Comments on: My Brilliant Plan Has Evidently Failed

By: Unknown

Unknown — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 19:48:02 +0000

just to respond to the reponse belowDid I say he should NEVER consider taking drugs?No. I think he should try other methods of lowering his cholesterol and BP before he hops on meds. Meds are the easy way out, for everyone. Most doctors have little nutritional education (3 credits in med school). Work with a nutritionist first. I do not see the point in downing your lipitor with a glass of Mayo. And yes, I have a family history of high BP and Cholesterol. I guess I am the lucky few who can control it with diet.My motivation? Not taking a bunch of pills for the next 50 years.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 18:18:02 +0000

I disagree with Craig regarding hypertensive and cholesterol lowering drugs. Doctors prescribe these things because there are lots of really good scientific studies showing they reduce morbidity and mortality rates. In fact there is some evidence that it can increase the life expectancy of people who don’t even show clinical hypertension or blood cholesterol problems. I’m nearing 30 yo and have discussed with my doctor going onto some of these medications as a preventitive measure.Someone else mentioned genetics and I believe hit the nail on the head. I’m a healthy weight and always have been but have borderline hypertension as do other members of my family. Good work on being proactive and getting your health sorted out. Better to know these things and get some treatment than ignore it.Oh and darn you. I took my road bike to the velodrome last weekend for a few hours and now I want a track bike again.Take care.

By: sam

sam — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 17:23:33 +0000

I would have to agree with Al Maviva my BP is way High bet my resting rate is like im almost dead. As far as the cholesterol forget about it…Im with you on the Mayo it goes on everything and not the fake mayo crap the real Helmans

By: DM

DM — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 16:06:29 +0000

I fell off a cliff once, onto the frozen Ottawa river. 25 foot drop, easily. Hurt like a bitch, the ankle felt very bad indeed. No-one was with me, and there was no way up. What was I concerened about? My camera, god, is my camera ok? The camera was fine, so all was copasetic.Hell, I broke my pelvis in two places in London, and was pleased that the bike wasn’t scratched.O dear o dear…cheers,c.

By: Carolynn

Carolynn — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:30:24 +0000

Of course we all KNOW it is Momma’s fault. But does son-in-law have to put it in print???? Like the othe son-in-law is tender and caring, only wanting to get yo bikes. Good family you are in. Hummmmmm, could that have something to do with the B/P?

By: BIg Mike In Oz

BIg Mike In Oz — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 04:44:37 +0000

Don’t worry about it. All 4 of my grandparents were overweight smokers who were warned about heart attacks their entire lives. We just said goodbye to the last one at 99. Not a heart attack to be seen. Cancer got the lot of them. You’ll die when you’re good and ready, and from whatever cause has your name etched on it. Keep eatin’. Keep Smilin’. Keep bikin’. Gotta go. It looks like a truck on the wrong side of the road coming out of the fog up ahead.cheersBIG Mike (skinny on the inside)

By: Unknown

Unknown — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 03:40:19 +0000

P.S. (Like the prevous comments weren’t excessively long, eh?) What you have done in losing all that weight is one of the very best steps you could have taken and it may be that your BP will adjust. Can you lose any of the stress in your life or somehow learn to change your reactions? I can’t… but some folks can. Adrenalin constricts the whole system and so does caffeine. Calcium/magnesium has been a good combo for me in that it helps me rest better, keeps my bones strong AND my muscles, and the heart is one of those, and the magnesium makes sure the calcium goes where it belongs and doesn’t go where it doesn’t belong and is a good relaxer of muscles (leg cramps?) without making them weak.And as a sort of famous doctor once said, you have to be your own advocate because your doctor has a different agenda. Which is simply an echo of what someone else already said in these comments. Ask questions and insist on answers and being listened to and HEARD.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 03:29:03 +0000

There is absolutely no evidence that a low cholesterol level prevents heart attacks. I have marvelous cholesterol levels and always have and I was SHOCKED when my caridologist said that but I have followed it up and researched it and it’s true. Ditto salt. I’ve read research that shows that cutting it down or out helps very few people in regulating BP.I use olive oil almost exclusively in cooking and in place of butter on bread, veges, etc. I use it to cancel out some bad (but tasty) fats in other foods. It’s an acquired taste, but I love it. We need a certain amount of fat in our diets and if you aren’t getting enough good fats and oils, I am told that it can also raise our cholesterol and stop weight loss.At this point, I use SOME of "their" meds… like Plavix (because I am post-surgery) and an 81 mg. aspirin daily. Then I go the "roots and berries route" and I am taking (on a full stomach) cayenne capsules to keep stuff from sticking and forming blockages and to clear out anything that may already be there (and sprinkling a little on various foods), garlic/parsley (don’t let them kid you about the addition of the parsley…I still smell like an Italian in love), lecithin (big FAT capsule-looking things) to help cholesterol levels and help the other roots and berries work, ginger capsules, and while my BP has also always been marvelous, i.e., about 110/70 or so, I am taking hawthorn to help the heart and help keep BP low. Too much of the hawthorn will drop it too much, but as far as I’m concerned, this is safer than all their chemicals and c-r-a-p like Coreg and Crestor that cost the EARTH and kill you in other ways. I also take a lot of other supplements.I hang out in an Alt. Meds. discusson on SeniorNet where there are a lot of helpful people with a lot of knowledge about this kind of thing, without practicing medicine without a license. You’re not 50, but anyone can go there… it’s public. You can’t post if you aren’t registered, but you can read. And if you register, you can post, ask questions, etc., you just can’t join and give them money so you can use their computer education centers worldwide (like you would need that!) There is also a "regular" cardio discussion.See if you can find a copy of a book called "Left for Dead."Be okay, you hear? Hugs,MuMo

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 02:35:18 +0000

Good luck with the doc tomorrow dude.

By: AO

AO — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 02:03:19 +0000

It’s probably not too early for the rest of us to start thinking about a slogan to put on rubber bracelets to raise awareness of high BP and cholesterol. I wonder if they would sell better now, or after you die? If we can’t get them made until after you die, we don’t have to share the massive profits with you…Please, don’t be selfish and die before we come up w/ a catchy slogan.