Rep SO disappointed Cholesterol Numbers NO BETTER after 2.5 months of perfect diet

[Soybean]

Julie - yes - Dr Moriarty is the doctor I'm seeing at KU! I'm a 3/4. No - he didn't say anything about mitochondrial deficiency, but said they had good luck working with "delicate flowers" who were intolerant of statins by careful supplementation and moving slowly. I have a lot of questions for him on my next appointment. I keep writing them down as they occur to me.

The first time I checked into that office and sat down, other patients and spouses of patients started telling me how lucky I was to be going there and how he had saved their lives/husbands/wives. I immediately felt I was finally in the right place. It was good to be heard, but most of all for a medical professional to really understand what was happening and work so hard on education. I'm thrilled my gp worked so hard to get me in there. I am following the diet/medication/supplements in the same way until my next appointment in July. At that point we'll retest and reassess how to go forward. The waiting is the hard part, isn't it? You want results, and quickly, but it just isn't a quick process. They are very big on apheresis there for ldl and lp(a), and that may be an option going forward. They do a lot of clinical trials there, as well.

Rep, for my last carotid check they did ultrasound, then uploaded the data for measurement. It's quick, painless, no radiation, relatively inexpensive and your insurance would cover it with no problem, I'm sure. I'm so excited for your appointment in June. I think good things are ahead of you!

[LA18]

Rep, I don’t know if this is relevant in your case, but I was able to lower my LDL-P substantially (just got results back and it’s down from around 1300 to 1040, although other markers are still not good) by limiting swings in blood sugar. Prior to that I was keeping my blood glucose under 120, but I would often go from the high 60s to 120 rapidly. Someone on the Forum emphasized that this is not healthy, which made me wonder if it was a problem for me. Anyway, with a constant carb load (low, I’m in ketosis), I did see this one improvement in my lipid results when I kept my blood sugar more stable.

[Rshircliff]

Lac wrote

Rep, I don’t know if this is relevant in your case, but I was able to lower my LDL-P substantially (just got results back and it’s down from around 1300 to 1040, although other markers are still not good) by limiting swings in blood sugar. Prior to that I was keeping my blood glucose under 120, but I would often go from the high 60s to 120 rapidly. Someone on the Forum emphasized that this is not healthy, which made me wonder if it was a problem for me. Anyway, with a constant carb load (low, I’m in ketosis), I did see this one improvement in my lipid results when I kept my blood sugar more stable.

My blood sugar stymies me. If I could get it under control maybe I could lower LDL-p. Last night before bed it was 87. Upon waking it was 156! Absolutely nothing to eat or drink, except water, for 8 hours. Lots and lots of new stress with KY court. 6 hours after a low carb moderate fat and protein breakfast shake (custom made) and 50 minutes of aerobic exercise and 40 min of A Chi, it had only dropped to 120. When I told my doctor he didn't comment. My A1-c was 5.7.

Stress is a killer. Can't take an occasional Xanax anymore. Deep breathing. Any other ideas?

[KatieS]

R, when your BG was 156 (assuming "accurate" defined by the FDA as within 20%) home testing, the next morning, do you think you slept well? Sleep apnea itself can drive up glucose dramatically due to the cortisol release while struggling to breathe. Of course, the family/legal stress you're under might be more the likely culprit. Maybe re-read some of the insomnia posts suggestions. My husband who is also on CPAP had to use tapering doses of Lunesta for a full year to get adapted to the machine.

[Stavia]

Rs, I agree with Kitano- cortisol raises blood glucose. Stress raises cortisol.
I guess the question is - what is more dangerous? The BG swings or the xanax?

Hugs honey. Sad for you that there is so much stress

[LA18]

Rshircliff, my sympathies on your blood sugar woes (can be so frustrating) and on the major stressors you’ve experienced recently.

This may not be relevant, but I wanted to mention it just in case. A number of years ago I had a bout of delayed gastric emptying that gave me a similar glucose pattern to yours. I would eat (moderate carb at that time) and my blood sugar would remain relatively flat for about 6-7 hours, at which time it would spike well beyond the target level. Fortunately that problem resolved, making it much easier to keep track of what’s working for me and what’s not in terms of diet.

You would probably know if gastric emptying was the culprit, since it almost always causes nausea, but if the problem wasn’t severe maybe one wouldn’t have that symptom (?). Anyway, just a thought. But it sounds like stress may be the most viable explanation.

Interesting that sleep apnea can also cause a glucose problem via cortisol. I was not aware of that.

[Rshircliff]

Thanks guys for your compassionate support. I do have sleep apnea and have been on a coal for 2 years. I had the data checked out a couple weeks ago and everything liked great with no apnea events. All of my live I have awakened in the wee hours of the morning with a start and perspiring. I feel my heart pounding like I've had a bad dream. It so frustrating that I can get it down to an almost acceptable level during the day and then it spikes so very high at night.

I have lived fight or flight every day for 4 years so I tend to get really really stressed when the carpet is pulled out from under me. The latest is that I got the order to appear in court on May 26th yesterday and that the conservator has now added a request to liquidate the properties because he feels they are a drain on the estate even though my dads income can cover the taxes. This is upsetting - because of this I am losing my job managing them and he will be making a ton of money much more than the taxes in the commissions he will receive. The properties will be auctioned as distress sales. My dad understands and is just beside himself. He worked all his life to build this legacy. I am taking .25 mg of Xanax once a day because I think the stress is worse. It's only temporary. I haven't taken my BG reading because that adds to stress. Off to make more job applications! You guys are all so especially kind. What a wonderful community we have.

[Tincup]

All of my live I have awakened in the wee hours of the morning with a start and perspiring. I feel my heart pounding like I've had a bad dream. It so frustrating that I can get it down to an almost acceptable level during the day and then it spikes so very high at night.

A couple of thoughts. You are in an awful situation. My heart goes out to you.

I would worry much less about food driving your glucose and focus on anything you can do for stress relief. As has been noted, stress will drive the liver to make glucose. A friend with a T1 diabetic child told me how hard it was to control her glucose when she was ill, for this very reason. When I went through a divorce, I perceived huge amounts of stress. Even though I had consistently meditated daily for over 20 years, meditation would not cut the stress (not that it might not work for others). What did seem to help were physical things: exercise, yoga & yogic breathing exercises. I could do these even if my mind was over the top.

Your waking with a start and perspiring sounds possibly like nocturnal hypoglycemia (Google for more info). Even one glass of wine around my normally LC dinner 8 hours earlier can bring this on for me, as can higher carb eating.

[Stavia]

(((Rs)))

[rep]

Hugs to you Rshircliff. You are in a difficult position.

I came across this post on this forum. I don't know anything more about it but maybe you could read the New York Times article, then research whether or not a small dose of lithium orotate might help with the stress.

https://www.apoe4.info/forums/viewtopic ... hium#p6706