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Old Oct 09, 2018, 04:58 PM
Anonymous46341
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I'm sorry to read that you developed metabolic syndrome. I've been fighting it off for a while. I did manage to normalize my glucose levels from pre-diabetic to normal about 8 years ago, but I've still struggled with high cholesterol and high triglycerides. My blood pressure has always been normal, but I'm sure my propranolol helps with that to some degree. I don't take propranolol for blood pressure, I take it for tachycardia, but lowering blood pressure is another one of propralolol's many benefits. My waist size is bigger now than it was at my same weight 16 years ago, but my stomach isn't really big. My weight is sort of distributed evenly throughout my body.

I have a feeling I'll eventually need to take a statin. Both my GP and my nephrologist have talked about that, but they say they will likely wait a few years until I'm 50, if I still have the issues.

I was supposed to go to the phlebotomist yesterday or today, but I didn't. I have to go tomorrow morning (fasting test). Last time I got results my triglycerides were miraculously normal for the first time in years, but my cholesterol went even higher. I am pessimistic about my upcoming results. I haven't gained much weight, but my diet has nonetheless been very poor. Poorer than the last time I was tested.

About 8.5 years ago was when my blood tests were at their worst. I had been on Depakote and Invega for a long time and had been severely depressed for a while, too. At that time I was my highest weight ever. That was when I tested pre-diabetic. I was so afraid that my GP referred me to a dietician. With her help (and on a more weight friendly bipolar med mix) I lost 40 lbs in six months, reached a normal BMI, and all of my blood test results were normal again. The diet I followed was a fairly low carb diet. Not as low carb as Atkins or Keto, though. I also had maximum allowances of fat and saturated fat for each day. The dietician said my diet was somewhat high fat, but it was noticeably lower fat than I had been eating before.

I maintained my weight loss for a few years, but then Seroquel XR was added. I didn't gain very much, or that fast, at doses below 450 mg, but at 450 mg and up, I gradually gained even more weight and my blood test results worsened again, except the glucose and hemoglobin. After 8 years, I have regained about 20 of the 40 lbs I lost. I guess it could be worse! Actually, right now I only weigh about 4 to 5 lbs more than I weighed at my very highest 16 years ago BEFORE I was diagnosed bipolar and taking medications. Though I do blame Seroquel XR for some weight gain, I don't think the weight gain is bad at all considering I've aged and considering most people in my family are overweight. The thing is, I had perfect blood work at my current weight 16 years ago, while now it's bad. I wonder how much is to blame on aging and how much is to blame on Seroquel XR.

I need to watch my diet again (eat fewer carbs, less sugar, and less saturated fat). Even some exercise would help me.

Last edited by Anonymous46341; Oct 09, 2018 at 05:22 PM.
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Wild Coyote, ~Christina