High cholesterol

[Dollypolly]

Hi I'm desperately trying to make sense of my cholesterol level of 8.7 and what I can do about it. I also have fibromyalgia, IBS and I'm celiac. I eat a very healthy diet, no processed food, everything make from scratch, mostly veg and a little fruit with fish, chicken. I am a healthy BMI, my blood pressure is normal and my HDL and triglyceride levels are all excellent. I exercise as much as I can with fibro and more than most people my age, 56. I can't tolerate gluten, corn, lactose, soya and a host of other things. I keep my carbs very low as this helps build my energy levels. Just about all the foods to lower cholesterol have lactose or gluten in them. I have no family history of very high cholesterol. Nothing I have looked at is making any sense to me and the side effects of statins will take me back to crippling levels of fibro. My thyroid, kidney, liver tests are all normal. Can anyone throw any light on this?

[kindredSpirit]

I am a 53yrs vegetarian female, I have been on cholesterol medication since I was in my teens.My cholesterol without medication is 14.7. I have fibromyalgia & a under - active thyroid. I have a strong family history of heart disease, My Dad died of heart attack 47yrs, one of my Son's has High cholesterol & my Brother angina & about to have heart surgery. I am a healthy BMI, my blood pressure is normal, my HDL levels can be on the low side but my triglyceride levels are all excellent.

I take thyroxine for thyroid, amitriptyline for fibro and for the cholesterol I take statins (Crestor) & ezetimibe. when I lived in the U.K my cholesterol would be around 6 - 8 with the medication but the 2 yrs ago I moved the the Netherlands I now eat a very healthy mediterranean diet, cycle more & have less stress & my cholesterol went down to around 5. This year my Dr put me on HRT patches, Evorel patches are a continuous, oestrogen-only form of HRT as I have a marina coil. My total cholesterol now 3.2 which it has never been I am amazed! I would definitely consider taking HRT the sooner the better as it is more effective if you start it in the menopause. Worth a try !

[jennygoesa in reply to kindredSpirit]

Hi also try soaking,overnight, one lady finger, washed n cut in four slices, in a glass of drinking water, in the morning strain and drink the water... .do this daily and also take Fr brittos liv mix,30 drops in little water thrice a day, before meals...its a gradual cure.try it out while continuing on your medication.

[Dollypolly in reply to kindredSpirit]

Thank you. I tried amitriptyline for fibro but the side effects have been too great. I tend to have very bad side effects to every med.. My thyroid function is normal and I have been on Everol patches so long that the GP wants me to come off them. I also eat a very healthy Mediterranean diet. I do cycle when I can and normally my stress levels are not too high but this situation has really increased my stress. I'm worried about the side effects of statins as I really can't tolerate meds at all.

[Fat_AmyPP]

Sorry, can't help with giving you any reason for this but just to let you know that my mum had a high cholesterol level. She didn't make any attempt to change her diet, ate high-fat cheese, yoghurts and everything else you're not supposed to, smoked until she was over 70 (started at 14) and drank at least two large glasses of red wine a day. Never took statins. She died at the age of 85 from dementia! So there is hope for us all!

[kindredSpirit in reply to Fat_AmyPP]

What level was her high cholesterol cause some people say to me "I have high cholesterol" then they tell me its 6.0, which is not incredibly high, I think it depends how high it is. My Son's is over 10.5 at 18yrs & will never go any lower without medication help. Every male family member on my Fathers side of the family has never lived beyond 60yrs & if my Brother doesn't have a heart by pass in 2 months time neither will he. Luckily my eldest Son 24yrs has a cholesterol level of 2.2 therefore he didn't get the bad gene.

[Fat_AmyPP in reply to kindredSpirit]

Hi. To be honest I don't know. I just remember her telling me that her GP had told her she had high cholesterol. My youngest brother, who is overweight, had angina and needed a stent put in a few years ago. He also has high cholesterol and his GP put him on statins. I was also told in 2008 that my cholesterol level was over 7 but decided to try and correct this through changing my diet rather than go on statins which was what my GP wanted. I did manage this, bringing it down to under 3, but unfortunately have put the weight back on. I am now in the process of bringing my weight back under control and, once I get my BMI down to 25, I will go and have another test done. Really sorry to hear about your family history. My mother-in-law had a triple heart bypass in 1984 and died in 1987 - she was in her late 50s - and my husband died of a heart attack in 2012 aged 53. Don't know what either of their levels were.

[Dollypolly in reply to Fat_AmyPP]

Thank you for your reply.

[malcolmp]

If your hdl is ok and your triglyceride levels are excellent i cant see why you are concerned.These two markers are the important ones,not overall cholesterol.Listen to your body.Does it feel like you are unwell.

[kindredSpirit in reply to malcolmp]

Do you know anything about cholesterol? Hdl cholesterol is the good cholesterol so no need to worry about that one, your LDL cholesterol is the Bad one that is the one that clogs your arteries. Plus by the time you feel unwell you are into needing a heart by pass, that is the problem with heart disease you don't start feeling unwell until you have a major problem !

[malcolmp]

Do you?If only it was as simple as hdl is good and ldl is bad.Oxidised ldl is the bad stuff,not ldl in general.

[Dollypolly]

Thank you. I will required a refer

[Dollypolly]

I will request this.

[Dollypolly]

I eat olive oil which is made with no industrial process. I know because I make it myself.

[Dollypolly]

Also thank you for the link re magnesium. I do already take the spray ( can't tolerate the tabs due to IBS) but will check the dose.