Hi,
I've just heard of fenofibrates (Tricor, Lofibra) and gemifibrozil (Lopid) which have been shown to build up the HDL levels by 10-20%.

Unfortunately, they cannot be used in combination with Lipitor, as that would mean risking muscle toxicity, including rhabdomyolysis. They might not be as effective in raising HDL levels as Niacin, but they do not cause any flushing. :)

I am wondering if anyone has ever tried these. Any feedback?

Flowergirl

Hi Flower,

Your welcome!

Mom's boyfriend was prescribed Lipitor and Lopid together. I told him they shouldn't be combined, he mentioned it to his doc, and he was taken off them and given Crestor and Zetia, to raise his HDL, and lower LDL. His triglycerides are too high also. I am going to ask him if Crestor raised his HDL and I will post the result.

He only has part of his heart left due to a heart attack, so he is at the mercy of his docs, he just takes what they tell him to, although he is aware of side effects. His gall bladder was removed on Christmas week 2006, and I told Mom maybe his statin use over the years was the cause.

I ate my half of onion today at dinner......

Good girl! :D

I'll have my onion tonight. With a tiny piece of Italian cheese, a tiny piece of Italian sausage, and a big chunk of Italian bread. All of these are special treats, of course (except the onion). It's my birthday, so I'll indulge!
I'll look forward to hearing your update. I am told I have to remain on Lipitor, which means I cannot take any of the previously mentioned products at the moment.

flowergirl

You CAN take a statin along with Tricor, I do. Both my cardiologist and my family doctor reccommended it, you just need to watch for symptoms of muscle pain and have your blood checked every 90 days to keep an eye on your liver function. I went on this program because my LDL responds great to Zocor but my HDL stays a little low and my Tri's are high. My numbers are TC 163, LDL 58, HDL 38 and Tri's 333. That's why they put me on Tricor along with the Zocor for a short time to get my HDL up and my Tri's down. I exercise every day, 45 minutes and 500 calories on a treadmill but just can't seem to get all my numbers right, even by cutting out the sweets and empty carbs. I hope I get a 10-20% increase in HDL!

Good Luck.

You CAN take a statin along with Tricor, I do. Both my cardiologist and my family doctor reccommended it,



I think this recomendation is ill founded... please don't ever consider this... and if your Doctors consider this remidy... please challenge this remidy extremely strongly... and then after you are done arguing... find a new Doctor...:(

Toneman,

You probably have additional risk factors that led your doctor to prescribe Zocor plus Tricor - he's probably very concerned about your triglycerides.

I agree with the other posts that you have to be very careful about combining statins with fibrates. I was on Lipitor and Tricor for a few months 2 years ago, and I developed severe muscle pain and exercise intolerance that took over a year to recover from. I wasn't warned beforehand to watch out for muscle pain.

This is not to say that the 2 drugs together are always to be avoided - if you have certain risk factors, it may be worth the chance you take.

But the risk of muscular problems when on both drugs is several times higher than with either alone.

By the way, I was also on Lopid for several years before statins ever came out. It did help more with my triglycerides than statins ever did, but neither really gave me a good boost in my HDL.

HubbleRules
:cool:

Happy Birthday Flower!!!!!!!!

My 12 year old goddaughter's birthday was yesterday, too, but the poor kid
had two teeth pulled so she wasn't feeling up to eating much, but we celebrated with a little cake and she managed to eat a little piece, she is having two birthday parties over the weekend, one with her mother and one with her father, they are recently divorced.

Anyway, I made sure to take my plant sterols before the cake and my Policosonal after the cake!

I went to physical therapy yesterday and my conversation with the therapist turned to cholesterol, and she told me her doc said her count was a liitle high at 210, and she wanted to try the supplements I'm taking. I told her that TC of 210 isn't high, but she should check her HDL and LDL to make sure she has a good ratio. She told me that I misunderstood her, it's her LDL that's 210, not her TC! I must have had a shocked look on my face because she said on her lunch break she was going to vitamin store to buy supplements. I'm afraid with LDL that high she is going to need more than plant sterols and Policosonal, she probably needs niacin if she doesn't want statins, I'll have to mention it to her next time I go.

I wanted to make one comment about Zocor, it shouldn't be taken with Coumadin (blood thinner).

Thanks, everyone, for your input!

I have decided to play it safe and not combine my Lipitor with fibrates. I will instead try to eat onion as often as my stomach lets me and have an orange or two once in a while and drink some grape juice.

I am now wondering how big a raise in HDL I need. What would be considered optimal? It is now at 42.6. I guess any increase at all will be good. Does anyone know what causes drops in HDL? I had it at 46.4 three months ago but have not been able to keep it at that level.

Flowergirl

Hi Flower,

I thought I read that an HDL of 50 is optimal for women. I raised mine 17 points in a year to 67, bur I don't know if it is due to the supplements I take (especially the Policosanol which is a HDL raiser) or adding more olive oil ,nuts, and red wine to my diet. I didn't eat much citrus, onions, or exercise during that period.

There is a relatively new blood test called the VAP test that Medicare pays for, it gives a breakdown of the HDL, how much of it is active and much of it is dead. I think the active HDL is the larger particle one that carries the LDL back to the liver for elimination, the smaller particle one is useless.

I asked a cardiac doc (he's not my regular doc, he works at the PT clinic I attend) to orderr the VAP test for me, and he agreed and wrote out the form for Quest labs. When the technician was taking my blood I told her I was happy I was getting the VAP test. Was I shocked when she told me the doctor didn't order the VAP, he marked the standard cholesterol test !!!!

I was really upset, and the tech said she would have to call the doc to change it, so I told her to forget it, I was take the standard test and get the VAP next time.

Everyone should find out what type of HDL they have to make sure it is enough of the protective kind.

jacal,

I have just learned about the different types of HDL while reading an article in one of the medical journals. I have not had a chance to look into it further yet, but boy, was I ever surprised! It goes to show how much more I have to learn. I've been concentrating on other medical issues too much and not at all on cholesterol.

Based on what you said in your post, my HDL is not too bad right now. I know it can be better. I would be interested in finding out more about the new test you mentioned. I wonder if just any lab can do it, or only a few select labs with special equipment. That would only add to the cost. I have a feeling that the doctors here will be very reluctant to order it, unless they deem it absolutely necessary. I will ask my GP about it. He's never talked to me about any cholesterol related issues. I guess he figures everyone knows the basics in this day and age.

Thank you so much for this information and a birthday wish the other day. :)

Flowergirl

Your welcome!

I apologize for giving you some misinformation about HDL, both subtypes HDL1and HDL2 are protective, but HDL2 is superior and more protective.

The VAP test also measures a subtype of LDL called Lp(a), which when it is the predominate form of LDL, heart attack risk increases by 25%.

The VAP is a more accurate predictor of heart disease than the standard test.
It's a simple blood test, you should not have trouble getting from you doc, most insurers cover it and most labs have it now, but you need to request it.

You can always research docs or labs in your area that adminster the test if you run into trouble.

I learned about the HDL/LDL subtypes on this message board.