Just got my results after 6 months on atorvastatin:
Total cholesterol; 129 (down from 185)
LDL: 66 (Down from 117)
HDL: 40 (down from 44)
Triglycerides - 96
My cardiologist is very happy with these numbers, but I'm wondering if they could get too low. My total has never been below 150 until now.
I'm a 42-year old male in good health but with a family history of heart disease and borderline high BP.
I had a general health check at doctors yesterday. Am a 41 year old male and am taking co-codamol painkillers and amitriptyline on regular basis for back/nerve pain. Try to be physically active when I can but have real issues with my back and legs that limits anything too physical or for any length of time, but in general I manage at least 30 mins of some kind of physical activity each day. My diet isn't brilliant but it isn't terrible either (can be improved I'm sure).
6ft tall, waist measured yesterday at 38" and I'm just under 80 kg in weight.
My health check said my blood pressure was good, and that my pulse was nice and steady but also that my good cholesterol was above average (over 1.5) but that my bad cholesterol was not where it needs to be at 7.2.
The bad reading has freaked me out a bit. I've never had a cholesterol test before so cannot compare reading to a historic level but nurse has requested me to have a further blood test and probably a chat with doctor.
So, question is does having an above average level of good cholesterol and good blood pressure help manage the higher levels of bad cholesterol? My overall risk of having some kind of cardiac issue in next ten years came out at 1.49% which seems fairly low, but I forgot to ask how low you can get this % ie a risk of 0.01%?
I can try to up my physical activity a little bit but how dramatic would you change your diet based on above? I have lost two relatives to heart disease on my father's side of family (his sister and his father) but both parents appear to be fine although not aware they have ever had their own cholesterol tested.
I'm going to try and lose a few kg in weight which I'm sure will help but any advice in how to better manage my bad cholesterol appreciated.
For several years I took Simvastatin lowest dose (cut in HALF) and had good cholesterol numbers that satisfied the internist. That doc retired and new internist did a CPK test last year (my first one ever) and found it elevated to 243 so stopped the statin due to fears of muscle damage.
A year later (last week) the retested CPK, after taking NO statin for a year, was 303 and chol. numbers were back up (see below)!! So, doc says go ahead and take atorvastatin because there is a percentage of people who have high CPK with no other apparent problem. He said atorvastatin is more effective re chol. lowering than simvastatin which I'd had years ago. Is that so?
I am female, 64 years old and at age 55 had a calcium scan of the heart which showed ZERO calcium score. This was because I had similar TC numbers to current numbers and one doc (a cardiologist!) said 'have the scan' -- "find out if you need a statin." When he saw the ZERO calcium score for someone 55 he laughed and said I did not need a statin.
Years later, however, this new internist/gerontologist says that's fine but that is just the hardened cholesterol seen in the zero score, not the 'soft,' which is what travels and causes heart attacks and stroke. Great! Money spent for nothing on the test! Guess I need to educate the cardiologist?
My current chol. numbers before re-starting a statin last week were: Total Chol: 251; HDL: 77; LDL: 157; and Trigs: 87. Ratio is 3.26 -- Doc says he does 'not like' the 157 LDL.
So... a week ago I started on atorvastatin at a super low dose (I cut the 10 mg. pills into quarters so 2.5 per day. I have read in multiple places that it's stronger than simvastatin so wanted to start LOW and research shows that 2.5 is often enough to bring numbers to reasonable levels. I am not aiming to have the world's lowest cholesterol.
Last night and today I developed sharp pains in upper mid section and read the 'side effects' -- sure enough -- it's a possibility. Have also experienced increase in heartburn since taking these pills for a week. Started almost immediately. Is there a connection?
NOTE: Gallbladder removed in '04, before ever starting on any statin at all -- I'm one of the many who still has occasional GB related pains, likely from sphincter of oddi problems (sludge or stones formed by liver). It is called SOD III and it's not uncommon and since it's not a frequent occurrence, there is nothing to do about it per gastro doc. I have not had an episode in three+ years until last night/today, though this was mild.
Any relation to start-up of atorvastatin and these pains? Who knows? I would prefer taking NO statins since they are known to raise glucose a little and can bring on Diabetes type 2. My fasting glucose is high normal already at 98 and type II runs in my family at older ages. Swell.
What do YOU experts think of this? Would you be concerned about taking atorvastatin (or switching to simvastatin, which I took with no obvious problems for a few years?) Or would you just say forget the statins and live your life and don't worry about it? There is NO history of heart attack in anyone on either side of my family before age 80 and no 'strokes' at all.
My cholesterol is 263 with Triglycerides 102, HDL 65 and LDL 180. What can I do to lower my bad numbers.
View 2 RepliesI am 21 years of age having a height of 6'1" and weigh 85 kilos. My cholesterol level is 245 with LDL 154 and HDL 51 and Triglycerides 209. Is there any way I can reduce all this and lead a normal life?
View 2 Replies am in the UK so the measurement system is different (mmol)
My TChol is 3.17. HDL is .99 and the ratio is 3.2. However, no LDL was done. I am told by my GP that there's no problem. Everything is fine and there's no need for a LDL test.
What do you think? Isn't the HDL a bit low?
I am male aged 68.
have just had a telephone consult with my gp he tells me my cholesterol is 5.63 good and bad chol 3.69 can anyone tell me what this means? is it high - he wants me to go on statins and i am already on warfarin.
View 3 RepliesI am a 17 year old teenage male. I am not overweight (I'm 5"8 and like 145 pounds which is around average for my height) but my doctor apparently told my parents that I have a high cholesterol level of around 140 which has gotten my parents pretty freaked out. However, my parents tend to freak out about alot of things, so I just wanted to know if I'm really high for someone my age and weight, and if this means I'm at high risk of a heart attack. Does anyone know how cholesterol works for teenagers?
View 3 RepliesSo I'm a 25 yr old female, 132 lbs and 5'6" and I just got my results back stating my total cholesterol is 138, my LDL is 65 and HDL is 55. Is this something I should be concerned about and see my regular doctor? I got the tests done because it was mandatory to apply for life insurance (so not through my regular doc).
View 1 RepliesSince finding out last month I have high cholesterol at 5.9(my doctor sent me away not concerned and said to test again in a year) I have became pregnant and now I am unsure how this affects my cholesterol and what can be done lifestyle wise to get it lower. I have been eating as normal since I have became pregnant as its been hard to cut back on all those things I shouldn't really have. Has anyone else got there's down while pregnant and if so how? I want to do it because I don't want it to affect my health but also I don't want to stop eating things I need to be eating to get a varied balanced diet while pregnant.
View 1 RepliesI have recently had my cholesterol level tested and it came back as 5.3.
I had an appointment at my doctor's surgery with the health care assistant. She said I need to reduce the saturated fat in my diet for 6 months then get my cholesterol level tested again to see if it's high because of my diet or a health issue.
My retest is due for the end of March 2013 which means Christmas is in the middle of the period. Will a little 'binge' or Christmas pudding etc undo the improved diet for the 3 months previously?
I searched for 'cholesterol vaccine' on the internet but could only find scientific papers and financial information. I read some but it is really over my head.
Did anyone here use it ? Does your insurance cover it ?
61 and Yesterday my doctor told me that I have high cholesterol levels. I know how dangerous it can be, I know that it can affect my heart and trust me that is the last thing that I want because I had really good and quality life in these 61 years. He told me that I should not be that worried but he told me that he needs to prescribe some medication for me. He gave me atorvastatin drug. I am wondering how this drug can help me against high cholesterol?
View 8 RepliesI have just been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism & Diabetes have been prescribed with Levothyroxine 50mcg also Simvastatin 40 mg for Cholesterol
has anybody had experience with these 2 drugs as the doctor has not explained much at all ?
what is the recommended dosage on the RYR (Red yeast Rice)?
take 1 600 mg tablet daily
I'm 35 years old. I can run (jogging) above 30 minutes. My blood test report says my LDL cholesterol is 204. What I do now? I facing heart problems in future? What can I do now?
View 2 RepliesI recently had a check up at the doctors who has put me on blood pressure tablets which has now brought my blood pressure down to 124/76 from 158/110 in 3 weeks but she has also said my cholesterol level of 6.9 is too high and my blood test showed i may have kidney problems. She has advised another blood test in 3 months and said not to eat red meat for 3 days before and drink lots of water and my kidney test may come back fine.
I have never suffered with blood pressure or cholesterol before, I am 47 and generally in good health but am going through my change, could this be the cause? and I should I be worried by results, I do not want to have to take tablets forever.
I have cut out salt and brought all low fat alternatives and started to do 30 mins exercise 4 times a week.
My diet included Extra Virgin olive oil, and olive oil margarine, and as I was working ( and eating cheese) on a daily business as well as lots of yoghurt and full milk when I was diagnosed with high cholesterol ( 8.9). I tried to bring down my score and virtually stopped eating cheese and ate only alpro yoghurt. I also stopped eating biscuits and made my own as I heard purchased biscuits have a high content of 'bad' fats, but my score still yo-yo'd around 7.9 - 8.9 ( only going down to 6.8 ounce). and was put on pills which was much better. I'm told my high score is probably also due to hereditary reasons as my mother is also very high. Recently docs have taken me off the pills due to press articles and I'm trying to find out what I can do to bring my score down naturally. As cutting out so much cheese which didn't make any diff to my score, can you help as to what else I can try?
View 7 RepliesThere is no disease caused by cholesterol. One study using 9 countries showed a correlation between cholesterol and heart attacks but when all other countries were put in there was no correlation in fact the Eskimos who have blood cholesterol 300 - 500 and are legendary for not having heart problems. 75% of heart attacks happen to people who have what doctor would say good cholesterol. Some studies have shown that cholesterol below 200 shorten your life expectancy. As people decreased their cholesterol intake many other diseases that did not exist 50 years ago are know are on the top of the list. Alzheimer's, Erectile dysfunction, hormone problem, and poor immune systems why because they are all made of cholesterol. Naturopath doctor say a normal cholesterol is 220 - 270
View 2 RepliesHubby has had a few chest pains, so we went to the GP where he had an ECG, all pretty normal but we got referred to the hospital anyway, where hubby had another ECG, blood test and we were told that he may have Angina also his Cholesterol levels were high? i am puzzled as to why, we eat a healthy diet, we eat lean proteins, no fats, fruit and veg, we never eat fast foods and all our foods are home cooking and no fats, hubby doesn't drink or smoke, so why? we can't eat any better also he can't exercise as he has chronic Degenerative disc problems which makes him very immobile!!!! so can anyone tell me ,what i do now, how can i lower the cholesterol levels, hubby is a bit overweight but only due to his back problem, not food! he has to go for an Angiogram in a few weeks.
View 3 RepliesHas anyone had an increase in their cholesterol levels whilst taking Sertraline?