I have high triglicerides, low good colesteral
 

I have high triglicerides, low good colesteral. The doctor gave me a drug and said watch your sweets.

Does anyone else have this? Do you know what to do about it? Any info is welcomed.

I cut back on soda, sugar, and simple starches/carbs. My triglycerides dropped from 430 to under 200 in only a month. My HDL went up about 20 points in the same period of time. I would need to know more, but I don't appprove of giving out medication on the first visit without trying behavior (diet, exercise, etc.) changes beforehand. Of course, I don't know your age, your medical history, or your current state of health, but my gut instinct is that diet changes should have been tried before resorting to medication.

I am 46 years old, in good health all of my life, but I am now 40 pounds overweight. I get little or no exercise in the course of a day as I work in an office and commute 45 miles one way.
The drug prescribed by my doctor is Niaspan. It is 500 mg tablets and I'm suppose to take one twice each day.

Any comments or advice?

Aladdin, you should really look at the instructions your doctor gave you. sometimes, niaspan is given 500 mg once a day, at bed time. The dose, however is slowly increased to a level that your doctor has decided to increase it to. It is dangerous to get too much advice online about perscription drugs. I advise you to call your doc's office or pharmacy for clarification.

Also, if you didnt know, niaspan makes some people get flushing in the face. if this happens, it is completly normal.


Bill

Very low levels of HDL (good cholesterol) could cause Tangier disease, although it's quite rare. I'd say cut back the oily/fried foods as well as those carbs and sugar. Try drinking red wine, studies say that it lowers the risk of getting coronary heart failure. If you have time, burn those fats and excercise :)

Hmmm...A Simpson episode comes to mind :)

The big thing is to exercise. Get in a bit of cardio at least once a week, even if you have to cancel other plans to do it. Cut down on sugars and starches in your diet. Have a glass or two of red wine per day. Switch from butter or margarine to somethin like Take Control or Benecol, with no trans fats. Read ingredient lists and don't eat more than half a serving of anything with partially hydrogenated oils. Switch from frying with butter or vegetable oils to olive oil (high omega 3 fatty acid content is good.) Eat fish (omega 3 again.)

Just a few tips, see if you can make any changes with those.

You guys are great. I really appreciate the advice.
Now I've gotta find the will power to get myself healthy. I certainly have no desire to die young.