I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Statins .... Ugh. I took Lipitor for cholesterol (220, with slightly elevated LDL). Everything was peachy (except for the plantar fasciitis!) until my liver numbers suddenly tripled and quadrupled. I quit it just as I started tamox, which sent the liver enzymes soaring even higher. After my recurrence and quitting tamox, I also refused to go back to statins, having just gotten liver enzymes nearly back to normal. Then I find out that 220 is only borderline high, and with an HDL of 47 or greater and LDL numbers trending down, I adamantly refuse to take them again. DH's cholesterol is much higher with much worse LDL and not fab HDL. He takes statins but has turned up now with Type 2 diabetes, even though he is only about 15 lbs overweight. I think it is the statins, but our internist says not. I am unconvinced, and we are thinking about it.

My husband got permanent lung damage from statins. He's a diabetic, and his endrocrinologist likes to keep his cholesterol really low-hence statins. While he was taking them, he was always short of breath and coughing. He was tested for asthma, COPD, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis(really scary), lung cancer, and even tested for neurological issues. All negative, so finally one of his doctors looked up rare statin side effects, and lung damage is one of them. He doesn't take them anymore, but his lungs are much weaker now. Every time he gets a cold, he has the cough for weeks.

Mary

Hmmmmm....it may be time to get DH to an endocrinologist for his diabetes. He has no family hx of it AT ALL. One begins to wonder ....

Thanks, Mary. It wouldn't hurt to have him checked out by an endocrinologist, though. We do wonder if the statins caused it - there seems to be a growing body of literature that diabetes might be an SE of statins. Our internist pooh-poohed it, but we are both concerned that there might be a link in his case.

I have always loved foxes. They are beautiful creatures. I loved the pictures of the fox and the dog friendship, thanks for posting them. I don't understand why people wear fur - and, by the way, check out how they make UGGS as well. It's not pretty. I do wear leather - since those animals are being killed anyway.

RL - good luck on getting your DH to an endocrinologist. I also would be suspicious of the statins.

So, I decided to try a new diet plan. In the past few days, I've read a couple of articles on intermittent low carb diets or intermittent fasting, citing that they both work to lower blood sugar and weight better than conventional diets.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/08/news/la-heb-low-carb-diet-20111208

Seriously, I cannot do fasting without the risk of going bonkers and eating the table - yes, the actual wood- so I decided to try two days a week to eat low carb - and normal the rest of the week. It's supposed to help lower the risk for diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's - my dad has the diabetes and the Alzheimer's, I've had the cancer - and I want to get rid of about ten pounds. My problem - I eat almost no red meat. So yesterday was my first day - ate two eggs for breakfast, egg white salad for lunch, walnuts and plain humus on a plate for a snack. By the time we got to dinner, chicken with mole sauce, I was so hungry I was eying the wood table after all - but it was probably full of carbs. After the chicken, broccoli, and salad, I still wanted more to eat. I just kept repeating to myself that I could eat normally the next morning, but it was still really hard. I'm giving it two weeks. Maybe. If it doesn't get easier, the hell with it.

Oh my, GG, what COULD you eat on that diet? It pretty much eliminates all the things I crave! Fortunately, I'm allergy-free.

Sandy, my niece went on that diet for a month and lost 15 lbs. However, as a very busy insurance executive, she said she spent all her free time in the kitchen preparing food (and she loves to cook, but this was too much).

Hmmm, eating.  Should be a job because it would be such a darn enjoyable one.  I have lost about 22 pounds in the last 6 months.  Not doing anything special, but getting more fruit in the mix and being careful of portion sizes and not using creamer more than once in a day in my coffee.  I love that York International creamer.  Not a big meat eater but lean toward more chicken, turkey and an occasional pork chop.  I also increased my exercise quite a bit and that makes a big difference in weight issues for me.  Also.....lots of water.

Hoping my report comes in the mail today.....the trick will be getting down to the bottom of our lane to get the mail.

Jackie

Hmmmm...another kind of food -- for thought:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/05/why-obamacare-could-help-the-democrats-in-2014.html

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/05/cornelius-kelly-fox-obamacare-baby/   Seems like Cornelius Kelly wanted his 15 secs. and knew how to get it.  Pretty pathetic, but then what can you really expect from Faux News. 

Jackie

Love the dog pics totally.