HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Incident today at work

Support Forums
>
Diabetes
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/19/2007 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
After my HORRID cholesterol results on my labs, I went off on my own and bought some over the counter "non flushing" niacin 500mg. I took it for 3 days at bedtime as suggested by the pharmacist. I had an incident of sharp pains in my abdomen yesterday (this was at work, so I was under a lot of stress), but took my anxiety med and it went away. Today, after lunch, I started getting sharp "stinging" pains in my chest which I've never experienced... I freaked out... and my boss let me go to the doctor. They checked my bp which was high for me 140/90 and my sugar which was 169!!!! I haven't had a reading like that in ages, but then again I never test RIGHT after meals, and it was not more than a half hour after lunch (low carb bread with lunch meat and cheese and 5 cherub tomatoes ... really small). I don't know if this is totally high or not, but the doc wanted to see me after my bp and sugar check, did another bp which was back to normal, and an ekg which she said was just like my usual one, so I knew it wasn't a heart attack! She wants me to try Tricor, but after reading about it on the internet, I think it will be as bad on my liver as statins, so I'm afraid to take it. She said maybe the symptoms were from anxiety (which I suffer from) or from the niacin, which she said to stop. I don't know what to do. Is there anything else I can do for my cholesterol and triglycerides which won't ruin my liver????? Please give me some advice.

Bear

P.S. When I got home, my sugar was 102, which is higher than normal for me after work. Is this horribly high? This was about 5 hours after lunch.

Posted 7/19/2007 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Bear,
It is normal to have a high BS after lunch, that is why we don't check them right after we eat. 102 is Ok, I have gotten 105 on my wife and she is not a diabetic even though she normally runs about 85 -90. Remember these meters have a 20% accuracy. A reading of 100 could be 80 to 120. So act on the meter only as a guideline.

I use the fish oils (omega 3) and garlic to lower my cholesterol, it seem to work for me. Do you take multi vitamins? You should if you don't, as diabetics need the extra benifit they offer.

Have you been checked for acid reflux? I had pains like a heart attack and after all the tests it came out to be acid reflux. Took them 2 years to diagnose it and many false heart attacks later.

Bob
Posted 7/19/2007 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
The way to get your cholesterol down is whole grain oats, monounsaturated fats (olive, peanut, avocado), omega 3's (fish) and some gentle exercise. White meat chicken and pork instead of dark meat and beef will help, also. But honest, Bear, I think you are being a bit hard on yourself. Try to take it one meal or even one bite at a time.

At least your numbers are coming down, not going up. You're doing much better than you know. We had a man on this site whose morning sugars were in the 240's and he wanted to use something 'natural' like cinnamon because he didn't trust medicine and drugs... Do you see how well you are doing?
Posted 7/19/2007 11:48 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you Bob and Jeannie,

I take: Mature Multi Vitamin, 400 IU Vitamin E, 800 mg calcium supplement with 800 IU Vitamin D (I have Osteoporosis too sad ), 2000 mg Fish Oil Capsules (Yuk... they are so big), plus my Avandamet, Nexium, Zetia, Lexapro, sometimes Xanax, and my hormone patch (post hysterectomy). I feel like a walking pill bottle. Every day I get my pills ready to take with me to work and by the time I take everything, I'm SO full even after a small lunch, just because I have to drink so much to swallow it all (the only ones I take in the evening are the Nexium and Lexapro. God forbid I have a headache, then add an Advil to the mix. The doc wants to add Tricor, but I'm still just thinking about that one because of my past liver problems. I've learned not to just trust doctors blindly from past experience...

How much fish oil do you take? I would gladly take more of that if it would help. I tried the non-flushing Niacin, but after the 2 "attacks" of pains, I'm staying off that one. I've tried for years to control the cholesterol with diet and exercise, but I don't have much luck with that. I am "predisposed" to high cholesterol and the statins mess up my liver. Thankfully the Avandamet hasn't done anything major to my liver, nor has the Zetia. Oh and Bob, I do have acid reflux as well, and the Nexium is great! I was on Prevacid for years, double the normal dose with no luck, but since the purple pill I have almost no problems.

Jeannie, I am eating some nuts almost every day... I buy the Planter's "South Beach Diet" mix with Almonds, Cashews and Macadamias. I use Olive Oil, and I love avacados, and have them once in a while. I definitely need to add oats to my diet. I guess I need to start eating oatmeal (yuk)... but maybe the peanut butter will make it better. I just hope it doesn't spike my sugar. I still eat red meat, but the LEANest hamburger meat and lean cuts. We eat chicken more than anything ('til we feel like clucking lol). I do love the pork chops tongue  too. I am grateful that (with the help of my friends here) I've been able to bring the sugar down. I wish the cholesterol would come down as quickly.

(((Hugs))) to all,

Bear 

Posted 7/20/2007 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Bear,

I have been reading the Atkins Diabetes Plan book and it says that it can take up to 6 months to see the lipid profile come down after you get your blood sugar stabilized. It's almost like your poor metabolism can only make one big adjustment at a time. So, if you keep on doing what you know is right for your body and be patient for a little while longer, you'll see good results.

The book even said that you might see some increases while your body adjusts to lower blood glucose levels. And you did see a tremendous improvement in your A1c- I'd send you a nice set of baby elephants doing the happy dance, but this site won't let me display them. sandy yeah

Posted 7/20/2007 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Bear,

It sounds like you are doing all of the right things. I take 1000mg of fish oil a day.

On the chest pain thing. Are you sure it is not your acid reflux. I take protonix (it's like nexium) and I still get pain from the acid reflux every now and then. This morning I drank an extra coffee at a long boring meeting and sure enough, I wish I didn't. My acid reflux kicked in for about an hour and that is after taking the protonix about 2 hours before the meeting.

I hope you find the source of this pain, as it drives me crazy when I have a pain and don't know the cause.

Bob
Posted 7/20/2007 11:45 PM (GMT 0)

Hi,

Bob, I stopped the niacin, and the weird pains went away. I'm not sure but I think the niacin may have been the culprit.

Gelchick,

Ok, ok, I'm doing the happy dance for my A1c LOL yeah yeah

Love you guys,

Bear tongue

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply