sunshine123
01-25-2005, 03:24 AM
Hi everyone: I've been taking 20 mg. of Zocor for many years now. Since my total cholesterol has risen to 226 now, I have to get it down or I'll be increasing the Zocor dosage. Everyone in my family has high cholesterol which makes it tougher to control. Also, my fasting glucose level was 110. My mother was diabetic and I DON'T want to end up with diabetes and suffer the way she did. What kind of diet should I be on that will lower cholesterol AND glucose? I exercise several times a week, but still need to lose about 20 lbs. Thanks in advance for any replies.
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Linda1629
01-25-2005, 08:51 AM
You need to stay away from fatty foods and also from foods that are high on the glycemic index. A baked potato will spike your blood sugar faster than a cup of pasta. The spike in blood sugar will lead your body to protect itself by releasing large amounts of insulin, if it can. If it can't then the sugar will stay in your blood and over time that leads to neuropathy and other nasty type 2 complications. If the correct amount of insulin is released then some of the sugar will be stored in the liver and the rest will be converted to fat and stored. Neither scenario is very good. Unless you are very active then it's best to stay away from the high glycemic foods. Your body just can't use that much sugar that quickly and it will end up stored as fat. And where you are already seeing numbers that are a bit too high for fasting then it really is best to start counting the carbs and watching which carbs you eat.
If I were you I wouldn't worry about losing the weight. If you eat right, eat lots of vegetables and fruits and stick to lean meats and fish then the weight will come off on its own. Do a google search to find a list of low glycemic foods and add them to your diet, and stay away from anything with a number over 50. That's not the amount of carbs in a food but a number that tells you how high it is on the glycemic index. Limit the amount of carbs at a meal. I'm not sure what a good number would be but since you're seeing some elevated blood sugar numbers you might want to keep the carbs to 2 or 3 servings per meal or about 50 carbs total for a meal.
And when you reach for the egg, cheese, and bagel sandwich (or whatever) in the morning just try to remember that it will inflame your arteries and they will stay that way for the next 4 hours or so. Not only that but the refined carbs from the bagel will cause those problems with your blood sugar. It's just not worth it. Instead, reach for a slice of wheat toast and an egg scrambled with some low fat butter. A banana on the side will help to fill you up. Good luck. And exercise! Just a 20 minute walk a day will help a lot, with both the cholesterol and blood sugar.
If I were you I wouldn't worry about losing the weight. If you eat right, eat lots of vegetables and fruits and stick to lean meats and fish then the weight will come off on its own. Do a google search to find a list of low glycemic foods and add them to your diet, and stay away from anything with a number over 50. That's not the amount of carbs in a food but a number that tells you how high it is on the glycemic index. Limit the amount of carbs at a meal. I'm not sure what a good number would be but since you're seeing some elevated blood sugar numbers you might want to keep the carbs to 2 or 3 servings per meal or about 50 carbs total for a meal.
And when you reach for the egg, cheese, and bagel sandwich (or whatever) in the morning just try to remember that it will inflame your arteries and they will stay that way for the next 4 hours or so. Not only that but the refined carbs from the bagel will cause those problems with your blood sugar. It's just not worth it. Instead, reach for a slice of wheat toast and an egg scrambled with some low fat butter. A banana on the side will help to fill you up. Good luck. And exercise! Just a 20 minute walk a day will help a lot, with both the cholesterol and blood sugar.
Lenin
01-25-2005, 09:46 AM
sunshine,
You seem to be a good candidate for a carb restricted diet. This is doubly important if TRYGLCERIDES are a part of your high cholesterol picture. You'll kill 2 birds with one stone by eliminating sugars entirely and curtailing the quick-hit starches in favor of the slower legume and lactose families of carbs.
You seem to be a good candidate for a carb restricted diet. This is doubly important if TRYGLCERIDES are a part of your high cholesterol picture. You'll kill 2 birds with one stone by eliminating sugars entirely and curtailing the quick-hit starches in favor of the slower legume and lactose families of carbs.
pat12
01-25-2005, 12:24 PM
Hi,
New on Healthboards. My doc just advised me to get on statins. Does anyone here know about specific side effects, especially linked to generics ? I've heard that there's real difference with "ethic" products.
Thanks
New on Healthboards. My doc just advised me to get on statins. Does anyone here know about specific side effects, especially linked to generics ? I've heard that there's real difference with "ethic" products.
Thanks
Lenin
01-25-2005, 03:27 PM
pat,
If you're in the U.S., you won't find any generics except mevastatin (Mev acor) and I dont know anyone who'se had it prescribed.
Nextt year however, you'll probably see simvasatin (generic for Zocor), a popular statin.
Look for stories about generic statins causing blindness, stupidity and heads falling off with exercise (god forbid we should get this drug class cheaply:D.) I think there might even be a website talking up the suspected generic statin link to tsunami formation! :jester:
If you're in the U.S., you won't find any generics except mevastatin (Mev acor) and I dont know anyone who'se had it prescribed.
Nextt year however, you'll probably see simvasatin (generic for Zocor), a popular statin.
Look for stories about generic statins causing blindness, stupidity and heads falling off with exercise (god forbid we should get this drug class cheaply:D.) I think there might even be a website talking up the suspected generic statin link to tsunami formation! :jester:
Ward
01-25-2005, 04:43 PM
If you're in the U.S., you won't find any generics except mevastatin (Mev acor) and I dont know anyone who'se had it prescribed.
Nextt year however, you'll probably see simvasatin (generic for Zocor), a popular statin.
What about lovastatin? What brand name is that? I read about it on the Consumer Reports site as their choice for people who need to reduce their LDL by less than 40 percent. They recommend Lipitor for those who need more than a 40 percent reduction.
Nextt year however, you'll probably see simvasatin (generic for Zocor), a popular statin.
What about lovastatin? What brand name is that? I read about it on the Consumer Reports site as their choice for people who need to reduce their LDL by less than 40 percent. They recommend Lipitor for those who need more than a 40 percent reduction.
sunshine123
01-25-2005, 06:01 PM
Thank you to everyone who responded with such good info. I appreciate it. I do exercise 45 minutes a day, 4 or 5 days a week. I'm going to start researching now.
Lenin
01-25-2005, 10:09 PM
WARD,
My mistake...Mev acor IS lovastatin (there's no such thing as my invented mevastatin...I was asleep at the wheel)
And I think that's the only generic choice in the U.S. right now.
That's the drug that they tried to get OTC but the FDA panel, on the advice of doctors has opted to keep it "by prescription only."
My mistake...Mev acor IS lovastatin (there's no such thing as my invented mevastatin...I was asleep at the wheel)
And I think that's the only generic choice in the U.S. right now.
That's the drug that they tried to get OTC but the FDA panel, on the advice of doctors has opted to keep it "by prescription only."
Lenin
01-26-2005, 09:31 AM
Oh in the UK, different story.
There simvastatin (generic for Zocor, a GOOD drug) is sold on a "behind the counter basis" without prescription, like how some states in the U.S allow codeine preparations to be sold.
Pat,
I've seen some reports that the current batch of generics are identical to the U.S. BRAND drugs, many of which are made in Puerto Rico.
I think OTC statins are a GREAT idea but U.S. doctors will NEVER let that business slip out of their hands: besides cholesterol and BP control, GP's have NOTHING to do anymore. Probably high cholesterol patients are half their business...and BIG BUSINESS it is.
Drug companies have been peppering the media as long as I can remember about nonsense about the danger of generics. It's all a DOLLAR game.
I doubt that any large Indian drug company would risk the legitimate $$MILLIONS$$ and the resuting FAILURE of the business to a scandal over putting bad drugs on the market...there's just no profit in doing it wrong and the MERCKS, PFIZERS and ADVENTIS'S would jump on them and crucify them if they tried...and they know that only too well.
If I could buy a generic Lipitor at half price or even cheaper OTC, I'd do it like a shot with no worry whatsoever!
My larger worry might be whether or not the pharmacist got the right drug from the right bottle..."Oh Cozaar, I thought it said Zocor!":D:D
There simvastatin (generic for Zocor, a GOOD drug) is sold on a "behind the counter basis" without prescription, like how some states in the U.S allow codeine preparations to be sold.
Pat,
I've seen some reports that the current batch of generics are identical to the U.S. BRAND drugs, many of which are made in Puerto Rico.
I think OTC statins are a GREAT idea but U.S. doctors will NEVER let that business slip out of their hands: besides cholesterol and BP control, GP's have NOTHING to do anymore. Probably high cholesterol patients are half their business...and BIG BUSINESS it is.
Drug companies have been peppering the media as long as I can remember about nonsense about the danger of generics. It's all a DOLLAR game.
I doubt that any large Indian drug company would risk the legitimate $$MILLIONS$$ and the resuting FAILURE of the business to a scandal over putting bad drugs on the market...there's just no profit in doing it wrong and the MERCKS, PFIZERS and ADVENTIS'S would jump on them and crucify them if they tried...and they know that only too well.
If I could buy a generic Lipitor at half price or even cheaper OTC, I'd do it like a shot with no worry whatsoever!
My larger worry might be whether or not the pharmacist got the right drug from the right bottle..."Oh Cozaar, I thought it said Zocor!":D:D
pat12
01-26-2005, 11:03 AM
Well Lenin, the problem lies in the fact that not all people on statins are really aware of their CHD risk-level. No doubt that in Wonderland, pharmacists would take time to evaluate their customer's profile ... but we don't live in Wonderland.
Nothing personal against Indians of course, but there are some solid pieces of evidence that such failures do exist. Ever heard about a lab called Unichem and the problem they've had with some of their drugs (take Erecta for example) ? Well, they make statins too and sell them in Europe (don't worry, you'll get them soon in the US too) through local subsidiaries.
There's a specific side effect that sounds really dizzling to me : birth defects. Sure you've heard about that US study (National Institute of Health) conducted last year and showing that out of 178 women who had been on statins during their pregnancy - 1st trimester, only 52 eventually had a child, 20 of them with heavy birth defects. Quite bad records. It popped up in the press last summer.
OTC statins are NOT such a great idea. Really.
Nothing personal against Indians of course, but there are some solid pieces of evidence that such failures do exist. Ever heard about a lab called Unichem and the problem they've had with some of their drugs (take Erecta for example) ? Well, they make statins too and sell them in Europe (don't worry, you'll get them soon in the US too) through local subsidiaries.
There's a specific side effect that sounds really dizzling to me : birth defects. Sure you've heard about that US study (National Institute of Health) conducted last year and showing that out of 178 women who had been on statins during their pregnancy - 1st trimester, only 52 eventually had a child, 20 of them with heavy birth defects. Quite bad records. It popped up in the press last summer.
OTC statins are NOT such a great idea. Really.
Lenin
01-28-2005, 08:58 AM
pat,
I'm sure on that study, 100% of the women were on PRESCRIPTION statins so the problem isn't OTC vs. prescription.
But aside from that, I think that any woman who is trying to conceive or indeed knows herself to be pregnant is quite bonkers if she takes ANY drugs, OTC or otherwise.
On the OTC question, I'm sure you're right about "not all people on statins are really aware of their CHD risk-level" but since that is the situation that pertains TODAY with doctor's evaluations and prescriptions required I don't think it will get worse OTC.
But I know there are people who would make a mess of self-prescribing though I know I personally would be MUCH better off since for me, my GP is no more than an EXPENSIVE prescription pad. My preference would be for EVERYTHING to be OTC, but I recognize that's selfish of me.
You know, if aspirin were a prescription drug, the arguments would be IDENTICAL and aspirin would cost $1 a pill.:D.
I'm sure on that study, 100% of the women were on PRESCRIPTION statins so the problem isn't OTC vs. prescription.
But aside from that, I think that any woman who is trying to conceive or indeed knows herself to be pregnant is quite bonkers if she takes ANY drugs, OTC or otherwise.
On the OTC question, I'm sure you're right about "not all people on statins are really aware of their CHD risk-level" but since that is the situation that pertains TODAY with doctor's evaluations and prescriptions required I don't think it will get worse OTC.
But I know there are people who would make a mess of self-prescribing though I know I personally would be MUCH better off since for me, my GP is no more than an EXPENSIVE prescription pad. My preference would be for EVERYTHING to be OTC, but I recognize that's selfish of me.
You know, if aspirin were a prescription drug, the arguments would be IDENTICAL and aspirin would cost $1 a pill.:D.
Rick49
01-29-2005, 12:29 PM
Hi, I'm new to this board but I wanted to add to what was already said about the low Glycemic Index. I started on a diet where I reduced my high glycemic foods and tried to eat mostly low to medium foods on the glycemic index. My latest blood work had my HDL at 40, which is normal for the first time in 15 years. My LDL was still high at 165, but my tryglycerides were down to 97 and they were previously at 350+. My total cholesteral was 226 but my ration was 5.6 which is also the lowest it's ever been.
..So avoiding high glycemic foods can make a huge difference.
Rick
..So avoiding high glycemic foods can make a huge difference.
Rick
pat12
01-29-2005, 02:48 PM
Lenin,
You're right. It could be just a question of big money and pharmaceutical tycoons :D .
But since statins are quite difficult to produce, many labs are unable to elaborate such a molecule complying to FDA or MHRA standards.
Maybe that's why OTC simvastatin is here as expensive as Rx Zocor.
It's going to be also a huge market and generics drug makers aren't less greedy than Gl***, Pf*** or El***L***! I'm sure the price of OTC statins won't decrease...
However i'm not certain that their price really means they are compliant. :nono: Copycats in China or India are maybe already trying to put such statins on the market like they already did with Vi*gr*, Ci*lis and so on. They would just make more money ;)
You're right. It could be just a question of big money and pharmaceutical tycoons :D .
But since statins are quite difficult to produce, many labs are unable to elaborate such a molecule complying to FDA or MHRA standards.
Maybe that's why OTC simvastatin is here as expensive as Rx Zocor.
It's going to be also a huge market and generics drug makers aren't less greedy than Gl***, Pf*** or El***L***! I'm sure the price of OTC statins won't decrease...
However i'm not certain that their price really means they are compliant. :nono: Copycats in China or India are maybe already trying to put such statins on the market like they already did with Vi*gr*, Ci*lis and so on. They would just make more money ;)
Ward
01-29-2005, 03:15 PM
For people in the US with private insurance, they are probably covered for prescription drugs but not OTC.
pat12
02-07-2005, 06:21 AM
Surely Ward.
I think however people willing to loose fat and cholesterol won't mind if they can get statins back from social insurance or not... :dizzy:
Regards
I think however people willing to loose fat and cholesterol won't mind if they can get statins back from social insurance or not... :dizzy:
Regards