Increase

[Lyngal]

Hi just got home from seeing my consultant had my first appointment last October as my cholesterol levels where very high 9.5 good cholesterol was a high reading and bad cholesterol was low so she said it was in the family, high heart attack rate in my family and all below the age of 50. My daughter has been tested and she had a slightly high reading but because of her age they are just keeping a check on her. Well today I've gone done to 6.5 good cholesterol has risen and bad cholesterol has gone from 5 to 2.5 but the consultant has upped my statins from 40mg to 80 mg because I'm a high risk I thought with the reading coming down so would my dosage Any ideas

[sandybrown]

Please read:

One side.

Tens of thousands die as they're 'too scared to take statins': Experts say side-effects are being overstated

Officials called on to remove adverse side effects information from pill labels

Professor said there was little evidence that effects were caused by the statins

People risk heart attack and strokes by refusing to take cholesterol-busting pills

Read more: dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...

Another side:

Heart attack warning after more than SIX MILLION patients are given the wrong prescription for statins

Thousands are at risk in situation described by doctors as 'public health priority'

Doctors say GPs should not leave them on outdated prescription through inertia

But patients are being told to wait until next appointment to get updated doses

Read more: dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

Please take a copy of the second article to your doctor and ask the question "Is it necessary for the increase in dosage?" 40mg is doing the job, then why increase it?, if I understand your post.

I have don't this in the past with my medication, my GP could not understand that my research on satin medication!!

[sandybrown]

Hi, just got home from seeing my consultant had my first appointment last October as my cholesterol levels where very high 9.5 good cholesterol was a high reading and bad cholesterol was low so she said it was in the family, high heart attack rate in my family and all below the age of 50.

My daughter has been tested and she had a slightly high reading but because of her age they are just keeping a check on her. Let the children grow without any medication!

Well today I've gone (done) to 6.5 good cholesterol has risen and bad cholesterol has gone from 5 to 2.5 but the consultant has upped my statins from 40mg to 80 mg because I'm a high risk.

I thought with the reading coming down so would my dosage Any ideas?

Do you have the test result for total cholesterol, HDL,LDL

and triglyceride?

You consultant may have given you ratio as well. Now depending on the age, regular exercise and watching out for food intake can help you towards a healthy life.

There is BMI, QRISK analysis, medication, waist to height ration and many more.

Your consultant is the one who has your medical records and he is the one can answer your question on statin dosage.

Please ask your consultant what is the reason for doubling the dosage?

[Lyngal]

LDL levels 2.5

[Bazza1234]

For 30 years, I ignored a very high cholesterol reading and refused to take statins. Then, I had a calcium score test which showed severe calcification of my arteries and they know ( from autopsies) that calcification of arteries is always accompanied by high levels of soft plaque. Now - I am fit, not overweight , excellent blood pressure, don't smoke, no known family heart history - so there basically was nowhere for me to go EXCEPT to start taking statins (5mg Rosuvastin Crestor) - now my cholesterol levels are all in the excellent category for the first time in over 30 years. My chances of a heart event (according to the calculators commonly linked to in this forum) have come down from a 25% chance of an event in the next 10 years to 10%. 25% was unacceptable to me - but I'll take 10% -- of course , all this is really theoretical - nobody really knows why some people get plaque in their arteries and have silent heart attacks ( Widowmakers). All sorts of theories abound - all sorts of claims and counterclaims - eat this , don't eat that, do this, don't do that. The bottom line is that while cholesterol is a necessary part of our bodily existence - there is enough evidence to link very high levels to heart problems - even though this does not account for the fact that some people with very low levels of cholesterol also have silent heart attacks.

So for me - lose weight, get cardio fit, eat well, make sure that cholesterol levels are not extreme - is the way for me to go. I have now done all these - so whether or not I get to 80YO, I will have to wait and see. But better a quick sudden heart attack out on the road (while running ) one day - rather than a slow lingering death of cancer in some old folks home or hospital is my preference!!

[Mascha1900 in reply to Bazza1234]

Just read somewhere that - paradoxical as it seems - eating plenty of saturated fats such as butter or clarified butter (ghee), coconut fat as well as plenty of eggs, etc., actually helps keep cholesterol within a reasonable range. Also, while permanent high cholesterol levels are probably a sign of something wrong in the body, i.e. an inflammation of some sort, LOW levels of cholesterol are associated with all sorts of physical and mental issues such as cancer, Alzheimer's, etc., and earlier mortality.

[Garlicity in reply to Bazza1234]

Please clarify whether you are taking statin or just lifestyle change? Your post said the earlier in the beginning and latter in the end

[sos007 Ambassador]

If your cholesterol readings have improved due to statin use that doesn't mean you can stop being concerned about your cardiovascular risk.

Without a major lifestyle change, you will be taking statins forever and be subject to the risks associated with them, among which are muscle pain and deterioration, and to a lesser degree Alzheimers and Diabetes.

LDL-C (cholesterol volume) is the treatment marker for the medical community but medical researchers have moved away from that and believe LDL-P (particle number) is more important as far as assessing the risk for cardiovascular disease. Apo B is the best available lab test for LDL-P. Ask your doctor to requisition this test.

If you want to know how dire your situation is, you should also get these 3 tests at your next blood draw:

LP-PLA2 (risk of heart attack)

MPO - Myeloperoxidase - level of arterial inflammation

hs-CRP - overall inflammation in the body

You should read my journey from triple bypass surgery in March 2015 to good health and no medications here: healthunlocked.com/user/sos007

Once again, without a lifestyle change, you will be condemned to a life of medications and their side-effects.