Mr. Asthma

Question:

Atkins, Type 2 Diabetes, A1c, LDL, Blood Pressure, & Supplements 1.  I posted this message to low-carb where it was suggested alt.support.diabetes may be a better place. 2.  I’ve been lurking here for a few days and reading tons of messages but haven’t found any discussions about a situation I’m in.  Sorry about the length of this post.  Hopefully T2’s can respond to questions in points 21. & 23. below.  This post may be of interest to users that are supportive of low-carb and that are interested in detail. 3.  I’m a Type 2 diabetic since 1987, 59yrs, male, 5′10" with a reference weight of 223 when I started Atkins on 2003Jun01.   4.  I started Atkins a week after visiting my Internist (internal medicine and diabetes specialist doctor)   This was a follow-up visit from a 2002Dec05 visit when he said I needed to get my blood glucose (BG) A1c at 8.1% back under control, and to make changes to lower my LDL which was at 3.38mmol/l (132mg/dl).  My HDL was 1.06mmol/l (42mg/dl) and triglycerides (TG) were 1.44mmol/l (128mg/dl).   5.  My Internist prescribed Metformin which was previously prescribed but which I hadn’t taken since 1998Jan26.  Annual results for A1c since 1998 were always within acceptable limits, without medications. 6.  Since 1997 when I started asking for and getting all lab reports, my A1c readings have ranged from 6.0 to 7.2%, my LDL from 2.04 to 3.16 (80 to 123), HDL from .79 to 1.16 (31 to 45), and TG from 1.19 to 2.28 (106 to 203).  I had no history of high blood pressure (BP). 7.  On 2003Jan23, my General Practitioner’s (GP) lab results were A1c 6.8%, LDL 2.76 (108), HDL 1.16 (45), & TG 1.62 (144).  Although my GP said my BP was normal (130/80), he decided to prescribe an ACE inhibitor (Ramipril) because I had experienced a day of Vertigo-like symptoms when my BP went to 180/110 (one time only).  He said Ramipril had side benefits of protecting kidneys. 8.  For the 2003May27 return visit to my Internist, my weight was still 223, A1c 6.9%, LDL 3.29 (128), HDL 1.18 (46), TG 1.33 (118) & BP 142/90.  The only dietary change I made since 2002Dec was to stop eating French fries and potatoes.   My Internist said my LDL was much too high for diabetics and LDL must be reduced to less than 2.50 (98). He said that since I am diabetic, I am automatically in the high risk category for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and that my LDL must be lower than 2.50 (98) to reduce my risk of CAD.  (I found the cholesterol guidelines at http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/08_02/pearlman.htm) and on many other URL’s.)   9.  My Internist requested I go on a controlled program (called the TNT program, I believe) for taking Lipitor, a Statin, for reducing my LDL below 2.50 (98).  This program would involve going on a low-fat low-cal diet, exercising, and a weight reduction program.   10.  Since Ramipril had little effect on my BP since I started taking it on 2003Apr01, he doubled the dose from 5mg to 10mg, added a diuretic, and prescribed a BP meter for me to take my own BP readings. 11.  All the changes and rationales were a complete shock to me.  My A1c, LDL, and BP readings which were previously acceptable, were no longer acceptable.  I was now going to be pumped full of prescription drugs and I was going to be put on this low-fat low-cal diet. 12.  With the basic info my Internist gave me, I Googled the net and eventually found exactly what he was trying to do.  The one aspect that disturbed me the most was that he was prescribing all these changes and drugs, without first having exhausted all natural methods for accomplishing the same end result. 13.  That’s when I started to think about Atkins and to check info at the Atkins web page on 2003May30.  It didn’t take long to understand the principles of low carb.  Also, I saw Atkins as a diet I could easily live with.  Counting carbs seemed much easier than counting calories or fat.  I saw that with Atkins I could keep on eating what I liked, except to cut sugars 100% and to minimize all carbs.   14.  I have seldom ever drank alcohol, coffee, tea, milk or juices (except for maybe 5-10 servings of each, per year)