High cholesterol

I read recently that a fruit from Italy - Citrus Bergamot - is good for lowering cholesterol too. I wonder how these alternatives fit in with standard meds though? I take statins, Ramipril, etc

I was told my cholesterol was about 5.8 two years ago. I refused tablets promising to slightly alter my already rather healthy diet. I chose to eat more citrus fruits. This I did I already eat seeds and oils that are supposedly good for cholesterol.

My next result was then 5.1 I have kept this up. However now My teeth are suffering because of all the citrus so I am at a loss what to do next. I have my blood tests next week if my cholesterol has not gone down again I give up!

There are 2 components to cholesterol. HDL (think Happy) and LDL. Measurements of both added together make up your TOTAL cholesterol level. If you have high ‘happy levels of cholesterol (as I do at 2.3) then that helps mitigate the level of the LDL (bad) one.
?

After ten years of struggle, I gave up and took the statin.

Urmstongran

There are 2 components to cholesterol. HDL (think Happy) and LDL. Measurements of both added together make up your TOTAL cholesterol level. If you have high ‘happy levels of cholesterol (as I do at 2.3) then that helps mitigate the level of the LDL (bad) one.
?

The citrus bergamot is said to lower LDL and raise HDL.

Walnuts and prunes are supposed to help.

I started too recently statins, diet really good without being saintly, likewise with exercise. I was reluctant initially but better that than the alternative.

As Urmston says on usual blood tests there are 2 different measures of cholesterol. One should be kept low, the other increase. or stay high. As the chemist at my blood test centre told me, one is good , one is bad.
I still don't understand.
I've taken statins for 16 years with no problems.

Marmite32

As Urmston says on usual blood tests there are 2 different measures of cholesterol. One should be kept low, the other increase. or stay high. As the chemist at my blood test centre told me, one is good , one is bad.
I still don't understand.
I've taken statins for 16 years with no problems.

Some info here - www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/cholesterol-levels/

Some people do have side effects. in my case it was mysterious muscle aches mainly in my arms then legs after any physical activity -say a brisk vacuuming session. I felt liked I’d rowed the Atlantic.
It used to make me want to just sit down and not do anything, -very depressing.
I’ve tried most types anyway over the 17 years since my first heart attack but when I stopped taking them the aches went away.
There is still a lack of proper scientific knowledge about what cholesterol does and why some bodies have a higher level of it (HF)
Might try them again soon every other day or two

Thank you for your replies everyone, I have tried several different statins and had terrible aches and pains in my legs with them, I had heard black seed oil helped lower cholesterol so I am thinking of giving it a try.

I always make the same comment on these threads. Read 'The Great Cholesterol Con' by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick.

Antonia

I always make the same comment on these threads. Read 'The Great Cholesterol Con' by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick.

I’m with you Antonia
The biggest con that was ever perpetrated on the public worldwide.
Fortunately I have 2 doctors who don’t buy into it.

Another cholesterol con fan.

Baggs

Another cholesterol con fan.

Me too!

My GP doesn’t buy into it either. He’s educated me over the years for which I am grateful.

Antonia and MerylStreep I am with you 100%. I believe statins are the most successful drug ever produced, in terms of finance, not medical success for the patient. That book was a revelation, and the opposition the author has met from other doctors is almost unbelievable. Statins turned my OH into an old man within a couple of weeks - he could hardly get in and out of the car, and 'everything' hurt. The GP conceded he couldn't take them, but he needed a course of steroids to help him recover from the statins. There is so much false information flying about to encourage people to take these drugs, when they just don't need them.

Rosina
My dear friend had perfect cholesterol ‘levels^ then she had a heart attack. She got through that so they put her on statins. Then she had another heart attack. So they upped the dosage.
By now she could hardly walk with the cramps in her legs.
I begged her to get off the bloody statins: she did.
About this time she had an appointment to see her consultant.
I went with her and sat in his surgery with her.
He asked her if she was still taking statins, she told him, no.
His reply to her was and stay off them
It was so heartening to hear a heart consultant say those words.

According to some doctors I should be dead. Mine hasn’t been below 9. something for 12 years.

My 80y old uncle (by marriage) is very fit and healthy. Grows his own veg in his big garden. Eats plenty of garlic and no ready meals. His cholesterol last year was 13.2! He won’t go on statins thank you very much. Thinks it’s all some big Pharma plot. Blair wanted ‘everyone over 50’ to be on them at one time. My uncle bucked the trend and just carries on digging in his garden.

Why not use the plant sterol products? I lowered my cholesterol by more or less giving up cheese and eating plant sterol yoghurt drinks.

I was offered statins three years years ago when my cholesterol was found to be high. Refused the statins and changed my diet. Cholesterol perfectly normal level after a short time and remains so.

There will always be exceptions - smokers who live into their 90's and people with very high cholesterol who never have heart attacks. What matters is large studies on big groups of people to prove that a certain drug or behaviour is helpful if longevity is your aim.
Less than 50 % of your blood cholesterol can be altered by diet, most is determined by your genetics.

My cholesterol was 7 about three years ago. I was happy to take statins. However, they gave me horrendous nosebleeds. I stopped taking them. I now take plant sterols, as mentioned by Gagajo. I take them in tablet form (Cardioace), also Benecol drinks, spread and yoghurts. I haven't had my cholesterol checked for a while so I don't know if they are working but I'm hoping for the best.

Agree Kate and GagaJo!