My Cholesterol Meds and me (diet)

[hunterseat]

I'm 57. Retired from the military (Air Guard) in 2012. 6yrs ago, right? (I'm so bad at math.)

I've always been in great shape - my best fitness test ever was when I was 50. Right now I'm fairly active (I've slacked off some recently). I get on a horse every chance I get. Climb on rooftops for work. Jog with the dog when he has the energy to run.

I don't smoke. I can fit in the same sizes I've always worn. Size 30-31. I will have a glass of something a few times a week. Not always.

I'm not usually very careful about diet, pretty much eat whatever I feel like. Just not to excess.

No fried foods. No fast food. I take plenty of vitamin supplements - have been for years.

A year ago I went to the local VA clinic for a physical. It had really been too long. At that time I got paperwork for lab work but never went. Later got more paperwork - never went.

So I get a call that I have an annual scheduled (who schedules a year in advance...I guess I did). "But the doctor wants you to do the lab work first." okay....

I like this doc. His background is cardiology. He complimented me on how healthy I am BUT my cholesterol levels were too high (167). He wanted to put my on meds. (<--how I felt. I've never been on anything)

"But I didn't fast! They said I didn't have to and I ate a sweet raisin roll before I had blood drawn."
"Fair enough", he says. "I'll send you again and you can fast this time."
Whew! Dodged a bullet. He called when he got the results. I was like: "Did it go down?"
"No. It went up. It's over 170 now."
He went on to say it was hereditary. He's a triathlete and is on cholesterol meds. He cited heart disease and stroke as reasons to go on the meds. UGH. I want to argue but this is someone who won't make anything from pushing pharmaceuticals. And he knows hearts.

I started watching what I ate pretty well. The meds were mailed to me and guess what I got in the mail today? Took almost 2 weeks but that's the norm.

So now I read all the scary stuff that comes with. I thought I'd document this little trial.

btw - my other half had his second heart attack and has a stent. He's been on statins and went through the leg pain issue.

[hunterseat]

*begin scary stuff*
ATORVASTATIN CALCIUM 20MG TAB
Take 1/2 tablet every evening. (says they have a shortage at the moment)

No grapefruit? Well that's a humdinger. Why not?

And red yeast rice, too? INHUMANE! I admit it. I had to look it up. "appears to lower cholesterol"

Why am I not just taking red yeast rice??


Anyway, I'll start tonight. I'll document here as I feel this section, aptly called Daily Journals, is an appropriate place to document stuff.

[jaminhealth]

Unless I'm missing something your total is LOW.

My total is 191

HDL 75
Triglycerides 78

Doc didn't take LDL last labs.

I don't know where these doctors are coming from, even the VA.

I started taking Policosonol supplement just for the heck of it, but I question all the cholesterol fear anyway.

[hunterseat]

Cholesterol - 264
Triglyceride - 122
HDL - 65
LDL - 174.6

[jaminhealth]

Where does the 167 come in? Your HDL is good as I "get it".

Reading my own labs.

[hunterseat]

My first test my LDL was 167. I thought it was high because I didn't fast. He let me take it again after fasting and it was even higher.

Kind of proved to me that fasting really doesn't matter, like they now say.

So I just ate cheese pizza and a point of Ben&jerry's froyo.

[jaminhealth]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

My first test my LDL was 167. I thought it was high because I didn't fast. He let me take it again after fasting and it was even higher.

Kind of proved to me that fasting really doesn't matter, like they now say.

So I just ate cheese pizza and a point of Ben&jerry's froyo.

I don't recall the labs I had done fasting, maybe one time yrs ago. I always allow for that circumstance.

[Macrina]

It's my understanding that one's current diet does falsely affect the blood serum values in the lipid panels. I fast from all cheese and dairy for 2-3 weeks before having the blood draw for the panel.

Also for the last 6 years so so I've taken a natural/herbal blend called CircuFlow, which did, in my case, bring the values down to within a high-normal reading. Have never taken the statin drugs because of having friends who had bad reactions to that type of pharmaceutical.

I think, though, there are large numbers of people who can take the statin drugs with good results and minimal side effects. Hoping this will be the case for you, Hunterseat!


ETA: In the testing for the cholesterol, where your value went from 167 to 170? Your doctor should have known that 3 points were within "reproducible limits" and not anything significant or anything to worry about.
.

[hunterseat]

Well, to be fair, I fully expected my numbers to drop. He humored me by letting me try again. It was a good humored "in your face" when he told me they went up.

I guess I'll take my statin along with my vitamins and my sleep stuff before bed.

[sirron]

A few years ago when I had blood tests done for a life insurance policy, the results of my cholesterol were high too. Since, I've lost about twenty pounds, and changed my diet to mostly veggies, lean meats and things like yogurt, grapes and nuts. I recently bought a home test kit, and the results were still depressingly high, although not as high as they were previously.


I am fighting meds of any sort, but may have to acquiesce. Will try an OTC remedy first. Will be following your story here, hunterseat.