Labs for Cholesterol levels

Question: Once you begin Cholesterol medication and have been taking it for about 14 mos. why doesn't your Doctor check your labs to see if the Cholesterol medication is working or not?

[sandybrown]

What was the justification for cholesterol medication and lipid levels.?

May be you need to make and appointment for medication review and lipid blood tests!

[Hidden in reply to sandybrown]

Cholesterol level was 193, lipids were perfect.

[sandybrown in reply to Hidden]

Converted to UK levels.

193 mg/dl = 4.99098 mmol/l

According to UK guide lines you are with the UK limits.

May be you need to discuss the dosage / review with your doctor.

[Hidden in reply to sandybrown]

I plan on speaking with my doctor.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm changing insurance company. I will be selecting another I have another doctor and will posting the information later. Thank you to all that answered my question. 😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry my voice recognition on this phone is not very good. I will be selecting a new doctor the beginning of the year and will post after I have a visit with him her thank you.

[sos007 Ambassador]

Well, you would expect in a perfect world that doctors would do that type of follow up, but alas the medical systems of the world are focused on treatment of acute conditions, not 'wellness' or preventative medicine.

Personally, I have taken responsibility for my own wellness and I use my doctor only as a support service.

I request labs every quarter and carefully monitor the results.

I changed my diet and lifestyle following bypass surgery and stopped taking statins and all other medications 3 years ago.

Your focus should be on correcting the cause of your symptoms (and cholesterol is a symptom of inflammation) rather than the symptom itself. This is what I did.

If you haven't already done so, consider adhering to the Mediterranean Diet and implementing a daily exercise regime.

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to sos007]

Thank you for your input, all is appreciated. When I first began taking Cholesterol meds. (Liptor) after two weeks my urine was brownish orange. I called my Doctor and she said she would change it to Zocor. I was feeling pretty awful for those 14 mos. taking the Cholesterol medication. When I mentioned the pains in my arms, legs, etc. my Doctor said it was minor arthritis. What I was feeling was not minor. I could not lift a cup of coffee in the morning without pain. So I stopped the meds. I began walking every to every other day, cut out the sugar and went on the Atkins diet. Since I have dropped 40 lbs., & cholesterol dropped also. But the pains in my arms and legs continued for about 6.5 months. Since stopping the Zocor, my pains are subsiding and the more I feel better the angrier I get thinking and knowing that these doctors are pushing poison and they say "if you don't take them, you are going to have a heart attack!" Good luck to everyone.

[Mike4550]

I am bemused by this as my understanding is that cholesterol levels and LFT (liver function tests) should be carried out 4 - 6 weeks after starting statins or changing dose or type. If everything is in order then six months thereafter and then annually.

[Hidden]

Is that a universal required procedure? As they're not doing it here in the U.S. at least not with Kaiser. I appreciate and I'm thankful for everyone's input.

[MarymaryA]

They are certainly not doing it routinely in the UK. I started in statins and blood thinners in Feb this year and did not have any tests until my annual review in August. I have requested a 6month test in February though. We will see.

[Hidden]

Im in the USA and my doc checks yearly plus checks liver and blood sugar as statins can affect them in a negative way

[Hidden]

That is great sounds like you have a good doctor he's Proactiv

[Sankanrbanerjee61]

Throw out statin

[Hidden in reply to Sankanrbanerjee61]

I did in my body is feeling much better. Thank you

[dea446]

I had a Quad Bypass back in 2007 and was told to have my cholesterol blood test done every 6 months. I now go once a year and send results to my family doctor and Cardiologist. I have to suggest it...the Cardio doc never remembers.

[Fruitandnutcase]

My answer to your question and call me cynical - but I’m not sure they (doctors) are interested in checking what’s going on once they’ve got you onto statins, you just keep on taking them forever.

I took simvastatin for a couple of weeks probably about ten years ago. After two weeks I could barely walk, my legs were agony and I felt SO depressed. We had just gone on holiday and my husband said to stop them. I said I couldn’t because the doctor told me to take them, eventually I felt so terrible that I did stop. At that time I knew nothing about the side effects so I wasn’t influenced by anything I’d read or heard - only by the fact I was a shadow of my former self. I haven’t taken them since.

[Hidden]

Thank you very much. Statins are not good for you the doctors aren't really doing their jobs as Physicians they are doing their jobs as a Salesman.

I stopped the statins last July because of the pain in my legs and arms it has gotten better the pains are subsiding. I went on the Atkins diet drop 22 lb and my cholesterol dropped 40 points I was also walking every other day. Yes there was depression as well. It's sad what our medical industry has come to. Apparently it's up to us to heal ourselves think logically and use a lot of common sense.

You say you may be cynical you are not you are truthful.

You take care of my friend stay healthy and live a long life.