The doc put me on niacin to lower my cholesterol I haven't taken it yet scared it may mess with me but my question is will high cholesterol cause vision issues and other side effects
View 4 RepliesI was prescribed Zocor for high cholesterol I have for years. Before Zocor I was on Tricor and it didn’t help to lower my cholesterol at all, so my cardiologist switched me to statin because I was under a very realistic risk of having a heart attack. My cholesterol numbers did went a bit down, but it seems like they haven't gone down enough since at my last checkup my cardiologist added Zetia to my treatment with Zocor and Lisinopril I have to take for hypertension.
What worries me though is will Zetia make Zocor side effects worse and is this a good choice when there are other statin medications out there?
I had a blood test around 7 months ago which showed my blood sugar Hb1AC to be close to pre-diabetic levels, which freaked me out. My cholesterol was also a little high.
I cut down on sweet things (which I love!) a lot, and had my blood tested again a few weeks ago. good news is that the blood sugar levels have dropped, triglycerides low, liver function great. HOWEVER, my cholesterol has leapt to 6.6! So annoyed!
The nurse quizzed me on my diet and the only thing we can pinpoint is that I eat a lot of cheese, so have started eating low fat cheese or not eating as much in general. I generally eat what I consider to be a healthy diet, oily fish, veg, etc but not sure what to believe.
I read that a high fat diet is now the way to go with low carb, but whilst this seems to have helped with blood sugar, it has not done my cholesterol any good.
I have to go back in 3 months. Anyone else had this type of result?
I 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 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 husband has this condition and has been on statins for some years now. His levels are now good, he hardly drinks but his diet is awful - and always has been. Basically red meat, pastry, cakes and spuds, preferably with fat of some kind. My diet is good and all the right foods are in the house and available. This year he has been feeling unwell - aching all over and very tired. His weight is good despite the diet though. He has lived 7 years longer than his father, and I would like to keep him for many more. I am wondering if the statins may be causing the problems and whether the condition can be managed by diet and if so how the heck do I convince him to change? He is due to see his doctor next week.
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.
I have been diagnosed with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia at the age of 5, after around 30 years of battling with doctors over my diet. Up until now, my combined cholesterol has never gone below 7.0 (without statins which I took for a few months around 5 years ago - it went down to around 4.0), and doctors continually insisted that my diet was at fault.
After another round of insisting that I take statins, I refused and was sent to the lipid clinic, where they looked at my history and proudly announced that my diet was not at fault and it was hereditary.
They then insisted I go on statins, as in their words, I have nearly 50 years worth of <fat> lining my blood vessels.
They did no cardiac tests or ultrasounds or stethoscope on my neck, etc., to find out if I was "furred up", and they then referred me back to the GP.
The GP didn't get in touch with me, so I made an appointment to see him, where he put me on a low dose of steroid.
I asked him about whether I should find out if I WAS at risk of heart disease before he shoved me on them, as in my mind, if my cholesterol had been so high ALL my life, then why did I not have any of the associated symptoms of FH, such as early heart disease, fat deposits on eyes etc?
Also I have reduced thyroid function (not reduced enough to be treated under the current guidelines however).
So, a couple of weeks later, at a pre-op for an upcoming gynae procedure I am to have, I mentioned about not having my heart looked at in years, and the kind nurse did an ECG and listened to my heart with a stethoscope. I was told my heart was ok.
What I would like to know is, would that "OK" on my heart health be a good reason not to take statins, or would further tests need to be done to ascertain whether I am at increased risk of heart disease - other than my cholesterol level.
I have read recently that if your heart and vascular health is OK, it doesn't matter what your cholesterol level is, it will still lower your risk - is that correct?
I am 35 year old unmarried female, i am 5feet 2 inch and my current weight is 63 kg/ 140 lb after one year dieting started when i was 77 kg.I have high cholesterol and high LDL issue in genes (my father had high cholesterol with high bp issue). My Blood pressure is normal, My cholesterol was 207 mg/dl, LDL = 160 mg/dl and HDL= 40mg/dl from 2011 to june 2015 with few up and downs but in reports of oct 2015 and march 2016 my cholesterol is increased up to 260 mg/dl, LDL = 198 mg/dl, HDL=51mg/dl, triglycerides = 100 mg/dl ,my other results are
Liver function test result are ALT/SGPT = 16U/L, SGOT = 19U/L, alkaline phosphate = 114 U/L , i am vitamin D deficient. march 2016 current level of vitamin D(25-OH) =26ng/ml . i take 600000 IU two injections in 2013 when my level was 4ng/ml and then i take 200000 IU one capsule in oct 2015 .
My prolactin level is also high since 2002 means between 75 to 100 ng/ml
My menstrual cycle is also irregular means come with gap of 40 to 70 days.
kindly tell me why my cholesterol and LDL is high if SPGT/ALT is normal. Since august 2015 i limit my whole day oil consumption is olive oil two table spoon in a day and one table spoon purified butter in a day. once in a week i eat one dunkin donut, 250 gram yogurt . i eat one egg daily.
Recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol along with my high blood pressure. Was on atenolol and bendrofluazide but these weren't keeping my bp down so was put on lisinopril. I have had pains in my stomach since i started my new meds wake in the night with a jolt, am tired and feel weak all the time, i'm only 43 and not over weight. Has anyone else had these symptoms. I'm unsure what is causing what as every thing has changed all at once?
View 1 RepliesI am diabetic patient for past 6 years. Presently I am taking medicine ZIGLIM M1 in the morning daily after breakfast. I checked my sugar level 2 or 3 times, the value of FBS level was 120 mg/dl and RBS level was 210 mg/dl . My RBS value is always high
View 1 RepliesHi my creatinine level jumped from 1.5 in Jan 2014 to 4.29 in July 2014. My legs and feet suddenly started swelling and I urinate frequently. Since all this started,I'm also thirsty all the time. Also, I guess it's pertinent to mention that my mother (73) just started dialysis, which she does at home herself. My daughter is now on the kidney transplant list, she's 30, but hers is attributed to Graves Disease, I believe. Is Kidney issues hereditary? .
View 1 RepliesI have been taking Zyloric 100 for the past couple of years, Uric Acid level was 7.5 prior taking medicine, but during taking medicine it was 4.5, my question, should I continue taking Zyloric, though I never suffered from severe illness, like toe inflammation.
View 2 RepliesI have completed 3yrs after liver transplant. My creatinine level is ~1.7 for last 1.5year. Prograf dose is reduced to 0.5mg BD, and tac level is 6.3. Mycophenolate can not be used because it causes leucopenia.
Doctor is thinking to switch to Sirolimus. But with Sirolimus I see this warning.
The safety and efficacy of Rapamune (sirolimus) as immunosuppressive therapy have not been established in liver or lung transplant patients, and therefore, such use is not recommended [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Liver Transplantation – Excess Mortality, Graft Loss, and Hepatic Artery Thrombosis (HAT)"
Do you think it is safe to use sirolimus?
My husband is 80 years old and has type 1 diabetes now it is found to be difficult to control his blood sugar level especially at night. when he goes to bed, sugar level is 17 mmol and in the morning his blood sugar level has dropped to 3 mmol. This problem occurs only in night time.
View 1 RepliesI 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 Replieswhat is the recommended dosage on the RYR (Red yeast Rice)?
take 1 600 mg tablet daily
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 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?