Anyone wanna help me?

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

Can anyone here offer me some advice? I know this isn't a medical forum but still.....
Family history: Grandpa (mom's dad) suffered stroke at age 53 and died of second stroke age 55, father suffered non-fatal stroke age 51, grandma suffers minor TIAs (still alive at 78), cousin suffered two near fatal heart attacks at 21 and 33. Great Grandpa died of cancer (mom's father's father) at 72 years, grandpa (mom's dad)'s brother died of stroke age 63, other brother died of lung cancer age 69; Great grandpa (dad's father's father) died at age 40 of stroke.

Three of four grandparents are living. Both paternal grandparents suffer from Type II Diabetes. Grandma on dad's side has severe vascular issues, varicose veins and the like. Alive and generally OK otherwise at 82 and 78.

Great Grandparents: Mom's dad's dad died at 72 of cancer. His mother died in her 60s of a stroke--she had hypertension.
Mom's mom's dad died at age 76 of complications from hernia surgery but was otherwise healthy. Mom's mom's mom died in her 50s of some kidney ailment I believe. Dad's father's father died at age 40 of a heart attack shortly having a great fall wherein he broke his back. Dad's father's mother lived until age 80 or so. All my parent's siblings are healthy and alive in their 40s, 50s and 60s. My mother's half sister died of a heart attack age 62 however.

Two of my uncles have diabetes. My grandpa (mom's dad) had high uric acid and gout, as do two of my uncles.

I'm 20. I have varicose veins and suffer from a familiar, minor heart condition. I got some blood results and here were some:

Blood Glucose (Fasting) = 112
Normal = under 100
Impaired fasting Glucose = 100-125
Diabetes = 125 and above

Uric Acid = 8.5. Last Blood test it was 8.7
Normal = 4.0 to 8.0

Cholesterol = 208
Normal = 125-200

VLDL Cholesterol = 52
Normal = 8-35

Trigylcerides = 261. Last blood test was 250.
Normal = Under 150

Vitamin B12 = 972
Normal = 211-911

I share these here because I like most of you and you all seem very experienced in terms of life and I'm sure at least one here is a diabetic or has had bad blood results at some point. I'm looking for any sort of medical, or dietary advice anyone could offer here.

[linda22003]

You don't mention if you are overweight or are from an overweight family; some of your issues seem to be from a bad genetic heritage, but others can be affected positively by weight loss. What did the doctor say about these numbers?

[Bailey]

Isn't against the rules to give medical advice? or was that DU lol


Welcome back from your vacation :D

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

You don't mention if you are overweight or are from an overweight family; some of your issues seem to be from a bad genetic heritage, but others can be affected positively by weight loss. What did the doctor say about these numbers?

He didn't say much. My mother picked up the results because she had to see him anyway--he's the family doctor.

I'm slightly overweight for my size, but not much: somewhere between 175-180lbs at 5'9''. I'm sedentary, which is a big problem for me. My normal weight is around 160-165lbs. I've only gained the weight in the last two years.

My family is overweight; Both my sisters are obese and have always ranged from chubby to obese since adulthood; My father's weight fluctuates but he's around the same weight and is the same size as me; My uncle who has gout and diabetes is obese, as are some of my other uncles, but they only became obese with age.

My grandfather (mom's dad) became obese after he got shot in the leg in WWII and got gout. His mother was a very heavyset woman and so was his brother. My grandpa (dad's dad) has been chubby since his 40s or 50s.

My cousin was once a very, very skinny and in shape man but has become consistently overweight or obese since his first heart attack at 21 or so.

[linda22003]

There you go. Your family history is trying to kill you. Don't be passive about it; ask the doctor directly what you should do instead of just having your mom pick up results. If he doesn't know enough about it, get a referral to a specialist. My husband is from a family inclined to diabetes, so he pays close attention to his numbers; he was around 100 and got that down to 96 - and this year, to 83.

[Molon Labe]

I'm slightly overweight for my size, but not much: somewhere between 175-180lbs at 5'9''. I'm sedentary, which is a big problem for me. My normal weight is around 160-165lbs. I've only gained the weight in the last two years.

My family is overweight; Both my sisters are obese and have always ranged from chubby to obese since adulthood; My father's weight fluctuates but he's around the same weight and is the same size as me; My uncle who has gout and diabetes is obese, as are some of my other uncles, but they only became obese with age.

My grandfather (mom's dad) became obese after he got shot in the leg in WWII and got gout. His mother was a very heavyset woman and so was his brother. My grandpa (dad's dad) has been chubby since his 40s or 50s.

My cousin was once a very, very skinny and in shape man but has become consistently overweight or obese since his first heart attack at 21 or so.

You've got to start taking care of the weight now. You have a family history like mine. It only gets harder in your 30s and 40s to get it off. Your numbers in triglycerides and glucose are most likely diet related. I'd have to know more about it though. There are things you can do to get away from diabetes, like eating less refined sugars. Try to keep your weight between 165 and 170 but don't be overly concerned if it goes a little above this. It's not really the weight for men, it's their waist size. Anything over 34 inches increases your chance for cardiovascular problems by like 50% or something. I don't have the exact numbers.

It all comes down to the pyramid of Diet, Cardio and Resistance training..........and you have to do this FOR LIFE. It's got to be a complete lifestyle change or you will always have issues. Stay active. Seek good medical and dietary advice first. The fact your asking the questions this young is a good sign.

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

You've got to start taking care of the weight now. You have a family history like mine. It only gets harder in your 30s and 40s to get it off. Your numbers in triglycerides and glucose are most likely diet related. I'd have to know more about it though. There are things you can do to get away from diabetes, like eating less refined sugars. Try to keep your weight between 165 and 170 but don't be overly concerned if it goes a little above this. It's not really the weight for men, it's their waist size. Anything over 34 inches increases your chance for cardiovascular problems by like 50% or something. I don't have the exact numbers.

It all comes down to the pyramid of Diet, Cardio and Resistance training..........and you have to do this FOR LIFE. It's got to be a complete lifestyle change or you will always have issues. Stay active. Seek good medical and dietary advice first. The fact your asking the questions this young is a good sign.

I'm around a 35 waist, having gone down from a pure 36 from walking a lot recently.
The problem is I live around people who reinforce my bad eating habits. I don't drink, do drugs or smoke at all, but I guess if I have a vice, it's that I love food which is pretty bad for you--Chinese food, Mexican food and the like. There are times when I've had Chinese food two or three times a week. When I was at college, I had it pretty much every day which is what caused the weight gain in the first place. There was a Chinese restaurant in the cafeteria on campus and yeah it became my daily lunch. So I'd put a lot of the blame on Chinese food and Mexican food to a lesser degree, and of course stuff like burgers and whatnot.

I tell my mother I'm trying to lose weight, and what does she do? Offers me some chocolate ice cream after dinner. I turned it down but in the past I've given into my impulses. Though I don't really eat ice cream often, but I'm sure you get the point.

I know a lot of this is on me and it may seem like I'm shifting blame to others but I just want to explain how it is--I don't get any good reinforcement to eat healthier at home. I don't cook and so I still eat the same unhealthy meals at home my mother cooks, or I go out and eat other unhealthy foods.

I worry about this now because I wanna live a long life. I don't want to be like my mom's dad, dead at 55 and forgotten by most of his grandchildren because he didn't live long enough to know them. The idea of sudden death--from a heart attack or stroke, a self brought on cause--is frightening. I mean if you get shot or something and die from that, it's probably not your fault. And you likely never saw it coming anyway. But strokes, heart attacks can be prevented and I'd love it if I could live to be 70-something. Old enough to enjoy grandkids but dying while I still have my memory and dignity.

[linda22003]

I tell my mother I'm trying to lose weight, and what does she do? Offers me some chocolate ice cream after dinner. I turned it down but in the past I've given into my impulses. Though I don't really eat ice cream often, but I'm sure you get the point.

I know a lot of this is on me and it may seem like I'm shifting blame to others but I just want to explain how it is--I don't get any good reinforcement to eat healthier at home. I don't cook and so I still eat the same unhealthy meals at home my mother cooks, or I go out and eat other unhealthy foods.

You've nailed the cause, now you have to figure out ways to address it. :o

[noonwitch]

Stop having your mother pick up your medical reports. You are 20, it's time to take charge. If your mother has any codependent or borderline personality traits, she needs to be needed. Don't let her get in that habit, or she will hound you until you develop some type of chronic disease in which you need her help. Trust me, I've seen it with my mother and my sister.


Dieting is not the answer. You will only miss the foods you give up, and feel deprived. Moderation is the issue. When you go to the chinese buffet, for example, fill up on veggies and lo mein noodles before eating any of the yummy fried stuff. You won't eat as much of the latter that way.

Make your own goodies. A home made brownie may have the same number of calories as a Little Debby variety, but you expended the energy into making it. It also doesn't have preservatives and all that crap in it.

Most of all, though, you have to get exercise. I never lost weight by dieting. I lost it by exercising, and by avoiding weekly phone calls from my mother.

[Molon Labe]

I tell my mother I'm trying to lose weight, and what does she do? Offers me some chocolate ice cream after dinner. I turned it down but in the past I've given into my impulses. Though I don't really eat ice cream often, but I'm sure you get the point.

I know a lot of this is on me and it may seem like I'm shifting blame to others but I just want to explain how it is--I don't get any good reinforcement to eat healthier at home. I don't cook and so I still eat the same unhealthy meals at home my mother cooks, or I go out and eat other unhealthy foods.

I worry about this now because I wanna live a long life. I don't want to be like my mom's dad, dead at 55 and forgotten by most of his grandchildren because he didn't live long enough to know them. The idea of sudden death--from a heart attack or stroke, a self brought on cause--is frightening. I mean if you get shot or something and die from that, it's probably not your fault. And you likely never saw it coming anyway. But strokes, heart attacks can be prevented and I'd love it if I could live to be 70-something. Old enough to enjoy grandkids but dying while I still have my memory and dignity.

Yep. Sorry to hear that. That's the other problem in the equation. You have to surround yourself with people who promote a healthy lifestyle.