The issue of elevated cholesterol in those with undiagnosed/under medicated hypothyroidism used to be commonly known. Not so now, the information is out there but not sufficiently joined up and prominent in many doctors minds to be a frontline consideration.
Thus we need to be well versed so we can challenge and protect our own health.
So regarding Cholesterol - You might find this blog useful
Thanks for that information. Very interesting . I'm wondering if it's the same with blood sugar levels because when I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism I also got told my blood sugar levels were 64 which were high so got put on Metformin. The next time I was 44 and the nurse was surprised at the drop with only a low dose of Metformin. I'm wondering if the levothyroxine assisted the level because it wasn't a change of diet.
Also my cholesterol levels were high at 9.1 and now they are 2 . The nurse was also surprised to see such a drop. Definitely going to mention at my January blood test.
Yeah my doctor said the blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and many other things are all caused by hypothyroidism and levothyroxine will start to help but never realised until I visited the nurse how drastic it can help
I also have high blood sugar and I’m confused about the link with hypothyroidism. Would you consider starting a new post with your test results so we get more replies?
You can find Malcolm Kendrick talking about cholesterol and statins and in the film Statin Nation on YouTube. He's also written a book about Cholesterol. Well worth reading.
Thank you, I’ll check them out. I’m regularly badgered by my doctors to “do something about my cholesterol “ but I’ve no intention of taking statins if I can help it.
Thank you for sharing, most interesting about Dr Kendrick, need a few more like him questioning the known. I have high cholesterol but I refused to take statins I'm already trying to get the doctor to increase my levo. Found the NHS info👍 good too shame that the staff don't read it either.
Thank you Charlie! I'm one of those who - after years of subclinical hypothyroidism- ended up with higher cholesterol and AF. I've been fighting off the statins offer for a year now. GPs don't always know how to read the cholesterol results and it's surprising that some do not know the guidelines re statins for those with hypothyroidism. I look.forward to reading and watching these. Are you OK for me to.share these links in the AF forum? Not your post obviously. But we talk about the 'statins conversation' regularly.
Share knowledge- ALWAYS. Much of this was highlighted to me by others. As we share knowledge collectively we become more empowered. We must always critically evaluate everything we are told and from every source. 🤗♥️
As they say- preach! What was fascinating to me was the difference between higher cholesterol pre 50 and post. The NHS guidelines I'd already read - the NICE site also indicates contraindications for statins for those with hypothyroidism. In my case, given my digestive vagus was tied aged 19 (abdominal surgery) it's not surprising that any cholesterol hangs put longer in my blood stream than for others. My gut transit time is 72 hours (did the blue poo test) - so again that's a factor. Doesn't mean my arteries are clogged.
I've told the surgery - don't discuss statins with me.again until I've been optimal in thyroid health for at least12 months. General practitioners are supposed to be good at joining up the dots. Sadly I think they've forgotten!
Well, interestingly,Singwell, apparently there's 'no good cholesterol levels'.
My cholesterol levels had been a bit above range for the past year. My GPs have been on my case to take statins but I declined. Apart from anything else, I've been gradually lowering my Levo dose for the past several years (to keep my Endo happy) but I was aware that my T3 has been bumping along the bottom of the range which was no doubt affecting my cholesterol.
I discussed my low T3 with my Endo and said that I was going to increase my Levo, which she agreed with, and lo and behold as my T3 came up my cholesterol came down to within range. Still got the note on my blood results 'prescribe statins for patient'. I asked my GP why that was there, given my newly lowered cholesterol levels and he said 'there's no good cholesterol levels'.
So there you have it. The government do indeed want us all on statins at a 'certain age'.
Bah humbug! GPs like that need to.update their knowledge. There's a difference between HDL and LDL. You can even read about it on NHS websites. Calculating your overall cholesterol level makes almost as little sense as assessing your thyroid health by TSH levels only. Glad you dug your heels in.
A talk by Malcolm Kendrick on stats and how they are used in medical research. Brilliant. I’ve read some pretty diabolical stuff on Thyroid research- was actually boggling at the level…..
Doctors are trying to/blatantly avoiding talking about cholesterol levels and trying to obfuscate the real numbers by talking in percentages over range.
Previously, had only come across snippets of this information, and it's good to have the origins of these studies.
Also learned from my own lived experience.
Years previously had very good cholesterol, liver and sugar readings.
All have gone to pot as my thyroid function declined.
Only realised this after reading info on here and then looking at all past test results.
The exceptions to these results, were every thyroid reading was high (even though all tests were taken in the afternoon after breakfast & lunch).
Now, without any lifestyle or other contributary factors, I have developed pre-diabetes, NAFLD, gall bladder polyps, high cholesterol, hearing loss, tinnitus, bladder disease, Stage 3 Kidney disease, gut problems, chronic fatigue, and had the beginnings of anxiety (with no outside causes/stress) just before I went on NDT. (The anxiety resolved on NDT.)
Regarding statins: a few years ago, I refused, point blank, the statins drs tried foisting on me. Prior to that, knew someone on statins who had always had to have liver checks due to this medication, and I wasn't going there.
Three months after starting NDT, blood tests have already shown an improvement in kidney function but not yet, the liver.
Recently had comprehensive blood tests and awaiting results.
Looking forward to seeing improvement in readings in the coming months/years.
And continuing to learn from everyone on here. 🤞
P.S. Had to keep doing edits each time I remembered another annoying condition that's developed while thyroid was declining.
It’s about making informed decisions and the medical profession are so bogged down once out of the training environment they don’t have time to read as we do - Not for every condition that they have to cover. However being in the ‘medical echo chamber’ they have total confidence in their practices the main bits they use from the guidelines and the sources provided. They don’t have time or training to critically evaluate and see uncertainty and the latitude written in to account for this. We live in a world where everyone has an unrealistic expectation of certainty.
We simply have to stand firm on what our goals are. Their mission statement is to keep us alive - wellbeing doesn’t come into it. A very poor but long life is far preferable for the performance stats than a good shorter life - they haven’t got a performance indicator for that…….
Agree medicos don't always have time/training, and "medical echo chamber" is a great term!
Have seen peoples' behaviour over a lifetime and there isn't anything that surprises me: particular from the medical profession, learning that one from a teen.
However, the info shared on here gives us relevant and precise tools to defend ourselves, for which I'm always grateful.
"Their mission statement is to keep us alive - wellbeing doesn’t come into it."
Now that's a point I've never really given much thought. I'd always believed time/energy/the system has ground down most drs and they get through each working day as efficiently as they can, sometimes sacrificing humane treatment in the process.
But there are some experienced and compassionate medical professionals who may actually use their skills for quality of life.
Somewhat late comment on this thread and not directly related to thyroid issues. However, I heard from one of my friends this week that BOTH her parents (in their 70s) had been prescribed statins although neither of them had high cholesterol. They were told to take them as a “precautionary measure”. TBH I thought this sounded a bit far-fetched and googled it. Found this article from the Guardian earlier this year.
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