Is medication really necessary? - High Cholesterol Message Board

NancyH · 04-14-2009, 06:42 PM

I'm 61, normal weight, no other health problems other than pernicious anemia(B12 def) and a bit of arthritis. I exercise 5 times a week doing strength and aerobics. I had my lipid panel done last week and my neurologist wants me to take a "statin" to lower my cholesterol. I don't think I need to because I could probably lower it with getting off this carmel machiatto drink I have everyday from Starbucks even if it is non fat milk!
My panel read
LDL 183 under 100 is ideal
HDL 67 above 60 is ideal
Trig 66 below 150 is ideal
Total Cholesterol is 262
my heart disease risk is 2.8 if I remember correctly.
I don't see these numbers as being all that bad and need drugs when I may be able to pull it off with more diet change.
I think he is over reacting or else I'm in denial! I would hate to take a statin just because one number is a bit high, while the other numbers are excellent really. Am I in denial?

tjlhb · 04-14-2009, 11:35 PM

By the usual standards, your numbers look ok except that the LDL (and total) is on the high side (especially if you have other risk factors for heart disease).

Does your diet contain any trans-fats from hydrogenated oils, or significant amounts of saturated fats (common in fat from red meat, dairy fat, and coconut and palm oil)? If so, try avoiding them and using unsaturated fats (mostly from fish and plant sources, other than those listed previously) instead.

Although it is unlikely if you are normal weight and do muscle building strength exercises (how much exercise do you do 5 times per week?), if your body composition includes too high a body fat percentage, that can adversely affect your LDL levels. (Normal weight people sometimes have an unhealthily high body fat percentage, particularly if they do not exercise.)

On the other hand, some people are genetically unlucky and may not be able to reach optimal blood cholesterol numbers even with the best diet and exercise habits. However, even in this case, good diet and exercise habits may make the difference between taking small doses of medication versus taking larger doses at added expense and risk of side effects.

92261 · 04-15-2009, 01:41 PM

Please consider using niacin to control your cholesterol. It's common to have higher LDL as you get older. Statins are nasty. They cause muscle pain and more and are really not good for you - period. Do some research on this before you take the plunge so you won't regret it. I have high LDL also and found out that it increases during menopause. Exercise is good for it too, which you are already doing. Cholesterol is also good for the brain and neurons. Investigate red yeast rice also. It is a statin but it is all natural. This can also cause muscle problems but at least it's all natural. Increase your omega 3 fats and take fish oil to help out. Increasing fiber can help also.
The doctors are only trying to accomodate the pharmaceutical companies, not you. Do some research and don't let them control you. YOU control YOU.
Good luck

rudiraven · 04-15-2009, 02:07 PM

I agree.......don't take any statins. They will cause you more trouble than you could imagine. Just watch your diet and cut out Starbucks everyday

. Your HDL is great. Studies have shown that statins aren't effective for women anyway. Doctors don't take the time to research these meds. They just believe whatever the pharma rep tells them. Take care.

NancyH · 04-15-2009, 08:29 PM

Thank you all, you pretty much summed up what I thought also! My noticed last year in Dec 08 I had it done and the LDL was 191 then and since it has come down to 183 I've recently went vegetarian, maybe flexatarian is a better description since I do eat fish a lot the last few months. I only have my Starbucks once a day instead of several as I have been doing. My HDL was 62 in Dec and now it is 67 and my trig stayed the same. So I will tell my Dr that I will continue bringing down the LDL with diet and natural remedies and recheck me in another 4 months to see how I did, then we'll talk statins! Another one of my big "bad" foods is I switched from margarine to real butter in Jan, I love butter now that I discovered it again and it's nothing for me to put on so much it runs off the toast, I know that is bad. Yesterday I fought using butter for anything, don't like vegan butter spreads. I will grin and bear it for now because if I can continue to bring it down by some little changes I will do anything to avoid the statins. I will look into the niacins and natural statins if this doesn't work. Thanks again all of you have been helpful! Oh at the gym I had my BMI checked back in Jan, it was 20.1, in the normal range for my height and weight, 5'4, 120lbs.