GREAT NEWS I WENT FROM 254 TO 154. YEAH

Nice work Chloebug http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

What did you focus on to accomplish your reduction?

I take lipitor 10mg and I have been exercising 4-5 days a week. Watching what I eat (and actually stuck to it)

That's great! I also have good news. I went from 496 to 224 in 3 months (40mg. Zocor) and I watch diet like a hawk. I'm now taking Vytorin so I hope to bring it down under 200. My bad cholestorol was 370 and now it's 140~ My triglicerides are only 82. This comes after getting my diabetes under control also. But it can be done, I'm living proof.

chloe,
I got the same 100 point drop with 10 mg. Lipitor. Feels good, doesn't it?

What kind of plant fiber??
I take Garlique every day as well as 1200 of fish oil.

It's called Waiora Superior Fiber Blend. Mixture of 3 grams soluble fiber, 2 grams insoluble fiber and plant sterols. Fiber includes guar gum, oat fiber, fibersol, arabinogalactin, sugar cane fiber, citrus pectin, and inulin plus the plant sterols.

I am also using 1000 mg fish oil and a blend of vitamins including a fat soluble vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate) and amino acids from the same company. You can do a search on the above name and get quite a bit of info.

Best of health.
Can you find this at a health food store? :wave:

These things make me want to ask the question, "why does the body produce what we think is too much cholesterol in the first place?"

--Are we sure that our bodies do not know the right amount that we need?

dtjo, that really is a very good question. Seems when they put guidelines out, if everyone doesn't meet them, then they are shoved on meds. Maybe that is why some folks feel so lousy taking these drugs, as if could be their cholesterol is too low for them???? Wish I had an answer, but it is like that ole saying.."Not everyone fits the same mold"!............ :confused:

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Congrats. to those who got their cholesterol down so well on Lipitor. When I was on it, within 4 weeks mine went from 256 to 154, but unfortuneately statins and I don't get along. Good luck, and continued success... :)

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GailC..Thanx for the info. on the Fiber Blend. Right now I am trying to keep my numbers as low as possible on a decent diet, exercise and LOTS of oatmeal. I'm still borderline, but still trying. Take care.... :wave:

These things make me want to ask the question, "why does the body produce what we think is too much cholesterol in the first place?"--Are we sure that our bodies do not know the right amount that we need?

dtj,

We could spend a long time talking about why it produces too much or too little of the various components, but ultimately it is more like a "disease" that results in a defect in the mechanism that regulates the lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride, etc. levels.

This is an extreme example, but imagine someone with type I diabetes saying that they did not need insulin because "their bodies felt it was not necessary to produce it?" That person wouldn't last very long.

jj,

I like the taste of oatmeal too, I eat it from time to time and used to it eat a bunch of it years ago. I tend to have divorced myself from it and now I cringe when I read the claims made for it. There are other ways to achieve the same benefits (and better) without the need for oatmeal. Large commercial entities will latch onto any little "factoid" and use it to sell their product. If I were to make a habit of binge eating a few boxes of oatmeal a week, I tend to think that I would be a little less healthy and that my "heart" (which implies other parts of my cardiovascular system, might as well add some other organs, like the pancreas and liver) would be a little less overjoyed at the dosage of carbs and sugars that I just pummelled into my system.

I noticed that even in cardiac rehab, the commercial interest permeates and one can receive coupons for "healthy" choices in foods. Granted, these can be much healthier than other foods out there, but there is still much room for improvement once these patients learn what should be eaten vs. what is told to them (us) by corporations. Here I am on a tangent again, sounding like I am bashing only the corporations when ultimately what we ingest is up to each of us.

Back to oatmeal, and the lower sugar version that I buy. One packet that goes into 1/2 c of water (4 measly ounces) equates to 110 cal, 1.5g F, 0.5g Sat, 22g Carbs, 3g Fiber, Pro 3 g. Third most abundant ingredient: sugar. I would have to go back and pull more boxes off the shelf, but I bet that 3/4 c of Smorz plus 1/4 c All Bran Extra Fiber will, for a total of 1 c will provide less calories and more fiber than 2 packets (1c) of this low-sugar oatmeal...

There are plenty of other foods that get you 110 cal or energy and be just as healthy.

Finally the claims...at least on this box: "Oatmeal can help maintain a healthy weight. *details on back" That is almost comical (almost). Is oatmeal going to make me exercise more? Eat less? Will it offer up it's advice to discontinue eating? Will it talk to me, while in my shopping cart and tell me what foods to buy?

On the back, there are "facts" but no reference. They read:
"Eating a well-balanced diet, including breakfast, and being physically active can help manage your weight." --Well, no kidding ;) Notice the word crafting?

"People who eat breakfast regularly are more likely to weigh less than those who tend to skip it." Heard this before, I am sure there is a study that shows this association.

"BrandNameHere Oatmeal is a great choice in the morning because, as a whole grain food, it adds fiber to your diet which can help in weight management." If that is the case, then I would reach for a higher fiber alternative than this one...including other whole grain foods.

"Research has shown that eating oatmeal for breakfast can be a part of a diet that supports a healthy weight." What gets me here is that this sentence could just as well have read: "Research has shown that eating anything for breakfast can be a part of a diet that supports a healthy weight."

Years ago, I had poorly managed diabetes, 227 lbs, sedentary and ate oatmeal for breakfast. Now, my weight is down to normal, sugars normal, I exercise and I don't eat oatmeal for breakfast. I guess if I wanted to use the pseudoscience in these advertisements, we could say "it helped maintain my obesity, lack of energy and laziness, and might have helped in the early development of coronary heart disease."

I see now that I am in rare form this morning and should go exercise. Good work on the efforts to lower your lipids jj, and best of luck in the future.

These things make me want to ask the question, "why does the body produce what we think is too much cholesterol in the first place?"

--Are we sure that our bodies do not know the right amount that we need?

I LOVE that line of thinking and I can spend weeks and weeks trying to think of reasons why evolution has done this or that with the human experiment.


PARTIALLY BAKED IDEA::D
LOTS of things that are seemingly odd for Mother Nature to have done can be explained by her need to propagate the species. Seen in that light, perhaps lipid transfer with cholesterol is an efficient means of getting energy to outrun maurauders or wild animals. Perhaps high cholesterol levels help reproduction. Maybe high lipid concentration makes for better mother's milk. Perhaps they efficiently stave off starvation during famine.

Now since reproduction doesn't extend into our golden years, there's no "survial of the species" methodology to make sure that those with blood lipid levels that enhance living in the young are such as to allow living to 90 with healthy hearts...especially if such levels might even confer a DISADVANTAGE to people looking to "mate" as teenagers.

The only way that evolution could be induced to provide us with proper longevity enhancing cholesterol levels would be to prevent anyone from having children until they are 60:D...of course that would only apply to MEN for obvious reasons. But then you might have an evolutionary development resulting in men outliving women by a decade!:D:D:

So many processes can be looked at this way but unfortunately the makeup of blood lipids is one of the more complicated ones. But rest assured there is a definite advantage of miserable cholesterol SOMEWHERE early in our lives, or it wouldn't be the way it is...too bad it turns round and bites us later!
Mother Nature is a FAR better scientist than any who has ever walked the Earth.

How about an easy one? Why do we have heart attacks? Because clots save our lives and enhance reproduction chances...too bad if they kill us too, that process usually waits til the kids are able to continue the next generation without us.

How about the UGLIEST possible ramification, that nature deems survival is best guaranteed by elaborate mechanisms to eliminate the drones, those who serve no further evolutionary purpose and merely consume and take up space :eek: :(.
Another wrinkle, those who consume the MOST are judged the MOST DANGEROUS to the species and are killed off FIRST :D:D:D, gotta LOVE that hypothesis.

Cobalt... I hear what your saying about the oatmeal thing. It does seem like almost every cereal and other things out there, all want to claim they help your cholesterol, amongst other things. Like anything, they jump on the bandwagon to sell more of their product.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying, and think I rely on just oatmeal to try and lower my lipids. Naturally I have put alot more veggies, and fruits into my diet, and cut way back on carbs. Have to admit, I have always been a big pasta fan, but those days are long gone, but not eliminated entirely. I know folks who have gone the Atkins way, and other plans and have done great, then others had no luck at all. I just try to balance things out, but at the same time put more of the good stuff in my diet, in other words, everything in moderation. Being active is not a problem, even though I am not working outside the home, there is plenty to do, and we have a nice track field close to the house. Hopefully this winter weather will give it up soon, and more visits to the track will be made. For now I have to exercise in the house, which at times can be boring, but I can't change the weather. Hubby and I did have a nice gym close to us, but unfortuneately they closed 2 yrs. ago, bummer, as we really liked that place.

Wish I had the total answer to lowering mine, and everyone elses lipids, I would be making myself and other's MIGHTY happy, but I don't. For now, I just try different things, and if it works fine, if not, I just try something else. Who knows, I just might get it right yet. :D

Thanx for sharing your input on oatmeal and a few other things, and I am so glad U have your sugar under control and seem to be alot more fit and more active then before. Continued success, and may we all somehow find OUR answers to very good health..... :wave:

How about the UGLIEST possible ramification, that nature deems survival is best guaranteed by elaborate mechanisms to eliminate the drones, those who serve no further evolutionary purpose and merely consume and take up space :eek: :(.
Another wrinkle, those who consume the MOST are judged the MOST DANGEROUS to the species and are killed off FIRST :D:D:D, gotta LOVE that hypothesis.

I never thought about it that way! wow, unfortunately it makes sense..

Don't misunderstand what I am saying, and think I rely on just oatmeal to try and lower my lipids. Naturally I have put alot more veggies, and fruits into my diet, and cut way back on carbs.

Wish I had the total answer to lowering mine, and everyone elses lipids, I would be making myself and other's MIGHTY happy, but I don't. For now, I just try different things, and if it works fine, if not, I just try something else. Who knows, I just might get it right yet. :D


JJ,

Not at all (misunderstood part). I think you are on the right track, by all means, and for a person who conducts experiments on myself, you have my absolute support in this--fruits and veggies, in my opinion, are the best possible course. I went off on the oatmeal tangent because it was something that came up recently at home, when I mentioned to my gf the ridiculous label "factoids" that can be found on some products. I could not agree more that moderation is the key. With excess, my TC is 300 mg/dL, and with the a very low fat diet, it can drop to 96 mg/dL. Just as you are experimenting now, I did so back then, to achieve that. It is just that it took a heart attack and a few 200+ joule jolts to catalyze the movement to healthy lifestyle. In my case, I suffer from runaway TGs that result in low HDLs, diabetes, and hypertension if I don't keep my weight down and exercise routinely. There is a fantastic (huge) book called Lipoproteins in Health and Disease by Betteridge et al. that delves deep into all the factors that come into play with this. Lenin has also posted a great website in the past, that discusses all the various factors, also. (I have that URL at work, else I would post it now).

Lenin,

Sometimes my friend, I am not sure if your partially baked ideas are less baked than you think, or should that be cooked almost well? Your ideas extend beyond the realm that I usually consider--thats a compliment, by the way :D We will have to discuss that high cholesterol-reproduction associations sometime ;)

Ok Cobalt, I got ya now. I swear, today is one of those days my mind is TOTALLY out to lunch or something, as I am usually so focused, but not today!! I agree with ya 100% about trying to experiment, especially with natural stuff, but somedays I get fed up and wonder what do I do next!

As far as the labeling, or the ads on tv, we all could go nuts if we believed everything they told us, as they would have us cured in a hearbeat to hear them tell it. :D

I am a VERY bad person for skipping breakfast, always was, so at least the oatmeal in the a.m. helps with that. My numbers have always been borderline, and my old dr. just told me to watch it, as with my HDL being high, mid 60's, he didn't think meds. were necessary. In the last few years since he retired, these new drs. just jumped the gun and shoved me on them and I had a rotten reaction, so now it is trial and error. Last time my numbers were fairly good, but for some reason my HDL took a tumble???? Now I am trying to not only get the other numbers down, but also up that HDL again. Like I told hubby, I am getting too old for this stuff, I have enough to do.

Hubby has type 2 diabetes and HBP, and although his cholesterol is like 202, and his weight is just slightly over the norm, his Trigs are very high and his HDL low also, so I had to get on his case about the bread routine. Being Italian, he can eat a loaf a day, but I put a stop to that in a hurry, so now the Trigs. are coming down, but he needs them even lower, as he can go up to 400. So far he has been doing very well, and behaving himself, so now I don't need to watch him like a hawk!!

I know the veggies and fruit are extremely good for you, but good Lordy, the prices at the store are out of ORBIT!! Went shopping today and just couldn't believe the prices, unbelieveable. Last week I got a great salad and fruit plate from a new Wendys that opened near me, and man, was it good, and hubby loved it too. Like I told him, for the price they want, 4.44, U couldn't get the stuff at a store and make it yourself. Who knows, I just might be a regular there just for the salads and fruit plate. :D

Hopefully Lenin can post that site and I can give it a look, cause like U, I am definitely into the experiment stage now. Am also thinking of trying small doses of Niacin, the non flush kind, as the last thing I need is "HOT FLASHES", been there, done that already!! If spring ever gets here we can get back up to our local track, as exercising in the house is very boring, but for now we deal with it.

I really wish U more and more good results, and appreciate any tips U want to toss my way, God knows I can use them. Have a great nite, and stay healthy..... :wave:

JJ,

Your husbands dyslipoproteinaemia sounds more similar to mine. If that is the case, then weight loss and exercise will do a world of good to controlling the diabetes and making his lipid profile stellar in appearance.

As for you, I wish I knew more from a personal standpoint. You have high HDL and maybe a bit high LDL? In that case, I think Arizona is more similar to that situation, where his HDL is pretty exceptional and he may be able to shed some light.

OK for breakfast..nowadays...that is my 5K run followed by either: 1) 1 c of all bran extra fiber with .5 c soy milk or (and more often) a bar of my choice (powerbar, harvest, balance, genisoy, etc.). That is my meal replacement. By lunch, I make sure I consume 60 oz of fluid (regardless of whether its water or diet drinks). Sometimes I have one more bar as a snack, and then at lunch, its normally a salad plus lowfat dressing or another bar. I become lenient at dinner.

I suppose I shouldn't have detailed all the above because it's not what you asked--however, I do believe that avoidance of starvation of mode does play in some part in keeping weight, insulin and lipid levels where they should be. When I was at my heaviest, I ate 1 meal per day, and at my lightest, I ate 6 per day...very strange sounding but perhaps more than coincidence? :)

Your right about the starving thing, it will not help anything. My old dr. told me eating 4 or 5 small meals a day is better then starving all day and then having a huge dinner. He also suggested if possible, to eat the largest meal early evening, like 4 p.m. as your cholesterol manufactures more at nite.

Now I eat my oatmeal in the a.m., after my 2 cups of coffee, gotta have them. :D About 1 p.m. I have a small sandwich, tuna or at times peanut butter, with a piece of fruit, then we eat dinner about 5. Like U, I also drink plenty of water or even iced tea most of the day, once in awhile a can of Sprite or 7 UP at nite. Neither of us nibble after dinner, if I get a bit hungry I usually have a bowl of Cheerios. When we have meat, it is lean and always baked or broiled, never fried. One nite a week we have pasta. We have both talked to our drs. and they feel we eat fine, and we don't lie to them, as we want input if we are doing something wrong.

As far as my numbers, here are the last 2, neither of wich I was happy with, but especially the last one. Worst I have EVER seen them. Normally my HDL is in the high 50's to mid 60's. Only other thing they said was my Thyroid was a bit underactive, but I have been told that for over 25 years???? Oh well, just have to see how it goes in May, hopefully ALOT better.

9-04

TC......227
LDL.....146
HDL......53
Trigs....145


2-05

TC......227
LDL.....141
HDL......39
Trigs....235

P.S. Weight is not an big issue, I am only 5 lbs. over my limit, same weight I have been for 15 years. :confused:

Have either of you experiinced the side effects of the statins? specifically short term memory loss (you might not remember), and loss of muscle mass? Doc has been pushing me to take statin, but I cannot abide with either of these, and certainly not both.

momcat...Both my husband and I had terrible muscle pain and weekness from statins. I also had many GI problems. Hubby had to retire early due to nueropathy and constant pulled muscles, and here it is 5 yrs. later and he still hasn't recovered totally.

I do know many folks who take statins and seem to do fine, but also know too many who suffer from these drugs, so be careful. If U do take a statin, make sure U ask your dr. what dose of Co Q10 U should take, as that helps alot with the muscles. We were never told of this suppliment, and maybe if it was taken the side effects wouldn't have been so bad??

Good luck..... :wave:

Thanks for the warnings, although I hadn't seen any tips refering to the Co Q10 in any of my reading. I've already got a packet of GI problems now, and have to to be the strong one due to my husbands own medical problems. Can't afford any down time and can't afford any slack either. Considering I've been doing all the right things for more years than I care to think about I don't understand why I'm hitting this now.



momcat...Both my husband and I had terrible muscle pain and weekness from statins. I also had many GI problems. Hubby had to retire early due to nueropathy and constant pulled muscles, and here it is 5 yrs. later and he still hasn't recovered totally.

I do know many folks who take statins and seem to do fine, but also know too many who suffer from these drugs, so be careful. If U do take a statin, make sure U ask your dr. what dose of Co Q10 U should take, as that helps alot with the muscles. We were never told of this suppliment, and maybe if it was taken the side effects wouldn't have been so bad??

Good luck..... :wave: