Good evening friends from the UK. I wish you all a very happy and RLS free 2025.
I do have a question though, I have high Cholesterol and I know my GP will want to prescribe Statins, I have refused that medication previously as I know it makes RLS worse. Has anyone advise on a medication that works for Cholesterol but doesn’t make RLS worse.
Kind regards and Happy New Year 🥳 HipHop1972
Nexlizet (Nustendi) is a cholesterol lowering drug that is not a statin, but I don’t know if it exacerbates RLS symptoms. Ezetimibe (Zetia) reduces cholesterol although it doesn't reduce cholesterol as fast as the statins, but according to Chris Columbus it didn't trigger his RLS. And then there are Triglide (Fenofibrate, Fibricor, Lipantil, Lipofen, Supralip) and Bezafibrate (Bezalip) which are not statins which seem safe. You might want to discuss these with your doctor. A more difficult way to reduce cholesterol is to go vegan. My husband lowered his cholesterol from 221 to 131 this way.
Thanks Sue, a lot to look at. I did Google it but wasn’t much help, probably more down to my Google skills than the website. I know what you say about Vegan, I eat very little red meat, mostly chicken, fish and stir fries my particular fav. and eggs all ways even easy over but if they break 😡.
Take care HipHop1972 😊
How high is your "high Cholesterol "? My mum's is stable in the range 6.5-7.5 but she wont accept statins.
Im guessing your GP considers high cholesterol increases CVD risk (although there's now a tendency for statins to be offered just because youre over 70!). This is the old lipid hypothesis which I believe has been largely debunked.
Maybe offer your GP one or both of the scientific reports below, for comment?
Happy New year to you too!
openheart.bmj.com/content/2...
researchsquare.com/article/...
Good Afternoon userotc thanks for your reply. I’ll have to check on my NHS App for my last blood test results, everything is now digitally stored on my mobile. So much info that it’s easy to miss stuff sent through via app from GP when all you want to do is just speak to a human being, anyway I have to keep up with the times, when all my close friends are now BOTS 🤣 but they never send me Birthday Cards 😢
Kind regards HipHop1972
No problem. I'd be surprised if your TC is higher than my mum's so interested when you know. Unless, of course, you are on the few that has familial hypercholesterolemia?
I found Eryl's video interesting as I hadn't seen before. Whilst I agree with much/all of it and it broadly agrees with eminent cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra who I follow, I provided my earlier links because theyre RCTs. Mainstream medics often criticize references that oppose their long-held views and very often it's because they don't report RCTs. Whilst I believe they're wrong to do that, I linked RCTs to remove that barrier.
The common use of statins is based on out of date and flawed research. At your age, high choleserol is probably good for you, at least statisticaly people with high cholesterol live longer. Your brain is made of cholesterol and is so important that the brain can make it itself. The 'bad' cholesterol is the result of damage not the cause of damage. Statins have serious side effects.youtu.be/WHgGQfPSlrU?si=7KS...
Thank you Eryl, that was fascinating albeit not being a medical person some of it went over my head but it shows another area where some professionals need to be updated on. I’m aware of the reports on Statins and the damage they can do so will not be persuaded to take them. Thanks for the reply.
HipHop1972
Hi. As I mentioned to HipHop, I enjoyed your video link. But, in reference to RLS, do you think there's a concern re minute 11 about the risk of iron supplements?
There might well be however reducing your inflammation will probably reduce or eliminate your RLS as well as reducing the cardiovascular damage.
youtu.be/7lSi87IFpIs?si=svf...
That's a fascinating new study!
My dad analysed the different cvd-risk algorithms a while ago. Whilst there's several available, the one used by mainstream medics eg NHS, gives the highest risk. Mmm🤔🤔!
The British Heart Foundation has only recently revised their advice on statins so his analysis might well be out of date already such is the wealth of evidence coming out recently.
I presume youre referring to the new, draft guidelines from NICE, linked below? Whilst this shouldnt change the different algorithms or dad's analysis, it would certainly put even more people into their new "high-risk" category lowering it from the current 10% which was already much lower than a previous figure a few years ago. I guess further lowering is likely in future, as statin sales flatten off again!.
Im assuming youve seen the video below including the advice of Dr Malhotra, consultant cardiologist for >25y - with no financial incentive to increase statin sales?
High systolic blood pressure
what works/what causes
Causes of Restless Leg Syndrome
RLS With Extreme Pain 
