September 24, 2012
September 24, 2012 (Monday)
(Post 608, Day 268 of 2012, 633 days since original post)
(Post 608, Day 268 of 2012, 633 days since original post)
Daily Comment
News first.
Today, I had two doctor's visits: My regular doctor's visit (every three months - blood panel review for medications and blood sugar); and a post-op visit to my surgeon.
Good news first: My surgeon is done with me, having seen that everything is doing well. I got a complete (I hope) level-set for the remainder of the healing process. The doctor says I do not need to modify my diet in any way, that I do have some stitches in two of my four small incisions, but that they will self-dissolve within the next 6 weeks (more or less). No follow-up necessary.
The good news from my regular doctor is that he is discontinuing my hypertension drug - my blood pressure is well-controlled.
The bad news is, that 3 months after discontinuing my statin drug, my cholesterol has crept up - but all LDL (aka 'bad') cholesterol. My HDL (aka 'good') cholesterol is actually down, and my triglycerides are up as well. So, albeit at a lower dose, he's bringing back the statin.
Sigh. So close. If my lipid profile had been better, I would actually be off the medication bandwagon completely (except for my hypothyroid medication, that I have been taking for almost 25 years, and that is 'permanent' - not going away, like, ever).
I have very mixed feelings about taking statin drugs. First, I'm not sold on the idea that having high cholesterol is a problem. Supposedly an indicator for future heart problems, the literature suggests otherwise, in that half the people who die of heart attacks have 'normal' cholesterol levels, and the introduction of statins, the world's most prescribed medicines, has not improved changed that.
Today, I had two doctor's visits: My regular doctor's visit (every three months - blood panel review for medications and blood sugar); and a post-op visit to my surgeon.
Good news first: My surgeon is done with me, having seen that everything is doing well. I got a complete (I hope) level-set for the remainder of the healing process. The doctor says I do not need to modify my diet in any way, that I do have some stitches in two of my four small incisions, but that they will self-dissolve within the next 6 weeks (more or less). No follow-up necessary.
The good news from my regular doctor is that he is discontinuing my hypertension drug - my blood pressure is well-controlled.
The bad news is, that 3 months after discontinuing my statin drug, my cholesterol has crept up - but all LDL (aka 'bad') cholesterol. My HDL (aka 'good') cholesterol is actually down, and my triglycerides are up as well. So, albeit at a lower dose, he's bringing back the statin.
Sigh. So close. If my lipid profile had been better, I would actually be off the medication bandwagon completely (except for my hypothyroid medication, that I have been taking for almost 25 years, and that is 'permanent' - not going away, like, ever).
I have very mixed feelings about taking statin drugs. First, I'm not sold on the idea that having high cholesterol is a problem. Supposedly an indicator for future heart problems, the literature suggests otherwise, in that half the people who die of heart attacks have 'normal' cholesterol levels, and the introduction of statins, the world's most prescribed medicines, has not improved changed that.
There are also some worrisome side-effects if taking statins, chief of which, for me, at least, is that the FDA has found that taking statin drugs increases blood sugar levels/decreases control of blood sugar, leading to diagnoses of diabetes. Statins have also been implicated in increases in inflammation, especially of the muscles.
On the other hand, the AMA insists that the benefit in people who, like me, have multiple risk factors for heart disease outweigh the possible negatives.
For now, I'll trust the doctor, but I would rather control my cholesterol (which is still not, in total, at a dangerous level) with diet, or not worry about it at all, then take the drug for the rest of my life.
Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!
Food and Diet Section
Today's Weight: 202.8 lbs
Yesterday's Weight: 203.0 lbs
Day Net Loss/Gain: - 0.2 lbs
 |
| Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011. |
Diet Comment
Not much movement from yesterday's almost-fast. Spending all night eating the entire pot of chili I made won't help, either. But it was so good.
Food Log
Breakfast
Cocoa-kale protein shake (almond milk, whey protein (36g protein), kale, chia gel, large egg, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, stevia-erithrytol blend).
Lunch
Dinner
 |
| Chili (Ground beef, black beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, spices) with peas and Greek yogurt. |
Coffee: 32 oz, Water: 80+ oz.
Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!
posted by Reverend Ken at
7:54 AM
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