If you read my post yesterday headed, "A bitter pill ..." you know I said I was going to the doc today anticipating a life-long sentence to taking a statin for cholestrol ... and I had high anxiety over it.
I've been seeing the doc and having regular blood work for about 3 months now. We had a huge battery of tests done in mid-January. My numbers were hovering around 242. I normally eat quite well, but it had just been the holidays and all. My numbers were awful. The doc said there wasn't going to be anything I could do about it without statins. I convinced him to let me try. He let six weeks go by and during that six weeks, I was extremely disciplined ... but nothing beyond what I think I can continue to do. I saw him 2 weeks ago to have blood drawn again. He said, "I'll see you in two weeks and you'll be going on a statin then ... or I'll be sending you to a cardiologist who I'm sure will be able to convince you."
Once before I went on the diet I'm living on now and I took my cholestrol from 242 down as low as 176. I reached into the 190s in only six weeks. I told the doc about this, but because of my full lipid profile and the things he was seeing, he said, "you're not gonna be able to do that now." I said, "wanna bet?" He said, "I won't bet with you 'cuz you're gonna lose."
To get to the point, I did NOT leave the doc's office today with a prescription for a statin. My cholestrol was 191. I dropped 51 points in six weeks! We'll test again in two months, but given that I have very good (slightly low) blood pressure and excellent EKG and stress test results, he says he's not gonna put my on a statin.
I'm really happy. I've just never liked the idea of taking medicines on a daily basis. Maybe it's irrational. Maybe it's not. But I'm happy I dodged this little bullet.
Anyway, some folks from the earlier thread wanted to know how things turned out. There it is! I feel like I just won a race! (I get excited easily.)
Bob C.
I've been seeing the doc and having regular blood work for about 3 months now. We had a huge battery of tests done in mid-January. My numbers were hovering around 242. I normally eat quite well, but it had just been the holidays and all. My numbers were awful. The doc said there wasn't going to be anything I could do about it without statins. I convinced him to let me try. He let six weeks go by and during that six weeks, I was extremely disciplined ... but nothing beyond what I think I can continue to do. I saw him 2 weeks ago to have blood drawn again. He said, "I'll see you in two weeks and you'll be going on a statin then ... or I'll be sending you to a cardiologist who I'm sure will be able to convince you."
Once before I went on the diet I'm living on now and I took my cholestrol from 242 down as low as 176. I reached into the 190s in only six weeks. I told the doc about this, but because of my full lipid profile and the things he was seeing, he said, "you're not gonna be able to do that now." I said, "wanna bet?" He said, "I won't bet with you 'cuz you're gonna lose."
To get to the point, I did NOT leave the doc's office today with a prescription for a statin. My cholestrol was 191. I dropped 51 points in six weeks! We'll test again in two months, but given that I have very good (slightly low) blood pressure and excellent EKG and stress test results, he says he's not gonna put my on a statin.
I'm really happy. I've just never liked the idea of taking medicines on a daily basis. Maybe it's irrational. Maybe it's not. But I'm happy I dodged this little bullet.
Anyway, some folks from the earlier thread wanted to know how things turned out. There it is! I feel like I just won a race! (I get excited easily.)
Bob C.
