Had diagnosis of high cholesterol early 2017 and got referred to the Lipid Clinic at hospital. I have been told my LDL Cholesterol is at present 2 times what it should be. The doctor advised taking 10 mg Simvastin or Ezetimibe. I am currently refusing this, as I have heard so much bad stuff about statins. The Consultant is keeping me on record for a review appointment at the Lipid Clinic in 6 months time. The Consultant has said I should take all the time I need to make a decision. However, should I decide not to take statins, I will not get any further appointments with the Lipid Clinic. I now have to wait for a letter from my GP and then I will make an appointment to go in and talk about it. One of the issues I will need to raise is how often I need to get cholesterol levels checked, and what support I will get from the GP should I not be attending the Lipid Clinic. I have found HealthUnlocked and all the comments and stories very helpful.
High Cholesterol diagnosis: Had... - Cholesterol Support
High Cholesterol diagnosis
You need to ask your GP for a print out of your blood test results. Also full explanation. 10mg is a small dosage when your are talking about 2x the normal, I am sorry it do not add up.
Hello Sandy - thanks for you comments. I have checked the blood test results on-line. I'm not sure whether LDL cholesterol level 4.19 mmol/L/162.0263 mg/dl is 2 times the norm.
On line technology can cause many problems in understanding any result!!!
Hello Londinium - thanks for your comments. I am trying not to get too bogged down with all of this at the moment. My HDL result was good, so I am not really concerned about that. The Consultant was more concerned about the high LDL. I do have underactive thyroid and that is responding well with medication.
Could be why your cholesterol is raised - having a low thyroid can be the cause. Important to know your FT4 & FT3 results - which need to be higher in the range and not bumping along the bottom. Do you have Hashimotos ?
I have Hashimotos and had raised cholesterol. Optimal thyroid treatment soon sorted that. I have been a member of Thyroid UK here on HU for seven years so see many members in your situation. As suggested by Londinium it would be good to know your levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin and VitD. Dr Myhill talks about a statin being anti-inflammatory - so why not take VitD instead ? You could pop across to the Thyroid Forum and have a read ...
Happy to help ...
I don't have FT4 or FT3 results - just been told I have underactive thyroid and out onto Levothyroxine. I think B12 is okay and ferritin. Vitamin D results Dec 16:
Serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 level 18.5 nmol/L
25-hydroxy Vitamin D interpretation:
<25 nmol/L Deficient
25-50 nmol/L Insufficient
50-75 nmol/L Adequate
>75 nmol/L Optimal
How are you being treated for the VitD deficiency ? B12 and Ferritin - is OK a result ? B12 needs to be over 500 and Ferritin mid-range. You need the most important tests for Thyroid FT4 and FT3 - without them you cannot know how your thyroid is performing ...
The above link will take you to more information and to confirm my comments 
Not currently being treated for VitD deficiency. Did see a result for B12 but unable to find it now, seem to remember it being okay. Thyroid function test
Coded entrySerum TSH level 3.85 miu/L [0.27 - 4.2]
Coded entrySerum free T4 level 18.1 pmol/L [12 - 22] -
Your TSH is better around 1 if you are taking Levo/T4 according to experts like Prof Toft. Your FT4 looks reasonable - but that is a storage hormone doing little in the body. T4 must convert into the ACTIVE thyroid hormone T3 - needed in every cell of your body. Good T3 levels drive your metabolism - and when low can be linked to raised cholesterol. Your T3 was not tested nor anti-bodies TPO and Tg.
As your VitD is deficient your GP should be treating you with loading doses. You also need to know results for B12 - Folate and Ferritin as I am suspecting these will be low too. Good levels are needed for your thyroid hormones to work well in the body - your own as well as the ones you take.
Dr Sarah Myhill advocates that the only good part of a statin is its anti-inflammatory effects - rather like VitD. As your D is so low could there be a connection in addition to your thyroid ?
Important co-factors are needed when taking large doses of VitD - Magnesium and VitK2-MK 7. Happy to explain more if needed.
Any news about your VitD treatment .. you are Deficient so your GP should prescribe.
Your level is 18 & would be good at 100 plus. You must be feeling quite poorly.
Thanks - feeling good at the moment. I was put on a maintenance dose of Vitamin D -nothing permanent. It's really difficult to get an appointment with a doctor where I am.
I have an appointment 30th November, and by that time I will have been waiting for that
for 5 weeks. Thanks for your advice.
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