Do you suffer from what I call the 'diabetes trio'?

[mg_2204]

Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. This disease is a real joy...

Now that BG is under control and doing absolutely fine (average is 5.9 mmol/L), BP and cholesterol are a constant reminder that yep! Even though I am doing well sugar wise, I still have diabetes.

BP is a concern these days. My last 3 readings were as follows:
150/92
140/88
150/84

And going back in 2 weeks for yet another reading.

I am following all the medical advice to try and lower BP. It makes me angry it doesn't lower much! I was told diabetes is the culprit and that there isn't much I can do about it.

I could just cry...

So how's your BP people? Am I the only one who has this other battle on the agenda?

I wonder if good control for many months would actually contribute to lowering BP. Anyone knows?

And it is just us T2 who suffer from that 'diabetes trio' or T1 have probs with high BP and high cholesterol too?

Thanks!

[duck]

Hi Marie,

As far as BP and cholesterol...Since those two problems exist in people who do NOT have diabetes, I dunno if I agree with the diagnosis "diabetes is the culprit". Also, inasmuch as there are members here and other diabetics elsewhere who do not suffer from either, I again take issue with that statement. (Not YOU, the statement).

So, since some of this is hereditary, do you have a family history of either? At my last job I worked with a fit young man who was a star football (not soccer) player who at 20 years old was diagnoses with severe hypertension. He does a lot to keep it in check including meds, but he admitted that there are times when his BP goes nuts and all he can do is "lie down until it goes away..." He has a long family history. I know high BP can kill, so if I were you I would prioritize this one afte diabetes management.

I think cholesterol's treatments and causes are well-documented here and elsewhere, so I won't harp on it, but I think "high" cholesterol" and its risks are over-stated. This is only from my personal experience, but I know a lot of people with "high" cholesterol who otherwise are happy, and healthy people. I know, who am I to say, but that's my experience.

Now, about controlling diabetes and if that will help both cholesterol and BP--I'm not 100% sure, but we do know that improperly-controlled diabetes leads to neuropathy and slow healing, and high BP can lead to the slow deterioration of blood vessels, so the two together can be deadly. Also, high sugars act like a toxin to the body, so eliminating that alone would seem to be a good thing for both BP and cholesterol management in my mind.

You can do it, I have faith in ya--The first step is wanting to manage it, so you've already done the hard part. :tee:

[lesley]

Hi Marie,

When I finally admitted defeat, my workmates actually made a doctors appointment for me because one of them had brought in a BP meter and I read 200/120, and accepted that I had to change both the way I was living and take tablets, things got better, but slowly!

I did actually get the blood pressure down a fair bit before I got the sugars under control, but one of my doctors said to me that the sugar/blood pressure/cholesterol were all sort of "linked" and that needed to work on all three to get things right. My blood pressure did not come down to its present levels before I got all three right.

I have found that my blood pressure now regularly reads 120/75 and I have had 110/70 on several occasions. So keep up with it, it will work eventually I am sure. I am still on the minimum dosage for blood pressure, but did have to change tablets, mine also is a diruetic (something wrong with the spelling there).

I think it is a matter of finding a good doctor, or endinocrologist (?) that I hear you guys mention. Perservere until you get someone who is interested and knows what they are doing!

HTH, Lesley

[Peter Lee]

Yup, I have all three.

I take medication for Type 2 diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Fortunately my pressure is down to 128/78. When I first started treating the hypertension 10 years ago, and before I had diabetes it was 200/120.

My diabetes consultant says that the latest thinking in the UK is that to prevent retinal damage the pressure should be below 130/80.

I take Lisinopril - now at a maintenance level. Before that, in order to get it down I took higher doses plus a diuretic. Once it was down, I was able to stop the diuretic (Indapamide), which I was relieved to do because I got a skin reaction to it - but it did work!

My Cholesterol started at 10 (don't know the units, but presumably it's the old mmole/l) even on a low Cholesterol diet and no alcohol. It was then a matter of finding the right Statin to get it down to a normal 4.2, I take Atorvastatin

There is one consolation in all this. The recommended diet to control blood pressure, cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes are all the same one.

My GP couldn't sort all this out - he sent me to the specialist and he knew exactly what was needed and what worked with what for all three problems and inside three months of going to see him, I was sorted :marchmell

[Harold]

Well I have two of them. My BP so far has been good and usually runs 110/50 resting or 120/60 if active which is not bad for over 55. My cholesterol started going up a couple of years after diabetes even with good control.

Does diabetes bring on the other two? While High Cholesterol and BP are strongly linked to genetics, diabetes does seem to bring on HC at an earlier age. Indications are that HC with a low HDL over time brings on HBP.

[Belinda]

I have to agree with duck on this one....not sure they are related....maybe more so for T2 than T1 :hmmmm2:

[Middle Aged Man]

I don't buy that logic, either.

I am Type 2 diabetic.

I DO NOT have high blood pressure. However, I've had a few that were of concern due to stress issues.

I have BORDERLINE cholesterol issues. No worries, but they shouldn't be allowed to go higher.

[bluesgirl102]

Hi,

I am new to the forum. I was diagnosed with diabetes in Nov. of 2003. I was told I was a type 2 but, just this past June my endo ordered anti-GAD testing and discovered I am a Type 1-adult onset.

I also have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The high blood pressure preceded the diabetes diagnosis by about 9 years. The cholesterol has been high since my mid twenties. Of course I take medication for both.

It is hard for me to say if there is a link as diabetes, coronary artery disease, and high cholesterol all run in my family anyway. So, in my case anyway, there seems to be a strong genetic component.

[mg_2204]

I was told diabetes is the culprit and that there isn't much I can do about it.

So again I was told loads of rubbish from the nurse? :hmmmm:

It just made me feel so powerless because I do work hard at it. At all three!

Thank you all for your feedback. It was much appreciated! I was SURE all diabetic people suffered from high BP and high cholesterol after seeing the nurse. Now I know better.

From now on I will take whatever the nurses tell me with a grain of salt. :thumbsup:

[archimeech]

I have all three, but my father has always had BP and Cholesterol problems, even before the T2 that he has now. I never had a problem with my BP or Chol. until 3 years ago when they both started soaring. Consequently, my Thyroid went Hyper- the same time and I was diagnosed with Graves. I couldn't tell you wich one was the cause of what, but it all just plain sucks. either way, live life to the fullest, take care of your health as best possible and Cheer up, my dear... :)

[jdstein11]

It's interesting all the talk of the linking of BP, Cholesterol and BG. I've always had solid BP (last reading was 120 / 78), and borderline cholesterol. When I was dxd last month, my endo told me that my cholesterol was now just over 200 and that I would have to watch it; I wonder if that was caused by the diabetes?

[Dewey]

I was pondering some thoughts on this, and just remembered something a friend told us (he's a Native American elder, and his wife suffers from high cholesterol. Cannot recall if she has elevated BP or not...). He said that he eats eggs, bacon, butter (and pretty much everything under the sun that could cause cholesterol issues), but has no troubles. His wife, on the other hand, eats health foods - yogurt, fruits, etc....and Still has problems with hers. Neither are Diabetic, to my knowledge. I'm Type I and have both normal BP and cholesterol, but have known a few Type IIs who had issues on both counts. Again, like everything else, I believe it's an individual (and perhaps possibly a genetic) thing.

[SVanderkolff]

I like this subject because from what I have seen there must be some link. I have a strong history of heart disease in my family and no history whatso ever of diabetes. After I went on all the varios and sundry heart medications, pravostatin, atenolol, plavix, asa I suddenly developed diabetes. And I do mean suddenly, I was tested for everything in July 0f 2004 and BS were normal, tested again in January 2005 and came back with a reading of 19.
My theory is that once we start taking the meds for one thing we affect the rest of the system negatively which is why so many of us have multiple problems.

My $.02 worth

Steve

[mg_2204]

... Until recently, BP was normal (120/60) and cholesterol was under 5. Even pregnant (all three pregnancies were diabetic), BP and cholesterol stay put.

I've read somewhere that with ageing comes an increase in cholesterol levels and also BP... it is somewhat a normal process.

Perhaps there IS a link between diabetes, high BP and high cholesterol? And some diabetics will be more prone suffer from all 3?