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.
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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.