Six Month Check----failed slightly

[Zillah]

So was six months check today after increased meds.......new diabetic nurse who was brilliant, knowledgeable/realistic/encouraging....but my BG is still 54 ....and my cholesterol has rocketed to 6.9 and worse still there is evidence of fatty liver disease?????

I'm wondering if I can pretend I'm OK and park the old D for a bit!

I have limited my carbs...I walk a mile Monday to Friday everyday......aghhhhhhhh

Feeling incredibly s**t about it all.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Ah sorry to hear this Zillah

But DON'T feel you have failed. You have been trying really hard, and your A1c of 54 (7%) is good - well down at the bottom of that curvy graph where it begins to level out. Great to hear you have a positive relationship with your nurse. Any idea on the splits of your cholesterol? Ratios and components seem to matter much more than the total figure.

Sorry to hear about the evidence of fatty liver. Hope you've been given some good advice about that, and that it can be reversed/slowed/and that there are practical steps you can take to help.

 

[Grannylorraine]

So was six months check today after increased meds.......new diabetic nurse who was brilliant, knowledgeable/realistic/encouraging....but my BG is still 54 ....and my cholesterol has rocketed to 6.9 and worse still there is evidence of fatty liver disease?????

I'm wondering if I can pretend I'm OK and park the old D for a bit!

I have limited my carbs...I walk a mile Monday to Friday everyday......aghhhhhhhh

Feeling incredibly s**t about it all.

Don't be too hard on yourself, I also have a fatty liver, had this before D was diagnosed, which is why I still have to be carefully with fat and not eating too much protein. For some of us it is a slower journey to lower all those numbers. Sending you virtual hugs as sounds like you need them right now.

 

[Amigo]

So was six months check today after increased meds.......new diabetic nurse who was brilliant, knowledgeable/realistic/encouraging....but my BG is still 54 ....and my cholesterol has rocketed to 6.9 and worse still there is evidence of fatty liver disease?????

I'm wondering if I can pretend I'm OK and park the old D for a bit!

I have limited my carbs...I walk a mile Monday to Friday everyday......aghhhhhhhh

Feeling incredibly s**t about it all.

Fatty liver is incredibly common in type 2 diabetes as part of the metabolic syndrome Zillah but the good news is it’s possible to turn it around. I once read an eminent endocrinologist say he was more surprised not to find fatty liver than detect it in his newly diagnosed diabetics. I have it as well as enlargement and a spleen double the size it should be (spleen not D related).
You’re on the right track for turning these issues around. These problems are reversible so don’t despair even though you’re feeling fed up with it at the moment.

 

[Zillah]

Ah sorry to hear this Zillah

But DON'T feel you have failed. You have been trying really hard, and your A1c of 54 (7%) is good - well down at the bottom of that curvy graph where it begins to level out. Great to hear you have a positive relationship with your nurse. Any idea on the splits of your cholesterol? Ratios and components seem to matter much more than the total figure.

Sorry to hear about the evidence of fatty liver. Hope you've been given some good advice about that, and that it can be reversed/slowed/and that there are practical steps you can take to help.

Thank you for the reply She did mention the numbers under the 'umbrella' of cholesterol and the numbers that were affected by alcohol and saturated fats were the highest....so advised to a) cut down on alcohol and b) cut right down on cheese and butter etc. So trying to do a low carb high fat diet gets more difficult and I love a drink when socialising ..... looks like becoming a hermit....in a cave.....sulking LOL.

 

[Zillah]

Fatty liver is incredibly common in type 2 diabetes as part of the metabolic syndrome Zillah but the good news is it’s possible to turn it around. I once read an eminent endocrinologist say he was more surprised not to find fatty liver than detect it in his newly diagnosed diabetics. I have it as well as enlargement and a spleen double the size it should be (spleen not D related).
You’re on the right track for turning these issues around. These problems are reversible so don’t despair even though you’re feeling fed up with it at the moment.

Thanks Amigo--they didn't mention that it was common- just made it sound dreadful and that it meant I was an alcoholic as they kept offering me counseling if I 'couldn't' reduce the amount I drink. I wouldn't mind but my mum was an alcoholic so I know what that involves and the chaos and hurt it brings into your family and being tarred with the same brush was awful. Thank you for making it all just a little less doom laden.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you for the reply She did mention the numbers under the 'umbrella' of cholesterol and the numbers that were affected by alcohol and saturated fats were the highest....so advised to a) cut down on alcohol and b) cut right down on cheese and butter etc. So trying to do a low carb high fat diet gets more difficult and I love a drink when socialising ..... looks like becoming a hermit....in a cave.....sulking LOL.

That's very standard 'old school' HCP advice, but I'm not quite sure whether some newer thinking doesn't rather shine a different light on cholesterol levels and saturated fat intake. It's a confusing area in my view, and there are lots of entrenched positions (on all sides!), which makes it difficult to know where to go with it all

I read this earlier this week (from a confirmed cholesterol sceptic). Still makes interesting reading... https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2018/05/12/very-high-ldl-and-no-cardiovascular-disease-at-all/

Edited to add: Also this from a few years back - http://www.drbriffa.com/2014/03/21/...on-at-all-to-limit-saturated-fat-in-the-diet/ (again another sceptic, but posted as a counterpoint view to what you have received so far - essentially concentrate on avoiding junk and processed foods rather than worrying about 'real food' sat fats)

 

[Zillah]

Don't be too hard on yourself, I also have a fatty liver, had this before D was diagnosed, which is why I still have to be carefully with fat and not eating too much protein. For some of us it is a slower journey to lower all those numbers. Sending you virtual hugs as sounds like you need them right now.

Thank you Lorraine- its much appreciated X

 

[Mark Parrott]

Fat will not affect cholesterol much or cause a fatty liver. Alcohol, on the other hand may do. But the thing with a low carb diet is it takes a while for the body to adjust, probably several months. It is quite common for cholesterol to rise after starting low carb & in general, total cholesterol may remain quite high. What happens is HDL goes up & Trigs come down, but LDL may remain the same (and this can be split into good 'fluffy' LDL & bad 'dense' LDL). So without a complete breakdown, it's meaningless. My total cholesterol is 7.2 but my ratios are spot on.

 

[Zillah]

Fat will not affect cholesterol much or cause a fatty liver. Alcohol, on the other hand may do. But the thing with a low carb diet is it takes a while for the body to adjust, probably several months. It is quite common for cholesterol to rise after starting low carb & in general, total cholesterol may remain quite high. What happens is HDL goes up & Trigs come down, but LDL may remain the same (and this can be split into good 'fluffy' LDL & bad 'dense' LDL). So without a complete breakdown, it's meaningless. My total cholesterol is 7.2 but my ratios are spot on.

Just when I think I have my head round it all........ugh
How much effect would increased exercise have on my cholesterol? Its just that I stopped taking the statins as they were making me feel odd so now they have prescribed me some different ones but I still don't want to take them.

 

[Mark Parrott]

I don't know about cholesterol vs exercise but one thing i'm sure it won't do is make it rise. I will never take statins, but that's my personal preference. The evidence that high cholesterol causes strokes & heart attacks is very shaky.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Just when I think I have my head round it all........ugh
How much effect would increased exercise have on my cholesterol? Its just that I stopped taking the statins as they were making me feel odd so now they have prescribed me some different ones but I still don't want to take them.

I believe that increased exercise is likely to improve your ratio with an increase in HDL.

My 'cholesterol' money is on ratios, as increased HDL as you can seems to help those. And as low Triglycerides as you can manage (as these seem to be a proxy for the nasty vLDL particles that are unhelpful rather than the 'fluffy'(?!) LDL particles which are benign and in fact which your brain needs to function properly).

 

[Amigo]

Thanks Amigo--they didn't mention that it was common- just made it sound dreadful and that it meant I was an alcoholic as they kept offering me counseling if I 'couldn't' reduce the amount I drink. I wouldn't mind but my mum was an alcoholic so I know what that involves and the chaos and hurt it brings into your family and being tarred with the same brush was awful. Thank you for making it all just a little less doom laden.

It’s not related to alcohol Zillah and ridiculous to offer you counselling for a condition that isn’t connected!

‘Studies have shown that NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) may be present in up to 70% of patients with diabetes.’ (Relates to type 2)


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943559/

 

[Grannylorraine]

It’s not related to alcohol Zillah and ridiculous to offer you counselling for a condition that isn’t connected!

‘Studies have shown that NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) may be present in up to 70% of patients with diabetes.’ (Relates to type 2)


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943559/

Totally agree Amigo, just read this on NHS website. Although it's very similar to alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), NAFLD isn't caused by drinking too much alcohol.

 

[Carolg]

Thanks Amigo--they didn't mention that it was common- just made it sound dreadful and that it meant I was an alcoholic as they kept offering me counseling if I 'couldn't' reduce the amount I drink. I wouldn't mind but my mum was an alcoholic so I know what that involves and the chaos and hurt it brings into your family and being tarred with the same brush was awful. Thank you for making it all just a little less doom laden.

Just when I think I have my head round it all........ugh
How much effect would increased exercise have on my cholesterol? Its just that I stopped taking the statins as they were making me feel odd so now they have prescribed me some different ones but I still don't want to take them.

I have had three different types of statins. 2 made me feel ill but 3rd one ok. When I joined practice, nurse mentioned that the doc would maybe change them, but my response was, they would stay in the packet. I had a scan when diagnosed diabetes and showed fatty liver, but no advice. Take manageable steps and you will get there. Good luck and don’t be scared to ask questions. No question is daft

 

[Lanny]

I was diagnosed with a fatty liver 6 years ago & was relieved by that diagnosis! I'd been have trouble with my digestion from about 2 years before that &, by the time of diagnosis, I couldn't process fats at all! I was advised to go on a low fat diet but, not to cut them out completely as there are essential amino acids etc. needed. I cut out obvious fats in pastry, cakes, spreads, eggs & meat. The relief was instant & have been practically a vegetarian for the last 6 years: seafood being my only source of meat/protein!

My fatty liver has now healed itself. I found out, on these forums, that that can happen when the liver isn't stressed when certain foods are cut down or out of the diet! I'm now able to eat eggs, meat, butter, cheese & cream!

I'm tee total though so, can't offer any insights on that front! But, a fatty liver isn't as bad as you think! It CAN get better if you help it along a bit! 🙂