50 yrs old , going through peri menopa... - Cholesterol Support

Cholesterol Support

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50 yrs old , going through peri menopause lots of anxiety and off balance when walking , so many issues , recently had bloods

Stagbettle9876 profile image
35 Replies

Asked my gp for full bloods as just don’t feel myself , I had 3 lots of blood taken

Vitimins etc

Hormones

Cholesterol (well didn’t ask for this but they added it in ) well I was so surprised that my tests were high 6.5 cholesterol!

Everything else ok re fbc , but obviously my hormones were abnormal but expected but high cholesterol scared me , dr put on notes to speak to them .

Could anyone take a look at my results and help me understand them plz ,

Would really eased my mind .

Thank you

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Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876
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35 Replies
Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876

Do not understand results

Black
sandybrown profile image
sandybrown in reply toStagbettle9876

Hello,Your total cholesterol is rater then UK average. UK average is 5.5

Depending up on your age GP can do risk analysis an offer full explanation ,life style change before statin medication.

There are other lipid parameters and also blood glucose, these are important as well.

Please discuss your blood results with your doctor.

The earlier post response gives a lot of information on cholesterol.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply tosandybrown

I also had a fbc count done which was normal . And hormonal one done which showed abnormal and also vit d and b12 done , this was normal .

Just shocked on result as I suffer with health anxiety too .

Thank you for getting back to me

Really appreciate it . X

Batty1 profile image
Batty1 in reply toStagbettle9876

I don’t think it’s uncommon for women going through menopause to see higher cholesterol levels and hypothyroidism can also raise cholesterol levels….I would embark on and daily exercise routine and dietary changes and retest my cholesterol levels after a few months and then if your numbers are still high it might be time to try statins but this is just my opinion and Im not medically qualified.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toBatty1

Thank you so much for reassurance . Yes I have been pretty lazy lately and really eating a lot more naughty snacks esp at night time . I had high results 3 yrs ago but weirdly it just went down on its on . Now back up again . I defo think too it’s hormones too , as read so many woman talking bout spike in their numbers . I am looking in hrt now as read that lack of eastrogen can affect our levels too xxx

Batty1 profile image
Batty1 in reply toStagbettle9876

HRT has never helped lower my cholesterol even exercise and diet haven’t done much for me I definitely have the family curse.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toBatty1

Yeah it’s scary isn’t it , I was just shocked . As my fbc was ok and throid too , so odd . Can I ask wat urs was ?

Batty1 profile image
Batty1 in reply toStagbettle9876

When the doctor tells you your thyroid test is normal you need to look at the results and most likely they only tested TSH which is totally lacking in thyroid testing you also need FT3, FT4, T3 and antibodies tested to get the whole picture of thyroid health…. I say try exercising and diet and see if this helps.

My cholesterol was through the roof sitting at 260 and LDL 180 (both are disastrous) but Im also without a thyroid and developed psoriatic arthritis which I now take 2 biologics in order to keep me mobile, its been a horrible 5 years for my health.. baby steps I guess.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toBatty1

I asked for full bloods for everything

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toBatty1

Still waiting for drs to call me back as got the results last week plus abnormal hormones but I never under them tbh x

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

You are legally entitled to request copies of your results and you do not have to give a reason.

When you are told results are 'normal/fine/OK it means they are in range. It is where you are in the range that is key.

The NHS website mentions treating the thyroid before starting Statins. The NHS very rarely does the correct thyroid testing - on-line testing is available. Medichecks used by 1000's.

Anxiety can also be linked to low T3 as well as cholesterol.

thyroiduk.org

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Hi , thank you for replying , yes I have acess to my blood results online with the practice . Yes I was thinking anxiety too , as I suffer deeply with health anxiety . Didn’t think I had a thyroid problem ?

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

I can send u my 3 blood tests results if you can help in anyway x

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

You can post results here - one per post/ reply or message me. Happy to help if I can.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Hope it’s clear enough , thank u

Ok
Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Fbc

Ok
Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

My hormones

Ok
Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Soz think I replied to myself , I can screen shot all my results if u can help me understand x

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Thank you

Ok
Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

I will respond to results where I have knowledge /experience !

B12 is good at 500 +

Folate & Ferritin good at mid-range

VitD good around 100 +

So I would take a GOOD B Complex - Thorne Research - on-line. Dr's Best VitD 2000 iu's - on-line.

Ferritin is iron stored as a protein in the liver. Try eating iron rich foods to increase to at least 70.

Testing the TSH is not the full story - it's a Pituitary hormone. You need the FT4 & FT3 tested along with anti-bodirs TPO & Tg

I gave you a link to the thyroid website where you can read more and find Private Testing companies.

Sorry - lots of reading 🤔

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

So I am pretty low in the vits department. Thank you soo much for kind support .

Really appreciate it x

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

So could this be why I am feeling rubbish ?

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

This was done privately nov last year

Ok
Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

So I need a good b complex vit Vit d 100iu

Folate

?

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

Yes it could be why you feel unwell. Having OPTIMAL vitamins and minerals can contribute to feeling good.

Folate is B9 in its more natural form. Folic Acid - also B9 - is synthetic. Folate is in the Thorne Research B Complex.

You need at least 2000 iu's of VitD and also important co-factors like Magnesium and VitK2-MK7 to increase your VitD level to 100 plus. VitD is an anti-inflammatory steroidal pro-hormone - so much more than a vitamin.

grassrootshealth.net

Oxygen sticks to iron in the red blood cells and is transported around the body to give oxygen to the brain and all vital organs. So low iron= Low oxygen.

If you want to check me out you can click onto my username above and read my Profile.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

Are my levels low then ?

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

Please read my earlier Reply where I explained optimal levels. Write them down and then compare with your results ....

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply toMarz

How do I reply to u privately

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStagbettle9876

Click onto my Username Marz and then click Messages on my Profile page

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876

Aww Grt advice thank you . Can you believe it , it’s been 62 days since last monthly and today I woke and there is was , the cramps are unbelievable x

valeriep profile image
valeriep

I found taking evening primrose oil capsules helped tremendously with perimenopausal free-floating anxiety, but it has to be a good brand, like Holland & Barrett or Efamol; the cheap brands are useless. I also made an appointment with a nutritionist; I was working on a stressful Internet start-up at the time and she explained to me that relying on pasta, cake and caffeine to keep me going through the day, instead of eating nutritious meals, was a false economy and making my perimenopausal symptoms much worse. By improving my diet, the symptoms diminished considerably and became much more controllable. If you're eating too many 'naughty snacks', especially at night, they may be making your symptoms worse and also be the reason why your cholesterol levels have risen.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply tovaleriep

Hi thank you for replying , yess your so right , my biggest down fall is night time snacks . But since hearing my levels were high I kinda panicked as I have awful health anxiety , I been trying so hard since I heard my levels were high !

I have stopped eating chocolate and crisps and other things since . Yeah I do like my coffee too . I just feel overwhelmed on what vitamins to take and wat levels are low or not , not sure if u looked at my results or not . But yeah will look into evening primrose oil , just so many vitimins out there isn’t there ,and just don’t know where to start .

So do I not need the other vits suggested . ?

I have porridge for breakfast now with blueberrys and bananas, lunch I will have a handful of almonds , Main meal (smaller portions ) I am just scared now to eat anything .

I also read having anxiety can raise levels too . My worst symptom atm is like a drunken feeling inside my head and like dizzy eyes , my dr put on a vertigo med but they didn’t seem to work unfortunately, and I get really bad neck stiffness too . It’s when I go out , it’s the worst , I have always had anxiety but it’s ramped up last couple of years . Hate this unbalance feeling , scares me xxxx. I was thinking bout hrt too , x

valeriep profile image
valeriep in reply toStagbettle9876

I can't comment on the other vitamins, as I'm not that knowledgeable; I was just recommending evening primrose oil because I found it a tremendous help with perimenopausal symptoms. You've made a great start at improving your diet with your new breakfast - oats are also very recommended for bringing down cholesterol - but it seems like an awful long time to go from breakfast to dinner with only a handful of almonds in-between. My nutritionist told me that it was important to avoid spikes in sugar (and insulin, I think), as these make perimenopausal mood swings and hot flushes worse, and that it was better to eat complex carbohydrates like brown rice, baked potatoes and beans, which keep you feeling fuller longer and release energy slowly than eating snacks which give you a quick fix, but leave you craving more. I personally think it's better to eat healthy foods at regular intervals during the day than to starve yourself before your evening meal. Your cholesterol levels are not abnormally high, so I think it would be worth seeing if you can bring it down through diet - and if you can't, there's no disgrace in taking statins! Most of us here are on them! Good luck.

Stagbettle9876 profile image
Stagbettle9876 in reply tovaleriep

Thank you for replying , yeah I am really trying to eat more healthily, but so miss my chocolates and snacks in evening lol .. I realised on results that it’s saying my good chrolestral is low , still don’t understand it . Still sussing out how to it healthy , as I don’t mind fruit and veg but not keen on salad , Also maybe I drink too much coffee . I noticed btw all my bloods changed about 3 yrs ago when started have irregular periods and symptoms of peri .. plus my long term anxiety which is pretty high . Thinking bout antidepressants or hrt maybe x

i had similar problems with menopause, especially off balance!! i used wellsprings progesterone cream, really helped! its on internet, i was given 5mg rosuvastatin, for cholesterol, no side effects at all, several friends are on it and they havent had sideeffects either, would recommend it, if your doctor prescribes a statin!

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