Accepting my conditions - FH & High Blood Pressure

[sjandre75]

Hi there,

I am really struggling with my diagnosis. I was told a long time ago that I had familial hypercholestralemia. I thought at the time that there was sort of ''cure''. I know realise this was me talking as a ten year old child. It upsets me greatly that I have this condition and I find it such a struggle to accept. It came to light during a counselling session that I had no one to confide in at the time. This was also coupled with my best friends death from leukemia. I am reaching out here for some assistance and help.

Thanks for reading

Scott.

[Zena166]

Hi Scott. I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis as well as your friend’s death. You are in shock so sharing on this site will hopefully help. Its normal to want a cure. We all do. I too was diagnosed with FH. One of my sisters has it the other not. I don’t think I appreciated at the time I was told how this could affect me. Anyway I have completely changed my diet following a strict vegan diet along with statins and exercise. Unfortunately I had a heart attack last year but have focused on losing weight and getting healthy. I know I cannot change my past but can control my future. So maybe ask to be seen by a cardiologist or a specialist in a lipid clinic. I get seen in a lipid clinic once a year and have regular blood tests with my GP.

I think it’s important to know that research is ongoing and new drugs and developments are happening all the time. I am on my 4th statin!! So do try and focus on what you can do to help yourself and ask for the right treatment. I think it’s important that you continue to talk about your feelings as well. Do take care. Zena

[sjandre75 in reply to Zena166]

Thanks for your advice. I found out some time ago and through counselling recently discovered that the only person I could have confided in was indeed my friend who later died. This in turn has made me think about him every day. It also brings me great sadness as the last time I saw him alive was in hospital whilst I was waiting to be seen. Hospital appointments and tests galore and I am still finding it difficult to accept. It is possible that I will never accept my condition and the fact I need to look after myself to avoid a stroke or heart attack. Through sheer exercise and medication I got myself to a level of 5.2 almost a decade ago. Now that I have slipped back into the depressed state , my level is double that and my weight has rocketed upwards also. The statin I was on gave me a chronic cough so I am now taking a fibrate, which is not as effective. I would rather be taking Praulent, the new PCKS9 medicine but I was told it was too expensive and too dangerous to be prescribed to me at this moment.