Just wondering: Has anyone else been told their HDL ("good") cholesterol is too low, and been put on meds to try to raise it as an urgent medical priority?
I switched PCPs because I wanted one who would evaluate my meds and be willing to make changes if indicated. (Be careful what you wish for.
)
As I noted in an earlier thread, he really zeroed in on my low HDL. It was 30, and should be at least 40, according to med guidelines. (My "bad" cholesterol is world-class low -- 63.)
He took me off Caduet, and started me on Advicor, a combo of niacin and a statin that is supposed to help raise "good" cholesterol.
During the first 8 days of taking it, my fasting blood sugar readings have increased about 10 points, thus vaulting me over the diabetic danger line. I am a Type 2 diabetic and I have worked hard over the past few years to bring my A1C down from 7.7 to 6.2. (The side-effect warnings said Advicor could raise blood sugar and to call your physician if it did.)
So I called yesterday, and his nurse called back and said the doc wanted me to keep taking the niacin/statin because it is very important for my heart health to raise the "good" cholesterol. She said a "little increase" in blood sugar should not concern me. (Well, looking at the consequences of unchecked diabetes, I beg to differ.)
Perhaps, though, there is method in this apparent madness. The final message was that if I want to get my blood sugars back down where they were while still taking the cholesterol med, I should do so with diet and exercise. He didn't want at this point to add another diabetes med. Well, in recent years before and after my OHS, I have been exercising more and trying to eat more sensibly, but I guess there's always room to do better in those departments.
Anyway, my real question is, has anyone else been pushed by a doc to raise "good" cholesterol? And were you successful?
I switched PCPs because I wanted one who would evaluate my meds and be willing to make changes if indicated. (Be careful what you wish for.
)As I noted in an earlier thread, he really zeroed in on my low HDL. It was 30, and should be at least 40, according to med guidelines. (My "bad" cholesterol is world-class low -- 63.)
He took me off Caduet, and started me on Advicor, a combo of niacin and a statin that is supposed to help raise "good" cholesterol.
During the first 8 days of taking it, my fasting blood sugar readings have increased about 10 points, thus vaulting me over the diabetic danger line. I am a Type 2 diabetic and I have worked hard over the past few years to bring my A1C down from 7.7 to 6.2. (The side-effect warnings said Advicor could raise blood sugar and to call your physician if it did.)
So I called yesterday, and his nurse called back and said the doc wanted me to keep taking the niacin/statin because it is very important for my heart health to raise the "good" cholesterol. She said a "little increase" in blood sugar should not concern me. (Well, looking at the consequences of unchecked diabetes, I beg to differ.)
Perhaps, though, there is method in this apparent madness. The final message was that if I want to get my blood sugars back down where they were while still taking the cholesterol med, I should do so with diet and exercise. He didn't want at this point to add another diabetes med. Well, in recent years before and after my OHS, I have been exercising more and trying to eat more sensibly, but I guess there's always room to do better in those departments.
Anyway, my real question is, has anyone else been pushed by a doc to raise "good" cholesterol? And were you successful?
