topic Re: High LDL and statins... in Wellness

High LDL and statins...

lexi — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 02:11:50 GMT

Doctor prescribed statins more than once. Cramps in legs made me stop statins. Latest test shows hdl 55....ldl 149 .....Doc is really pushing the statins again because I have some plaque. What would u do?

Tia.lexi

Re: High LDL and statins...

chessylady — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 02:46:04 GMT

What test did you take that shows you have plaque? 149 is not a vey high LDL. Have you had a heart attack or a stroke?

Re: High LDL and statins...

Jersey Born — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 03:07:51 GMT

What would I do? I would take one baby aspirin a day, take two garlic pills per day, drink one glass of red wine each evening, and go to see a metabolic specialist immediately.

It may not be the fat in your diet as much as the wheat/gluten/carbohydrates. Number two, an LDL cholesterol of 149 is indeed not very high.

If you cannot tolerate statins, and your doctor does not care that you cannot tolerate them, perhaps you should find another doctor, who does care.

All the best to you.

Re: High LDL and statins...

Teacups — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 04:50:06 GMT

On 2/24/2014 Jersey Born said:
What would I do? I would take one baby aspirin a day, take two garlic pills per day, drink one glass of red wine each evening, and go to see a metabolic specialist immediately.

It may not be the fat in your diet as much as the wheat/gluten/carbohydrates. Number two, an LDL cholesterol of 149 is indeed not very high.

If you cannot tolerate statins, and your doctor does not care that you cannot tolerate them, perhaps you should find another doctor, who does care.

All the best to you.

Plant sterols and niacin would help....Enzymatic Therapy Cholesterol Shield is what I use

Re: High LDL and statins...

makeup addict — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 04:51:26 GMT

What are your trigs? Your HDL is good. I have fibro and my doctor prescribed simvastatin. No problems.i have hereditary hight cholesterol and statin and Niaspan for my trigs are the only things that keep my cholesterol in line. I stopped for three months and did omega 3's. my Ldld went back uo to 300, trigs were elevated as well. Told him I thought fish oil would reduce it like the meds did. He told me omegas can't lower it effectively like the meds do. I went back on the meds and it stays in check. Ask your doctor about trying different statins. Also look into magnesium for leg cramps. I take Fibro Ease Multi which has malic acid and magnesium; no leg cramps from fibro. (They bothered me long before I started taking chol meds). It has provided wonderful relief to my leg cramps. If you have plaque, I would be hesitant of not taking a statin. If I were in your shoes, I would ask my doctor about trying different statins.

Re: High LDL and statins...

viva923 — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 04:55:09 GMT

I have been on Pravachol for many years, it has helped me tremendously. I can only take 20mg daily, I have tried more but cramps are to bad, so I just stick to the 20mg's daily.

Re: High LDL and statins...

Feline Fine — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 05:41:06 GMT

On 2/24/2014 makeup addict said: What are your trigs? Your HDL is good. I have fibro and my doctor prescribed simvastatin. No problems.i have hereditary hight cholesterol and statin and Niaspan for my trigs are the only things that keep my cholesterol in line. I stopped for three months and did omega 3's. my Ldld went back uo to 300, trigs were elevated as well. Told him I thought fish oil would reduce it like the meds did. He told me omegas can't lower it effectively like the meds do. I went back on the meds and it stays in check. Ask your doctor about trying different statins. Also look into magnesium for leg cramps. I take Fibro Ease Multi which has malic acid and magnesium; no leg cramps from fibro. (They bothered me long before I started taking chol meds). It has provided wonderful relief to my leg cramps. If you have plaque, I would be hesitant of not taking a statin. If I were in your shoes, I would ask my doctor about trying different statins.

Ditto on all three counts. I've been on it (Zocor) for years, with no issues that I know of. I've also had high blood pressure since I was 19 and my dad had a massive stroke at 47, so there's even more reason to keep my numbers in a decent range. Although I'm also very blessed with a longtime good HDL level.

I also take natural supplements everyday, as well as two low dose aspirin, but they can't get my numbers in line the way a statin can. It actually was my idea, and my cardiologist agreed.

Definitely check with your doc, though, especially a cardiologist who can do what's called the "VAP" blood test. It breaks your numbers into greater detail, which is very helpful.

Re: High LDL and statins...

willdob3 — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 06:11:25 GMT

You need to do some research. Seriously. Lots of it.

There is no reason for you to take a statin. No reason for most people to. The entire cholesterol is bad thing is based on a theory that was proven wrong. It was ignored because they decided the study must be wrong. But no study proved the theory.

High LDL is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, lowering it might keep it from fixing a problem.

Spend many, many hours researching. Here is a place to start:

The straight dope on cholesterol – Part I

Re: High LDL and statins...

bonnielu — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 06:13:24 GMT

Mine went in the trash. I had muscle problems and it raised my A1C which put me in the iffy diabetic category. I am now on something similar that does not seem to cause so much grief and harm..... Zetia it is called. Works for me.

Re: High LDL and statins...

Pook — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 06:22:32 GMT

I just don't get why doctors still keep pushing statins when probably only a very small percentage of those with high cholesterol actually have plaque buildup. Why don't they test for that first? Not one doctor I have been to has been able to answer that question and kept pushing the statins. I also found out that most health insurances don't cover the cost of this type of testing. How dumb is that. It could spare so many the awful side effects of statins and save many lives. At least 50% of those I know on statins became diabetic. Then they prescribe drugs for that that can and have caused strokes in many. That's not a coincidence and many have had pancreatitis also.

Re: High LDL and statins...

makeup addict — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 06:34:10 GMT

Yes, do your research. Even Dr. Weil states that statins are more effective than some of the over the counter products. Godfathers girlfriend: size 4, taught aerobics, are heathy and didn't want to do meds. She had a stroke and now takes several meds plus therapy for the stroke. Do what I did. Discuss with your doctor about stopping the statin for three months and check your cholesterol numbers then. Compare it to when you've take the state for thee months. What do the numbers show you? Your LDL is almost normal now, but you have plaque. You do not need to add to it.

Re: High LDL and statins...

makeup addict — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 06:39:16 GMT

I've been on statins for years and I'm not diabetic, my grandfather died I his 40s due to heart disease. Both parents have high chol. Mom is diabetic; half her family has or has died from juv. Diabetes type I. She had it before the cholesterol. Statins are the best choice for me.

Re: High LDL and statins...

wagirl — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 17:16:53 GMT

Don't take them!! I cannot take any statins at all, due to very serious side effects. So bad that the Crestor I took caused achilles tendonitis, unbe knownst to me and my drs. that was a side effect , and ended up having un needed surgery to remove huge walnut sized lumps off each tendon. I spent a few years of trying physical therapy, meds, exercises and nothing worked. That was $15,000 for each tendon and a few years later, I just stumbled across a study that mentioned that side effect from Crestor and if I had only stopped taking the drug, in a few months the problem would have resolved itself. And it took me over a year to recover fully from taking Crestor. Was awful!!!!

Re: High LDL and statins...

LilacTree — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 17:37:49 GMT

You have a good HDL, and I would bet your triglycerides are normal as well. Many women have a little bit high LDL, but yours is not high enough to warrant taking this toxic med, IMO.

No one can make this decision but you. Recent studies have indicated that elevated cholesterol is not the big indicator of heart attacks it was once thought to be, especially considering your normal HDL levels. I would bet your ratios are good.

Do a lot of research and then make the decision you think is right for you.

I, for one, can't believe that doctors are still prescribing statins (which they themselves don't like to take).

However, again, it must be your decision.

Re: High LDL and statins...

ID2 — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 17:43:39 GMT

On 2/24/2014 chessylady said: What test did you take that shows you have plaque? 149 is not a vey high LDL. Have you had a heart attack or a stroke?

Obviously you are unaware of the new guidelines. LDL levels should now be around 100. 149 is exorbitant! OP stop discussing this important health issue with strangers on a message board. Make an appt with your primary care doctor and hash it out with them.

Re: High LDL and statins...

hckynut — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 18:31:23 GMT

On 2/24/2014 lexi said:
Doctor prescribed statins more than once. Cramps in legs made me stop statins. Latest test shows hdl 55....ldl 149 .....Doc is really pushing the statins again because I have some plaque. What would u do?

Tia.lexi

As one that has never had an LDL over 65 and this same man having my right coronary artery 100% blocked in both of my heart attacks? It is obvious that for me LDL was not the "be all" when it came to having a heart event.

My total readings never exceeded 180 and my HDL most of those years was above 60, which is good for a male. My HDL/LDL/VLDL ratio also never got higher than a 2.2, which is great for the male gender. However I could not escape who gave me birth and the genetics that came along with it.

I have been taking Lipitor(Atorvastatin)since my first heart attack in 2003. My dose, comparatively speaking, which is 20mg per day is relatively a low dose. My wife after she had her stroke is now taking the same med except she is taking 40mg per day. She has not genetic predisposition to heart disease but her genetics predispose her to strokes. Her father died of a stroke when he was 56 years old.

There are some that firmly believe that all statins are bad for everyone and there are others like myself that do not have the same beliefs. Since I've been on this statin for over 10 years now, with no concern able side effects, my beliefs for myself and for my wife remain the same.

Why would I be willing to risk another heart attack after my right coronary artery has been 100% blocked twice, and all my lipid numbers are in a category that most can only "wish for"? The answer for me is simple, I will not quit taking this statin as for me the good has been proven to outweigh any bad that I have found. I have done my own extensive studies on Lipitor and my conclusion is that it is right for me and for my wife.

Until something comes along that is verifiable proof that this is doing myself or my wife more harm than good we will both continue to take this statin until otherwise advised by our treating doctors.

Re: High LDL and statins...

Jersey Born — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 23:45:53 GMT

Here is something that indicates statins do not work for women, and should not be prescribed for women.

Re: High LDL and statins...

Shelbelle — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 00:49:44 GMT

Try something OTC that adds up to at least 2 grams of plant sterols daily. Nature Made CholestOff or Puritans Pride Phytosterol Complex or their CholestWise. Just make sure you take enough to give you the total intake of at least 2 grams daily.

Re: High LDL and statins...

lexi — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:57:23 GMT

Thanks again....

Appreciate the responses

Re: High LDL and statins...

dex — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:43:08 GMT

I was able to lower my husbands with a strict diet and plant sterols.We mostly followed dash but I made sure to cut out fatty foods and include lots of veggies and fruits.we eat organic non gmo when possible,no packaged products, lots of fiber(flax,chia,and hemp hearts).we have low sugar and try to be scrim gluten free.It worked...yeah oh and nuts and seeds as a snack daily