Well, for eight months I tried the "natural" route to lower my cholesterol. Now that fairy tale is over for me. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Doc said that I MUST go back on meds. I was trying to stay off of them because of muscle pains, etc. But now I have a prescription for Zetia 10mg. I haven't started them yet, will start today. I wanted to wait till the weekend cause I guess there are a lot of nasty side effects for some people, and didn't want to screw up my work week.

Anyway, here's my numbers:

TC Jan 03=255 / June 03=239 / Oct 03=252
Trig Jan 03=273 / June 03=161 / Oct 03=206
HDL Jan 03=53 / June 03=40 / Oct 03=43
LDL Jan 03=147 / June 03=167 / Oct 03=168

These are the supplements I've been taking (total cost about $125 per month):

Super Omega 3 Fish Oils Six 1000 mg pills which equal 3000 mg of Omega 3's

Policosanol 20 mg per day

Tocotrienols 70 mg per day

Super Gugulipids 3000 mg per day

Pantesine 900 mg per day

Plus I take one Super Antioxidant Vitamin and one B-Complex vitamin per day.

Well...party's over. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Man, I hate going back to meds, but I've tried it all...low carb/high protein, exercise, natural supplements. I give up.

Good luck to the rest of you though!

I get so scared sometimes...I'm 39, and wonder how long till I have a heart attack. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif


Miriam

Do you have family history or other influencing factors for heart disease?

As to Zetia, I took it for two months with NO noticeable side effects. While there are real cases of real people that experience real side effects on most drugs, there are many, many times more the do not. It is interesting to note that in clinical trials, there was less percentage of people indicating side effects with most statins than there were placebo takers. The published incidence of problems with zetia is pretty low.

You may be one of the extremely few that experience side effects, but you are much more likely to be among the very high percentage of takers that do not..

Miriam,

I'm 36 and also succumbed to meds, but I have a family history of high cholesterol and heart attacks. However, diet has helped in addition.

You didn't mention trying a high carb approach. Have you tried that? The 80/10/10 approach has lowered many people's levels significantly. Even though you'll go on meds, you probably still have to change your diet, if your levels are realy high.

Miriam,

Yep, a common dilemma for many of us. Good luck with the zetia and DO keep taking at least 1000 mg of the Omega-3's to keep your HDL's up.