I met the doctor this morning after getting my blood work results. As the doctor put it, my cholesterol and sugar are "totally out of control" and apparently I now have Diabetes.

He said I am extremely high risk now and must start medication today, right now, or I can choose to regulate my diet for a month and see if there is a change for the better. After a month I have to repeat my blood work.

In the meanwhile he wanted me to do some more tests today to check for kidney problems, liver problems, thyroid and I don't know what more.

Apparently my triglycerides were so high (13.10 mmol/L where the desirable level is less than 1.70 mmol/L) that the lab could not even measure my LDL. For LDL to be measured, I believe the triglycerides cannot be greater than 4.52.

The HDL levels were 1.12 where the desirable level is at least 1.3 and optimal being at least 1.55.

Total cholesterol is 7.66 where anything above 4.20 is High Risk. Below 4.20 is Protective.

Glucose (fasting) was 16.5 HP where the optimal range is 3.8 to 6.0. Anything above 6.0 is "impaired FBG" and above 7.0 is "abnormal FBG". Anyone know what FBG means?

Haemoglobin A1c was 0.115 H where it should not be above 0.06.

Now, I have no idea what these measurements mean because all measurements in this forum are in American units and here in Canada they seem to have different units of measure for these.

I wanted to use today's meeting to talk to the doctor about Atkins but his first words after showing me my results were that if I do not cut out my fats, red meats and sugars I would be dead very shortly, so I did not broach the subject of Atkins.

I did mention to him that I have not had any sugar in my food or drink in the last five years and that my wife's cooking has very little oil or any other kind of grease and that I eat meat (white or red or fish or fowl) only occasionally, but that I do tend to overeat on my regular diet of rice and legumes and vegetables. I also only smoke an average of 5 to 7 cigarettes a day in the last 5 years.

He said it is the calories that count, not the carbs, and that eating so much of rice and legumes adds up the calories and that is why I have these problems.

The funny part is, a year ago I weighed around 4 kilos less than I do today and my cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure were absolutely fantasically normal. One year and 4 kilos later I am "high risk" and "out of control".

Sorry about the rant. My question is:

Do I start Atkins anyway in spite of my doctor's advice to cut out fats and meats and sugar - or;

Do I wait for the results of the tests I gave today for the kidneys, liver, etc., and then think about it again, or;

Follow my doctor's advice and see what happens?

Also, does any one here know how to translate the Canadian test measurements to what is more understood in this forum? I have seen posts that HDL should be above 45 and anything above 60 is protective etc., but how would that translate to my readings mentioned here?

I am not feeling too good today (mentally) after meeting my doctor, I decided to take the rest of the day off!

I need help.