merouleau intro

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
Starfish77
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Starfish77 »

SusanJ expressed my feelings so well. I am so glad I found out my APOE-4 status. It has made me keep myself
in better health. AD is just one of the serious things in addition to plain old death that could get me at my age
of 77. The things that help or may help me from getting AD will keep my weight down, my heart healthy and
various other health improvements. Having this forum makes all the difference. If I knew my status and did
not have this forum I might be very fearful and not have understood the things I could do to keep myself in
the best possible health possible for me. I would also have missed out on getting to know some very kind,
intelligent and interesting people who really take an interest in each other's well being.
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MarcR
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by MarcR »

I agree 100% with SusanJ and Starfish77. I have been on a haphazard personal mission to improve my health since 2009, and learning my ApoE4 status motivated me to focus and intensify my learning effort and my willingness to establish healthier personal habits. The resulting improvement in everyday well being has been rewarding enough to justify the effort. I feel better, look better, and have more energy. Possible avoidance of future health catastrophe is just icing on the cake.

And finding this site, which owes its existence to a multitude of individual decisions to get tested and confront the results, has been another step forward for me. The knowledgeable, evidence-driven, and disciplined people here are an inspiration. (I am already enjoying one valuable daily benefit - as it turns out, I feel better when I limit my coffee intake.)
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Julie G
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Post by Julie G »

Nice, Merouleau :D

Susan stated my position as well. I appreciate the knowledge as it gave me an opportunity to focus on my health. It no longer felt selfish; more like a necessity. Although, I appreciate your optimism, Tee. THAT, combined with smart prevention strategies, may be the best combo. Excessive worry or fear about E4 status can become counter-productive.
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Russ
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Russ »

Merouleau,

Don't have the time this morning for long stories, but wanted to provide quick 'waves' as I feel like you're my long lost twin. Found my way into all of this when trying to solve a puzzle with my Dad's declining neurological condition, experimented on self to test ideas. Dramatically improved my own daily health, but sorry to say I was too late to help my Dad. My blood work has behaved like yours, and we're even a hockey family, too ;-), although I'm not a player myself like you.

Still definitely a work in progress, too, so look forward to learning more from you on the journey forward. FWIW, for now, I also continue to make decisions around the hypothesis that traditional blood markers of heart health don't matter if inflammation is low. Of course, I may be wrong, but just haven't seen convincing contrary evidence yet. I also wonder whether some of these changes might actually be protective when everything else is working right.
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Russ
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Russ »

Someone was wondering what Dr. Patel is up to now since his blog article. He's actually become increasingly active, just win a different place. Here's his new podcast w Keifer - the first episode even includes some LDL conversations with Robb Wolf re LDL-P and resistant starch…

https://soundcloud.com/body-io-fm/01-robbwolf-final

FWIW, he's definitely not a vegan/vegetarian.

Haven't had a chance to listen to the newer ones yet. Last I checked they still weren't on iTunes so I can't download to listen in my car.
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MarcR
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by MarcR »

Thanks for the shout out, Russ and for the moral support regarding my indeterminate lipid profile. I look forward to continuing to compare notes with you as we move through time. I guess you're a 3/4 also?

Thanks also for the link to more from Dr. Patel. My plate is pretty full for the next couple of weeks, but it's on my todo.
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Russ
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Russ »

Merouleau,

Yep. I'm a 3/4. 5'11" ~170 lbs - very similar to you… and had the same basic experience with dietary changes. I know I can drive my LDL down easily with a different diet as I've done it, but not convinced that's necessarily a good thing. I certainly feel better than ever eating like I do now… but maybe I am indeed a ticking time bomb?

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Gilgamesh
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Gilgamesh »

tee wrote:Honestly, I think the ethics of testing in asymptomatic individuals remains murky at best.
Welcome to Merouleau, and to tee, whose comment about ethics I want to affirm here, in a qualified way. I agree the ethical questions have not been satisfactorily addressed. But to me that's separate from the form the question often takes among communities like ours: do we have the right to get tested? I'm not a libertarian, but I think the answer to that question is yes.
tee wrote:The majority of APOE-4 carriers (both heterozygous and homozygous) will never develop Alzheimers or any APOE-4 related diseases in their lifetimes.
Tricky. The majority of ε4-carriers won't get a diagnosis of dementia, true. But, alas, the evidence is pretty clear that the majority will suffer health consequences, even if it's only a relative faster mental decline with age.

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Russ
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by Russ »

FWIW, I don't think it's 'murky' or 'tricky' at all….and even less so with likelihoods <<100%. I think the HIGHEST value will be testing as symptomatic people, who armed with that knowledge can make better, although far from perfect, health decisions. That's certainly what happened with me - and seemingly many others in this forum. Moreover, taking action decades before symptoms may be the only way to improve odds.

I can understand that some people become stressed by such knowledge, just hasn't been a factor at all for me. I was mostly humored an somewhat irritated at having to go through the disclaimers asking me if I really wanted to know. I feel liberated by such knowledge, and not at all stressed. Testing AFTER symptoms appears is the approach that seems to me to be of much less value. I did 23andMe on a whim, but it was one of the most positive life changing things I ever did. Armed with just a few clues, I've tinkered with things that have dramatically improved my current quality of life - regardless of what happens to me later. I would recommend that everyone do it…. at least once the FDA takes their foot off their throat again (if they're still alive).

Besides… you get to (virtually) meet a whole bunch of smart and interesting people ;-)

Just my view.
Russ
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MarcR
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Re: merouleau intro

Post by MarcR »

I agree completely. Inexpensive genotyping swept away the uncertainty that has allowed Past Me to rationalize being such a heel to Future Me. Meanwhile, Present Me reaps the benefits of feeling good each day.
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