On Atkins, high cholestorol, take meds? - High Cholesterol Message Board

bertagale · 03-20-2003, 08:55 PM

Hi fellow cholestorolites!

I'm a female who's been on the Atkins diet for about ten weeks and have lost 15 pounds. Although I've never felt better in my life, my recent cholestorol test results were:

Total Cholestorol 304
Triglycerides 82
HDL 65
LDL 223

High cholesterol runs in my family, but heart disease does not. Though I have optimal blood pressure, none of the other risk factors for heart disease and just passed a stress test with flying colors, a cardiologist I saw wants me to start on Liptor. I really don't want to since I already take enough stuff for my allergies and asthma and I don't want to deal with the side effects.

My last cholestorol test four years ago showed a total cholestorol of 244, LDL of 157 and HDL of 60 (I don't know the old level of Tri.)

Now, here's where I can use some help.

Should I stay on the Atkins and take the meds, go off the Atkins and try the same old low fat diets that never did anything for me before but not take the meds, stay on Atkins but cut out eggs, cheese,bacon, etc., and not take the meds, or just ignore the whole situation? At 5'6 I am now 155 which is 25 lbs short of my goal weight, but I am in excellent physical shape and I exercise regularly.

You folks seem to have so much personal experience, I wonder if you could help lead me in the right direction.

Thanks so much for any guidence you can give me. I'm so glad I found this board!

CobaltBlue · 03-21-2003, 04:53 AM

Hi,

I dropped my nearly 70 lbs in the last year using the old fashioned low-fat diet

However, if I were in your shoes and a follower of the Atkins diet, what I would do is actually what you mentioned. Shift the fats you eat from the traditional meat (saturated) fats to those found more in oils or nuts, for example. The way I brought my LDL-C way down was to aim for the lowest intake of saturated fat that I could reasonably attain. Most of the fats that I take in now are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated (nuts, oils, soy). I do take in a little saturated fat, but I absolutely avoid trans fats/partially hydrogenated ... like the plague.

Maybe that shift in fats will work in your case? Just be aware that you might notice a small drop in your HDL-C also, depending on the amount of polyunsaturated fats that you taken in. However, your level of HDL-C is excellent right now.

hunter44 · 03-21-2003, 07:46 AM

Stay the course. It takes at least six months to see positive results from the Atkins or any low carb woe. Remeber your body is going through quite a transition going from excessive carb and transfats intake to a nonprocessed way of eatig. Do not eliminate fats, that's your enegy source and they have little to do with your lipid numbers and, if anything, elimination will lower your HDL number. Saturated fats and excercise will increase your HDL. Recent studies show that your Triclyceride number has a direct effect on your LDL types. If you have low trigs then your LDL is most likely the harmless subtype "a" LDL, conversely if your trigs are high then your LDL is more than likely subtype "b", the damaging kind. One thing to remember about dietary fats, your liver produces approximately 85% of the cholesterol in your body. What you consume in fats and cholesterol has very little effect on blood cholesterol. As far as fats go, eliminate trans fats and make sure you balance your fat intake with suplements of omega 3's. I would recommend another good book(I think it's better than Atkin's), Protein Power Life Plan by Drs. Eades. It explains the whole biochemistry about reducing simple carbs, trans fats, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

HC · 03-21-2003, 09:51 AM

Hi Everyone,

I am 61 and had a total cholesterol level of 276 , tri's were in the 700's just four months ago.My doctor wanted to put me on one of the drugs and I refused to do so.My total cholesterol is now 175 and my tri's are dwn. to 150.This is what I have done to reach these numbers.
1. quit eating high fat crackers,which I ate allot of
2. I grind up 1\8 cup of flaxseed every morning and put in a soy drink.
3. I take 10mg of policosonal and 30mg of cq10 every evening.
4.I have tried to cut out junk food the best I can but still working on that one.I don't eat any candy or drink any soda though
5. I am now trying to cut out as much salt , sugar , and high fat foods that I can. not easy

I hope this helps
and have a great day

bertagale · 03-23-2003, 06:11 PM

Thanks so much everyone for your very helpful and very informed responses. I'm going to stay the course except for perhaps cutting down on the eggs. After all, I don't have to eat them every DAY!
I'm going to have another test done in about six weeks to two months and see where I stand. Perhaps I need to find one of the cardiologists who are Atkins-believers.
Boy, I wish my IQ were as high as my cholestorol level. Well, at least my SAT scores were higher, thankfully!

All the best,
Roberta