I knew last week when my Cholesterol tests came back my Dr. would insist I take meds for it. It was 238. In July of last year the overall score was 214. The bad is Up and the good is Down.... After reading so much here last week I realized it was probably up because I went strict induction ( after 3 months of screwing up) and was 2 weeks into it when I took the Cholesterol Test! I shouldn't have tested at that time, but I didn't realize it could spike!!
Well today I did go to the Dr and he threw a fit because I told him I didn't want to take the meds. I told him I was exercising went strict Induction and I wanted to take 6 months to see if the numbers would come down. I don't believe all the hype about Cholesterol anyway! I told him it was dangerous drug and he said My Fathers been on it for 10 years. I just looked at him. He said I know you are exercising & losing weight but you need to lose 40 more lbs., and when you do we will see if you could be weaned off of them. He gave me a 30 day supply of Lipitor and told me to come back in 30 days for a liver test!!!!!!! I WILL NOT TAKE THEM! I'm going to find a new Dr. I really am~!
I have also been on 20 mg. Benicar for 1 yr. My blood pressure stays around 105/56 I've been having problems with dizziness really bad. ( I can't hardly do sit ups without feeling like I am going to pass out!) So, I told him I wanted off the BP medication too and he told me to take 1/2 a pill for the next 30 days and see how I do. Ok I'm going to do that and then if everything goes well I will stop altogether. I can monitor my own BP I'm not an idiot! I lose very slowly and meds are probably why, but I PROMISED the Dr. I would stay on them for a year and I have done that!

I think I am making the right decision what do you think? Any input, ideas or encouragement would be very much appreciated! This is day 29 of induction for me.....

Hi Suzzee,

Find a new doctor. That is your right and prerogative. I find it unprofessional he demand you be on any medication you are hesitant in taking. I would expect a doctor who disagreed with me to suggest I get a second opinion. A watch-and-wait approach for a 6-month period of time is not asking a lot in the scheme of things. He should be taking your overal health into consideration and the fact that you are currently actively continuing on a path of weight loss. On another note, find out where your labs from your current doctor are processed and obtain the standard values and ranges for the tests you are having done. Standards and values can range dramatically from lab to lab. If you seek a second opinion, which in your position I personally would, inquire as to their lab standards as well (could be the same lab even). Make sure if your current doctor is making such a fuss that your values warrant this.

Good luck to you.

Ali

I have some Lipitor that has been sitting in the medicine cabinet for almost 3 years. My cholesterol levels are a good now as when I was taking the Lipitor, and for the first time, my liver enzymes are normal.

My doctor used to be in favor of low-fat eating, but after observing the results of his patients who did low-carb, he now advises his patients to eat low-carb. He himself has also switched to low-carb.

Don't let the doctor push you into taking meds that you are uncomfortable with. Remember that he works for you and it is your health that is important.

i think thats definitely the right decision. if you can get back to low carbing and stick with it and not cheat then thats definitely the way to go.

suzzee:

I agree with everyone. Dump the doctor. Does he think you are 5 years old? How demeaning. He should be willing to consider your level of comfort with a medication and be willing to work with you should you choose not to follow a particular drug therapy. 6 months is not an unreasonable request on your part. Why should he be pushing the panic button? People with normal chol. numbers drop dead of a heart attack.

Beside, there are more natural therapies you could explore other than Sick-ator (lipator), or Death-tor (crestor), etc. Niacin (B-vitamin) or Fish Oil both improve lipid numbers without the harmful side effects. LC diet also helps when followed faithfully (which I know you are doing now). Exercise helps. But, even as you stated, the cholesterol theory of CHD is hype. So, why obsess about it? Family history says more.

If you have the option of going to another GP, do it. Just ask the new doctor to wait to do a chol. test until at least 6 months has passed.

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYBODY for responding so quickly! I feel so much better today. No family history of high Cholesterol, so takes care of that. Also I can get the test done wherever I want to, because I have no medical insurance so I can pick and chose where I go and I will. They (the lab) also sends the test results to me, and they won't even send them to my Dr. if I don't want them to, which is good!

LCarbKozzy, LOL How right you are! I do take vitamin B and I will check into fish oil as well. I suppose it's ok to take both??

Moonwalker I agree and I am going to stick to my plan.

Dodger, I'm going to be just like you! In three years those pills will be in the medicine cabinet just as a reminder! I pray I can find a great intelligent Dr. like yours!

Alicatspjz, I felt same way! It really bothered me that he was so demanding and so arrogant about everything. Sometimes Dr's forget that they work for us!

You could pick up and read "The Cholesterol Myths" by Uffe Ravsnkov... and then give it to your doc. On page 61 it says "high cholesterol is not a risk factor for the female sex. Few comments have been made on this peculiar fact in all the vast literature on cholesterol. When it is mentioned at all, it is said that female sex hormones protect against heart attacks."

It's truly a great book, very well documented and an easy read, too.

DietSka, THANKS taking the time to give me that information! I have to take some books back to the library in a couple days so I will check to see if they have it! If not I will order it and believe me I WILL READ it!
Like my cousin said the Dr. probably has Stock in the Company!
Thanks Again!

Everyone's giving great advice and I'd just like to add my 2 cents!

I've refused meds too. My total was 325, I tried Lipitor, total went down to 154, went off med because of side effects (ones you never hear about in mainstream medicine!) and total went back up to 250+. After being on LC off and on for a year, more on than off, my total had gone up a bit, but my LDL went down and my HDL almost doubled! Doc still wanted me on meds....I refused....she tried to change my mind.....she eventually grabbed onto the fact that I quit smoking and decided now I didn't really need the med after all! LOL Mind you, the first thing I told her was taht I'd quit smoking! Sometimes they just gotta find something to use as justification.

If your doc isn't willing to listen to you and work with you, find another doc(if you can!). It doesn't matter how good or bad a doc is....if you don't like him or trust her or feel comfortable around him.....they are the worst doc in the world for you!!!!!!!

www.thincs.org
www.StatinAlert.org
www.theomnivore.com

Cholesterol is BS: statins are killers; and any Dr. who gives them to his patients for high cholesterol, is pretty damn low IMHO.

Good Luck

CindySue, Good for you! At least you have a good Dr. You're right I really don't like my Dr. anyway! Thanks for your input!

322432, Thanks for the Links! I will read them today! I agree completely with you!

I just got done reading the interview with San Francisco's Dr. Thomas Cowan.
titled Getting healthy again--the high-fat, low-carbohydrate way. It was a really eye opening article! Thanks Again!!!!
I just ordered the book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon that he talked about in the article,
I ordered it from my local library~!VIA The Internet.... I can't wait to read it !!!

Not every doctor graduates at the head of his class.

Pills deal with the symptoms, not the problem. The problem is the excess weight. And your taking positive steps to fix that. I had a blood test 2 weeks after induction, and my clos. was the lowest it ever was, but I never had a problem with it. My problem is blood pressure,,, as my weight went up, so did it. I was put on medicine for it. So far Im down 12 lbs, and I handed the pills back to my doctor. I know me, and as my weight goes down, so does the pressure. I also cut all salt out of my diet,,, im on a subistute which is great. Fix the problem,,, not the symptoms,,,, I monitor my pressure closely,, it is probably a good idea for you to do the same with your clos.

Good luck,, and believe!!!

You mentioned you found a great salt substitute, what have you found? The last one I tried was very metallic tasting.
Thanks