So they decided to do a cholesterol test. Back in 2015 it was 6.8. Back them I ate a varied diet and drank about two bottles of wine a week. Last year I was diagnosed with RA (altough now they aren't sure). I've been eating healthily and have been tea total for 12 months. My results are back. My cholesterol is now.....8.8
To say I am devastated is an understatement. My GP says it must be genetic or down to stress. My brother who is obese and has his breakfast in McDonalds every day has a cholesterol level of 3.4. GP says life isn't fair. So far I've inherited varicose veins, RA and high cholesterol my brother just go the money.
GP says I might need statins and we need to have that conversation but first we need to get my pain under control. She says I've had a massively stressful year with being diagnosed but being left in pain and they no being in chronic pain can lead to high cholesterol.
What have other people found?
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Helzbells
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Have they checked your thyroid? Sometimes if you have an underactive thyroid your cholesterol levels rise. Also if you have one autoimmune disease you are at a higher risk to have another one. Also methotrexate can put your cholesterol up.
My partners Aunty is slim eats nothing but wholemeal bread , healthy foods etc and she has very high cholesterol too. So I do not think it’s down to what you eat or drink. My nan refused statins off doctor for her very high cholesterol after advice from her niece who’s a hospital Pharmacist, instead she successfully controlled it by using the benecol drinks & spread. Her GP was amazed.
Wow! I can't advise as my experience is so different, but just to say that I'm on statins and haven't found them a problem at all. I was worried as they have such bad press, but I don't notice them at all (apart from my cholesterol now being around 2).
Some of you may remember my post a couple of weeks ago about being put on statins and the side effects I got, so had to stop them. My cholesterol was borderline but due to the RA I was deemed higher risk so got put on them😏
I am about to go to my second appointment with a GP in my practice to discuss controlling RA with diet and statins or diet for cholesterol. So will update you all when I return.
Cholesterol levels fluctuate with pain, infection, and stress. Sadly, do any of those sound familiar with your recent life?
Let's just say that my cholesterol levels are high enough, from time to time, to totter into the reference range for familial hypercholesteraemia (which I don't have, going by my family history).
However, despite this, because my HDL is high (lifelong teetotaller so it's not red wine intake ), all of my cholesterol ratios come out on the virtuous side, as do the online cholesterol risk calculators that the NHS uses.
And, just to agree with others that hypothyroidism is a contribution to raised cholesterol levels in some people. And erosive/inflammatory osteoarthritis is associated with dysregulated cholesterol and metabolic syndrome.
"The patterns of involvement in the hand joints suggest that there are "strong similarities" between erosive OA and moderate-to-severe non-erosive OA, and may represent an evolution mediated through metabolic pathways, the researchers explained.
"The exact mechanism is not yet known but osteoarthritis is believed to share similar biochemical and inflammatory pathways to metabolic disorders, and dyslipidemia may alter lipid metabolism in a number of joint tissues," they wrote."
The thing is because of heart connection with RD we need to be sure we're doing all we can to avoid associated risks. I have to have a full cardiovascular check annually because the NSAID I'm prescribed can also cause heart issues in some & the first time I was over the limit for at the higher risk group. My GP & I decided I'd try to bring it down by a change in diet first (no dairy & adding cholesterol lowering spreads, yoghurt drinks, avocado, increased my fruit & veg intake, nuts etc) & have a review 3 months later. That didn't work, in fact my LDL result was higher, so I couldn't rely on diet to keep it low enough so we discussed statins & all things considered, my family history of heart disease on both sides, the risk associated with RD & the heart we decided statins were the sensible & safest option. So, it's necessary to look at the bigger picture, the meds you take, your family history, your diet, your age, whether you smoke or drink alcohol, whether your exercise or not... all are factors to consider if your cholesterol check is over the limit for the at risk group, specifically your bad cholesterol (LDL).
After a false start I had to stop my first statin. I've been on atorvastatin around 3 years now & remain well below my recommended LDL level. I have the QRISK2 test taken annually by my GP as well, you could request you have this too?
Yeah high too, though lowered significantly when stopped smoking a year ago. Came off statins after several years when i got this as fed up with pumping meds into my body, didn't want more joint pain and read article that said they affect immune system too? Although there are others that say they're good for RD?? I am starting to feel like walking pharmacy anyway x
There is a lot of new research on the risks and efficacy of statin treatment and high cholesterol. Before adding this pill to your arsenal be sure to educate yourself before you make up your mind which way to go. We have so often seen on this forum and in real life that doctors are not on top of it. Your individual situation and thoughts are the most central in this discussion making. There are always those who are for the med and believe in it but this does not mean that it should be your choice. Here some interesting reading on the topic.
Hi Beverley. I've spoken to the Heart Foundation today. It's all a bit confusing. They are adamant that stress and chronic pain are not linked to high cholesterol which is at odds with what my GP was saying.
They have told be to call and ask for a referral to a lipidologist to find out what is causing the high level.
I have non of the usual causes for high cholesterol. I don't have a family history, I am of a normal weight, I eat healthily, I don't have the diseases that can cause it. I'm at a loss. The only things I do have are stress and high levels of chronic pain
Your GP does in fact have newer information. Stress caused by chronic pain has an effect on hormones and thyroidfunction. These two are interconnected and patients with RA have a very high incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism that raises your cholesterol. You can infact very often lower your chortisol with small supplementation of T3 thyroid hormone and adjusting your estrogen-progesterone balance away from estrogen dominance which is very common in RA and is seen as one of the driving forces in chronic inflammation.
Have found another way to lower cholesterol for (some? many?) folks, Helzbells, once stress, meds, hereditary, thyroid . . . are reduced/ eliminated as culprits.
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Merely a re-think 🤔🤔 of "the obvious" 😳 :
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), all of my cholesterol ratios come out on the virtuous side, as do the online cholesterol risk calculators that the NHS uses.
Cholesterol and Statins 
High Cholestorol - Statins and RA
Rheumy helpline not replied to me 😢
RA QUESTION
Standard of care
