I had my 4-month endocrinologist visit today:

HbA1c = 5.3
BP = 100/70
Total Chol = 198
LDL = 110
HDL = 80
Triglicerides = 35

She told me the glucose numbers were good, but that if the LDL remained above 100 she would prescribe medication. I flat told her that I will not take medicine to lower a LDL when there are no other indications of CHD. She told me that I should start using skim milk (I use heavy whipping cream), and eat more whole grain cereal.

On my way out, they gave me a little bag of goodies:
a pack of "unsweeted" applesauce.
a pack of "no sugar" chocolate cream cookies.
a sample of a diabetic snack.
a pack of powdered fiber mix.

I wanted to say something about giving away high-carb junk food, but knew it would just make them think that I was weird.

I asked her if she had ever heard of Dr. Bernstein - of course she hasn't.

I lot of people in the waiting room were eating these free snacks (which came with cuopons for more) - I guess it will keep the clinic and drug companies in business.....

Congratulations on the great numbers! I am sure you have worked very hard to get them that low.

As for your Endo...fire her. She sounds like a quack working for food/drug manufacturers. Sorry to sound harsh, but it sure seems that way to me.

Or "do your own thing" and just use her for the lab work. My best friend threw her prescription in the trash on her way out of the office. Her CHO numbers were better than yours, but her Triglycerides were 188. (She now has them down to 51, without meds and the ex-doctor.)

WOW! such terrific numbers! C
I want to know: did you get there just with following Bernstein's diet and exercise advice? How closely are you following, and for how long have you followed it?

I want numbers like that!

Uhara

I'm jealous. Especially the HDL and BP numbers. Do you take any BP meds? Your total cholesterol is actually lower than Dr. Bernstein's! Your total Chol/HDL ratio is 2.5, which is absolutely fabulous (and much more important to your health than the raw cholesterol numbers). I was happy when mine went below 4, the doctor's target for me.

I'll bet your doctor doesn't have one single patient on a low fat diet with such beautiful blood work. Congratulations!

Jim

Excellent numbers!!!
With your HDL at 80 and your triglycerides at 35, there is absolutely no reason to worry about your LDL being 10 points higher than the arbitrary "normal" value. You're doing fantastic!

BTW, off topic: Where in 'Kentuckiana' are you? I grew up in St. Matthews, Ky.

I was born in Prestonsburg, KY! Lots of Kentuckianaians around here for such a small group!

Congratulations for such excellent numbers!

According to the laboratory that my MD uses, optimal LDL is below 100 mg/DL. "Near Optimal" is from 100 to 129. In other words, it's close enough! And with HDL above 40, I wouldn't let anyone harrass you into starting on a cholesterol med (liver toxin, IMNSHO).

I think my Dr would do handsprings if my triglycerides were anything like 35. Mine are down to 252, from 359, and she's happier than she was!

I'd say, keep up whatever you're doing. It's working.

I found out that I had diabetes 5-1/2 years ago, diagnosed as "Type 2". My HbA1c was 12.3, and my glucose on that day was 610.

I now believe that I was "aquiring" slow-onset Type 1 diabetes. I struggled mightily with OHC pills and diet for 3 years, fearing the insulin needle.

From the outset, I started a modified Dr. Atkins. I would allow myself carbs, based on my BG response.

A couple of years ago I stumbled across Dr. Bernstein's website, and bought his book (I'm an engineer also, so I could relate to his story) And the rest is history.

I got my endo to prescribe Lantus and Novolog , and have been following Dr. Bernstein ever since (contrary to my endo's advice, she ALWAYs tells me that I NEED at least 25g CHO at each meal, minimum 150 g/day)

The insulin saved my life. It actually gave me a life, to be more precise. For any of you out there struggling with diet and the pills, it might be time to save yours also.

I have never been overweight, though - and insulin can cause you to gain some, if you are not real careful. ( I gained 15 needed pounds )

There is nothing as liberating as have complete, instant control over your BG's. COMPLETE, INSTANT control!

As long as you follow a LC diet, life is easy on insulin. If my BG is higher than I like (I consider 120 high), I just shoot a unit or two of Novolog, and in a few minutes, it is back to normal. (75-95)

If it goes low (quite often) I just eat a roll of Smarties (6 g/roll, or abount 1/3 gram per candy), they are pure glucose.

That gives one pause to think...
Still mostly on diet and exercise, not tolerating metformin well it seems.
120 for me is low at this point.
My A1c was 11.9 when diagnosed, now it is 7.8. The lowest I've gotten it was 6.7. But I could do better with diet and exercise than what I am doing.

Insulin still scares me . I'm going to work at getting the weight down first....

Thanks for sharing your strategy.

Uhara

Why? I just don't understand this. If I start having the least bit of trouble maintaining control, I will demand insulin. (Maybe it's the fact that I, too, was trained as an engineer.)

Being type 2, one of the main problems probably is insulin resistance. It seems to make more sense to me to try to attack that first. Adding more insulin would increase the amount of free insulin already there, and I am concerned about lots more ineffective insulin in the blood, and what it would do, even if it got the bg's down some.
I don't know though how much insulin I am still making. It seems to me testing for the presence/absence of insulin should become a part of diabetes management.

Uhara

Just got my "blood work" back today and saw my cardiologist. Here's my numbers, bearing in mind that I'm on glucophage xl, actos & lipitor in addition to other drugs. I've had type ii for 10 years and had a heart episode 7 yrs. ago....

A1c 5.7 (before lc 7.6)
Chol Total 138 (127)
Trig 125 (150)
HDL 48 (37)
LDL 65 (60)
Mean Bld Glu Estim. 103 (167)
AND my BP was 110/54...I said they might want to hold a mirror under my nose!

My doctor was happy. I was happy. I hope to get off some of the drugs, but we both agreed to see how the numbers and the weight loss look in 3 months. I told him that he was dealing with The New Me and he said that was ok but that he liked the old me a lot. I said this me is a team with him, Dr. Atkins, Dr. Berstein! I feel like my doc has a brain and a heart bigger than his ego and HE'S the first one that said more protein to me almost a year ago.

I feel good, just need more exercise and more consistent exercise. I'm so grateful I found the docs and the courage to go against the tide. Yea, me and yea you too!

Hey TexasGingerSnap: Great numbers! Congratulations! I have a similar history...diabetic II for 15 years (gestational, initially)...heart attack six years ago...similar results on this WOE....off most of the six medications I was on, BUT I need a new doctor. Do you, by any chance, live in Austin, Texas? If you do, I'm hoping you'll share your doc with me. Mine retired in March & I haven't had any luck finding one I can work with. I've e-mailed you privately. Thanks, Andee

Wow! Your weight loss is wonderful!

I'm also answering you privately, but alas I live in the unincorporated area of Houston. I wish everyone could go to my doctor because I think he's great. He became an internist first and then a cardiologist and he treats the whole me. Diabetes is such an important disease, but if the ticker doesn't tick it doesn't matter how swell your blood sugars are. For a long time I went to an a diabetes specialist too but "they" were driving me crazy.... one would tell me one thing and the other would tell me something else, it's only normal for each to have their focus on their speciality, but I felt like a push me - pull you and came up with my ticker theory on my own. I feel like people are ultimately responsible for their own bodies and try and do what their doctors suggest (afterall we do pay them for their expertise), but if the advice flies in the face of what you know is right for you then you have to use your head. I'm lucky that mine is on my side more than into the whole god complex. Try calling the hospitals in your area and ask for suggestions.... I find that many times nurses know who's good and who's just good lookin'!