Just Found out My Cholesterol is High... (1 Viewer)

[cobalt_27]

This sucks.

I'm not even overweight. I don't eat crappy foods...I haven't visited a drive-thru in years. Need more exercise, I suppose.

But, what do I eat now? Am I stuck with rice cakes and tofu?

God, I hate getting old.

 

[Carver]

Might want to try some Hawthorn Berry Extract. Add that to your diet. It helps some.

 

[shadyridr]

high cholesterol can be hereditary

 

[Binky The Doormat]

So what are the numbers?

LDL

HDL

Triglycerides

 

[Courtjester]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

 

[Leviathan]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

 

[wikkidpissah]

At least half of the people with high LDLs have it because of genetic pre-disposition, but the medical community doesnt talk that up cuz it gives fatties another reason not to change their diets. If that's true in your case, statins are probably the best course. Dietwise, If you eat red meat dont eat any simple carbs (the white foods) with it, add more fish & beans as protein sources & nuts to your snack regimen.

 

[PatsFanCT]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

At least ####ting your pants means you're alive.

 

[cobalt_27]

So what are the numbers?

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

 

[cobalt_27]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

Please expand on this side effect profile.

 

[cobalt_27]

At least half of the people with high LDLs have it because of genetic pre-disposition, but the medical community doesnt talk that up cuz it gives fatties another reason not to change their diets. If that's true in your case, statins are probably the best course. Dietwise, If you eat red meat dont eat any simple carbs (the white foods) with it, add more fish & beans as protein sources & nuts to your snack regimen.

See, that's the thing...I eat tons of fish, I rarely have a steak and almost never eat hamburgers. Whole grains only. Use olive oil for cooking. Do I need to knock out the carbs altogether?Again, I could use a bit more exercise. But, still. This sucks.

 

[moleculo]

 

[Da Guru]

high cholesterol can be hereditary

That it is.

 

[shader]

This sucks. I'm not even overweight. I don't eat crappy foods...I haven't visited a drive-thru in years. Need more exercise, I suppose.But, what do I eat now? Am I stuck with rice cakes and tofu?God, I hate getting old.

Do you eat sugar and refined carbs? If so, stop.

 

[wikkidpissah]

At least half of the people with high LDLs have it because of genetic pre-disposition, but the medical community doesnt talk that up cuz it gives fatties another reason not to change their diets. If that's true in your case, statins are probably the best course. Dietwise, If you eat red meat dont eat any simple carbs (the white foods) with it, add more fish & beans as protein sources & nuts to your snack regimen.

See, that's the thing...I eat tons of fish, I rarely have a steak and almost never eat hamburgers. Whole grains only. Use olive oil for cooking. Do I need to knock out the carbs altogether?Again, I could use a bit more exercise. But, still. This sucks.

that you have high LDLs (though not super high) but near-normal HDLs & tris lead this amateur to think that genetics & stress are mostly at play. are you in your late 30s? could also be a metabolic phase if that's the case (not uncommon in the yrs following that rapid decrease in growth hormones). If you dont want to go the statin route (ive never heard about the side effect above but, once you start, its probably for life), try supplements to increase your metabolism (ask your doc & not the guys @ the gym) & spoiling yourself a little bit (not kidding - massages & soaks and non-media, non-competition time might take care of it). Your #s are low enough that u can play around with it for a while. gl -

 

[SofaKings]

So what are the numbers?

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

Thoughts and prayers GB.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Here's what I would try -

Increase the fiber in your diet, men should have at least 30-40 grams of fiber per day and it's hard to get there if you aren't paying attention.

Cut down on sugar intake. The Fructose in sugar contributes to a higher triglyceride count. (search youtube for Sugar:The Bitter Truth, which has been linked here often)

Take Omega 3 (fish oil) and Coenzyme q10 supplements

All of that will help, particularly if you do it together.

 

[cobalt_27]

So what are the numbers?

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

Thoughts and prayers GB.

I'm done. Finished. It's over.

 

[cobalt_27]

At least half of the people with high LDLs have it because of genetic pre-disposition, but the medical community doesnt talk that up cuz it gives fatties another reason not to change their diets. If that's true in your case, statins are probably the best course. Dietwise, If you eat red meat dont eat any simple carbs (the white foods) with it, add more fish & beans as protein sources & nuts to your snack regimen.

See, that's the thing...I eat tons of fish, I rarely have a steak and almost never eat hamburgers. Whole grains only. Use olive oil for cooking. Do I need to knock out the carbs altogether?Again, I could use a bit more exercise. But, still. This sucks.

that you have high LDLs (though not super high) but near-normal HDLs & tris lead this amateur to think that genetics & stress are mostly at play. are you in your late 30s? could also be a metabolic phase if that's the case (not uncommon in the yrs following that rapid decrease in growth hormones). If you dont want to go the statin route (ive never heard about the side effect above but, once you start, its probably for life), try supplements to increase your metabolism (ask your doc & not the guys @ the gym) & spoiling yourself a little bit (not kidding - massages & soaks and non-media, non-competition time might take care of it). Your #s are low enough that u can play around with it for a while. gl -

Alright, so all kidding aside...stress is definitely in play. Chronic part of the job/life. Genetics, sort of unknown (only know half the story on the paternal side, and it's not spectacular, but not awful either). I really do want to avoid the statins, which is why I'm befuddled about what to do with the diet. Seems like the key here is, as you described, do a little decompressing. I've already decided, I HAVE to commit to exercise...for every reason under the sun, but this is the final straw. But, it's good to know that we're dealing with not-super-high values here. My doc made it seem like I was the worst person in the world for the high LDLs, in particular.Thanks for the input.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

have you tried not eating sticks of butter?

 

[phthalatemagic]

Not going to play fake internet doctor, like so many people here love doing. You know how to live well. Just do that, and the rest will shake out. Don't stress yourself over numbers.

You know how to read a paper. Read about statins and find out which one you like the best and don't just let the doctor dictate to you what to take.

 

[gmbacm]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

Been on lipitor for almost 2 years now and dont have any side effects. Im not a big salmon fan but take lipitor and omega3 and that seems to do the trick.

 

[cobalt_27]

Not going to play fake internet doctor, like so many people here love doing. You know how to live well. Just do that, and the rest will shake out. Don't stress yourself over numbers.You know how to read a paper. Read about statins and find out which one you like the best and don't just let the doctor dictate to you what to take.

Sage advice, GB.I deal with a predominantly geriatric population. Brain health being the focus. Big bad news this cholesterol on the plumbing upstairs. That I'm aware of the situation this early in the game bodes well. That I have to deal with this #### so early in the game is what pisses me off, though.

 

[cobalt_27]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

Been on lipitor for almost 2 years now and dont have any side effects. Im not a big salmon fan but take lipitor and omega3 and that seems to do the trick.

Can you give me a sense of what to expect in terms of decline in #s? Do you remember where you were at and know where you are now?

 

[gmbacm]

Get a script for Lipitor and then you can eat anything you want.

If you don't mind ####ting your pants every five minutes, this is a great idea.

Been on lipitor for almost 2 years now and dont have any side effects. Im not a big salmon fan but take lipitor and omega3 and that seems to do the trick.

Can you give me a sense of what to expect in terms of decline in #s? Do you remember where you were at and know where you are now?

i have no idea what my numbers are. I had it written down somewhere but lost it. checkup in the summer - ill try to remember to put it back in here. I do know it was high enough my doc was quite concerned, but is satisfied now with my numbers on the meds. My diet isnt terrible, but certainly could be better. I play sports 3-4 times a week for exercise but plan to start doing some running as well - although thats been the plan for a while now .

 

[phthalatemagic]

Not going to play fake internet doctor, like so many people here love doing. You know how to live well. Just do that, and the rest will shake out. Don't stress yourself over numbers.You know how to read a paper. Read about statins and find out which one you like the best and don't just let the doctor dictate to you what to take.

Sage advice, GB.I deal with a predominantly geriatric population. Brain health being the focus. Big bad news this cholesterol on the plumbing upstairs. That I'm aware of the situation this early in the game bodes well. That I have to deal with this #### so early in the game is what pisses me off, though.

It's not easy for me either. I have hair growing out of my ears. ####### disgusting. Do/can you bike to work? I imagine if you are within 15 mi from work, the added commute time with be negligible, and the workout is nearly latent in your day, as it's not a specific action, but a method of transportation. I do this and love it.

 

[Habeeby]

So what are the numbers?

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

Hawthorne is good for overall heart health. You don't need that right now.Red Yeast Rice (natural statin) - good if you want to avoid straight prescription off the bat. Research it and I think you will like results.

Fish Oil

CoQ10

Buy them online to save money

Honestly, your #s are bad but I have seen MUCH worse. Excercise, sleep, less stress........

 

[Lupe]

Look into immediate release Niacin, it raises HDL, lowers LDL and also lowers Trigylcerides. But it does have a flushing effect, so you have to increase the dose over time, but you can get over 2000mg (thats where I am at). I take it at night, so flushing isn't that bad, since I'm usually sleeping. (Its the same as Niaspan - and you'll need to get your liver enzymes checked).

Exercise also increases HDL

Cut carbs/sugars to lower Triglycerides. Fish Oil helps too.

Optimally you want a ratio under 2 of Triglycerides/HDL. Thats the best indicator of heart disease. I would shoot for getting your HDL in the 50's and your triglycerides under 100. You can reduce Triglycerides pretty quickly.

 

[Habeeby]

Look into immediate release Niacin, it raises HDL, lowers LDL and also lowers Trigylcerides. But it does have a flushing effect, so you have to increase the dose over time, but you can get over 2000mg (thats where I am at). I take it at night, so flushing isn't that bad, since I'm usually sleeping. (Its the same as Niaspan - and you'll need to get your liver enzymes checked).Exercise also increases HDLCut carbs/sugars to lower Triglycerides. Fish Oil helps toptimally you want a ratio under 2 of Triglycerides/HDL. Thats the best indicator of heart disease. I would shoot for getting your HDL in the 50's and your triglycerides under 100. You can reduce Triglycerides pretty quickly.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

This sucks. I'm not even overweight. I don't eat crappy foods...I haven't visited a drive-thru in years. Need more exercise, I suppose.But, what do I eat now? Am I stuck with rice cakes and tofu?God, I hate getting old.

I just want to add that I was on the fence about going for some cardio work tonight, and this thread has pushed me over the edge. Thanks GB.

 

[bakes]

Here's what I would try - Increase the fiber in your diet, men should have at least 30-40 grams of fiber per day and it's hard to get there if you aren't paying attention. Cut down on sugar intake. The Fructose in sugar contributes to a higher triglyceride count. (search youtube for Sugar:The Bitter Truth, which has been linked here often)Take Omega 3 (fish oil) and Coenzyme q10 supplementsAll of that will help, particularly if you do it together.

Did all of these along with niacin and brought my total down from 283 (that's not a typo, I had a small block Chevy for a cholesterol number) to about 210. Ditch the chips and snack on Go Lean Crunch if you want something crunchy. Fresh vegetables are your friend, as is grilled salmon.

 

[datonn]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My own LDL is around 245. Triglycerides are around 390. Got me on a Fenofibrate AND Zocor, trying to get it down to normal. With mine, it's all heredity. Lowest LDL of any of my Dad's siblings, without meds, is 240. I've seen several doctors and also a dietitian for the problem. Some things you can try:

- Eat more fish...or supplement your diet with fish oil.

- Cut back on your red meat intake. More plants, less animals. Cholesterol is essentially only found in products that come from animals. Fruits, vegetables, et al don't have cholesterol in them.

- Add flax seed to your diet. I sprinkle some on my morning cereal. Doesn't have much taste, so I just mix it in.

- Eat 6-8 almonds per day. A small amount of peanuts or cashews can be good for you as well.

- Exercise...and keep your weight in check.

There are lots of other things you can try too, but that would be a decent start.

 

[Genedoc]

This sucks. I'm not even overweight. I don't eat crappy foods...I haven't visited a drive-thru in years. Need more exercise, I suppose.But, what do I eat now? Am I stuck with rice cakes and tofu?God, I hate getting old.

Do you eat sugar and refined carbs? If so, stop.

This +1, +1, +1. Sugar and refined carbs have significantly more impact on your cholesterol than most people realize. Do NOT go on a "low fat" diet. Low fat almost by definition is increased carbohydrate. Start with a balanced, low glycemic index diet. Follow it religiously for 90 days. Have your cholesterol rechecked. Report back.

 

[cobalt_27]

I rarely frequent this site for advice, but when I do...damn do you guys deliver. This is great stuff and much-appreciated.

Magic, unfortunately my commute is a bit out of biking range. Boston to Providence and back...every...mother...effing...day.

But, I am training for a 9k run in May, so I got that going for me. Which is nice.

 

[cobalt_27]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My doctor made it sound like I was a dead man. Your dad's story is ridiculous. GB him. I took notes on everything else in your post. Some of which is already consistent with my daily habits (i.e., diet's pretty good). I think it's the sleep/exercise/stress factors that need major work. But, I will be attending to more preventative supplements like Omega3, fish oil, etc., which hopefully will help.

 

[joffer]

I just had an egg, bacon, and mushroom croissant sandwich for dinner

 

[bradyfan]

According to this article published by the Mayo (pun not intended) Clinic, the top 5 foods to lower your cholesterol numbers are:

1. Oatmeal and oat bran

2. Walnuts, almonds

3. Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

4. Olive oil

5. Foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My own LDL is around 245. Triglycerides are around 390. Got me on a Fenofibrate AND Zocor, trying to get it down to normal. With mine, it's all heredity. Lowest LDL of any of my Dad's siblings, without meds, is 240. I've seen several doctors and also a dietitian for the problem. Some things you can try:

- Eat more fish...or supplement your diet with fish oil.

- Cut back on your red meat intake. More plants, less animals. Cholesterol is essentially only found in products that come from animals. Fruits, vegetables, et al don't have cholesterol in them.

- Add flax seed to your diet. I sprinkle some on my morning cereal. Doesn't have much taste, so I just mix it in.

- Eat 6-8 almonds per day. A small amount of peanuts or cashews can be good for you as well.

- Exercise...and keep your weight in check.

There are lots of other things you can try too, but that would be a decent start.

Was wondering the same thing (in bold). Thx for the advice datonn. I also have high cholesterol, so your suggestions are extremely helpful. I've dropped 13 lbs in the past 2 months, hopefully that helps (was ~20 lbs overweight, but since I only weighed 172, that is a sizeable % extra weight).

Thx again for ideas.

 

[bradyfan]

Foods to avoid if you have high cholesterol:

Liver and other organ meats

Egg yolks

Full-fat dairy products, such as milks, cheeses, sour cream and ice cream

Butter and lard

Processed meats such as sausages, hot dogs, bologna and salami

Untrimmed red meats

Fried foods

Some poultry, such as goose and duck

 

[Hinezer]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My doctor made it sound like I was a dead man. Your dad's story is ridiculous. GB him. I took notes on everything else in your post. Some of which is already consistent with my daily habits (i.e., diet's pretty good). I think it's the sleep/exercise/stress factors that need major work. But, I will be attending to more preventative supplements like Omega3, fish oil, etc., which hopefully will help.

Yeah, you are not in bad shape at all. Like he mentioned there are people who have a strong genetic component that have LDLs into the 500 and 600 area. That's what I thought when you said you had really high cholesterol.As far as meds, statins are the way to go to lower LDL. I would say where you're numbers are at right now, a statin alone will lower you down to about where you need to be. Not all advice in this thread is created equal. Statins are really well tolerated with few side effects. Diarrhea only happens in 5-14% of patients on Lipitor and I can't remember a time where a patient has complained to me about it being too much. There has also been talk of making statins OTC in future. The big thing you have to worry about is muscle pain. It's very rare, but if it does happen, it's a big problem.

As far as selection, I wouldn't go with the suggestion of Red Yeast Rice. It is a natural statin containing lovastatin. However, lovastatin is the weakest statin and probably will only decrease your LDL by 10-15. They continue to improve statins and now Crestor (rosuvastatin) will decrease about 50 points on average on the lowest dose. Lipitor is also pretty good and so Simvastatin. But the better the drug, the more expensive it's gonna be and the less likely you are going to get it covered by your insurance without jumping through hoops. A lot of insurance companies will make you try and fail Simvastatin before they will pay for Lipitor or Crestor.

 

[Corporation]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My doctor made it sound like I was a dead man. Your dad's story is ridiculous. GB him. I took notes on everything else in your post. Some of which is already consistent with my daily habits (i.e., diet's pretty good). I think it's the sleep/exercise/stress factors that need major work. But, I will be attending to more preventative supplements like Omega3, fish oil, etc., which hopefully will help.

I don't think your numbers are shockingly bad. Mine are worse:LDL 210

HDL last check was a 29 (should be over 40 I think), has registered as low as 9

Tri - bad, can't recall the number

Mainly heredity, doctor told me with the HDL it's almost impossible to raise it to an acceptable level without medicine. Put me on a statin, and in 30 days just killed my leg muscles. Hurt so bad I had to drop it. Tried a different statin to the same effect. Dropped it and haven't looked back.

Niacin doesn't cause me to flush. I need to check out some of these other options listed here. I'm not familiar with Hawthorne.

 

[KCC]

Snack on nuts (nuts other than peanuts) and work more fish into your diet. I know the temptation is just to take the nutrients from those foods in capsule form, but you are better off getting them from the actual foods whenever possible.

 

[Corporation]

LDL = 192

HDL = 45 (WNL)

Triglycerides = 180

I thought you said you had high cholesterol. "Like REALLY high cholesterol." (?)My Dad's LDL before they started putting him on heavy meds was 630. Almost had a journal article written about him. Doctor would see him walking down the hall of the clinic and say "Dead man walking!" I kid you not.

My doctor made it sound like I was a dead man. Your dad's story is ridiculous. GB him. I took notes on everything else in your post. Some of which is already consistent with my daily habits (i.e., diet's pretty good). I think it's the sleep/exercise/stress factors that need major work. But, I will be attending to more preventative supplements like Omega3, fish oil, etc., which hopefully will help.

Yeah, you are not in bad shape at all. Like he mentioned there are people who have a strong genetic component that have LDLs into the 500 and 600 area. That's what I thought when you said you had really high cholesterol.As far as meds, statins are the way to go to lower LDL. I would say where you're numbers are at right now, a statin alone will lower you down to about where you need to be. Not all advice in this thread is created equal. Statins are really well tolerated with few side effects. Diarrhea only happens in 5-14% of patients on Lipitor and I can't remember a time where a patient has complained to me about it being too much. There has also been talk of making statins OTC in future. The big thing you have to worry about is muscle pain. It's very rare, but if it does happen, it's a big problem.

As far as selection, I wouldn't go with the suggestion of Red Yeast Rice. It is a natural statin containing lovastatin. However, lovastatin is the weakest statin and probably will only decrease your LDL by 10-15. They continue to improve statins and now Crestor (rosuvastatin) will decrease about 50 points on average on the lowest dose. Lipitor is also pretty good and so Simvastatin. But the better the drug, the more expensive it's gonna be and the less likely you are going to get it covered by your insurance without jumping through hoops. A lot of insurance companies will make you try and fail Simvastatin before they will pay for Lipitor or Crestor.

I think I was on simvastatin at first, but I know the second was pravastatin (sp?)

 

[cobalt_27]

A lot of insurance companies will make you try and fail Simvastatin before they will pay for Lipitor or Crestor.

In your experience, does BCBS pull this sort of crap? I suppose it depends on the state you're in, but they've been historically one of the more straight-forward insurers I've come across.

 

[datonn]

Was wondering the same thing (in bold).

Thx for the advice datonn. I also have high cholesterol, so your suggestions are extremely helpful. I've dropped 13 lbs in the past 2 months, hopefully that helps (was ~20 lbs overweight, but since I only weighed 172, that is a sizeable % extra weight).

Thx again for ideas.

My pleasure! Us FFAers gotta stick together (when we're not bashing each other's skulls in over politics, religion, Packers vs. Vikings, etc.), right?! My case is kind of interesting...as it has me teetering on the edge of being diabetic. I'm about 20-25 pounds heavy as of tonight, but most of that is still "winter weight" (I'll burn 15+ of that off in the next six months). I also have very low blood pressure. Like low-80s over mid 50s. My doctor tells me that I am about the only patient she sees who she wants to tell to get more salt and caffeine in their diet! LOL. I do get too much caffeine as it is...so I tell her that I'll look like that Squirrel from the movie "Over the Hedge" if I get much more.

I'm very discouraged personally, as no matter what I do, my LDL/Trigs just keep going up. Everything went up about ten percent this Winter AFTER 3-4 months of being on the Fenofibrate...so if I'm being a model citizen with my fish oil, flax seed, meat intake, etc. and I still don't show improvement?! Maybe gorging myself on pizza, pasta and foot-long spicy italian subs at Subway until I go into a diabetic coma.

 

[Hinezer]

A lot of insurance companies will make you try and fail Simvastatin before they will pay for Lipitor or Crestor.

In your experience, does BCBS pull this sort of crap? I suppose it depends on the state you're in, but they've been historically one of the more straight-forward insurers I've come across.

Really does depend on the state. Mainly I see it with Crestor, so if you aim for Lipitor, you'll probably have been luck. Lipitor was the #1 prescribed drug until Zocor (simvastatin) went generic. Lipitor should be generic soon and it will probably be preferred by the insurance companies. Here's a link to some coupons from the manufacturer.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Do NOT go on a "low fat" diet.

 

[MikeIke]

As others have said your numbers don't look that bad at all. I don't remember all my numbers but my total was over 240. Doctor put me on Zocor (simvastatin) and now I'm down to about where you are now.

Simvastatin is generic now so your insurance shouldn't have any problem paying for it.

 

[shader]

Cobalt, there has been alot of great advice. But too much advise can just get confusing.

I strongly advise you to read "Good Calories, Bad Calories".

It will change the way you think about cholesterol and the causes of it.

Sugar and refined carbs are the devil.

 

[Ned]

Was wondering the same thing (in bold).

Thx for the advice datonn. I also have high cholesterol, so your suggestions are extremely helpful. I've dropped 13 lbs in the past 2 months, hopefully that helps (was ~20 lbs overweight, but since I only weighed 172, that is a sizeable % extra weight).

Thx again for ideas.

My pleasure! Us FFAers gotta stick together (when we're not bashing each other's skulls in over politics, religion, Packers vs. Vikings, etc.), right?! My case is kind of interesting...as it has me teetering on the edge of being diabetic. I'm about 20-25 pounds heavy as of tonight, but most of that is still "winter weight" (I'll burn 15+ of that off in the next six months). I also have very low blood pressure. Like low-80s over mid 50s. My doctor tells me that I am about the only patient she sees who she wants to tell to get more salt and caffeine in their diet! LOL. I do get too much caffeine as it is...so I tell her that I'll look like that Squirrel from the movie "Over the Hedge" if I get much more.

I'm very discouraged personally, as no matter what I do, my LDL/Trigs just keep going up. Everything went up about ten percent this Winter AFTER 3-4 months of being on the Fenofibrate...so if I'm being a model citizen with my fish oil, flax seed, meat intake, etc. and I still don't show improvement?! Maybe gorging myself on pizza, pasta and foot-long spicy italian subs at Subway until I go into a diabetic coma.

How much are you working out? Exercise is key, IMO.I'm turning into FFA's P90x fanboy, but I've seen a complete turnaround, physically, since starting P90x. I just had my checkup and am amazed at the turnaround so far. I still have a ways to go, but I can't get over the results so far.