Cholesterol frustration

my doc just told me in Jan you can't do anything about gentics, but you can do something about your diet/nutrition. That's what i'm struggling with. He said there's only so much a life of fitness can do to impact. Otherwise, it's diet and genitics.

I have been taking a stating since I was 31 or 32.  Its in the genes, my youngest sister started a satin at 25.   My total was 269, 83 Triglyceride, 70 HDL, 182 LDL.  Last year with diet exercise and satin, Total 151, 63 Triglyceride, 56 HDL, 95 LDL.  My diet is very light in fat consumption; I will use real butter, olive oil, that’s about it.  I eat lean meat, game, chicken and fish.  But the genetics seems to be the kicker, Paternal back 3 generations that we know of.  I would like to go off the satin, I haven’t had a grapefruit in 5 or so years, and one sounds good.

"back down to around 160 but doctor will not take me off medication as high cholesterol is genetic in my family"

Get a 2nd opinion.

Personally I think the whole statin thing is flawed.  My doc told me to go on statins years ago, and initially I did...although had strange side effects from it, including horrible nightmares. So I went off it.

Educate yourself on statins and cholesterol, and come to your own conclusion, as it is controversial.

there are a myriad of books and videos on statins and cholesterol, pro and con. It's never easy to find the truth in these things..

For starters, here's one video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdGt4tjoagI

Yep.  I had a lipid panel done in Sept. and my TG were 406, Total cholesterol 202.  I had a repeat last week and now TG is 109, but Total cholesterol is 239.  I do not take meds for it.  I am a 43 year old female that has been active in some form or fashion all my life.  Blood pressure and resting HR is good and sugar is good.  I'm at normal weight.  I eat pretty healthy, although I do have a bit of a sweet tooth.

jami

I have to watch my triglycerides all the time.  I've been working with my PCP to manage them through diet & exercise rather than through meds.  That was one of my primary motivations in losing twenty pounds over the last year or so.  So far, so good.

Mark

Another motivation I have to stay off meds is that I take the anti-coagulant Coumadin because of my mechanical heart valve.  Coumadin is metabolized through the liver and there are concerns about long-term liver damage just from that.  I really don't want to put any further strain on it by taking other stuff.   

Mark

How much fructose especially when not with fruit or HFCSdo you consume?

well reknown pediatric endocrinologist from UCSF discusses the problem....about 50% through it when he gets to the biochemistry he explains the connection to Cholesterol and fructose/HFCS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

I'm 49. When I was 32, I went to the Dr. with what I thought was a chest cold. To make a very long story short, within a day I was in the hospital and had angioplasty to open my right coronary artery. It was a 95 percent blockage.

My total cholesterol at the time was only 160, but the key was HDL (good) cholesterol. It was only 29, so my total to HDL ratio was 5.5. People tend to only look at the total cholesterol level, but I can tell you that the total to HDL ratio is just as important.

I was pretty active before the procedure, but after it happened I got even more focused. I lost 35 lb and went on a very low-fat diet. Since then, the "knowledge" about the best way to eat for cardiac health has changed, and so has my diet. I have been on statins for 17 years, and I haven't had any issues, except for short term memory. But I'm not sure I can attribute that all to statins....

It's easy to say do it with diet and exercise, but sometimes that's not possible. Some people need the statins. As many have said, it's all in the genes, and mine has led me to a place where I need to take statins to keep my blood chemistry at the right levels.

I guess overall my advice would be to weight the risks and make your own decisions. I do agree that doctors rush to the "better living with chemistry" answer too quickly sometime, but deciding to reject medication might not be the answer as well.

Do your best but sometimes it's all in the genes and even if you are doing everything "right" you may need cholesterol treatment.

The benefits and risks of treatment are best held between doctor and patient, and not on the internet.