Lowering cholesterol

[AlibaliM]

I am intolerant to statins, having tried 4 without success! My levels are creeping back up. I have a good diet, don’t drink or smoke. Has anyone had any success with plant sterols/stanols? Or anything else.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

The plant sterols/stanols seem be able to reduce cholesterol by up to a maximum of 17% without any other lifestyle changes. The reduction is less the healthier your current lifestyle. You do not quote our level but there are other cholesterol lowering drugs available. The former colleague I have previously mentioned (had an ICD fitted at 30) was prescribed these as statins did not suit him.

[AlibaliM in reply to MichaelJH]

My cholesterol is currently 6.1. It did go down to 2 when on high dose atorvastatin but it was crippling me with side effects.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to AlibaliM]

As you are post HA it should be 4.0 or below. Personally my opinion is that 2.0 is too low. A lower dose of statin that takes you to say 3.0 may not exhibit such serious side effects. One nurse told me that your cholesterol cannot be too low but I suspect this is not true.

[AlibaliM in reply to MichaelJH]

Yes post HA in March. They want it under 5 if not lower. I’m trying all sorts to lower it. Also read about apple cider vinegar each day being of benefit

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to AlibaliM]

Endless claims are made for cider vinegar. The only medical condition that I have heard positive reports on is fungal nails. This is probably why it is not prescribed on the NHS!

[Salihyuksel67 in reply to AlibaliM]

Try to use hawthorn vinegar but very difficult to find this country also clears blockages.

[Rosei in reply to AlibaliM]

I can't tolerate any statin, at least my liver can't.

[Chrissydoll in reply to AlibaliM]

Hi mind if I ask wot dose of atorvaststin u r or were on ? Also wot were ure side effects thanks I m on 80 mg after a ha in April my cholesterol was checked two wks ago and has came down from 6 to 4-6

[AlibaliM in reply to Chrissydoll]

I had severe chest and shoulder pains. Started on 80mg, reduced to 40mg. No improvement. Tried numerous statins and newer injections but I’m intolerant to all. Currently cholesterol stable at 6.1

[Curlyman83 in reply to Chrissydoll]

I was started on 80mg in February and in two weeks my cholesterol had dropped from 6.9 to 2.35. The consultant has now written to my gp to lower the dosage to 40mg as my poor liver isn’t coping that well - my liver function test came out at 90 when the highest it should be is 40.

[Oatmilk123 in reply to Chrissydoll]

I was on 10mg of Atorvaststin but awful side effects after just one months. Nightmares headaches neck pain depressed mood. Cholesterol 6.1. No heart problems and otherwise very healthy. Good luck dear Chrissydoll

[Bodyp in reply to AlibaliM]

What Atorvastatin dose were you on? My reading was 6.9 just been put on 20mg and side effects are awful. I eat very healthy and exercise every day.

[Jinky07]

My consultant wants my cholesterol down to 1.9.

[epiphone]

I cant take statins so started pouring a cholesterol lowering yogurt drink over my cornflakes. It worked for me.

[Kissys in reply to epiphone]

What is the cholesterol lowering yogurt? Is there a specific brand or just a low fat yogurt?

[epiphone in reply to Kissys]

Most of the leading brands and supermarkets do them, clearly marked as cholesterol reducing, or similar. Its a drink, sold in packets of small bottles, and like biltonwilson, I like those from Aldi, particularly strawberry flavour.

[jobe1968 in reply to epiphone]

Lidl and Aldi products are much cheaper than the leading brand. Same effect.

You can buy plant steroids also in tablet form. Much the most cost effective way to get the 2/3 grams a day and no calories.

[Oatmilk123 in reply to epiphone]

I am starting taking Lidlys ftom today Oatmilk123

[biltonwilson]

Statin brought my cholesterol down to 3.0 but liver function was haywire. Stopped statin and went back up to 6. After year of aldi cholesterol drinks now at 5 and I feel much better than when on statin even if the ideal is 4.

[Karenpr]

My husband is on Ezetimibe instead of “normal” statins as he had a really bad reaction to them. Ezetimibe helps to lower cholesterol but is not a true statin ask your GP to prescribe these

[jobe1968]

Speak to the lipids doctor. There are options other than statins. I was informed these would be an option if the statin did not reduce cholesterol sufficiently. The plant sterols will only block what you eat. If your already eating not much cholesterol then the effect may be small.

Oats are amazing for all sorts of reasons not least in providing soluble fiber which is beneficial.

I found it easier and much cheaper to buy plant sterols in tablet form as the benocol products carry a significant premium over non dosed products. And with the tablet no extra calories on top of the meal.

Exercise helps. The web is awash with plant based diet information these claim significant reductions in cholesterol.

I am taking avorstation as a cholesterol reduction and plaque stabilization tool. If I had not suffered a heart attack I would go down the diet and exercise route first and only adopt statins if no significant improvement. As it stands for me even the Statins doubters seem to advise them for middle aged men post heart attack.

From reading other posts on here several people have had good reduction of side effects by changing statin. Have you exhausted all options?

Good luck it takes time to effect changes. I am trying to raise HDL which in my case is low, this is not easy.

There seems to be some information suggesting LDL and lipid levels are a better indicator of risk than total cholesterol so it’s important to keep lipids under control also.

With low density / high density etc it all gets a bit complex. This is where a good lipids clinic should be a real bonus. Have you been referred to such a clinic. If not I would speak to my GP and ask about the possibility

My condition seems to be influenced by genes and is inherited so regardless diet needs a push to get the numbers down.

Good luck

[Oatmilk123 in reply to jobe1968]

Excellent advice dear jobe1968. The very best of luck to yiu also Oatmeal123

[Grayjay]

Almonds or Walnuts reduce cholesterol. I took approx 30 i.e 1 and a 1/2 ounces per day. It did work but I got fed up of all the chewing. Worth a try.

[bazill40]

I take the liver cleanser you can find on Nat Hawes' excellent nature cures website. Search for cholesterol and it's on the heart disease page. My levels are normally 5.1 but my last reading was 4.6 so it is helping. Not below 4, but then I've not had a heart attack, just heart disease and a pacemaker. My GP was happy with that, saying they don't want it as low these days. When on atorvastatin I was 3.0 with side effects, and I also have peripheral neuropathy where the myelin sheath on the nerves is damaged. That sheath uses cholesterol to make it so I fathom I don't want mine too low.

I believe it is also important to take a CoenzymeQ10 supplement as statins deliberately suppress the production of this vital enzyme. That may also ease your side effects. You can get CoQ10 as a tablet or eat more foods containing it - see that same heart disease page.

[Dovaston]

Hi I am statin intolerant and am on Ezetimibe 10mg this has reduced my Cholesterolfrom 6.9 to 5.3 so far in 9 months. Worth a try no side effects either.

[AlibaliM in reply to Dovaston]

Unfortunately did not agree with me either

[IgottaStent]

Read Dr Malcom Kendricks book and blog about the “great cholesterol con” a lot of good authoritative corespondents also write on it.

Statins were bad for me . Intermittent Fasting helps.

[BreakThrough56]

Hi I am intolerant to all Statins. I suffered side effects for 9mths before refusing anymore, even alternatives were no good. Doc suggested benecol etc but as said they are exspensive compared with what you can get from Lidl at £1.29 for 6 bottles. I was told about LECITIN which you can get from H&B. I also take Plant sterols. When I had my last check up last Jan my cholesterol had come down a bit, however I had only been on the lecithin for a few weeks and it was lower. I shall see what the results are when I go for my annual check up in Jan. So worth a try good luck. from Breakthrough 56

[Skittler]

I too cannot tolerate statins, so my cardiologist has put me on Ezetrol (Ezetimibe). They don't remove cholesterol, but stop it being absorbed.

Ezetimibe is an oral drug that is used for the treatment of elevated blood cholesterol. The most commonly used class of drugs for lowering cholesterol levels, the statins, act by preventing the production of cholesterol by the liver. Ezetimibe has a different mechanism of action and lowers blood cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. It does not affect the absorption of triglycerides or fat-soluble vitamins.

I have had no side effects at all, unlike with statins. Ask your doctor.

[HarryBell]

Have a look at this:

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Orangepeel60]

I had some success with plant sterols from Zipvit. Down from 7.5 to 5.4. This was before my heart attack.

Worth a try?

Regards

Neil

[AlibaliM in reply to Orangepeel60]

Thank you all for advice and suggestions. I have been referred to Lipids clinic as even Ezetimibe had side effects. I’m hoping to try plant sterols. I have been taking cholesterol yogurt drinks and eating walnuts in cereal daily.

[Orangepeel60 in reply to AlibaliM]

That’s good, hope you find something that works.

Neil

[dunestar]

I do the plant sterol spread but it's difficult to know whether it works or not along with everything else. I've only been on statins for a short while. I seem to be able to tolerate them so far and my total cholesterol has gone down to 2.9. I hope to get off them eventually and control cholesterol with diet.

What does help I think is a high quality omega 3 fish oil supplement to get your HDL up. Before I was taking statins my HDL level was good (I think over 1.1 is an OK level). You have to be a bit careful with them if you are taking anti-coagulant or anti-platelet medication and I stopped taking them when I was on clopidogrel but seem to be OK now I'm just taking aspirin.

I would be a bit sceptical about apple cider vinegar. It sounds like it could be helpful - a bit like clearing out your house drains - but that's the problem. It's very acidic and can do a lot of harm if you have a sensitive oesophagus or stomach.

[gal4God]

I’m on satins and lifestyle changes together and my cholesterol is lowering a little bit.

[Blackjones]

I had terrible cholesterol out of control that had reached 9.7 unchecked until other complications highlighted it. Classed as prediabetic and most likely too late to reverse the direction going into Type 2, I was put on a strict low calorie diet. As well as the lower kcal and exercise, I started drink the Lidi brand Milbona cholesterol lowering drink. My next blood test 6 months later showed I had dropped my levels to 6.1. I told the consultant this and she didn't like it or recommend taking these products as NHS approved. Regardless I continued and my most recent blood test last month showed a further drop to less than 5 and I'm now crossed off her list and out of the prediabetic range. Personally I recommend the Lidl brand as a big factor along with a healthy diet.