Results:
Total Cholesterol: 174
HDL 37
LDL 95
Triglycerides: 212

I haven't posted much as I stopped taking Statins all together.... until about a month ago.

My Doc had me on Simvastatin (40mgs) and Tricor (145mg) and I'm not sure if it was related but I sneezed and believe I broke a rib. My side hurt for about 3 weeks. Just when that started feeling better, I was tying my shoes when I heard a "snap" near my lower back and was out of commission for about two weeks.

I called my doctors office to let them know I was going to stop taking the meds and ?!? the doctor never called me.

About a month ago, knowing I had an appointment for the lipid panel, I started taking the Simvistatin (40mg) and used a lower dose of Tricor (48mg) that I had. I also adjusted my diet. I ate about 6 "meals" a day, these were small meals...

I had Oatmeal or Bran Cereal for breakfast with a container of OJ. Once a week I had a friend egg on toast.

Snacks:
30 assorted nuts
Granola Bar
Soy Chips
Yogurt

Lunch was basically a salad, Tuna on Flat Bread, Broccoli Slaw on Flat Bread, soup or a Kashi type frozen meal.

Dinner was generally a salad, soup or whatever my wife made. One meal she made Lentil soup, another was potato soup. Otherwise it would be something along the lines of a typical lunch.

I kept up the calories for what someone my weight would normally have. I watched what I ate and tried to keep in line with the amount of sodium I should have. As best I could, NO TRANS FATS, no sugar that I didn't need, I tried to limit the amount of Saturated Fat. I avoided Soda!

I used my eliptical machine and purchased an Ab Lounge and lost 10 pounds!
I think my numbers stayed about the same but my Triglycerides which I've never seen a number below 280.... I finally got them down to 212!!!

All in all, I think I did great. My new doctor doesn't seem to listen too well. He seemed surprised that the two meds have reactions. (Muscle Toxicity) but he still wanted me to take the 145mg of Tricor despite the previous issues.

I'll keep what I'm doing and see how well I do when I go back for my next lipid panel.

Dave

Try not taking the medications and see what benefit your life style changes have made.

Dave

Try taking 2 or 3 Fish Oil capsules a day,fish oil is the best supplement for lowering triglycerides. You might even get a small increase in HDL as well.

Dave,

Do I read you right? You take simvastatin in the month before a blood lipid draw to get good numbers and then you stop?

Dave,

Do I read you right? You take simvastatin in the month before a blood lipid draw to get good numbers and then you stop?

No, When I had the problems with it (Rib/Back), I took a break from them but restarted them again about a month before my test. I'm still taking them (taking the tricor at a lower dose)

Dave

Dave

Try taking 2 or 3 Fish Oil capsules a day,fish oil is the best supplement for lowering triglycerides. You might even get a small increase in HDL as well.

I've tried it in the past without much notice to the numbers, however, this time I had more Omega 3's (through foods not supplements). I am eating a bit more tuna as well.

The one thing I didn't mention was I am taking Niacin every other day... as I didn't want to tax my liver.

Dave