Shirley

[MarleyDaisy]

I have a number of Health issues, I’m 62 years old and have high cholesterol levels for years, but I was never informed of this, and so it came as quite a shock when a different nurse told me it was 11.8, I was referred to the lipids department and genetic testing confirmed I suffer from Polygenetic cholesterolaemia with my score out of 12 faulty genes being 9, I’m now taking 40mg Atorvastatin and due to start on Ezitimbie 10mg, I am a breast cancer survivor but am advised not to use plant based medication as my cancer was hormone receptive positive, I'm just trying to improve my diet, I’ve been a keto diet follower for over a year and am just trying to get my head around all the changes, thanks for listening 😊

[EU95PTM]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I’m sorry to hear the results of your genetic testing. I’m shortly going to be having a genetic test for my cholesterol levels as I had a heart attack last year at 51 which is an usually early age. Even with 80mg Atorvastatin and 10mg of Ezetimibe, my levels are still not optimal. Can I ask how long it took for your genetic test results to come through and are you receiving any other support to reduce any other risk factors?

[MarleyDaisy in reply to EU95PTM]

Hi, it’s taken about 12 weeks but that said, they apologised for the long delay in receiving my results, which was due to staff shortages and sickness. I’ve just been advised in my letter, to optimise any heart advice I can find basically. I’ve been looking at Heart Foundation information as to what I can eat, but at the moment, support seems to be none existent.

I hope you don’t have to wait too long for your results, I was told 6 weeks initially.

[Maisywhippet]

I was diagnosed with high cholesterol and advised to take Atorvastatin which I declined and tried to lower it with diet changes. It lowered a little, but not as much as required.So when I was diagnosed with heart disease I accepted that medication was needed.Put on 40mg of Atorvastatin and within a couple of months cholesterol dropped from 6.5 to 3.2 Also, no significant extra muscle aches and pains..which was the main reason for not taking it when first advised. So all good.

[MarleyDaisy in reply to Maisywhippet]

That’s good to hear, do you still have to take Atorvastatin now that your cholesterol has come down? I’m picking up the Ezitimbie med today, they said I’ll be on that for life. I was already eating pretty much healthy foods, I just keep digging for healthy changes I can make.

[Maisywhippet in reply to MarleyDaisy]

Yes have to take it for life. Unfortunately sometimes healthy diets won’t lower it enough, just the way are body deals with saturated fats and therefore it needs the help of a statin. Would definitely rather take it than risk worsening heart disease or a stoke! I have now come to look at it as a safety precaution…Good luck with yours😊