Raised Cholestorol

Well so far, having started looking very carefully at saturated fat content in various foods and swapping to healthier versions ...and otherwise continuing with my normal fairly healthy diet and exercise routine ...I have lost half a stone!! I call that a result ...although I have no idea whether my cholestorol is reducing yet!! Still, there must be something about saturated fat because I'm still eating the same amount of rapeseed and olive oils etc!!

Good post, NanTheWiser. I've recently been told my cholesterol levels are too high at 5.7 so I'm cutting out cheese, taking plant sterols as a supplement and also using Benecol spread instead of butter.

My cholesterol was slightly raised last time I had a blood test. I queried this with my GP and she said not a problem. The cholesterol reading was total cholesterol ie ‘good’ cholesterol, ‘bad’ cholesterol and triglycerides. Apparently my ‘good’ cholesterol was nice and high and that had pushed the reading up.

PS not all saturated fat is unhealthy.

DH was prescribed statins, the lowest dose possible. They gave him nightmares and the continual 'trots' until he worried about even leaving the house. The GP was not very helpful and, as DH tends to be non-confrontational he just stopped taking them and hasn't for years.

His GP doesn't realise because DH still collects the pills with his monthly prescription and once a year has a cholesterol test which shows his cholesterol is only marginally above average, so marginal the GP feels no need to increase his dose.

I have suggested to DH that he should come clean let the GP know he isn't taking them and stop wasting the NHS money spent on them, But having had problems once or twice before with GPs, his instinct is to take the easy way out and just avoid the issue.

My bad cholestorol was too high which is why Dr said needed to take statins but I don't want to if possible! Weight loss is a bonus! I analysed various of our regulars in our diet and for higher saturated fat ones found alternatives

I have a bit of a problem with this. There is no way that I can reduce my cholesterol (which was 8) by means of diet - I have eaten a semi-veggie diet for decades and eat no red meat, eggs, hard cheese etc. I live on white meat and fish, veg and fruit. My ability to exercise is impaired, but I go for a walk every day.

My GP put me on 20mg simvastatin a while back - I have had no side effects and it has lowered my cholesterol successfully, but I am still dubious about taking it. Sometimes I just take it every other day.

It is a conundrum.

The benefits of eating porridge has long been known to mop up cholesterol so that would be the obvious place to start and so easy to do.

Yup porridge is good. Also earlier in the thread someone mentioned Ubiquinol which has worked for her husband....might be worth considering Luckygirl I also have a good diet, veggie and fish, no meat, vegs , fruit mainly. I had some surprises when I analysed some regular foods. Eg vegetarian higgedy pies; coconut yoghurt!

Some interesting posts about statins - especially yours NantheWiser.
My sister was prescribed a low dose of statins which brought her cholesterol down very successfully. However, the nurse practitioner at the surgery decided she should go on a higher dose (40 mg) and my sister woke in the night thinking she was having a stroke, could not move her arms and was very frightened.
She is back on a lower dose now but I am not sure that she does need them at all as her cholesterol was never that high in the first place.

The 'goal posts' were moved from 6 down to 5, presumably by NICE, some time ago and I wonder if that is due to pressure from the drugs companies.

If I was told I needed them I would take them reluctantly - after doing more research myself.

Anyone interested in treatment for high cholesterol might like to read through what the NHS says:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cholesterol/Pages/Treatment.aspx

I have no personal experience, but just a wrod of warning: it does say about statins that "Cholesterol levels start to rise again once you stop taking them."

*word (I'm sure I make more spelling mistakes posting here than anywhere else I write!)

BlueBell I agree - we do NOT ALL need them.

But for someone with high cholesterol, especially bad cholesterol- and even more so for those with other health issues, like heart problems, diabetes, family history of heart disease and strokes - they can and are lifesavers.

Many people take statins without any side effects- and I know several cases of people wo were put off taking them due to bad press and threads like this one - who died. A friend of mine wanted to sue her GP for not making it clearer to her husband he was at severe risk of heart attack (low 60s, very slim, vegetarian diet- but really high cholesterol and history of heart disease). We should really be careful of advising against statins when we do NOT know the full history and test results.

I believe that statins should only be prescribed if you are at risk of a cardiac event, or have had a previous cardiac event, and there is evidence that higher cholesterol levels are actually advantageous for older women. Of course, it depends - as already said - on the levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol versus the good (HDL), and also the ratios. Low triglycerides are also important - low is good - high is bad.
In the past, GPs dished statins out like sweeties, but I think there is more reluctance now to prescribe unless patient history shows otherwise.

My measurement was 6 a year ago the GP quite happy with that for mid 60s as other tests/analysis showed a reasonably low risk of cardiac event. I have had daily oat bran for several years now and always take some with me when away from home.

Luckygirl- your post consufes me. You had very high cholesterol at a dangerous level. You were prescribed Statin and have taken it without side-effects, and it has worked.

So why the conumdrum? You are living proof.

I was given Statin when diagnosed with T2 diabetes. I have stopped taking them, agreed with GP, because I have very low blood-pressure, low cholesterol and excellent good cholesterol. OH on the other hand has long-term kidney disease and a long family history of heart disease- so despite cholesterol being border-line- he has chosen to take a statn because of his history- We are all different.

Do no demonize life savers - but yes, NanTheWiser- I agree.

From the Guardian 16.09.16:

So what should you do? If you are at high risk, take a statin. The risks of not taking one – a heart attack or a stroke – far outweigh risks associated with the drug. If you are not in this category, ask your GP to assess your risk then discuss the best way to reduce it. For many this will mean a change in lifestyle and diet, not a statin. If your doctor recommends a statin and you experience a side-effect, they can usually be resolved by reducing the dose or swapping to another brand.

Clinical trials tells us that, at a population level, statins are safe and effective. But only you and your doctor can decide if they are right for your needs. Be guided by your doctor rather than by what you might read or hear elsewhere.

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/24/high-risk-patients-being-underprescribed-statins-study-finds

High cholesterol, like heart problems - are often more linked to your genes than the size of your jeans or diet. It is a bit of a lottery and very unfair. I am overweight but have low BP and low bad cholesterol combined with good cholesterol. Lottery. Yes, for some people changes in diet can help, taking up exercise too.

Many friends with high bad cholesterol are slim and fit, with a good diet (including the one who died early 60s, having refused to take Statins because he was slim ad had a very healthy diet).

I am NOT PRO-statins for all - but I am seriously concerned that comments made on pages like this can put some people off from taking them, for whom they coud be real life-savers and prevent debilitating strokes.

Thanks for reminding me that I should be watching my weight and cholesterol.
As a DM2 should be much more careful. Am supposed to be on statins but they made all sorts of muscles ache.
Do use Benecol spread but adore cheese and cakes.
Also the cold weather really makes me want to eat.

I have stopped eating meat eggs liver and cheese and am now 4.5.
GP wanted me to take Statins but I have taken them in the past and the side effect for me was memory loss. My memory is not good anyhow but it make it far worse so doc took me off straight away.

Jeanie99. No meat eggs cheese or liver. So do you eat a lot of fish and beans? And Quorn? Very interested to hear how you manage to find things to eat.

My mum did. Cut out most fats and oils, are very little meat. Ate mostly Medditeranean style diet and had porridge oats every morning. She also ate fish but without sauces etc. Plain and grilled oily fish if I remember and lots of fruit and veg. Just s scraping of olive oil spread on brown bread. She brought it right down to very low. I'm doing the same as mine was a bit high.

I am going back for a cholesterol re check next week. Fingers crossed, as I have really cut out the saturated fat "heavies".