Then tell me why I am having so much trouble losing weight. I am 5'2 and weigh 140. I tried to lost these stubborn 10 to 15 pounds but they won't come off. That is why I am switching to low carb.

Ilana, your cholesterol levels don't have anything to do with how easily you lose weight or not. The last 10 pounds or so are a struggle for nearly everyone no matter which plan is being followed and they tend to come off at a frustratingly slow pace.
Has your doctor checked your thyroid levels to make sure that those are normal and you're not fighting a low thyroid?

No problem Llana, thats what makes forums like this a great place to be, because we all help each other.

You say your family has a history of producing cholesterol "no matter what you eat". Now while this is possible (some people are genetically more prone to high cholesterol) I would suggest a more likely explanation is that they have been following advice to lower their fat intake (specifically saturated fat) in the mistaken belief that this will help - by cutting out cholesterol sources in their diet (BTW this low fat/high carb diet will NOT help their diabetes!). Anyway, there is a fatal flaw in this arguement! As any good low carb book will tell you (yep it is covered briefly in the Eades 30 day book) - the vast majority (about 80%) of your cholesterol is produced by your body (not from your diet) In fact if you lower dietary cholesterol intake, without changing anything else - your body will make more to compensate! So, if you want to reduce your overall cholesterol you would think we should be advised how to limit the rate of our own production wouldn't you?
And the way to do that (without dangerous drugs) is to lower our insulin levels (insulin has an effect on a cholesterol rate limiting enzyme) - and of course you know by now that a reduced carb way of life is the best way to lower blood glucose - and with lower blood glucose the body does not need to produce as much insulin .... phew!

So please read the Eades 30 day book - and if you want more info on insulin and cholesterol I highly recommend their "Protein Power Life Plan" - which gives you much more detail on a whole range of health benefits that stem fom adopting a low carb way of life (truly, weight loss is just a happy side effect).

As to why your are struggling to lose those last few pounds, Lisa is right - the closer to goal you are the harder it can be. You may need to look at a lower carb intake for a while. You may need to increase the amount of exercise you are getting. And you also may need to take into account the effects of whatever meds you are on (if you are taking anything for your diabetes, I suggest you run it past 'Dr Lisa'!)

Above and beyond that, feel free to post your typical menu for a day or two, and I'm sure you will get some helpful suggestions.

Cheers,

Malcolm

PS A little light reading!;

http://www.healthyskepticism.org/index.htm
http://www.statinalert.org/mainpage.html

LOL! Nope...not a doctor and I don't play one on TV either.

But just imagine how much impact you could have if you did play one on TV! (I think you should ask if there is a vacancy on ER )

Seriously though, it would be a good idea for Llana to post her various medications - particularly as thes may well need to be adjusted/discontinued as she reduces her carb intake, and also so you or others can give some advice as to their possible impact on weight loss.

Cheers,

Malcolm

I hear ya Malcolm. Okay here are my meds:

Avandamet: 500 mg 2 x day for diabetes

Vytorin: 1 pill 1 x day (Don't know mg, bottle says 10/40) for Cholesterol

Straterra: 2 pills 40 mg each 1 x day (for ADD) yes I have Adult ADD go figure!

Zyrtec: 1 pill (no mg indicated on bottle) 1 x day for allergies

Errin: 1 pill (control menstrual cycles)

That is it.

Ilana

You're right, Malcolm. Even though we can't give medical advice here, many of us have been on various medications and can certainly share our experiences with needing them reduced on low carb (or discontinuing them altogether) as well as the effect that they had (or didn't have) on weight loss.

A spot on ER...hmmm...that was my favorite rotation in nursing school.

1. I am not a doctor (not even a tv doctor like Dr Lisa!).

2. IMHO its a good idea to treat any condition through diet or natural therapies rather than resort to drugs which invariably have unpleasant or even dangerous side effects for at least some people.

With that in mind lets have a look at your list;

Avandamet is a combo of rosiglitazone and metformin, one acts to improve insulin sensitivity and the other to lower blood glucose by restricting liver production - both things which can be accomplished to some degree at least with a low carb diet.

Vytorin is another combination of 2 old drugs - rebadged as a "new drug", this time of an old statin (Zocar) with a drug called Zetia which supposedly reduces dietary cholesterol absorbtion from the intestine. Side effects can include muscle disease, serious liver problems, kidney damage, sexual dysfunction and performance problems, as well as memory loss, irritability and personality changes. While it might lower your LDL count it will not improve HDLs, it will do nothing about high triglycerides and it will strip heart protective CoQ10 from your system. (if you insist on taking it - you should at least supplement with CoQ10) On the other hand you could stick to a low carb diet and improve all these risk factors without dangerous drugs.

Strattera is another so called new drug - which is actually a rebadged antidepressant developed by Lilly in the early nineties - but has now been marketed for use in treating ADHD. There is the usual long list of possible side effects together with a new warning from the FDA about possible severe liver damage (Dec 2004). A low carb diet with emphasis on good quality fats and minimal added sugars and processed carbs may well help alleviate ADHD symtoms. Magnesim deficiency is another often quoted cause.

Zyrtec is a simple antihistamine - do you take this year round or just during hay fever season?

Errin can prevent pregnancy or be used to regulate menstrual cycles - if you are having problems here, have you been checked for PCOS?

I can't tell you whether any of these drugs or a combination of them might affect weight loss (perhaps someone else can). I would however strongly advise you to really experience all the benefits of a low carb way of life, which may well allow you to stop taking the first 3.

Cheers,

Malcolm

Malcolm and Lisa,

Thanks for all of your great advice! It seems to be working because I have lost 3 pounds so far. Hopefully it is not water loss due to the low carb diet because I call that progress.

Malcolm, to answer your questions, I was on Effexor which is an anti-depressent because I have Post partum Depression after my son was born three years ago and recently got weaned from the drug. It was after I was weaned, that my Psychiatrist suspected that I had ADD. I have always been a normally hyper person and had my thyroid checked constantly because Dr's always suspected that I had an overacted thyroid. However, those levels have been normal. I have normal menstrual cycles but I would have very painful ones which is why my OBGYN put me on the pill. I wanted to get regulated. I doubt I have PCOS because I was able to conceive my son. I did however have fibroids six or seven years ago so it is a concern that the fibroids might come back.

Ilana

Ilana, about the only drug that I see in the list that may cause a problem with weight loss (or slow you down some) is the Errin. I was on birth control for several years and when I first started, I gained 10 pounds almost overnight and couldn't get them back off again. This is purely anecdotal, but my DH also has major allergies (both food and airborne) and has a terrible time losing weight even on low carb. I don't think it's his meds, but the fact that his immune system is always in overdrive due to the constant allergen exposure. Just something to think about. It doesn't make weight loss impossible, just a lot slower.
I agree with Malcolm on the Vytorin, especially since you are also taking two other drugs that can cause liver problems at the same time. Drugs have a tendency to potentiate effects, meaning that the effect of the combination isn't just doubled or tripled, it can be much higher. If your doctor isn't regularly checking your liver enzymes, I'd suggest that you ask him to and call him immediately if you experience any muscle pain. Definitely also look into getting a Co-Q 10 supplement if you continue taking the Vytorin.

Will the Co-Q10 supplement interfere with any of my meds? I don't like taking anything over the counter except for vitamins.

I have not found any drug interactions posted anywhere with CoQ10. It is naturally made by the human liver.

Here is a good site to check for drug interactions:


http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

........."Should I continue reading the book and trying the diet or is it a waste of time?"
...........Of course.....you should keep on reading. It will just add to your knowlege....and about 50 g per day.........You must find on yourself what's good for you....you can have more carb or less (and of course - with no much fat and small portion of protien!).......its all about portion size ......and *you*......try and see......by always checking your BS before and after meals..........Good Luck !