Cholesterol

[Adehem]

I am Type 1 and have had a recent blood test. I have total Cholesterol 5.6, High is 6, 4 or less is better. My HDL is high at 2 (1.48 or above). My triglycerides are normal 0.96 (2.00 high). The nurse said I had a Qrisk of 23%. I could have gone on Statins but I want to try to lower it by the food I eat. I have changed: milk to semi skimmed, Yoghurt to Arla Skyr which is fat free. I cut fat of any meats. I do eat generally healthily and do not eat pizza and burgers. I will have to wait till the next blood test to see if I have improved. I don`t want to go on another tablet, I have one metformin a day, that is the only tablet I have. I think it is a feeble excuse if the statin is going to do a good job. Have any other people gone on statins and are glad you did, do they work.

 

[Lucyr]

My cholesterol reduced by 1 point by taking the cholesterol reducing yoghurt drinks. And I barely had them half the days.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I think there is only so much improvement you can make theough changes to your menu, because most of the cholesterol we have is made in our livers.

My consultant was fairly relaxed when my QRisk was under 10%, but the march of time tickled me up over that threshold so I’ve started on a statin with no ill effects whatever.

I need to get bloods taken in a week or two to see what’s happened to my TC level.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I am Type 1 and have had a recent blood test. I have total Cholesterol 5.6, High is 6, 4 or less is better. My HDL is high at 2 (1.48 or above). My triglycerides are normal 0.96 (2.00 high). The nurse said I had a Qrisk of 23%. I could have gone on Statins but I want to try to lower it by the food I eat. I have changed: milk to semi skimmed, Yoghurt to Arla Skyr which is fat free. I cut fat of any meats. I do eat generally healthily and do not eat pizza and burgers. I will have to wait till the next blood test to see if I have improved. I don`t want to go on another tablet, I have one metformin a day, that is the only tablet I have. I think it is a feeble excuse if the statin is going to do a good job. Have any other people gone on statins and are glad you did, do they work.

Statins work brilliantly!

 

[nonethewiser]

Despite rubbish spouted on social media statins are considered safe & very few people have any side effects..

No expert but would think they would start you on low dose anyway as your levels ain't that high.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Have any other people gone on statins and are glad you did, do they work.

The trials say they work. I started taking them (a low dose one) a decade or so ago without any side effects. My cholesterol is fine, but I don't think it was ever that high to begin with so I'm not sure I can give personal testimony on the effectiveness.

 

[rebrascora]

I reduced my cholesterol by reducing carbs and increasing fibre, particularly soluble fibre. I also increased the amount of fat I eat to replace the calories I am not getting from carbs and now eat A LOT including cream and cheese and fatty meat and pork scratchings, which would suggest that dietary fat does not cause high cholesterol in my body. I am currently down to 4.2 TC but they still want me to take statins. I have refused for now as much as anything because it would be hypocrisy taking statins when I eat so much fat, but I am also really close to the red line and I keep active and I see no need to take extra medication. My QRisk is supposedly 14% because I am female 58 and have diabetes. I can't change any of those things and I manage my diabetes to the best of my ability and I keep active, but I don't feel that Qrisk takes that into consideration. I am fitter than the majority of women my age.
I would reconsider if my levels were up in the 7s but I don't think 0.2 over their general guidance limit warrants taking medication.

 

[chaoticcar]

I also lowered my cholesterol by upping fats and lowering carbs
Carol

 

[Inka]

The last cholesterol test I had a few months ago, I was told it was the ratio that was important. I usually have high HDL like you @Adehem and that’s meant I’ve often had a higher total cholesterol than 4. My GP said it didn’t matter as my ratio was excellent and the trigs good. I was offered statins once but purely because I was over 40. I haven’t been offered them since. If I was, I’d be asking for an explanation so I could make an informed choice.

 

[Drummer]

Five weeks of Atorvastatin plus Metformin and I was utterly broken.
If you are affected by them, the effects can be devastating. I was suicidal thinking that the next stop was a care home. It took years to recover to the extent I felt recovered, but there are some things which are gone.
I have been pressed to take them or similar again and have been very upset but the total lack of understanding about what they did. They are only 'safe' because no record is made of their ability to blast brain and memory in those susceptible.

 

[DaveB]

I have statins and have no problems. My wife took them and her liver reacted very badly and she had to stop them immediately. So, they can cause problems and even be dangerous. No Yellow card was issued by the surgery of course so the record of problems will be inaccurate.

 

[Felinia]

My cholesterol reduced by 1 point by taking the cholesterol reducing yoghurt drinks. And I barely had them half the days.

Mine dropped by 17% taking the drinks. I get supermarket own ones - much cheaper than brand names and just as effective. I'm one of those people who reacted very badly to statins, so no choice.

 

[EmmaL76]

My total cholesterol was 4.4 on diagnosis. After starving myself it to reduce BG (because I’m a complete idiot ) it went up to over 6 at one point. Never in my whole life has it been up there. Ate more fats to try and bulk up a bit and I’m 5.1 from my test the other day. It’s been dropping consistently with the more I ate so my non scientific explanation is starvation equals higher chol. For me that seems to be the case.

 

[Inka]

I have statins and have no problems. My wife took them and her liver reacted very badly and she had to stop them immediately. So, they can cause problems and even be dangerous. No Yellow card was issued by the surgery of course so the record of problems will be inaccurate.

I think you can report as a Yellow Card yourself? I reported something online.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I have statins and have no problems. My wife took them and her liver reacted very badly and she had to stop them immediately. So, they can cause problems and even be dangerous. No Yellow card was issued by the surgery of course so the record of problems will be inaccurate.

I thought that was well known now?
Statins should always have follow up liver tests.