Cholesterol

Just had mine checked and it's too high, again!! 6.6.
I think it's is measured differently in other countries, but suffice to say , this is too high.
I dont have a terrible diet, but cant exercise.

My husband's triglycerides are way too high, and they put him on Statins 3 years ago.
We took him off them. He had headaches, upset stomach and terrible leg cramps.

I have just refused them. Like I dont have enough problems...
Prescribing them has become epidemic in England.
Is it the same where you live?

And I just spotted this, so although its a way off, seems we might find a different way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1300310/Breakthrough-scientists-uncover-95-genes-linked-high-cholesterol.html

Pen,

You're correct--we weasure cholesterol a bit different here. We really look had Total, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides and some docs look for a Lp(a).

I have a genetic problem where my body makes too much cholesterol. I was put on Lipitor at 18--if not, I would have been dead in my mid 20's.

At 28, my docs put me on Crestor, which is much more powerful, but has a lot more side effects.

The side effects can be extreme, but taking a statin is necessary for some. I just have to live with the side effects--severe muscle pain and tiredness.

My dad sent me an article about the genes a couple days ago. He and my mother carry a recessive trait where I picked up the really bad, aggressive cholesterol issue.

Actually, treating high cholesterol with statins can help with vessel dysfunction, like endothelial dysfunction, plaque build-up, and arterial issues like spasm.

Those vessels that statins work on aren't just in your heart, it's through your whole body--including the brain. So if you have high cholesterol treating the underlying problem is important (keeps blood going to your brain).

There are a number of statins out there, and a few are less potent than the others--with less side effects. My opinion, is that if your tests show you need them, you do.

I'd be pushing up worms by now (almost 34) without it--diagnosed with 3 vessel heart disease at 28, plus a bunch of other heart & vascular stuff caused by elevated cholesterol.

I guess I'm a little biased.

Take care,
mgb

Wow. You do have another take on this. Thanks for posting all that.

I think the problem is arising here because they are now giving Statins to "everyone".
And many people don't need them. Of course the more they hand out, the more side effects are reported. Also people are not then encouraged to deal with it in diet etc, just pop a pill.

Re the side effects. I am sure you are aware that Q10 is used to help with the muscle aches.
There are web sites saying its not the case. But I know of at lease two people who managed to stay on them by using it.

So what kind of figure do you get as your level?
My triglycerides are ok, and then there is HDL and LDL, but I still think you use a different scale.

Thanks again.

Pen,

your scale is definitely different to what we use in the states.

PF and I must have the "heart attack" genes. I'm a few years younger (which I was surprised to learn) than PF (sorry but with your health issues I thought you were much older) but my cholesterol has been out of whack in the past but there is serious heart disease in my family - the men being affected worse than the women but everyone has to watch. I'm not on medication but changing my diet and exercise and losing 35 pounds has probably helped.

My brother is 3.5 years younger than I am and his is totally out of control - he had a full physical a few years ago and his TG was over 600 and they couldn't accurately read the rest of the panel. He's refuses to take care of himself and we are waiting for him to have serious problems.

As for q10, Pen, what is the recommended dosage? I tried 300 units and every injury site I've ever had just screamed with pain. Might just be how I'm wired but going to 100 units I have zero problem. Might just be me...

Bit old, will try to find a more recent article. Seems to be 300mg.

P
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-432395/Statins-truth.html

Mine is slightly elevated but I have no cardiac history on either side of my family. Even the hardcore smokers still made it to their early eighties and died of respiratory complications. So I will not take any statins and continue the nutritional route. It hasn't gone any higher in 18 mos s I am not going to worry about it.

Docs too often try to pigeon hole every gender and every race of people into one firm parameter. We are all different and have different tolerances to what is considered high.

Pen, I hope you can manage it w/o statins. Even here in the US they hand them out like candy.

Hi Pen,

Here, we use MG/DL (milligram per deciliter).

Targets for Choloesterol (standard stuff) components are:

Total Cholesterol should be < 200
HDL > 39
Ratio (Total Cholesterol to HDL) < 5.00
LDL < 100
Triglycerides < 150

If you have cardiac disease and lipid disorders, the standards are tighter--more like total should be 150 or 175.

My cardiologists and neuromuscular docs have suggested Q10, but it's results are highly anecdotal. This concurs with the American College of Cardiology, and my own cardiologist (high-end lipid disorder doc, Cleveland Clinic). I've tried it, and it doesn't work for me.

Some things just can't be controlled with diet and exercise. If it's genetic like mine, then you're really out of luck except for statins, liver transplants, and filtering blood.

My dad's total is under 200, but his LDL is high, and he carries the gene--but there is no reason for him to be on medication, and there is no medication to treat the underlying genetic issue which triggers the problem. My total before treatment was around 550 (excellent shape, athletic...lol when I was a kid). Both my grandmother and mother had high elevations.

Mom's side...English & German descent. Dad's side Germanic. Both carried ugly genes, and I got the 50/50 chance of 2 children to inherit the extremely aggressive type of cholesterol. Large particle, very, very sticky, and in high numbers. My brother hasn't shown evidence of heart disease, but he hasn't had the type of testing I've had.

I do think statins do have their positives. I know what their negatives cause too.....spent many, many visits with neuromuscluar docs and cardiologists sorting out the side effects. However, they are definite lifesavers.

I even tried a total vegan diet, and I became very weak--the kicker is that my LDL got worse! With a prudent cardiac diet, Crestor & Zetia, I'm under 200. Not the best, but considering what damage that statins did to my body, all my cardilogists and endocrinologists are in agreement--it's better than nothing. I just need a heart cath about every year.

Fun....

At my last physical a year ago, my doctor told me that my cholesterol was a little high (sorry, but I don't remember the specifics), but in someone my age (33), they wouldn't recommend my going on statins, particularly since I'm already on so many other medications for all my other medical conditions as it is. So she recommended trying to eat as healthily as I can and get exercise when I can (she realizes how hard it is for me to get out of bed, let alone exercise, which really aggravates my migraine). Several years from now, this might change if my cholesterol stays on the high end, but for now, it's something just to monitor periodically and do what I can to get it down.

Colhestorol is an obession also here.
Our diet helps us a lot because it's rich in fish and olive oil which have the power to fight colhesterol.
So, statins are not widely prescribed. Doctors begin to oblige the patient with high colehestorl rate to change diet. They recommend the typical Mediterranean diet rich in fish, cereals, olive oil as only fat to be used, legumes (they absorb the fat in the blood).
Normally the diet change works very well, but if the problem is genetic the diet does nothing and it's necessary to take meds.