My husband and I started the Atkins diet on Monday. We both need to lose weight, and we both have had cardiac problems. He has had quad by pass, and I have had to have a coronary stent for blocked arteries. He is 67 and I am 60. His lipid profiles are great, but mine stink! My bad cholesterol is good, but my good is very low 35, and my triglycerides are in the 600 levels. I take Hyzaar l00/25 and Cardizem CD 300. I have read that Hyzaar can raise Triglycerides, but my doctors, primary, and cardiologist disagree about the high triglycerides. I went on Atkins because it is a diet I can live with, and I believed, from what I read that the lipid number would get better. I am not so sure now since I have read some of the posts. It seems that most have had their profiles get worse instead of better. Am I taking too much of a risk on this diet. I take B with C and also Co10. I have been taking Zocor, but i don't like the way it makes me feel. I also take slow released niacin 200mg. I don't want to quit Atkins. Have lost 3.5 pounds in 3 days, and have lost the hunger pangs. How can I stay on this diet and protect myself and my husband. Long question, I know, but I sure could use some input. Thanks

toni

toninasky--

You'll need to do some reading to become comfortable with Atkins with respect to cholesterol and heart disease. This section of the forum has references to many articles demonstrating that dietary fat does not raise cholesterol levels any significant amount and that cholesterol or LDL levels do not cause heart disease. The material is all plainly written for lay readers by reputable physicians. What's more, they use data and quotations from the establishment's own research. This is not fringe counter-research. It's the mainstream's results that don't get talked about.

Check out this and this.

Look it over and see what you think.

Best of luck.

Sheldon

Thanks, and you are right, I do have to become more comfortable with this diet. I really don't want to have anymore cardiac procedures. Also, I have been told that perhaps my cholesterol and triglycerides may be hereditary. I would still like to hear more from users of the diet, rather than reading doctors reports and studies.

After three months or so of LC (October), my total cholesterol went up (from 224 to 242). HDL jumped a lot, triglycerides fell a lot, and LDL jumped a little. My doctor wanted to put me on Lipitor (he cares only about LDL), but I refused. He shrugged his shoulders. I have not had the lipids checked since. I'll wait until I have my next physical in the summer. I am persuaded that cholesterol does not damage arteries. Other things do that, such as stress, smoking, excessive insulin and cortisol, and high blood pressure.

We each ultimately have to decide for ourselves. Thank goodness doctors can't force us to do what they say. (As the government gets more and more involved in medicine, that could change--a scary prospect.)

Be aware that people doing Atkins typically see their HDL go up and their triglycerides go down. The research shows that saturated fat does not raise LDL. Overuse of polyunsaturated fats may hold HDL down.

Sheldon

I am a 2-year survivor of a triple bypass (and they wanted to do 5, but 2 were too small for surgery). I started Atkins in mid-March, so I've been on it for 9 months. My triglycerides, in January of 2002, were 263. On November 25th, 2002, they were 146. My total cholesterol is down from 211 to 193. There are some aspects of my lipid profile that worried my doctor, back in September, but he hasn't mentioned them since HE went on Atkins (after seeing my results). Additionally, my legs do not swell up as badly as they did, my joints are not so stiff, and several minor ailments have cleared up. All this, plus I lost 57 lbs.

I was afraid to make this step, too. My health was so bad already that I was afraid I would die if I did ANYTHING to make it worse. Thankfully, low-carbing made me better - and I continue to improve my health daily. If I could make myself exercise, I'd be better yet.

freydis--

Great story! Much future success to you.

Sheldon

Hey Freydis,

Thank you so much for your history. It makes me feel a bit better about what I am doing . I too have a doctor who is skeptical of anything I tell him. Can I ask you another question? How many carbs do you allow yourself per day?

I hope that my husband and I can have the same success. I also am hoping that we can stay, at least close, to the Atkins diet through the holidays, but if we don't, I know that we will be right back on afterwards. We are both determined to lose and get healthier. I do exercise on my treadmill at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes. It does help with the blood pressure.

Best to you and Sheldon

I stay between 10 and 30, usually right around the 20 carb mark. I've decided to stay on Induction level carbs until I reach my goal weight, or at least close to it. My husband and son are doing the same. We are not as strict with our food choices as we were during the first two weeks, but we do try to follow similar guidelines.

I don't know your situation for the holidays. Since my family usually comes to visit us, I have no problem making low-carb fare for the whole crowd. For Thanksgiving, we managed to keep the entire meal low-carb and I plan to do the same at Christmas. There are LOTS of recipes on this very site which help a person adapt almost anything to the low-carb WOL. About the only thing we didn't have a recipe for was sweet potatoes, so I cooked ONE for the person who couldn't live without it, and the rest of us had a grand time with everything else.

I probably consume 45 grams of carbs a day, mostly fruit, nuts, and some peanut butter. I almost never have bread or potatoes. I haven't had pasta since I started in July.

My advice for the holidays is: stick to the plan. You'll feel better physically and psychologically. I have lost my desire for sweets and cakes and breads. My reward is delicious meats and cheeses. I feel better that way.

Good luck and happy holidays.

Sheldon

Thank you both for your input. I am very encouraged by the loss of weight this week. So far we have both lost 4 pounds. I am a bit concerned with blood pressure. It has gone to l48/66 from l30/58, but I assume that this is from the change in diet, and probably a bit too much salt in the foods I am eating bacon,etc.
Also a bit of anxiety trying this diet.
Have a woderful holiday!

Toni

External events can have a dramatic effect on your BP. A few days after I went off atenolol I also had a catastrohpic computer failure. I struggled with it all day. It was very stressful. My BP was higher than I'd ever seen it at home. It made me think that I'd needed to be on meds after all. The next day it was fine, and it's been fine ever since.

BTW, I have a bad case of white-coat hypertension. At home my BP can be 120/78. In the doctor's office an hour later it might be 160/99. That's why I take my BP every day during the week before my appointment, keep a record, print it out, and take it to the doctor.

Sheldon

Sheldon's right about stress. Starting a new way of life can be stressful. The dietary changes could cause a temporary rise in your bp. If you're both heart patients, you probably already have lipid profiles on file with your doctor(s). Try LC for a couple of months and see whether your lipids are better or worse than what's on file.

Also, Sheldon posts some interesting articles about cholesterol and many myths about it. You might take a look at those sometime when you can spend a little while reading.