Cholesterol

[cazscot]

Having read the Statins thread I am a bit worried now. My cholesterol level was 5.2 (dont know the breakdown) at diagnosis 5 weeks ago, nurse said she would give me 6 months to get it lower or I was going on statins I have been eating a low fat diet for 17 weeks (weightwatchers) and have lost 25lbs - got another 140lbs to loose... I have started doing 30 mins aerobic excercise a day (walking). What else can I do to lower my cholesterol? I am really worried now dont think I want to go on statins as the metformin side effects were bad enough

Any help appreciated, thanks.

 

[Peter C]

Having read the Statins thread I am a bit worried now. My cholesterol level was 5.2 (dont know the breakdown) at diagnosis 5 weeks ago, nurse said she would give me 6 months to get it lower or I was going on statins I have been eating a low fat diet for 17 weeks (weightwatchers) and have lost 25lbs - got another 140lbs to loose... I have started doing 30 mins aerobic excercise a day (walking). What else can I do to lower my cholesterol? I am really worried now dont think I want to go on statins as the metformin side effects were bad enough

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Hello there,

you have no need to be worried about side effects of Statins. They are very rare. The Heart Protection Study ( HPS) was the biggest study of statins with 20,536 subjects. They found that the the incidence of muscle pain and liver side effects were the same on the placebo as on the statin ( i.e. the statin had no effect on what are alleged to be the two common problems). The incidence of Rhabdomyolysis ( the serious potential problem ) was extremely rare.
Statins have become a particular target of the anti-medication lobby and the web is awash with fashionable attacks on them. But really it is mostly just scaremongering. If statins are recommended you can take them with confidence and they will do a good job for you.
A lot of the anti-statin propaganda comes from the low carb lobby. Low carbers have perforce to increase the kinds of foods that are said to raise cholesterol so low carbers HAVE to believe the chol hypothesis is wrong and that statins don't matter otherwise they would have to admit their diet was wrong headed.

 

[Northerner]

Having read the Statins thread I am a bit worried now. My cholesterol level was 5.2 (dont know the breakdown) at diagnosis 5 weeks ago, nurse said she would give me 6 months to get it lower or I was going on statins I have been eating a low fat diet for 17 weeks (weightwatchers) and have lost 25lbs - got another 140lbs to loose... I have started doing 30 mins aerobic excercise a day (walking). What else can I do to lower my cholesterol? I am really worried now dont think I want to go on statins as the metformin side effects were bad enough

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Hi cazcot, please don't be alarmed by the dscussion. When I started the thread I was talking about my own particular circumstances i.e. very low cholesterol levels to start with, without the statins. My personal conclusions were that to take drugs to drive them down further was not necessary since they would appear to confer only minor benefits, if any, in my own particular case. That is not to say that they cannot be helpful to others. As Peter says, side-effects are rare but real, nonetheless for an unlucky few and I think for me it is a case of 'six of one and half a dozen of the other' - I stand to gain or I stand to lose whatever I decide. Given that, I'd rather do without the drugs.

I would also add that I am not a 'low-carber' by any stretch of the imagination!😱

It sounds like you are doing a terrific job of changing your lifestyle and I am sure it will be having a beneficial effect! Well done - keep up the good work!🙂

 

[C*5_Dodger]

Hello there,

you have no need to be worried about side effects of Statins. They are very rare. The Heart Protection Study ( HPS) was the biggest study of statins with 20,536 subjects. They found that the the incidence of muscle pain and liver side effects were the same on the placebo as on the statin ( i.e. the statin had no effect on what are alleged to be the two common problems). The incidence of Rhabdomyolysis ( the serious potential problem ) was extremely rare.
Statins have become a particular target of the anti-medication lobby and the web is awash with fashionable attacks on them. But really it is mostly just scaremongering. If statins are recommended you can take them with confidence and they will do a good job for you.
A lot of the anti-statin propaganda comes from the low carb lobby. Low carbers have perforce to increase the kinds of foods that are said to raise cholesterol so low carbers HAVE to believe the chol hypothesis is wrong and that statins don't matter otherwise they would have to admit their diet was wrong headed.

Dear Peter,

I have to follow a low carb diet in order to keep my blood sugars on target, and I do indeed believe the cholesterol hypothesis is wrong. However, I believe that Statins work due to their anti-inflamatory properties not their cholesterol lowering ones. Here's a quote from HPS:

“Statin therapy should now be considered routinely for all diabetic patients at sufficiently high risk of major vascular events, irrespective of their initial cholesterol concentrations.”

One could interpret this to mean that some diabetics may be at high risk independantly of their cholesterol level!

What do you think of this video from Dr. Kendrick? His data is from WHO and this is as good as you can get

No correlation between Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Regards Dodger

 

[C*5_Dodger]

Having read the Statins thread I am a bit worried now. My cholesterol level was 5.2 (dont know the breakdown) at diagnosis 5 weeks ago, nurse said she would give me 6 months to get it lower or I was going on statins I have been eating a low fat diet for 17 weeks (weightwatchers) and have lost 25lbs - got another 140lbs to loose... I have started doing 30 mins aerobic excercise a day (walking). What else can I do to lower my cholesterol? I am really worried now dont think I want to go on statins as the metformin side effects were bad enough

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Dear cazcot,

If you do not want to go on Statins then that is your choice - tell your medics that you will not take Statins - I did. Have a look at all the evidence on this and related threads and if you decide Statins do not work by lowering cholesterol, you know what to do. BTW I really do believe they work, by reducing inflamation and should be prescribed accordingly.

Warmest Regards Dodger

 

[vince13]

I'm on statins (prescribed as my family all pop off from heart/strokes and now, of course, I've got the dreaded Big D).

Having read the stuff about CoQ10 - does it interfere adversely with the other meds I'm on does anyone know ? (Ramipril, Metformin and Gliclazide).

 

[C*5_Dodger]

I'm on statins (prescribed as my family all pop off from heart/strokes andno, of couorse, I've got the dreaded Big D).

Having read the stuff about CoQ10 - does it interfere adversely with the other meds I'm on does anyone know ? (Ramipril, Metformin and Gliclazide).

Dear Faith,

I don't know if CoQ10 interferes with the meds that you list - I suspect not. Statins however do reduce the amount of CoQ10 that your body produces. CoQ10 is essential in the production of ATP (adenozine tri-phosphate) and ATP is the substance that causes all your muscles (including the heart - which requires large amounts of CoQ10) to work in order to do the things we need to live! Sorry I can't be of more help.

Regards Dodger

 

[vince13]

Hi Dodger, I suspect I could go on "adding" things which are "good" for me until I rattle ! I'd like to think I'm doing my best for my little old body (5ft and 8st 5lbs - so I can't be doing too badly on diet) but I like to read up on the input of other posting-people on here - and your input is always welcome. Thank you