New Doctor, New Rules?

[athena53]

What was the dosage? Maybe higher dosages cause more problems?

No idea. My cholesterol was about 225 total at the time so there wouldn't have been a need for the max dosage.

This really good golfer friend is always having painful joints and she is currently not on statin. She was prescribed statin but she stopped within a week because it gave her joint pains. Heck, she had joint pains way before she started on statins. She had a TIA and hence she was put on a statin. Now no statin and she may get another TIA or worse.

I can see why you thought it was due to a fear of statins in that case. Yeah, I'd want to do everything I could to avoid another TIA.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have always exercised daily for 40 years. When I needed a beta blocker it slowed my metabolism down along with my heart rate. Gradually I gained 50lbs because I didn’t change my eating habits and I was in the obese range.

When covid hit I noticed that old fat people with health conditions were dying. The only thing I could change was my weight and I lost 50lbs in 6 months and have kept it off for 3 years. I went from taking 2 HBP pills to one and although I still have aches and pains from a few car accidents they are greatly reduced.

I now have a bmi of 25 and my doctor was thrilled and asked me how I did it. My blood work is now excellent. I definitely agree that we have some control over our health but not all.

 

[brett]

I have always exercised daily for 40 years. When I needed a beta blocker it slowed my metabolism down along with my heart rate. Gradually I gained 50lbs because I didn’t change my eating habits and I was in the obese range.

When covid hit I noticed that old fat people with health conditions were dying. The only thing I could change was my weight and I lost 50lbs in 6 months and have kept it off for 3 years. I went from taking 2 HBP pills to one and although I still have aches and pains from a few car accidents they are greatly reduced.

I now have a bmi of 25 and my doctor was thrilled and asked me how I did it. My blood work is now excellent. I definitely agree that we have some control over our health but not all.

Similar story a few years prior to retirement. Approaching obesity, very poor diet, long work hours, lots of travel and entertainment.

For me it was not simply the weight. It was diet and exercise. I dropped 40lbs. I was fortunate. I had an MD who told me clearly, in plain english, and small words where my health was headed if I did not change.

My wife is a RN. She said to me at the time...you follow your accountants advice, you follow your lawyers advice. So what about your physicians advice?
It also appeared to have an unanticipated benefit. I was under stress at work. It seemed to me that my stress level actually decreased when I made some changes. And I slept better.

What made the biggest change for both of us was travel to southern Europe each fall and spending winters in SE Asia. It completely changed our diets for the better. And that change became very evident in our respective blood work, weight, and general feeling of well being. It also impacted my sleep.

Bottom line for me. Following the advice and the direction of two physicians as it pertained to weight, diet, and exercise over a period of five years prior to retirement completely changed my post retirement health and sense of well being. It was not always easy at first and there was some backsliding on my part. It was probably easier because my spouse, who did not have a weight challenge, made the diet and exercise changes in concert with me.

This is not to say that I do not expect to have the usual health challenges as I age because I do. We are both trying to avoid or lessen the health challenges that are within our respective control.

 

[Koolau]

I have always exercised daily for 40 years. When I needed a beta blocker it slowed my metabolism down along with my heart rate. Gradually I gained 50lbs because I didn’t change my eating habits and I was in the obese range.

When covid hit I noticed that old fat people with health conditions were dying. The only thing I could change was my weight and I lost 50lbs in 6 months and have kept it off for 3 years. I went from taking 2 HBP pills to one and although I still have aches and pains from a few car accidents they are greatly reduced.

I now have a bmi of 25 and my doctor was thrilled and asked me how I did it. My blood work is now excellent. I definitely agree that we have some control over our health but not all.

Okay. How DID you do it?? Doctors and inquiring minds want to know.

 

[brett]

It me took months.

Loosing weight was good but for me it had to be combined with, and a result of, a change in diet. Changing our diet and our lifestyle was the priority. It was not easy, in fact at times it was very challenging. Eating less of our former diet was not the answer from a long term perspective or from a health perspective.

To one that I, and we, came to enjoy more and more and one that we did not feel that we were sacrificing anything or worse, hungry. The opposite became true.

Does not mean that we do not go off the wagon some days because we do.

 

[joesxm3]

I had a pet scan for prostate and it reported coronary artery calcification, but no detail.

I started research and found great YouTube videos by dr. Ford brewer, prevmed channel and prevmedhealth.com. there is a new book called unholy trinity that compiles info by one of his patients.

Short version is metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance is the root cause of plaque. See videos or book for a good explanation.

I have begun as aggressive as I can life style change and plan to do advanced testing as recommended by Dr brewer.

I cut way down on junk sweers and carbs and am trying to walk more as much as my knees can handle.

So far lost five pounds in a couple weeks.

 

[athena53]

I cut way down on junk sweets and carbs and am trying to walk more as much as my knees can handle.

So far lost five pounds in a couple weeks.

Nice work! Dr. Robert Lustig's books on metabolic syndrome ("Fat Chance" and "Metabolic") are also informative and readable. A dear friend found out after a serious stroke that he was also Type 2 diabetic. He's gone to a keto diet and lost weight (he was teddy-bear shaped) and, with the agreement of his doctor, is off diabetic meds. Unfortunately he has lingering problems that leave him unable to drive but other aspects of his health have improved greatly.

My a1c was borderline high and I've gotten it down by following general keto principles- minimize bread, potatoes, rice and sugar- but not as rigorously as he does.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Koolau, 6 days a week I ate 1600 calories and one day a week I didn’t count. I didn’t want my body to get used to the same number of calories every day and lower my metabolism.

I wanted to eat my calories so eliminated any beverage with calories except for coffee. The rest of the day I drink a lot of water. I also never drink diet soda as it’s really bad for you. I have always taken a brisk walk daily and usually get 10k steps a day even when I was fat.

 

[Koolau]

Koolau, 6 days a week I ate 1600 calories and one day a week I didn’t count. I didn’t want my body to get used to the same number of calories every day and lower my metabolism.

I wanted to eat my calories so eliminated any beverage with calories except for coffee. The rest of the day I drink a lot of water. I also never drink diet soda as it’s really bad for you. I have always taken a brisk walk daily and usually get 10k steps a day even when I was fat.

That sounds like a great regimen. I struggle to walk right now though I'm going to get an implant in my back (like a TENS unit) to help with the pain. I hope to be able to walk after that. I've lost 40 lbs in 6 months on "Atkins" diet. I do still consume too many diet sodas, but they are my "cigarettes." I've never been a smoker, but I figure everyone has one bad habit and, right now, for me, that's diet soda. Maybe once I whip the weight and the lack of exercise, I'll come back to the diet soda and kick that (long since gave up coffee.)

 

[brett]

That sounds like a great regimen. I struggle to walk right now though I'm going to get an implant in my back (like a TENS unit) to help with the pain. I hope to be able to walk after that. I've lost 40 lbs in 6 months on "Atkins" diet. I do still consume too many diet sodas, but they are my "cigarettes." I've never been a smoker, but I figure everyone has one bad habit and, right now, for me, that's diet soda. Maybe once I whip the weight and the lack of exercise, I'll come back to the diet soda and kick that (long since gave up coffee.)

I started on the Atkins diet. It works!

It gave me the encouragement and the impetus to keep going and to change our diet.

I go back on the Atkins regime for two weeks every once in a while when I feel that my weight is creeping up or when I start to feel lethargic because of not eating properly for a few days.

Also when I come back after spending time at my wife's relatives. Their idea of fruit is a fruit pie with ice cream. It seems with them all vegetables should be served in a cream sauce! And if unsure....cook everthing is lashings of butter. Salad, the odd time they have it, has to be drowning in gooey high fat, high suger salad dressings that overpower the taste of the salad.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Koolau, I also have a small pedal machine that you sit in a chair and pedal. It has different resistance levels that you can adjust so you get a good workout. You can end up very sweaty and it should be easier on your back. I have a back problem and can do it when it has flared up. I mainly bought it for when I can’t get outside or it’s too icy.

I have read that diet soda makes it harder to lose weight. Basically it’s a cup of chemicals. I would drink coffee and give up the soda. I only drink 2 cups a day and then if I want more I drink a high quality decaf. The cheap ones use a process to remove the caffeine that can lead to cancer.

 

[Badger]

Koolau, I also have a small pedal machine that you sit in a chair and pedal. It has different resistance levels that you can adjust so you get a good workout. You can end up very sweaty and it should be easier on your back. I have a back problem and can do it when it has flared up. I mainly bought it for when I can’t get outside or it’s too icy.

I few years back I bought a MagneTrainer. It sounds much like what you have. It can be set up to pedal with legs or use with arms for upper body. Well made machine.

Cheers!

 

[Teacher Terry]

I few years back I bought a MagneTrainer. It sounds much like what you have. It can be set up to pedal with legs or use with arms for upper body. Well made machine.

Cheers!

Because I live in a small condo I needed something small. I bought it at kohl’s. It sits in a corner of the living room and you don’t even notice it. When I use it I pull it away from the wall and put a chair in front of it and exercise while watching tv. That makes the time go quickly. Mine is for legs only. It’s surprisingly heavy but it has a handle that I use to pull it out when I use it.

 

[Turbo29]

They keep lowering the criteria for HBP which would mean medication will get prescribed to more people and some will not need it. Studies also show that as people age their BP increases and doctors used to recognize that but current recommendations are ignoring that.

Not only HBP:

"A review[7] of changes in disease definitions that occurred from 2000 to 2013 for 14 common conditions found that guideline panels have a tendency to widen definitions over time by creating "pre-disease," lowering diagnostic thresholds, and proposing earlier or different diagnostic methods."

New Hypertension Guideline: A Case of Guideline Creep?

 

[braumeister]

Not only HBP:

"A review[7] of changes in disease definitions ...

Thanks for that. I've been telling my doctors that for years, and they're beginning to come around. That's an excellent reference.

 

[youbet]

As pharmacist and a physician, I scrutinize all drug usage especially the big dollar ones.

Since statins are typically prescribed as inexpensive generics, does this mean they are not one of the drugs you scrutinize?

Do your own research on statins rather than listening to any doctor. There is almost zero studies on them that were not paid for by the drug companies.

If it's true, as you say, that there are almost zero studies on steroids that were not paid for by the drug companies, how should we do our own research? Fund our own studies? Listen to anecdotal stories from anonymous folks on the Internet?

 

[youbet]

I have read that diet soda makes it harder to lose weight. Basically it’s a cup of chemicals. I would drink coffee and give up the soda. I only drink 2 cups a day and then if I want more I drink a high quality decaf. The cheap ones use a process to remove the caffeine that can lead to cancer.

It would be much, much healthier for you to drink water instead of coffee Teacher Terry. If you really want to live it up, add a squirt of lemon or lime!

 

[Turbo29]

Since statins are typically prescribed as inexpensive generics, does this mean they are not one of the drugs you scrutinize? If it's true, as you say, that there are almost zero studies on steroids that were not paid for by the drug companies, how should we do our own research? Fund our own studies? Listen to anecdotal stories from anonymous folks on the Internet?

One issue is that the majority of studies funded by pharmaceutical companies that have negative findings regarding their drug are never published.

 

[youbet]

One issue is that the majority of studies funded by pharmaceutical companies that have negative findings regarding their drug are never published.

I'm not sure how this ties into my question to Anakalia.

 

[Koolau]

Koolau, I also have a small pedal machine that you sit in a chair and pedal. It has different resistance levels that you can adjust so you get a good workout. You can end up very sweaty and it should be easier on your back. I have a back problem and can do it when it has flared up. I mainly bought it for when I can’t get outside or it’s too icy.

I have read that diet soda makes it harder to lose weight. Basically it’s a cup of chemicals. I would drink coffee and give up the soda. I only drink 2 cups a day and then if I want more I drink a high quality decaf. The cheap ones use a process to remove the caffeine that can lead to cancer.

I'm not gonna defend diet sodas. And it's true that diet sodas are full of chemicals. The major chemical in diet sodas is (wait for it) dihydrogen monoxide*. Scary stuff - especially when you're up to your nose in it without a life jacket.

But seriously, the amount of chemicals in diet soda are minuscule. If you doubt that, pour one out in portions on a white plate and let each portion evaporate (much faster in the oven at 200 degrees F.) If you pour a similar non-diet soda out, you may not end up with enough room on the plate for all the chemicals - most of it being (wait for it) (3S,4R,5R)-1,3,5,6-pentahydroxyhexane-2-one**

I won't vouch for the safety of the chemicals used in diet soda (not my specialty though I've done a fair amount of study on toxicity in my time.) However, the chemicals used are considered "safe" for the intended use by the FDA.

I simply find diet soda a "crutch" to help me avoid "real" soda, candy, chips, other junk food. I don't know if it inhibits weight loss, but I've been drinking Diet Pepsi while losing 40 pounds in 6 months. Risk benefit as usual. YMMV



* Water - see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide_parody
** Fructose

 

[misanman]

the amount of chemicals in diet soda are minuscule

Not sure I understand this conversation. Based on what I learned in chemistry class, even pure water is a "chemical".

 

[Koolau]

Not sure I understand this conversation. Based on what I learned in chemistry class, even pure water is a "chemical".

Yes, dihydrogen monoxide* as mentioned above.



* water