please help me with health care

jordiepop · #1 10-05-2007, 03:27 AM

i wont have health insurance for 2 more months but the last dr i saw told me i have some issues. 1) very high cholestorol and tri- glyserides. my blood pressure is fine but im kind of fat and dont want a damnm heart attack or stroke. i never got my heart or major arteries checked for blockages but im freakin out.

i dont care how much it costs but id rather be able to go to one dr and have much of this covered. would a general internist be my best bet.?? any help would be great and sorry for the spelling.

chesspain · #2 10-05-2007, 08:25 AM

Jordie,

Please chill out! Unless you are old and/or in pretty poor health, I doubt you are going to stroke out in the next couple of months. In fact, I kind of doubt that any doctor is going to want to start checking you for blockages and heart damage unless you are already having fairly significant symptoms.

However, steps you can begin taking are:

1) Start eating better.
2) Start easing into exercising.
3) Begin losing weight.

FWIW, unless you have other health problems in addition to high cholesterol, I think that starting out with a general practitioner should be fine.

longbody · #3 10-05-2007, 12:28 PM

Find a doctor who doesn't believe in the cholestrol scam and you won't be freaking out any more. There are lots of them, although they're probably a minority.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8SSCNaaDcE
http://www.thincs.org/Malcolm.choltheory.htm

Russell L. Smith, the guy who wrote the largest review ever on the literature of cholesterol, diet and heart disease says its all bunk. Uffe Ravnskov also wrote a good book.

Go to borders and find any book on the drug industry and you'll find out why all the good cholesterol, bad cholesterol hype exists. Its basically still around because billions of dollars are to be had in selling cholesterol lowering drugs. And much research is skewed when most of it is funded by the drug companies, which is a total shock.

Also, people with high cholesterol live longer. High cholesterol is only a risk factor for heart disease in middle aged men and no other population. Not women, children, or old people. And just because it is a risk factor doesn't mean it is a cause by any means.

kyleb · #4 10-05-2007, 01:22 PM

I don't necessarily buy into the argument that cholesterol is not bad, but I do understand that eliminating it or even reducing it can be impossible for many people (who then go on to live full, healthy lives). A co-worker of mine at a dotcom company 5 years ago was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels and went on an all-vegetarian diet (minus grilled chicken and whitefish), ran 5 miles every other day, cut out all caloric drinks except morning orange juice, ate tons of fibrous food, and supplemented with multivitamins and Lipitor. After six months his cholesterol... went UP.

OP,

You should look into a weightloss program and long distance running. That will help to build cardiovascular strength.

Blarg · #5 10-05-2007, 03:35 PM

I didn't know doctors could check for blockages. I'm having difficulty envisioning how they could even do that. How does that work?

PLOlover · #6 10-05-2007, 08:50 PM

are you over 30?
use steriods?

if no,no, then I don't see how you can possibly be worried about anything imminent.

PLOlover · #7 10-05-2007, 08:53 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't know doctors could check for blockages. I'm having difficulty envisioning how they could even do that. How does that work?

[/ QUOTE ]

first the naturpaths and then the MD's came to the conclusion something about your earlobes and lines or something can indicate athroscholosis thingee. also I've heard optomotrist can tell by fine blood vessels in retina or someting. of course also invasive procedures I guess.

I've heard in korean war autopsies showed that all soldiers (about 19 years old most of them) had severe plaque build up.

wezvidz · #8 10-06-2007, 11:26 AM

Cholesterol and blood lipids are directly correlated with increased risk of heart attack/stroke due to artherosclerosis. and obviously it's not all based on diet, your body has enzymes that produce cholesterol naturally if it thinks it needs it (and will often make too much; drugs like Lipitor and other statins which are HMG-CoA reducatase inhibitors block this enzyme).

i would start eating right, exercising and see if you can control your high levels naturally. if you're still having issues, drug therapy is an option that's out there which works for a lot of people.

PLOlover · #9 10-06-2007, 03:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Cholesterol and blood lipids are directly correlated with increased risk of heart attack/stroke due to artherosclerosis

[/ QUOTE ]

then how come chol lowering drugs don't do anything? heart attack rate and death rate is same. actually I think heart attack rate is slightly lowered but fatal heart attacks are same.

Blarg · #10 10-06-2007, 07:49 PM

Cholesterol-clogging in arteries has been found in elementary school-age American children. By the time someone finds out their cholesterol is too high, it could easily be because damage has already been done. Lowering your cholesterol in itself won't repair damage to artery walls or remove blockages. However, that doesn't mean cholesterol hasn't done any damage and wouldn't be better off lowered.