Hi,

My blood results:

TC: 243
LDL: 153
HDL: 49
Try: 203
(Have been taking diuretics for four months)

Two months ago, the non-fasting TC was 274. Then - oat bran breakfast, low fat and low cholesterol meals etc.

Now, my doc gave me fenofibrate capsules (300 mg once daily). I heard of the side effects. Should I take them, or just continue with the dietary change and fish oils etc.? Any views? I look healthy except with high BP which is now under good control (120/70).

Hi,

My blood results:

TC: 243
LDL: 153
HDL: 49
Try: 203
(Have been taking diuretics for four months)

Two months ago, the non-fasting TC was 274. Then - oat bran breakfast, low fat and low cholesterol meals etc.

Now, my doc gave me fenofibrate capsules (300 mg once daily). I heard of the side effects. Should I take them, or just continue with the dietary change and fish oils etc.? Any views? I look healthy except with high BP which is now under good control (120/70).

Are you male or female?
Age?
Weight status?
Do you smoke?
Do you have any other risk factors? (family history, diabetes, etc.)

With those unknowns and what you have provided, I would say to stick with dietary changes before going on any medications.

First off, it appears that you are on the wrong type of diet. Low fat diets tend to result in lower HDL levels and higher triglyceride levels. You have elevated triglycerides which are almost universally the result of consuming too many carbohydrates rather than too much fat or cholesterol. A low carbohydrate diet that focuses on whole natural foods would probably benefit your condition. A low carb diet also generally results in the same effect that those diuretics have so you should be able to normalize your bloodpressure without those meds. Avoid foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oils (read those labels). The trans-fats in those hydrogenated oils have been implicated in raising LDL and lowering HDL levels. Additional exercise and more natural fats like those found in meat, fish, eggs, avacado, olive oil, etc. would also be good to help get that HDL up some more.

yycheng,

First off, your non-fasting TC of 2 months ago has no meaning because of the effect of non-fasted triglycerides in inflating the number, Therefore, it's impossible to see if you've got any lowering.

Here's what I'd do confronting that prescription for fenofibrate: put it in a drawer temporarily.
Often when we go on a "low fat" diet the carbs tend to get to the quick hit sugary side. These sugars will raise trigycerides considerably.
Why not try some weeks of MEDIUM FAT (low saturated)- LOW SUGAR (forget about "low cholesterol foods"...your doctor's behind the times) and get a retest, say in 60 days. If you get good results, all is well, stick with it. If your triglycerides are still at 200, then fill the fenofibrate Rx.

An aside,
Copious alcohol is one of the worst triglyceride raisers.

I am a female, 57. Not overweight. No diabetes. Family members all healthy.

I think the duiretics do a lot in raising the levels. Sometimes I wonder if any dietary changes can ever alter their effects. Anybody has any experience? I had refused my doc's meds once, that was four months ago when my numbers were:

TC: 247
HDL: 63
LDL: 149
Trg: 174
(taken in the afternoon without lunch)

So without meds, things seem to get worse despite oat bran and dietary change. On the other hand, the side effects of meds scare me.

I always think that low fat diet is good. Now I don't know how to eat. Should I replace skimmed milk with low fat milk then? Or fish with some lean red meat? Anyway, will try the medium fat and low sugar regime. TY.

yycheng, that's what happened to me. I was given hctz for bp controll, and was never told it can raise cholesterol and glucose levels. Every two months i would have to have blood work done and then i would be told my cholesterol is higher. tThis is inspite of strict high fiber low fat diet. Then one night i was reading my Diabetes Magazine and read how diabetics aren't usually prescribed hctz for that reason. I immediately came to this board.

Zip, explained to me why this is so and how thiazides work. I stopped taking hctz for a while, but i know i can't stop for long bcuz of my bp. At the end of Sept. i will ask my dr for a direutic that isn't a thiazide.

BTW, anyone knows if 300 mg fenofibrate in capsule form taken once daily before bed is high dose or not? Based on what I read from the web, it seems a high dose.

yycheng,

It strikes me as too high a dose also. And since the capsules are impossible to split, it seems you are increasing your risk of abdominal complaints.
I'd do a periodic liver flush (maybe 2-4 times a year) if taking this drug because of the increased potential for gallstones.

Anything that removes water from the bloodstream, like a diuretic, will increase the concentration of MANY blood components (glucose, blood lipids, uric acid.)