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  #76   ^
Old Mon, Jan-30-17, 20:29
thud123's Avatar
thud123 thud123 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,422
 
Plan: P:E=>1 (Q3-22)
Stats: 168/100/82 Male 182cm
BF:
Progress: 79%
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Thanks for the update Ken. Chive on!

SON OF A BI>>> I FLIPPED THE PAGE>

Go back one page to read Ken's update. or click here:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost...14&postcount=75

Last edited by thud123 : Mon, Jan-30-17 at 20:31. Reason: flipped the damn page with post.
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  #77   ^
Old Mon, Jan-30-17, 20:51
cotonpal's Avatar
cotonpal cotonpal is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,283
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
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Wonderful news Ken.

Jean
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  #78   ^
Old Mon, Jan-30-17, 21:04
DelaneyLC DelaneyLC is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,462
 
Plan: Keto/Carnivore/Fasting
Stats: 190/143/144 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 102%
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Ken good news on the update with your cardiologist visit. Thanks for sharing.
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  #79   ^
Old Mon, Jan-30-17, 23:07
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
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Great news! I suspected this was one of the directions a good cardiologist could take. I understand the recommendation for the statins, as I've been on the receiving end of that recommendation and had to prove that I didn't need it. Realize that you are one of the few patients who will doggedly stick to a sound health plan without deviation and fully understand it along the way. Sounds like the cardiologist realized that as well. Excellent!
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  #80   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 02:28
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Ambulo Ambulo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,171
 
Plan: LerC, TRE, IF
Stats: 150/120/120 Female 64 inches
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: the North, England
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I am so pleased for you. The cardiologist sounds a treasure. Happy 2017!
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  #81   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 04:15
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
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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That cardiologist is definitely a keeper with an interesting approach on statins from a heart specialist, change is in the air. Sounds a terrific office visit with a doctor who listened to his patient. All your hard work improving your health and reading to prep for the visit payed off.
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  #82   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 09:27
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bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
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Thanks for the complete report, Ken. Good news for you, and supportive information for us.
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  #83   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 10:04
eljohnw eljohnw is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,074
 
Plan: , LCHF
Stats: 259.6/222.4/130 Female 62 inches
BF:67.2/60.2/normal
Progress: 29%
Location: Hilton Head SC
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I want your cardiologist. Mine sucks
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  #84   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 11:30
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Liz53 Liz53 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,140
 
Plan: Mostly Fung/IDM
Stats: 165/138.4/135 Female 63
BF:???/better/???
Progress: 89%
Location: Washington state
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So glad to read your good news, Ken. It sounds as if you are getting excellent health care all around. Your GP was probably right to send you to a specialist if she was surprised/concerned and she sent you to one who sounds knowledgable and sensible and has confirmed you are on the right track. Thanks for sharing your story.
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  #85   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 15:36
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khrussva khrussva is offline
Say NO to Diabetes!
Posts: 8,671
 
Plan: My own - < 30 net carbs
Stats: 440/228/210 Male 5' 11"
BF:Energy Unleashed
Progress: 92%
Location: Central Virginia - USA
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The cardiologist was a good doctor. He did listen well and he shared a lot of information with me. But just so you know, he did get one pretty good lecture from me. I gleaned from our conversation that he was not very interested in my diet. He said that he has had patients improve their health markers by becoming vegetarian, vegan, paleo, etc. He pretty much said that the means of the weight loss didn't matter. He looks at health markers (including weight) and symptoms of disease. I told him that the means matters a great deal. What good does it do to recommend or prescribe a diet that the patient cannot do? I gave him a little bit of history about my diet struggles over the years. I had asked two different doctors and one nutritionist for help with my weight issues. I was told to eat less and exercise more. I was told to eat healthy 'low fat food', cut the fats from my diet and to have treats and other less nutritious foods in moderation. I had tried Weightwatchers - which was simply another approach to eat less and cut the fat. I explained to the cardiologist that these recommendations did not work for me because they did not address my problem. I had to figure myself out on my own. When I learned how to eat to normalize my blood sugar, everything else fell into place - including the weight loss. I went into more detail than this about why low carb worked for me, and I'll spare you the details. I said to him that the system let me down by offering me a weight loss solution that I could not do and then heaped blame and condemnation on me for my inability to do it. Yes - the means of the weight loss matters a lot. I don't know if this lecture did any good, but he caught an earful from me about that subject.

Another element of our conversation that I found interesting was the doctor's take on me doing the kinds of self directed health testing that I've done along my journey. He did not appear to be a big fan of it, believing that at best it is often a waste of money and at worst it can lead to more problems than it solves. His litmus test was to ask "What are you going to do with the information?". "What actionable steps can you take based on the results?" "Do the results help diagnose or confirm a condition in combination with other indications?" This topic came up when I said I was planning on doing another NMR next month and possibly a C-reactive protein test. He didn't think I should bother. He said I will likely get good results and take no action based upon them. So I'd be wasting my money. But what if the C-reactive protein test came back with a higher than expected number? What would I do with the information without some other indication of a problem? I'd take the test again, get normal results and not know why. I'd waste more money. He said my NMR results were good. Do I expect them to be any different this time? So yeah, I think he has a point. I probably wouldn't do anything different based on the results of those two tests, so do I really need them?

Referring to the CT Heart Calcium scan as an example, he thought that it was reasonable that I had it done, although the results were what he would have expected given my health history. However, since I had already done everything in my power to improve my health, what could I change based on the results? Not much. He thought that it would have been much more meaningful to have that test done 3 years ago. That poor score would have confirmed what a doctor already suspected based on my diabetes and other poor health markers. It would have resulted in a boatload of actionable steps... "Hey, dude - if you do not do something about your diabetes and your weight you are going to die of a heart attack sooner rather than later."

I thought these were valid points. I will think a more about what I expect to achieve with such testing. I do see the value of having a heart calcium score done down the road, though. It will be reassuring if the results are as the cardiologist predicts they will be. I'd like the confirmation that my chosen WOE is operating as advertised.

Last edited by khrussva : Wed, Feb-01-17 at 15:05.
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  #86   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 17:20
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by khrussva
Another element of our conversation that I found interesting was the doctor's take on me doing the kinds of self directed health testing that I've done along my journey. He did not appear to be a big fan of it, believing that at best it is often a waste of money and at worst it can lead to more problems than it solves. His litmus test was to ask "What are you going to do with the information?". "What actionable steps can you take based on the results?" "Do the results help diagnose or confirm a condition in combination with other indications?" This topic came up when I said I was planning on doing another NMR next month and possibly a C-reactive protein test. He didn't think I should bother. He said I will likely get good results and take no action based upon them. So I'd be wasting my money. But what if the C-reactive protein test came back with a higher than expected number? What would I do with the information without some other indication of a problem? I'd take the test again, get normal results and not know why. I'd waste more money. He said my NMR results were good. Do I expect them to be any different this time? So yeah, I think he has a point. I probably wouldn't do anything different based on the results of those two tests, so do I really need them?

Interesting. My GP said the same thing when I specified an NMR Lipid Panel with HbA1c and CRP. He wanted to know why, and indicated he didn't think that level of detail was necessary. When I asked him his recommendation, he said to simply get a blood cholesterol test and eliminate the rest. I asked if total cholesterol was still an informative heart health marker, as I had heard otherwise. I said I wanted to know measured, not estimated, LDL details and to better understand my overall insulin resistance score. Also, I wanted to know my CRP, because my WOE is designed to eliminate inflammation sources. I wasn't too concerned about my HbA1c, but I requested it all because my previous NMR Lipid Panel had some interesting results.

To your point, Ken, now that I have a good set of measurements, I'm not sure I need anymore tests. If something changes, then I can reconsider. The influence of my WOE on my health was what I was seeking. Now that it is confirmed, the objective is to stay consistent.
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  #87   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 17:31
cotonpal's Avatar
cotonpal cotonpal is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,283
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
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That's the question I ask myself, Ken. Would the results of this test lead to any changes in my behavior? I concluded nearly a decade ago that no result on the cholesterol test would lead to any change so I have refused to have one since then. My doctor has even stopped asking me. In fact I have not had any testing done on doctor's orders for many years. I check my vitamin D level myself and adjust my supplementation accordingly. I have stopped doing blood glucose testing or testing ketones but did recently do HbA1C testing just to make sure things were good. The 2 results I got, 6 months apart (maybe a little less than 6 months) were 5.0 and then 4.9 so I figured that was good. And I occasionally measure my blood pressure but it has gone from borderline maybe you need medication to entirely normal. I like not having to involve a doctor. I figure that my diet is pristine and my exercise habits are beneficial so all is as good as I am going to get it.

Jean
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  #88   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 04:58
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
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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The CRP test also measures inflammation that could be a recent cold, tissue injury,minor arthritis, etc...https://labtestsonline.org/understa.../hscrp/tab/test

I had one done pre-low carb when had arthritis in knee, IT Band pain, and bursitis in the hip...so got a highish score that the doctor then completely discounted. He said something along the lines older folks almost always have some inflammation in joints and the CRP is a "test in search of a problem”. Raging infections have scores in the thousands, but the slightly elevated ones could be a infected hang nail

Though "Happy Heart Month" is here, and Direct Labs has Cardio IQ for $109, the CRP and some other heart tests on special.

A number of Low Carb doctors, especially those with a patient base that can't afford or need a CardioIQ, will stick to the basics. Dr Ted Naiman is one, waist to height ratio the most powerful indicator of insulin resistance and it's free, the cheap off the shelf lipid panel where you check the HDL:Trig is sufficient ($24 at DL), and he would add fasting insulin. Not sure this is interview where he said he doesn't use the advanced lipid panel, but it is not mentioned at all in the short list of what he does use. https://youtu.be/YOoKd1QUD1c

Last edited by JEY100 : Wed, Feb-01-17 at 09:25.
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  #89   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 10:50
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
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Yes, CRP can be influenced by other conditions. The reason I insisted on my last CRP was that I had eliminated all dairy for over 30 days before my blood draw, and I wanted to compare it with my previous score to see if dairy could be a cause of inflammation for me. My CRP score was well below normal, lower than my last score and indicated little to no inflammation, so I'm making the assumption that I need to watch dairy consumption. No need for further CRP testing at this point.
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  #90   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 12:50
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deirdra deirdra is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,324
 
Plan: vLC/GF,CF,SF
Stats: 197/136/150 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 130%
Location: Alberta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JEY100
The CRP test also measures inflammation that could be a recent cold, tissue injury, minor arthritis, etc...I had one done pre-low carb when had arthritis in knee, IT Band pain, and bursitis in the hip...so got a highish score that the doctor then completely discounted. He said something along the lines older folks almost always have some inflammation in joints and the CRP is a "test in search of a problem”.
True, but you DID have a problem - too many carbs! Now we are even older folks, yet lots of colds and joint pain have been banished with the carbs.
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