Cholesterol to HDL ratio = 6.63 Serum cholesterol = 5.7 mmol/L. HbA1c= 47. Do I need medication to reduce cholesterol?

[sandybrown]

Had a holiday from life style change for six weeks, away from home environment !, blood was taken for testing two weeks ago. Have an appointment with my GP to discuss high cholesterol. As far as I see this I do not need any medication to reduce cholesterol!

Appreciate views and comments, thanks.

[patch14]

If you have underlying health problems then lowering your cholesterol would not be sensible. Just eat well, exercise, and avoid excesses and you should be fine.

[DakCB-UK]

It depends whether you believe the lipid hypothesis to be true. If so, I'd say that total value was borderline, but the ratio is worrying so some reduction is in order. I suspect if you took the Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan dietary steps heartuk.org.uk/files/upload... if you've not already done so, then that will probably reduce it enough without medication.

[KCTommy]

At 73 years my cholestral level is 5.23 without drugs. A supplement CoenzymeQ10 and Earl Gray tea (which contains Bergamot) appears to do the trick without any side effects.

[sandybrown]

Hello every one.

Thanks for your response. I do not wish to go on the path of statin. The increase in cholesterol compared to six months ago is very little amount. My plan is to continue with exercise, food intake and drink a lot of Earl Gary tea.

[sandybrown]

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I have questions:

1. Do I need to take medication for diabetes? or

2. Do I need to take medication for lowering cholesterol?

3. Would it be possible for me to lower both by food intake alone?

Thanks, Bala

[patch14]

I agree with Concerned Bala, cutting down on the carbohydrate is the way to go.

[Hidden]

Bala, am I right in thinking I read in a much earlier post of yours that you were in fact diagnosed with diabetes? I know 48 is the cut point for diagnosis of T2 but maybe I'm wrong? If that is so then low carb is the way to go. They told me I had borderline high cholesterol at 5.9 and I was given a little lecture by a bossy nurse at the surgery on not eating eggs, butter - all the usual NHS stuff. Then she told me to lose weight [had a BMI of 24]. So I did: now my BMI is <19 and I've shrunk from a size 16 to a size 10. I did it over a year by generally eating less but specifically ditching breakfast cereal and skim milk and also low fat fruit yogurt. For breakfast I now have an egg every day with toast and butter. She would be horrified I'm sure! All the high carb meal plans that the NHS, heart uk, and diabetes UK recommend is shocking. Especially if you have diabetes or as in my case prediabetes.

[sandybrown]

Hello,

Thanks. It all started three years ago with high blood glucose and high cholesterol!. Life style change has brought it all down but not enough. Food intake still not sure on the carb side. Have to consider changing the breakfast from porridge to boiled egg with toast and butter. Lunch may be tin fish and salad?, for dinner what even is cooked at home. As long as the numbers are within the limit with out any medication then I have achieved my objectives.

[Hidden]

I agree you don't want meds if you can possibly avoid them. I would have thought porridge wasn't good for high blood glucose although good for the cholesterol. I imagine you follow the LCHF diet [diet doctor] that many both this on this site and also on diabetesuk forums recommend. That's not the official advice from diabetesUK or the NHS of course. It beats me how they get away with such bad advice.