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  #16   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 09:00
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Metformin also depletes several B vitamins and especially B12.
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  #17   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 10:23
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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Taking topamax for migraine prevention/reduction.

And I wasn't on statins until after I found out I had high bg, so the statins can't be the link there if I'm understanding you're statement correctly.
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  #18   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 10:28
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Have you tried dropping the topamax since you got off gluten? You might not need it any longer. I know a number of people who found that it was gluten that caused their migraines.

(Consult your doctor, of course.)
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  #19   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 10:30
ojoj's Avatar
ojoj ojoj is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,184
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 210/126/127 Female 5ft 7in
BF:
Progress: 101%
Location: South of England
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
Have you tried dropping the topamax since you got off gluten? You might not need it any longer. I know a number of people who found that it was gluten that caused their migraines.

(Consult your doctor, of course.)


I used to get migraines when I ate chocolate digestive biscuits! Not sure what part of them, but it was definitely them

Jo xxx
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  #20   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 11:16
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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I've actually had to up the topamax over the last 6 months since I went back on it. Had some migraines creeping back in. Upped it at about the 3-4 month mark. Think that would have been long enough to see a difference in the diet/impact on my migraines. I've never been eating this way and not on the topamax that I remember so I have no comparison.

And just FYI - the symptom I've started having is is that I started smelling smoke when it isn't there. At first it was like a fire, like someone burning nearby - to the point it was irritating my eyes. Now it is more like cigarette smoke, like I have put my face in an ashtray and just inhaled! I've read many people online have had this in association with migraines but I haven't really gotten one. Could be that the topamax is keeping it away, I dunno. My doc said he could refer me to a neurologist and go from there. It could be from allergies, sinus issues - which I just had a bad sinus infection, a tumor or schizophrenia! So yeah! I always thought I was going crazy anyway. Of course after I mention to my doc to go ahead and make me a referral it seems to have gone away today!
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  #21   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 11:21
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Actually, I just assumed you're gluten free... I don't think you mentioned if you are or not.

Something you might want to seriously look into. Migraines, schizophrenia, lots of stuff related.

The Gluten File
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  #22   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 13:20
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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No I'm off gluten. I realize now that was a little confusing. I started back on topamax this time at the same time I started on low-carb/atkins.
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  #23   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 13:45
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is offline
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
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Admittedly, I don't look at many medication pamphlets but Topomax has a doozy of an insert. One of the side effects is "Impaired, distorted or no sense of smell". You may be smelling something common in your home, but your sense of smell is now distorted. So you are not going crazy, but maybe your olfactory nerves are. Also note a very common side effect is Stuffy, Runny Nose or Sore throat. You may not have had a sinus or allergy, but another gift from topomax.
Google topomax + sense of smell. Other reports of distortion of smell..you are not alone.

http://www.imb.ie/images/uploaded/s...00.1 30716.pdf
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  #24   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 15:50
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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I smell it everywhere - so not just at home! It's just odd to me that it's happened now. I've been on topamax before for at least a couple of years and didn't have this problem, and was even on a higher dosage. I dunno. I'm serious ready to throw every pill I have in the garbage!
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  #25   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 16:00
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bworthey
I smell it everywhere - so not just at home! It's just odd to me that it's happened now. I've been on topamax before for at least a couple of years and didn't have this problem, and was even on a higher dosage. I dunno. I'm serious ready to throw every pill I have in the garbage!

Not a bad idea. Every drug has issues, but they tend to get downplayed.
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  #26   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 16:08
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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No, I agree - every med had it's issues. Some blood pressure meds caused a cough for me - went to my doc, got it switched. The topamax I do deal with the tingling in my hands and feet like they are falling asleep sometimes and sometimes struggle to get a word out, but it's things I can deal with because it controls my migraines. This smelling smoke all the time I can't deal with! And my original question about the joint pain is getting bothersome to the point I can't deal with it any more. I don't know why it's been weighing on me so much lately - but looking at that handful of pills every morning is just bugging me. Maybe it's like I said because physically I feel better and my numbers are all better so I'm telling myself I'm better so I think I don't need the meds anymore (classic, huh?) but I have to wonder at what point do we start back off to see what the body is going to do without the med? How do we not know my bp or my bg is gonna stay in a normal range without the meds unless we back off it some more. We dropped the metformin in half and it's stayed exactly where it was before - that's a good sign, right? I guess maybe I need to pay my doc a visit and hash all this out. It's barely been 6 months since I've been on all this stuff so I'm sure he's gonna be reluctant to change anything drastically just yet.
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  #27   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 16:34
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is offline
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
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Not trying to be so negative on meds, but since I had this happen to me….you can also have different reactions to a generic version vs the original drug….and from one generic brand to another by a different manufacturer! The cancer drug tamoxifen has been generic for many years and I had some known side effects with it, and like you, dealt with them for a few years…. but then they all became much worse quite fast.
Turned out the pharmacy had switched from a generic manufacturer in Israel to another one in China? Different company, plant and regulations can truly change the product. Certain drugs are notorious for the generics being less effective or having more side effects; Synthroid, Wellbutrin, etc. Issues with generics are something becoming more common across a range of meds, most are fine, but when you have your own experience to compare, it is something to check out.

You can monitor your BP at home..in fact, that is the preferred way to diagnose HBP, not with one office reading. Take it in the morning, many readings over a period of days/weeks and average them. Same with your BG. These two are easy, accurate and cheap to monitor at home.
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  #28   ^
Old Mon, May-05-14, 21:27
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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Well I got a response from my doc - and not quite what I wanted to hear. He did say I could stop the station for a couple of weeks just wants to switch me to another one. Says that I'm at a high cardiovascular risk and that because of the diabetes I need the statin. I don't understand that link - can someone help me out here? Now I'm thinking I need to change docs because I'm seeing some major conflicts coming in the future. Ugh - I dunno!
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  #29   ^
Old Tue, May-06-14, 04:03
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is offline
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Statisically, there is a strong link between diabetes and CVD.
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/media/CVD_FactSheet.pdf
(Note the LDL number is now 190 and most here will disagree with their diet recs , but this is why your doctor prescribes statins) And the brand new statin guidelines expand this to just about everybody with diabetes. Your doctor must follow his medical "best practices guidelines" and those are usually the AHA, ADA, etc.

Your last bloodwork was much improved and within guidelines, so I don't understand his reluctance, maybe because most diabetics never do return to normal levels nor control their BG forever (because they follow a higher carb ADA type diet) , a doctor has to assume you will not reverse your diabetes either. Hope that you are listening to some of the free DiabetesSummit presentations, this is from the intro book:

Quote:
Unfortunately, in practice however, it seems to be a different story. Instead of doctors taking the time to sit down with their patients and encourage them to make real dietary and lifestyle changes, patients are typically hurried in and out of the office. In today’s corporate, insurance-driven medical system, patient volume often takes priority over quality of care and spending time to educate and empower patients. The traditional primary care or endocrinology practice is ill-equipped to spend the hours, weeks, and months coaching, educating, monitoring, and motivating their patients to make the lifestyle changes necessary to reverse diabetes. When confronted, many doctors feel that even if they had the time, patients wouldn’t follow through anyway….

Diabetes needs to be confronted head-on. To reverse diabetes, it’s essential to evaluate and treat the root cause, not just the elevated blood sugar. That can take time, effort, and persistence, but the reward is great.

Your doctor's "best practices" may also include statins for those with an obese BMI. You can argue that BMI doesn't take account of your "heavy frame", but the use of BMI by insurance companies and hospital practices "is what it is". Until you at least get into the Overweight BMI range, and a waist under 40 inches, your weight may trigger the use of medications to counter a diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome in any insurance-driven practice. You can always choose to take the prescription and not fill it, but then your doc will write "non-compliant" in your files. Love that term

No idea what your access to medical care is in your area of MS. There may be Primal/Functional/DO/LCNutritionists who would take the time to help you work on lifestyle changes BEFORE they whip out a prescription pad. When the four lists I check come up empty (edit: and they did), then I suggest calling some Osteopathic doctors. They are MD's but their training is more holistic, more about prevention. That is no guarantee about their recs for diet to control diabetes and views on statins, but phone a few of these, and ask the receptionist about how that doctor treats diet/diabetes, etc.
http://www.zipslocal.com/38858/oste...physicians.html


And back to the migraines..have you tried Imitrex? You only take that med as you feel a headache coming on. And my friend who uses that has decreased incidents of headache by giving up wheat, then Imitrex as a back-up.

Last edited by JEY100 : Tue, May-06-14 at 05:36.
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  #30   ^
Old Tue, May-06-14, 07:13
bworthey's Avatar
bworthey bworthey is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 547
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 352/332/240 Male 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Nettleton, MS
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Essentially you and he both quoted what is in this article/info: http://m.care.diabetesjournals.org/...ppl_2/S384.full

While my numbers are improved he has me in the high risk category and is wanting my LDL below 70. As you've mentioned and the "new" guidelines point out my numbers look okay. My hdl isn't great, I know I need to up that, I need to exercise or eat saturated fat. I really don't know any more. I mean he basically did say, and it appears you're saying too that regardless of diet and exercise and if my diabetes is controlled by that I still need the statin.

I'm seriously reaching that I don't care point - that point of people that I said I wasn't gonna be. If I'm gonna have to be on all of this stinking medication anyway, if I'm gonna have to be on it to be considered "compliant", not to mention I'll never be in a healthy weight range according to those blasted bmi charts - then just take all the pills and eat whatever the crap I want. I'm eating the way in eating to come off of all this crap, but it doesn't look like that's possible. I get, let's take you off and put you on another.

Why am I at such a risk now if my cholesterol is where it is? Just because I have the label of diabetic and I'm fat? Otherwise - that's it. I have a big waist. I guess that's the link I'm missing. The diabetes is under control, the cholesterol is mostly under control, it just seems over kill to me. Maybe this is the same question. I don't know. I understood it in the beginning when I had numbers through the roof, not now is all.
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