he is sufficiently concerned that we are tracking things with CACI scans, while he takes the K2 and the pomegranate (dried capsules, rather than juice, to minimise the juice carb intake)

(pom in mice)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23528829

(pom in humans, 3 year study)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15158307

(Vit K2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26176325

I also saw a couple of you tube vids discussing Vit K2 undergoing trials for atherosclerotic patients, by a leading cardiologist at a convention. Final trial results were not yet in, but preliminary results looked very promising. He clearly distinguished between slowing development of plaques, and reducing them, and said that reduction seemed a possibility. All about the dose size, apparently. Unfortunately, several blogger trendy nutrition types have now jumped on the band wagon (Mercola and Berg) and I can no longer find the video because it has been driven down the listings by their 'buy my supplement' sales pitch videos. Most frustrating!

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Boy, I wish they would find a way to reverse plaque.

I think plaque can be reversed, there seems to be plenty of Youtube videos on the subject. I've also seen the scans taken before and after supplementation of magnesium. Interesting, just not sure of conclusions.

 

[OrsonKartt]

There has been some interesting small scale studies on the use of vit K2 and pomegranate (for the antioxidants).
Too early to shout it from the rooftops, but my Mr B comes from a family of Plaque Builders, and he is sufficiently concerned that we are tracking things with CACI scans, while he takes the K2 and the pomegranate (dried capsules, rather than juice, to minimise the juice carb intake)

(pom in mice)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23528829

(pom in humans, 3 year study)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15158307

(Vit K2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26176325

I also saw a couple of you tube vids discussing Vit K2 undergoing trials for atherosclerotic patients, by a leading cardiologist at a convention. Final trial results were not yet in, but preliminary results looked very promising. He clearly distinguished between slowing development of plaques, and reducing them, and said that reduction seemed a possibility. All about the dose size, apparently. Unfortunately, several blogger trendy nutrition types have now jumped on the band wagon (Mercola and Berg) and I can no longer find the video because it has been driven down the listings by their 'buy my supplement' sales pitch videos. Most frustrating!

I've read that stuff and have been onto it for a month or so. I'm also fermenting soya. Could be coincidental but my fasting sugar levels are lower too