Cholestrol results.

[Sharron1]

Dear all,

Cholestrol results have appeared and as I guessed they are the same as last year .

Total Cholestrol 7.1
HDL 3.1
Non HDL 3.9
Calculated LDL 3.5
Trigs 1.1
Serum Cholestrol/HDL ratio 2.3

All the individual numbers are either well in normal or just in normal. But the total once the ratio thing kicks in is 7.1, clearly high. Never seen a calculated LDL before.

I have an appointment with Ms Cholestrol (that's what I call her) at the end of the month. I hope she reads my notes to understand why after my last experience of Statins, I am not keen on repeating it.
I am more interested in the other cholesterol lowering drugs eg Ezetimibe. Although all drugs can have side effects.

Ateangely enough, the surgery were over keen to tell me the appointment was not of an urgent nature.

I know some of you take Ezetimibe, are there any other Cholestrol lowering drugs that I can read about before my visit?

 

[Drummer]

I had a similar interview yesterday and made the GP think twice about handing out the statins as though they were sweeties.
Info about the side effects I suffered was still not in my notes, so my argument that statins are not safe for some people but the evidence is being suppressed rather hit home - I have told the people doing my annual review and follow up phone calls well over half a dozen times in the past years and 'it never happened' is their attitude?

 

[Dave_Z1a]

Personally I have ignored my doctors suggestion I should be taking statins, my cholesterol readings are a tad higher than the so called normal apparently but so what I said, I manage type 2 by diet alone, so with what I eat its bound to affect the results as compared to a non diabetic person and your not taking my cheese, cream and eggs away from me, I'l have nothing left to eat! Fair enough he said, your borderline anyway. I have a total aversion for any medications, vaccines, drugs or potions supplied by the pharmaceutical industry unless ABSOLUTLY necessary. I did agree to the lowest dose ramapril though as the doc said they were kidney friendly, whatever that means. My mum was the same, if not worse and lived a long healthy life, my dad was the opposite and would take anything offered which was shocking as when he passed I cleared 2 full bin liners of drugs from the house. With almost every pill he took there was another necessary to deal with the side effects sadly.

 

[saffron15]

I realise i must download the NHS app. If ld had the app I would have realised for last 10 years not tested for diabetes and would have asked for a test last year. I asked reception what my hba1c was but not cholesteral results. I have an appointment next year to discuss the results and hopefully an explanation why decision to change my BP meds was not reviewed or my blood pressure checked. I was pushed inexorably to statins at end of September even though my cholestral had reduced in July as a result of my dietary changes on being told initial test showed diabetic. I seemed to have aching leg muscles, lower back and hip. This morning my shoulders ached but not now. I don't know if it's age, need a new mattress or statin. No one explained why dose 20 gms nor has it been reviewed yet. I have a blood test on 24th no doubt to check after the horse has bolted whether my undertreated high blood pressure has caused damage to kidneys. I realise I should have asked for an urgent appointment when my BP was 198 over 103.

I've felt unwell for several months. Need to keep proper notes!

Be interested in information about statins. Looks like those with problems have shown potential damage in a very short time and I am not in that category.

 

[Leadinglights]

Dear all,

Cholestrol results have appeared and as I guessed they are the same as last year .

Total Cholestrol 7.1
HDL 3.1
Non HDL 3.9
Calculated LDL 3.5
Trigs 1.1
Serum Cholestrol/HDL ratio 2.3

All the individual numbers are either well in normal or just in normal. But the total once the ratio thing kicks in is 7.1, clearly high. Never seen a calculated LDL before.

I have an appointment with Ms Cholestrol (that's what I call her) at the end of the month. I hope she reads my notes to understand why after my last experience of Statins, I am not keen on repeating it.
I am more interested in the other cholesterol lowering drugs eg Ezetimibe. Although all drugs can have side effects.

Ateangely enough, the surgery were over keen to tell me the appointment was not of an urgent nature.

I know some of you take Ezetimibe, are there any other Cholestrol lowering drugs that I can read about before my visit?

My other half had bempedoic acid prescribed as he was intolerant to 2 of the statins he tried but given his cholesterol was only a little higher than desirable and and the ratios were good he elected not to take it as the potential side effects sounded just as bad as the statins.

 

[Sharron1]

Hmm, have looked at NHS and Heart UK for info re other cholestrol lowering drugs and also did my QRISK 3, that came back as 9.4%.

While I fully understand the benefits in lowering blood cholestrol. I am a tad nervous of landing myself in deep side effect water. A big problem is that after my experiences re my original diabetes diagnosis and the statin thing last year, I am very wary of the surgery TBH I don't really trust them.

Still, I have two weeks to park all this thinking and just be glad my Hba1c and other results are ok.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

While I fully understand the benefits in lowering blood cholestrol. I am a tad nervous of landing myself in deep side effect water.

Perhaps one option might be to trial them @Sharron1 - while telling your surgery about your concerns.

The majority of people tolerate statins with no side effects. And if any side effects occur, they disappear with an alternative statin.

If you have a severe reaction, you can get it written in your notes like @Felinia did 🙂

 

[Sharron1]

I am ok with the trying but the repeated weekly urgent visits for blood tests caused no end of problems with work. No weekend testing.My boss is lovely but even he was getting slightly irritated with it all.

 

[Felinia]

Hmm, have looked at NHS and Heart UK for info re other cholestrol lowering drugs and also did my QRISK 3, that came back as 9.4%.

While I fully understand the benefits in lowering blood cholestrol. I am a tad nervous of landing myself in deep side effect water. A big problem is that after my experiences re my original diabetes diagnosis and the statin thing last year, I am very wary of the surgery TBH I don't really trust them.

Still, I have two weeks to park all this thinking and just be glad my Hba1c and other results are ok.

I have a severe reaction to all statins, as mentioned by everydayupsanddowns I fought the GP for a long time about medications and eventually gave in and agreed to try something different. I have been taking Ezitimibe now for 6 weeks and have so far had NO side effects. I'm having the cholesterol tested in February to see if my level has fallen, and promised to report back to this Forum with the results.

 

[Sharron1]

Hi,

Many thanks , I suspect I will give Ezitimbe a go (that is if the cholestrol expert in the surgery agrees) but am only concerned about it raising my liver enzymes and so the blood test merry-go-round will begin.

Although on a positive note, having checked all my ratios against last year's, they have all improved and dropped within normal llevels, but I do need a little help.

My surgery has this new NHS thing, whereby they ernail results with a detailed care plan, questions to answer and then the entire document to be discussed with your GP. Hilarious, it takes about 20 mins to complete , not sure 10 mins with GP is enough time for any discussion