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My conclusions about cholesterol
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Conditions & Treatments
My conclusions about cholesterol
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When i was 50, I had a full-body CT scan. The results were somewhat unexciting, but at least I found out that due to the amount of arterial plaque buildup, I was in the 0% risk category (no buil
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Cat:91a4afbf-9555-4e02-b9d3-9eef604476f6Forum:832f790a-fa59-47cd-9c1e-410537201269
Cat:91a4afbf-9555-4e02-b9d3-9eef604476f6Forum:832f790a-fa59-47cd-9c1e-410537201269Discussion:9ba20ee0-1bc8-4de7-b65e-cf7185f26776
Forums » Health » Conditions & Treatments » My conclusions about cholesterol
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My conclusions about cholesterol
posted at March 1, 2012 10:37 AM EST
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Posts: 1
First: March 1, 2012 Last: March 1, 2012 |
When i was 50, I had a full-body CT scan. The results were somewhat unexciting, but at least I found out that due to the amount of arterial plaque buildup, I was in the 0% risk category (no buildup). I took the results to the doc, he said those scans don't mean anything, and he did some bloodwork. I got in to see him soon after the scan, and they do have you do the whole bowel prep and everything for like 48 hrs before, so I was in ketosis (which he should have realized) and that morning I had had coffee with heavy cream in it. Well, the bloodwork came back showing I had cholesterol levels through the roof, glucose levels in the diabetic range, and my bp was elevated. I knew I needed to lose weight, so I embarked on a campaign to lose 20% of my body weight, which would get me down to what I weighed during my college days (except I weighed a lot less in graduate school). Anyway, I achieved my goal in about4 or 5 months. During that time, I had some chats with my daughter who is a phlebotomist, med tech and histologist, and she says that it is unfortunate, but most docs do no know how to either properly conduct simple tests for like cholesterol as well as interpret them. I tried telling my doc that his test was improperly conducted but he just scoffed at that and said well if you really believe that lets schedule another one. We did -- I had nothing but fruit smoothies for a week before the test (a bit extreme, but I wanted to make sure that I had no cholesterol going in and enough sugar to keep me out of ketosis. Well, the bloodwork showed perfect cholesterol levels, normal bp and glucose levels in the normal regions. The point is, don't believe everything the doc tells you, and certainly don't belive that he knows how to properly conduct tests. Usually they say something like 'don't eat 12 hours before' or something like that, but that is assuming you have a pretty high metabolic rate and any cholesterol intake is purged. My metabolism is a bit slower than most, so that's why I gave myself a week, to be sure. I didn't tell the doc any of this and I figure the results speak for themselves. I think the weight loss had more to do with my health than anything though. I try to be as active as possible, run 3 to 10 miles a week, bike when I can and swim 1200 yards on fridays. |
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Re: My conclusions about cholesterol
posted at March 7, 2012 6:34 AM EST
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Posts: 5
First: March 3, 2012 Last: March 31, 2012 |
In Response to My conclusions about cholesterol: You make a lot of very good points. In response, let me tell you what happened to me in 2008. I had contracted a severe viral infection, bird flu, most likely. I had an echo cardiogram in a local hospital and then travelled to see the best cardiologist in the country. He put me on a combination of heart failure drugs. I was feeling like a newborn after just two weeks. Then I saw my local cardiologist again, gave him my history and asked him what he suggested we do. His response:"I think we should increase your medication" I asked why, after all, this medical regimen had worked fantastically. His response:"The American College of Cardiologist recommends.....". I reminded him that the ACC was not treating me but he was and I, politely, fired his butt. Medicine is a learned trade. Like carpenters, some become brilliant and talented fine furniture makers. Unfortunately, the vast majority do not progress much beyond their original vocational training. The good ones form organizations that then set guidelines for the rest of the herd to guide them to good medical practice. I, for one, am not a statistic but and individual. Though we all generally fit within a certain range, we each have our own unique "normal". The better physicians know that and treat accordingly, The rest blindly rely on general guidelines without regard to the patient. They are the ones that would have put young Einstein or young Gauss on drugs as a child and are suggesting sex-change surgery for the 6-year old girl who wants to be like Daddy. It's a travesty. joergandsue12 When i was 50, I had a full-body CT scan. The results were somewhat unexciting, but at least I found out that due to the amount of arterial plaque buildup, I was in the 0% risk category (no buildup). I took the results to the doc, he said those scans don't mean anything, and he did some bloodwork. I got in to see him soon after the scan, and they do have you do the whole bowel prep and everything for like 48 hrs before, so I was in ketosis (which he should have realized) and that morning I had had coffee with heavy cream in it. Well, the bloodwork came back showing I had cholesterol levels through the roof, glucose levels in the diabetic range, and my bp was elevated. I knew I needed to lose weight, so I embarked on a campaign to lose 20% of my body weight, which would get me down to what I weighed during my college days (except I weighed a lot less in graduate school). Anyway, I achieved my goal in about4 or 5 months. During that time, I had some chats with my daughter who is a phlebotomist, med tech and histologist, and she says that it is unfortunate, but most docs do no know how to either properly conduct simple tests for like cholesterol as well as interpret them. I tried telling my doc that his test was improperly conducted but he just scoffed at that and said well if you really believe that lets schedule another one. We did -- I had nothing but fruit smoothies for a week before the test (a bit extreme, but I wanted to make sure that I had no cholesterol going in and enough sugar to keep me out of ketosis. Well, the bloodwork showed perfect cholesterol levels, normal bp and glucose levels in the normal regions. The point is, don't believe everything the doc tells you, and certainly don't belive that he knows how to properly conduct tests. Usually they say something like 'don't eat 12 hours before' or something like that, but that is assuming you have a pretty high metabolic rate and any cholesterol intake is purged. My metabolism is a bit slower than most, so that's why I gave myself a week, to be sure. I didn't tell the doc any of this and I figure the results speak for themselves. I think the weight loss had more to do with my health than anything though. I try to be as active as possible, run 3 to 10 miles a week, bike when I can and swim 1200 yards on fridays. Posted by dgmichels |
Forums » Health » Conditions & Treatments » My conclusions about cholesterol
