Blood Sugar/Blood Cholesterol/Blood Pressure?

[torontoCPAPguy]

And now for something completely different.............
I paid a visit to my endocronologist today after having bloodwork done. My HbA1C is UP (above normal, I am diabetic but was well controlled with Metformin 2x daily); my cholesterol is up (was well controlled by diet and Lipitor). All has happened since beginning CPAP so don't know if there is any relationship but am curious to know if anyone has experienced gentle changes like this?

Second half of question. His solution was to change Metformin to something called Janumet and change Lipitor to something called Caduet. Sic. Took him all of 5 seconds to make this decision and another 4 seconds to write the scrip. Anyone know anything about these meds asides from the BS on the internet? I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Totally bizarre; from controlled to CPAP to gently elevated and we need a change. (Guess 'ya gotta do 'sumthin for your bucks, huh?) Entire visit with the endo was under a minute I would have to say. Two at most. I am seeing my GP on Wednesday again and going to ask for a second opinion, of course, but frankly I have greater faith in the information I get on this forum than I do from my doctors thinking they all used to be barbers until they banned blood-letting as a means of therapy and leaches are in short supply in these parts.

Thanks guys.

[DoninOrlando]

I would have to guess they are not related to CPAP. I had bloodwork last Monday and just got the results. I started Cpap about 5 months ago. My total cholesterol was 135, the lowest it has ever been. I am on Lipitor, 20 MG. I have been on it for several years and my cholesterol is usually in the 140's. Without meds, it was in the 240-270's. I was previously on Lovastatin, which was far less effective than Lipitor. My blood pressure in the last 30 days has been 115/75 and 120/80. That is also the lowest in many years. I am not on medication but it typically was 120-130 / 80-90. I am not diabetic or even close to it, so no help there. My doctor and I am convinced the Cpap has helped the blood pressure. Not sure why the cholesterol dropped. No unusual dieting or excercise program.
Don

[BlackSpinner]

And now for something completely different.............
I paid a visit to my endocronologist today after having bloodwork done. My HbA1C is UP (above normal, I am diabetic but was well controlled with Metformin 2x daily); my cholesterol is up (was well controlled by diet and Lipitor). All has happened since beginning CPAP so don't know if there is any relationship but am curious to know if anyone has experienced gentle changes like this?.

I remember why you went on cpap - after some sort of all body trauma, near death experience wasn't it?

With most people these issues usually go down so you might think of what they would have been if you weren't on cpap.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Torontocpapguy,

I wish I knew the answer to your question. I am actually seeing my endo on Wed. I may be able to tell you more then. I have been on lipitor - 20 mg for high colesterol and am on diabetes meds as well. My sugar numbers have been running higher than usual, but that I believe, is due to the knee pain that I have been having. I have been having an arthritis flair up and so, my numbers may be up due to pain - they tend to do that. I have been on cpap since Jan 8. I'll get back to you after she takes my A1C.

My gut reaction is that CPAP should not have a negative affect on your blood glucose numbers, because when we are well rested, our blood sugar reacts more positively. I have never heard of any diabetic having worse numbers due to cpap. We do get higher numbers when in pain, or when experiencing an infection somewhere in the body. I think that cholesterol has more to do with diet, excersize and heredity. Again, I don't think that cpap affects it adversely.

If I get more than 2 seconds with my endo, I will report back to you.

Best regards,

Jersey Girl

[GumbyCT]

If you truly want to find the problem you will have to start a food journal - everything you put in your mouth.

Also, unless I am again mistaken, this blood work require fasting? You made no mention of fasting or how long. I know as much as I hate it, when they ask for 8 hr fast, I fast for 12 hr. And Smoking? Are you a smoker?

I smoked for 39 yrs and found it difficult at best to NOT smoke before any blood work but smoking could explain it all.

You can be certain there is an explanation and it will NOT be too much O2

[PST]

Second half of question. His solution was to change Metformin to something called Janumet and change Lipitor to something called Caduet. Sic. Took him all of 5 seconds to make this decision and another 4 seconds to write the scrip. Anyone know anything about these meds asides from the BS on the internet? I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Caduet is Lipitor plus a calcium channel blocker for high blood pressure. I don't know if there is any good reason to give them together, but it's one fewer pill to swallow.

For what it's worth, I often have to look up drug information, and I think I get good information on the internet. Strange as it may seem, Wikipedia is usually quite thorough. Like with many other subjects, if you get away from the political or controversial, Wikipedia can be a treasure trove of other people's hard work.

[Muse-Inc]

...His solution was to change Metformin to something called Janumet...

It this is that combo containing Januvia DON'T TAKE IT until you do some careful research!!! I was on Januvia and developed very serious central nervous symptoms...compromised my breathing daytime & at night, balance problems, had increasingly paranoid nightmares that made me start being afraid of my loved ones & friends, started acting weird according to them, had hysterics at work one and threw the phone across the room (I have NEVER had hysterics nor thrown anything), extremely volatile mood swings, thinking got very disordered, was driving recklessly (unheard of for me) and I am the driver for my mom at night & weekends for she & my legally-blind friend, other stuff too that escapes me at the moment -- I thought I was gettin ready to die as I felt so horrible, I actually started writing instructions for my mom on how to contact my email/net buddies to tell them I'd died -- that's when I stopped taking it. Please be careful if it's got Januvia in it. I've read that Janvuia is associated with the stimulation of cancer...see Jennie Ruhl's site Blood Sugar 101 for more info, it's about the best site there is on diabetes -- she has a very rare form. My sleep doc was very worried when I called him & reported what I was experiencing...these were so bad neither of us knew that I was also backsliding into apnea as I was losing therapy air via little puffs of air escaping thru my lips...who knew? These symptoms took several months to fade after I'd stopped the drug, but ongoing feeling lousy made me hunt for answers and I found this life-saving forum whose members identified my loose lips phenomena & helped me self-educate. CPAP therapy ever single sleep session since I got my equipment 8/20/07 and my hypertension is gone, my blood sugar is dramatically better (likely my ultra low carb eating has made the most change), and my lipid profile is excellent on my high-fat, high-protein, low low carb eating plan. Please be careful...you've already had more than your share of neurological probs...Januvia can have scary side effects (think of Janus the 2-faced God of antiquity). I'd hunt for other reasons for the blood glucose hike...maybe switch mfgs of the metformim, that might work. Increased stress? Less sleep? Less exercise? Other health issues raised their wicked little heads?

[torontoCPAPguy]

Thanks for all of the great information guys. This is a great community. I think everything stated probably applies here. I am holding off making the change to the new meds until I get a second opinion in any event as the numbers at present are not shocking; just a little bit out of whack on the high side. And yes, stressed to the max you could say. One cousin just had a stroke and the other has an internal problem causing organs to look like they are going to shut down and then carry on. And so on.

[Jersey Girl]

I just saw my endo today and my A1C is now down to 6.9. So, since I am finally back in the 6's I would say that CPAP definitely does not hurt my blood sugar at all, in fact, being that I am probably getting better sleep, I believe it is helping. I was so happy to be back in the sixes again! They took blood, so I will have to report back in a few weeks on the cholesterol.

Best regards,

Jersey Girl

[Eleena]

I have been a diabetic for 30 years and on apap for about 2 and a half. My last A1c was 6.0. My Dr actually had me lower my insulin dosage. I like to think this is due to successful therapy.
Missy

[Kiralynx]

Anyone know anything about these meds asides from the BS on the internet? I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

I've found http://www.rxlist.com to be very useful in learning about various medications since I have to be as careful about the so-called inactive ingredients as I do the active ones.