Wednesday, July 14, 2010

July 8 VAP Test: Preliminary Report

Darn! I've just barely held my own, but I haven't been able to increase my HDL much. Here are the most recent results:

  • Overall Cholesterol: 163
  • LDL: 96
  • HDL: 47
  • Triglycerides: 130

In March:

  • Overall Cholesterol: 145
  • LDL: 83
  • HDL: 46
  • Triglycerides: 91
There is obviously a "habituation" effect. I've upped the Niacin to over 1 500mg/day since March, often 2, but not 3. That's still a goal. Note increase in LDL from January of this year.

The LDL has gone up from the 77 when I started this regime then. It included Trilipix,for the first time, a key. Still one a day on that.

The HDL is a point higher at 47, which is high for me. Nowhere near the 60 recommended though. I will take 2 Niaspan (1,000mg)/day and if I tolerate it, I'll try for 3. That might get me to 50 which would be rewarding.

Triglycerides have moved slightly over normal (125) at 130, but much lower than in the past - 191 in March of last year.

I didn't get a chance to catch the "Pattern A/B" score on the phone. Will check that when I get a copy of the VAP results in the mail.

So "staying even" is a good summary. Maybe the Vitamin D can help, but I'm puzzled why there should be a deficiency, given the time I'm in the sun biking.

My cardio-vascular program has remained pretty much the same, a little under 100/miles/week, about 2,000-3,000 calories per week, sometimes a lot more.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

July - Before next VAP Test

I met with my specialist yesterday and got excellent advice about the timing of my medications. I will be taking the Crestor 5mg in the evening rather than the morning. I suspect that this is the better time to take it anyway and that I should have been doing so all along. In the morning I can add the Citrus Pectin supplement for additional fiber, which may bind (or sequester) some cholesterol. Taken with the Crestor, it would bind with it and make it less effective.

Since I am tolerating 4 grams of Lovaza, I will try a 5th, starting today. But we agreed that increasing the Niaspan would help HDL in particular. I'm averaging about 2/day (1,000mg) at this point. I am going to try to build up to 3/day (1,500) within the next week prior to the next VAP test, which will I'll take in the July 5-13 window.

She advised me that it would be good to add a source of alphalipoic acid, so I've laid in a supply of Trader Joe's 100mg Alphalipoic Acid as well as a 250mg Milk Thistle. I'll start with one a day of each so that I'll have at least a week on these, too, before the next VAP. Key metric: HDL -- will it be higher than 45? Important metric: Pattern A rather than Pattern B. Will there be substantial movement from B to A?

Recap:
  • Take Crestor in evening rather than morning
  • Start Citrus Pectin in the morning
  • Up Niaspan to 3/day
  • Up Lovaza to 5/day
  • Add 2 sources of alphalipoic acid
  • Keep rest as usual (see earlier posts)

Trader Joe's also has a Reservatrol supplement which I'll try if I don't have a pill overload. Wal-Mart now stocks a Reservatrol liquid in their fruit juice section, but it is pricey at about $7/half gallon.