Dear ASD friends,

I had my first endo visit in four months today and wanted to share the
results with you.  I was pleasantly shocked at my test results, which I
have repeated below along with the previous dismal results for
reference (I'm T2):

Test    9/05    12/05

A1C%    6.6    6.3
Chol    347    200
Trig    630    296
HDL    41    65
LDL    --    76
HDL: Total Chol ratio - 3.1 (per endo)

I can't take credit for any of the improvements because the meds must
have done all the work.  (My current meds are Tricor, Benicar,
Metformin, Triamterene/HCTZ, Synthroid, and low dose asprin.  Plus I
sporadically take a plant sterol (stenol?) supplement, cinnamon with
coffee, and flax seed mixed into stuff.)

Mostly, I feel I have been doing almost everything wrong these last
three months.  I've been depressed, feeling ill and stressed out from
work, not sleeping well, not exercising.  Worst of all I ate carbs with
abandon--I ate pie at Thanksgiving, cake on my birthday, cookies at
Christmas.  For Christmas dinner, I had stuffing, mashed potatoes,
pasta, bread, and pie!  With whipped cream!  I didn't go to the gym
once in those three months.  On vacation, I had a crossiant for
breakfast almost every day.  The only things I did do right were watch
portion sizes, and last month I got plenty of rest.  And I've kept
reading here to remind myself of what I *should* be doing.

I've been dreading this endo visit so much and now I can't help
wondering how much better the results may have been if I had been
exercising regularly and eating better quality food.  This also tells
me the meds are pretty darn powerful and maybe worth the occasional
dizziness.

I was feeling so bad about myself--calling myself weak sister, lazy
undisciplined old woman, loser!  Now I feel kind of shell shocked, as
if I'd survived a fierce battle unscathed.    Just had to share....I
guess life is all second chances.  

Ricavito