cholesterol shock

[Treesha]

Has anybody had a problem with raised cholesterol since starting meds? I take 20mg MTX. And 5mg folic acid 5X wkly. My gp surgery has just informed me that my cholesterol is 6.6 !! I have been booked in to see the nurse for diet advice. The thing is i weigh less than 8 1\2 stone and i am worried it could be meds related. I have never smoked and hardly drink.

[Hidden]

I would imagine that it's not your diet but rather your genetic makeup.

If you've got time have a look at this talk by Zoe Harcombe - she turns all the evidence on the head & suggests that a higher chloestrestrol is not as bad as the government makes out.

Her ideas & diets make a lot of sense - I've lost over a stone in a few months on it.

theobesityepidemic.org/2012...

[Treesha]

Thanks Pauline i will look it up a bit late and let you know my thoughts. Xxxxx

[helixhelix]

And 6.6 is not disastrous. You want to be under 5.2 if you can, so you're not that far off. You also need to ask about the proportions of HDL and LDL as there are 2 different types and one is supposedly worse than the other.

It's good that they're checking tho' as particularly important for us. Mine was much higher - but entirely my fault & due to my love of cheese! Polly

[Treesha]

Thanks helixhelix i was horrified. I try to eat a very balanced diet with fish and chicken and brown rice and small amouints of wholemeal bread but i do like chocolate and cappucinos! I cant believe i might have to give these up. X

[Gina_K]

Hi Treesha,

I would'nt panic, not likely caused by mtx, did you have it checked before? I take zocar at night as my dear mama has raised familial cholesterol, and my ldl was continuosly high over 3 year period, my overall read was 5.6, but nearly 4 of that was ldl thats the bad stuff apparently!

With the med it is now 1.97 of 4.2, I delayed a year or two as did'nt want to take med (the old me) My endocrinologist (Thyroid person)said I could only decrease my ldl by 10% with diet, so Helix is right there is different types.

However, as we have RA, we have an increased risk of cardiac problems, I brought this up with RA Consultant and she said you are on meds for cholesterol, so no need to worry???

Probably nothing to do with diet, I notice mine always drops when I loose weight, my BMI is 26 currently, but was 35 when on the steroids. Oh god the Chins, in racist aside, my son said I had more Chins than the Chinese phone book. Hehe!

xx Gina.

[Treesha]

Thanks Gina, I am booked in with the nurse on thje 23rd of next month so will ask the relevant questions. My other half is most amused because i have been nagging him for years about his diet. He eats lots cheese and loves his deserts plus chocolate peanuts and popcorn he loves bacon butties and fish and chips. In fact all the things ( except chocolate ) i dont eat and his cholesterol is lower than mine!!!

[beaker]

cholesterol is nothing to worry bout as l believe its just something the medical world is hyping up so peeps will look after them selves more my brother when to his doctors and was told his cholest was ok 2 weeks later he died from heart attack, so dont worry bout it just eat good food and dont over do it on the junk food

[Treesha in reply to beaker]

Oh how sad to lose your brother, youre absolutely right about junk food though it doesnt help. I will continue with chicken and fish and my beloved cappucinos and give the chocolate the heave ho! Take care xx

[Beth58]

Hi Treesha, I have problems with high Cholesterol, I've been on Statins for a long time now (though don't always take them due to side effects). I was referred to a cardiologist for other problems and nearly fell off the chair when the heart nurse told me mine was 7. I have a fairly healthy diet and don't drink in excess but I did smoke.

The nurse told me can run in families and could have nothing to do with my diet (needless to say I've now stopped smoking). When I had a cardio profusion scan it showed no blockages/narrowing of the arteries in and around my heart which, surprised me and the doctors considering I'm 53 and smoked almost all my life.

Despite what the doctors say, I blame for my poor health (heart failure/kidney disease/high BP) on long term use of pain relief/NSAID's and DMARD's and not just my disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis!

Beth xx

[Treesha]

Hi Beth its all very confusing isnt it? The worrying thing for me is that coronary thrombosis runs in my family so as Pauline suggested its probably genetic. I just cannot believe its my diet as i have always been careful. I do consume chocolate every day though which doesnt help! Apart from that i consume a low carb diet and believe this keeps my weight consistently below 81\2 stonegood luck with giving up smoking! Take care xxxx

[Hidden]

I have had a (genetic / familial) high cholesterol count - it runs in my Mum's family. When first tested it was 12 - got it down to 8 on first statin but then changed to a stronger one and it's now below 5. I should point out that I've always had a healthy BMI, pre steroids, and manage to get back to a healthy BMI post-steroids. I'm a lifelong vegetarian and have never smoked. I was told that it wasn't possible that my high count was diet related. I agree with Beth, a lifetime of taking drugs for kidney disease and then RA has done pretty terrible things to my body - and a lot of my more recent serious health problems have been due to previous drug regimes, particularly cortico-steroids.

We should have our cardio-vascular health checked annually when we have RA due to the increased risk of cardiac disease (British Heart Foundation has a leaflet on this). If it's not offered at the hospital then ask your gp for a fasting cholesterol blood test annually.

Cece x

[helixhelix]

Chocolate is not that much worse than cheese, so would be a shame to give it up entirely if you love it. We do need some pleasures. Surely you can allow yourself some dark chocolate in moderate quantities.......

[Beth58 in reply to helixhelix]

Agree, that's why I have a red wine nightcap, though I do water it down with coke! lol x

[helixhelix in reply to Beth58]

Don't remind me, the thought makes me shudder as I hate coke! Px