Hi Maggy, and welcome to the forum!
Many Type 2s have an underactive thyroid but no-one knows whether there is a link between the two - as far as I know.
I had a bad reaction to simvastatin (muscle/joint problems) and now I won't take statins at all. However, my cholesterol is and always was lower than yours, so it's worth listening to your doctor and trying to work out a solution. Other brands don't have the same effect as Simvastatin; also there are some non-statin alternatives. Also have a good look round and do a bit of research into statins before you see the GP. A good but "anti" site is Duane Graveline's "space.doc.net". Google him or the site. Also make sure you read some "pro" sites. Much better to go into battle armed with lots of information! :wink:
Metformin - I take 1 x 500mg Metformin 3 times a day, and don't have any problems with them. Some people get bad digestive system side-effects - wind, diarrhoea etc. I did at first but settled down very quickly. Make sure you take them 1-a-day for a week; then 2-a-day; etc - build up slowly. If you continue with side-effects, ask for the slow-release (SR) version. More expensive but easier on the system.
Not only does Metformin help reduce insulin resistance, it also has an appetite-suppressing effect and helps with weight loss (important for me). Even more important, it has a protective effect against stroke/CVD, and apparently against some cancers. As I'm a statin-refusnik, I value them for that.
I have a lot of weight to lose still (despite already losing 4 stone!) so I eat a very-low-carb diet based around "Atkins Induction" (see
Viv's Modified Atkins Diet , which is a Sticky Thread in the Low-carb Diet section of the forum). In practice I probably eat nearer 50g carb per day than 25g, particularly in winter. Many people can manage their BGs very well on more carbs than that - up to 130g/150g per day, using portion control. I would put weight on at that level :roll: .
I find that eating this way not only lowers my blood glucose levels (these days I am almost always at non-diabetic levels, unless I lapse
), but also my blood pressure (120/78 last time) and my cholesterol, which my doctor is perfectly happy with even if my Total Cholesterol is higher than recommended for diabetics (4.9 last time).
However, Total cholesterol is not everything. When you see your GP, ask to discuss your full lipid profile with him, rather than just the Total figure. You may need a fasting blood test for this, if your last one wasn't fasting. The breakdown of HDL, LDL and Triglycerides is more important than the Total figure. More important still is the Total:HDL ratio. Mine is 3.1 and my doctor goes by that. All the other figures are where they should be, and I do that by a low-carb higher-fat diet.
Don't be frightened by natural, unprocessed fats. Only about 20% of your cholesterol comes from your diet; the rest is made by your liver. Statins reduce your cholesterol by interfering with this process in your liver; they also interfere with the production of Co-enzyme Q10, which is vital for the function of all muscles - including the heart! Given your previous problems with your liver, I'm not suprised you are wary of taking statins again. They can't force you to take them!
Hope this helps; any further questions (eg the figures for HDL etc) just ask. This is long enough already :lol:
Viv 8)
