Practically every low carb book recommends that you see your doctor in the first few days or weeks, because not only does this WOE has the same diuretic action as those blood pressure pills, it also keeps blood sugar low. So basically, it was as if she was double-dosing on her meds. The doctor needs to reduce them! That's all. I hope your friend realizes what's going on.

First of all, I'm sorry your friend is so sick. Even people who READ the book have been known to disregard the instuctions about consulting a doctor if you are on meds especially, and jump right to the "good stuff". The non-readers and disregarders then think "the diet made me sick, I can't do it!".

That's really sad, because they've kind of shot themselves in the foot by being in such a hurry.

Wait... let me see if I have this straight.

Her BP dropped so perhaps she can stop or cut down on the BP meds.

Perhaps she can cut down or quit her insulin.

And the doctor doesn't want her to continue to follow the diet that allowed this wonderful change to happen, so she can continue to take her medications?

Whee! Time for a new doctor, methinks.

As far as consulting a doctor when you go on a diet, the reception that the Atkins diet gets from most doctors, it is no wonder that people don't tell their doctors!

It amazes me that folks will make a major change in their diet and way of life without having read one of the books, checking the websites, or finding a forum like this. This is particularly so if you are on a bunch of medications. Losing weight has health consequences (good ones!), and so does the way that you do it. It is so important for people to KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING, and you can't do that without educating yourself first. Its like taking a new medication without checking for other drug interactions.

Your friend needs a new doctor, and a couple of new books!

Precisely!!

I really hope she either switches doctors, or at least continues on a semi-low carb plan of some sort.

This is precisely why I have lost almost all faith in doctors. They are way more likely to treat a symptom, than prevent or cure the real disorder. It's all about the drugs.

Blood pressure medicine is a joke. High BP is a SYMPTOM, not a disease. Using BP meds to lower the volume of blood to low BP simply masks the cause. Simple physics tells us that if you make a pipe smaller, the pressure of the liquid inside goes up. Treat the thickening arteries, not the symptom.

I had a physical last summer (for life insurance) and they checked my cholesterol and proclaimed it high. I was given a couple of months to lower it through diet and exercise. Never mind that cholesterol has never been proven to have anything at all with heart disease (case in point is my Dad, who is overweight but has always had low BP and cholesterol. He had a triple bypass two years ago and still has quite a bit of angina, even though he is on statins and you basically can't measure his cholesterol).

I had only been dabbling with LC, mostly just cutting out sugar and refined flour, though completely giving up transfats, so needless to say, my bloodwork didn't change (actually got slightly worse, though my triglicerides went from 140 to 110). I got this stern phonecall saying I had to come in "right now" to be put on meds. I'm a healthy 40 year old and they want to put me on meds for life based on ONE test, and that on something that doesn't matter. I hope they aren't holding their breath .

You have to be in charge of your own health. Wading through all of the crap out there is hard work, but worth it. No one cares about your own health (and money) like you do.

For heart disease, eating a healthy diet of unrefined, low carb foods, exercising, reducing stress and not smoking is about all you can realistically do (it's enough, IMO). It's a quality of life issue.