Doc has me on 5mg Lisinopril for my kidneys, although it is a blood pressure med. My BP is fantastic. He just put me on 20mg Lipitor for Cholesterol. I believe my HDL was 38 (optimal would be above 40) LDL was 104 (Optimal as below 100) So. essentially he has put me on Lipitor not because of my borderline cholesterol but because I'm diabetic. He says having diabetes nearly constitutes heart disease. I also take 88mg asprin once daily.

Anybody else feel comfortable about discussing additional meds?

I'm suppose to be on 2.5 mg of Lisinopril to protect my kidneys as well. However, I don't take it. I really should, but I don't. Adding an ACE inhibitor, like Lisinopril, is well proven to prevent kidney disease and absolutely appropriate.

My cholesterol was perfect, however, they also offered me a statin (lipitor). I also said no to that.

Honestly, I KNOW I should be taking those things, and encourage others to do so, I just can't seem to get myself to do so. I'll probably add them when I'm older. I'm only 22 now and have only had diabetes a few years.

I also take meds for GERD, gastroparesis, and asthma.

I'm really learning something here. I've been diabetic Type 1 for 3 years. My GP mentionned the future medications to maintain kidney health further down the road. My endo's only comments so far have been positive as to low standing heart rate and higher good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol.

I'm begining to realize I may have been naive to believe that if you check often and keep nice tight numbers you can avoid complications.

I've been taking Vasotec (Enalapril) for several years (the last time I had my prescription refilled, they give me the generic Enalapril rather than the name brand Vasotec). My endo told my that all diabetics eventually are put on some from of this because it helps protect the kidneys. I'm also taking Norvasc (Amlodipine besylate). Both of these are blood pressure meds (which is why I was prescribed them in the first place).

I also started taking Crestor about 8 months ago. At that time, my LDL was 3.2 (sorry, don't know how to do conversion to units used in the US) and the target for LDL is 2.0 or below. Two months ago, LDL was down to 1.6.

I'm also on the 81 mg daily aspirin.

The DCCT proved that 'if you check often and keep nice tight numbers' you REDUCE the CHANCE of complications. Unfortunately, some folks get complications regardless of how hard they work at their control, while others who don't take as good care of themselves have no complications. I am one of the lucky ones. I am approaching my 30 year anniversary of my diagnosis, and I have no sign of any complication.

All any of us can do is try to avoid complications by taking the best control we can, including some of the preventative meds.

I take an Ace Inhibitor (Altace 10 mg) for blood pressure and a statin (Lipitor) for cholesterol. Both of them were prescribed by my endo at the first sign of less than optimal numbers. He explained that they both have added effects as far as reducing risk of complications. I also take the 81 mg aspirin.

Linda B.

I'm on many meds but the only oral med that is directly being taken because of my diabetes is Zetia for cholesterol. If I wasn't diabetic my cholesterol numbers would be fine but they have stricter guidelines for diabetics and my cholesterol falls just barely outside of those guidelines. It took a lot of convincing and two doctors before I finally agreed to start taking it. It was hard.