I was on statins for years as I had a bad family history. Came off then in may and just had my blood checked.
My cholesterol was 6 and hdl was 1.3. I'm post menopausal. My blood pressure is normal. My Gp said this result was ok.
Should I be starting back the statins?
I wouldn't! Go back on statins I mean. Statins can have nasty side effects - I have experienced this myself. The problem is that statins deprive the body of essential nutrients, which can cause - first and foremost - muscle problems, as well as in the long term an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, etc.etc. Moreover, lowering cholesterol is not always in itself a good thing. The body needs cholesterol! In fact, elderly people often have high cholesterol, and a (fairly) high cholesterol level is associated with longer life. So summarising: the risks of side effects from statins far exceed any benefits.
Thank you
Statistically no benefit for post menopausal women taking statins so you certainly should not go back on them. Stick to a whole food plant based diet if you can. If you cannot drop the cholesterol worrying then try Vit B3 full flush Niacin, it will raise your HDL and drop your LDL
Do you know what the hdl should be. I take it 1.3 is not very good. I was annoyed when I phoned for my results and was told there was no ldl result despite asking my Gp to make sure this was done
Hi Snoopy, always insist on a print out of your results and along with LDL makes ure you get checked for HDL and Triglycerides along with CRP. The CRP test is one that the NHS will do for free so insist on getting it. You need to check your HDL to total ratio and your HDL to Triglyceride ratio for a more informative risk assessment. If you are not sure what I am talking about please ask.
Hi, yea all double Dutch to me. I understand the hdl and ldl but not the rest. Why get a crp? That only measures infection markers
Inflamatiojn, root cause of Heart Disease
HDL optimally should be greater than 1.55 mmol/l.
Exercise, blueberries, green tea, nuts, all contribute to increasing HDL.
I do exercise although probably need to up it. I eat blueberries every day but can't stand green tea or any kind of tea. I don't eat nuts but think I may start . I have been attending slimming world for 8 months so it's virtually fat free diet I'm on
I don't like green tea either, but I plug my nose and drink it because I view it as medicine. It also helps with weight loss. I usually let it cool until it is tepid and then drink it - I seem to tolerate it easier this way and can drink it very quickly.
How much should you take and where is the best place to buy it
Hi rocheen. Are you talking about statins? You can't buy them, they need prescribed by your Gp
I take Health Leads Vit B3 purchased on Amazon
I take 500 mg of Niacin (Vitamin B3) in the morning and another 100 mg in the evening. This is below the recommended dosage of at least 1,000 mg and up to 2,000 mg per day. However even at my low dosage, I get the benefit of an enhanced HDL and slightly reduced LDL.
Keep in mind that Niacin raises uric acid levels in the blood stream. Uric acid can cause gout which is a very painful form of arthritis in the joints of the big toe.
For this reason, you should start with a smaller dose as I have and monitor your uric acid levels. It may show up as 'urate' on the requisition form.
You can neutralize uric acid by drinking 4 oz of Tart Cherry juice daily and at least a half cup of blueberries daily.
Hi at 6 your cholesterol is not too bad but consider ways to raise your HDL, the decision has to be yours as its your body and your health, its OK asking forum members for advise but consider the fact that most people who go on a forum are the minority who have had problems, how many people on any form for medication thats working well with no side effects come on to say how great it is and that they get no side effects.
The % of people who sadly have adverse reactions to medications in general is thankfully small.
I'm not dissing those that have a problem I'm just being the voice of reason and saying the choice has to be yours and also you have done the correct thing in as much as you have spoken to your GP I would also suggest that depending on your pre statin numbers you maybe get it checked again in about 6 months.
Remember that diet is crucial as well in controlling your cholesterol levels so be careful to watch what you consume, were you on a low dose
Hi. I was taking 40mg daily and have been for 13 yrs. my Gp put me on them because of my Ldls then as my father died young of a heart attack and my mother had a stroke quite young. 6 is the highest cholesterol I have had. What worries me is I have been on a low fat diet since January, lost 2 and a half stone but cholesterol still high.
Don't worry, I had same problem, if you HDL is 1.3 your LDL is probably a little higher than normal, what was the reason you came off of them
I had read conflicting reports on statins and was experiencing lots of aches and pains so decided to speak to Gp who said come off them for 3 months and then check cholesterol levels , bp etc. Bp always on the low side.
How did you conquer yours?
At the end of the day your GP has you medical records therefore wait for new blood check in three months. There is new study that looks at GENE and statin interaction, may be you can ask your GP for a GENE check.?
Low carb and high fat diet can also help but different people have different views on this!!
Your total cholesterol is 6 with stating, my total cholesterol went down to 2.8 with statin in three months and I stopped statin because cholesterol is necessary for human body function.
Total cholesterol = HDL + LDL + Triglyceride + few others.
You can ask your GP for full explanation and also risk analysis with explanation.
Bala - my impression from the reporting is that that check doesn't have a test to offer as yet so isn't something that can be requested. Did you read somewhere that a test is available and can be ordered, please?
Please discuss this with your GP. Checking for GENE and statin goes back to many years, if you GP consider it necessary then he or she can request this. Cholesterol can increase with age, again your GP needs to explain this.
Why a high fat diet? Thought the aim was to reduce fat in our diet. My cholesterol was 6 but I've not taking statins since may
New research shows that NHS and many other countries has got the diet incorrect!. since my life style change I have changed my diet to eating avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, cheese full fat milk for example. This type of food my not work for every one!
My strong belief is to eat fresh food, watch out for hidden and free sugar in food and ds rinks. Regular exercise and live a healthy life.
Your cholesterol is 6, your questions " Should I be starting back on statin?" "why?", I am afraid your GP who mas you medical records can answer this question. You can ask your GP for a risk analysis, only a guidance.
Hi bala in the UK they will only gene test you if they think you have FH, your cholesterol with this is usually in double figures and up to 4 x normal and higher and takes massive doses of statins and usually another drug to get it down, you can of course ask and you can pay if you are able too.
There are symptoms that show as well if you have FH nodules, cholesterol spots round eyes, iris lines, not always proof though as that can be attributed to other reasons.
I was up in the 8s but had resisted statins, then I spent 3 years on a good health fats diet, I lost weight increased exercise to every day but cholesterol didn't budge much, I stayed on same food and started on 10 mg of simvastatin but my body didn't like that one so switched to atorvastatin and stayed at 10 mg and no problems, touch wood.
I'm having bloods again this month so if its stayed at 5.4 may lower statins to 5mg and see it that's good enough, I would see if it rises if it does and you are considering going back on them then see if you can go on a control level of 10mg.
My diet is good most of the time but I don't eat margarine at all,we have butter only and also only good oils, I eat eggs when I want, I don't eat a lot of red meats but eat chicken and fish.
I have cut down on sugar and processed foods, loads of beans mmm LOL I love ice cream so make yogurt ice cream.
Because of my family history and thought it should be under 5 and a higher hdl for it to be healthy?
Thanks for that. Interesting reading
Half of heart attacks and strokes happen to people with normal LDL-C levels.
For this reason you should monitor the following in your blood test:
Fibrinogen (blood platelet stickiness)
Homocysteine (increases potential for blood clotting)
CRP - general inflammatory marker for your body
MPO (Myeloperoxidase) - inflammatory marker specifically for arteries
Instead of LDL-C, you should measure Apo B (a proxy for LDL-P - particle number) and ApoA1 (HDL particle number).
The ratio between ApoB/ApoA1 is a superior biomarker of CVD risk than is LDL-C.
This ratio ideally should be below 0.8.
Very knowledgeable. If I asked my Gp to do the above, would he do it?
These tests, except for CRP, will cost you extra, so he'll add them to your requisition form if you insist as long as you pay for them. I'm in Canada and can't tell you the cost in the U.K.
In UK, NHS do not go for there tests, may be private and you need a referral letter from your GP. Then what of medication or life style change.
Thanks
Keep it simple!!!!
I would say definitely not. Many GPs are only too eager to prescribe statins. If yours says your readings are ok why doubt him.
I just felt my readings were on the high side and wanted another opinion
You could ask you doctor for a specialist referral, a 12-lead stress test, an echo cardio gram at a hospital or a CT scan at a hospital to check your heart.
If you have spare cash, you can go for a private health check, bluecrest or life line screening. Both offer a package to do a number of checks. Google can offer more information by post code.
It's up to you. what has your doctor advised! I wouldnt take them unless its really needed
Second opinion?
ITV (UK) this morning programme has a second opinion phone in once a week, two doctors give answers to viewers questions.
As the programme starts contact details are give, may be it is worth a try?
When I first started statins about 13 yrs ago, my cholesterol was ok but ldls were high. First Gp I saw said I didn't need them as my bp etc was normal. I was happy with that. Saw a different Gp several weeks later, for something not related to my cholesterol. He said to me he was worried by my results and because of my family history, he wanted me to take statins. I knew nothing about them so I agreed.
Each individual Gp's have different opinions on them
i am shocked to read what this medicine is doing to people.i was paralyzed by it! amongst other things i suffer from fybromyalgia, so when i complained about increasing pain, thay thought it was due to that. until one day i could not get up anymore. i was hospitalized for almost a month. and now after two month i am still mostly in bed, with extreme muscle pain,weakness, heart palpitations,. never before had i hadhigh blood pressure. my kidnays almost failed because of all the toxins in my bloodthrough the extreme muscle inflamation. i had extreem neckcramps and a vice like feeling in my head. blurred vision, the pericardium of my haert got inflamed. and i am only 51 years old. i will try the magnesium to see wether it will help me improve more quickly
Having a looking into taking cq10 ubinquinol if you have had recent blood work done get a copy to check your b12 d3 and foliate and ferritin results they need to be at optimum not just be within range as statins can deplete these vitamins and side effects are similar to stating muscle pain fatigue
Hello, I've just found this site and thought I would get in touch. I've had high cholesterol for many years which is inherited from my family I think. My blood pressure has always been good but could be gradually creeping up. My cholesterol was last tested in May this year and it came back : 7.2 mmol/L (3.6-5.0) "Above high reference level" the form said. My GP is very reluctant to prescribe me with statins as I am a chronic migraine sufferer and he's very concerned it will just exacerbate things and make my migraines worse (I spend at least 3/4 days a week in bed with migraines now.) He says as long as my blood pressure remains fairly normal we'll just leave things for the moment rather than make my life any more difficult than it already is. My body is very sensitive and am very intolerant to many medications so really worried if I have to take statins that they will not suit me and make me worse. I know there is conflicting information about taking statins and all the side effects. I have buried my head in the sand about cholesterol as I've had terrible stomach issues for nearly two years and also two major skin cancer operations on my face this year which has been fairly horrendous to cope with.
I just felt I would get in touch to see what others think about my high cholesterol results. I have just turned 71 years of age and not in the best of health, in fact I hardly ever go out due to stomach issues and migraines and spend a lot of time in bed as I feel so ill. Although I look forward to hearing your comments I am also terrified at the prospect of being scared to death about another worrying health problem, I guess I'm just really worried I may have a stroke. I hope somebody will be able to give me a little hope.
Ok thanks, just found your reply.
The dreaded high LDL cholesterol!!
High blood pressure, high cholesterol - Oops
High Cholesterol diagnosis
