Alternative treatment?

[Lilolill]

Thank you for all your replies.

Lenin, I am always on a low fat diet with the odd exception. My 3 meals a day on an average daily level are good as my trigs of 88 show. I also go to the gym 3-4 times per week and have done for the last year. My weight is 56 kg and height 5'6'' so i am a perfect weight.

Hubble - I stopped Lipitor at first out of laziness about being botheres to go back and get another prescription. As we all must agree, when you dont feel or see our condition, sometimes it is hard to remember it is there, especially as I have known about this since I was 16, at first you are scared, then you think "I am too young to worry about this now'etc. Now having read individuals muscle wastage, forgetfulness and so on, there is no way I want to take something that although fixes one problem, it causes a whole host of others, i am too young for that.

The local university did a radio announcement saying that it wanted volunteers for a cholesterol lowering study with a chinese herbalist. I rang this morning and volunteered but unfortunatly with LDL of over 7 i didnt come into theie 3.5-5.5 range. I was so gutted as right now I am not doing anything without knowing which way to turn.

Hubble, I will try your Policosanol and Stumper I will look into Vytorin.

Thanks again folks!

Lisax

[buckshot111]

Lilolill

I was diagnosed with high chol. a couple of years ago, and after a change in diet had little effect I was put on Zocor, but experienced flushing. I told the doc. about the flushing and the potential side effects I had read about, and said I wanted to try Policosanol which he had no problem with. I had another check after 4 months on Pol. but the numbers had not changed significantly (I was watching the diet and I increased exercise as well BTW).

I then started red yeast rice and tests since indicate that the numbers have changed significantly, but not as low as they should be (Oz numbers in brackets):

Initial Test:
TC 297 (7.7)
HDL 42 (1.1)
LDL 228 (5.9)

After taking policosanol:
TC 282 (7.3)
HDL 54 (1.4)
LDL 212 (5.5)

After taking RYR for 6 weeks:
TC 228 (5.9)
HDL 54 (1.4)
LDL 147 (3.8)

The Red Yeast Rice involves 1200mg/day (2 x 600mg capsules), and 200mg/day of CoQ10 (2 x 100mg softgels). RYR is a statin, but I've had no noticable negative effects from it. I also buy both these supplements from the U.S., as they are either not availabe in Oz or are too expensive.

Hope this gives you some guidance.

[Lilolill]

Cheers Buckshot, will look into it.

[Vavip]

I had TC of 285 and tried for 3 months to bring it down myself by strict diet and exercise. Only salads, oatmeal, fruits, veggies, occasional chicken and fish. I walked 30 minutes a day and did 30 minutes daily of floor exercises. The test came back with a TC of 260. I went on 10 mg Lipitor for 6 months with no side affects and the TC was 190 but the Doc wants me lower so for the past 6 months I have taken 20mg. I have my check-up next month for the new results. This all started when my period stopped and my hormones went wacky I guess. I do not and will not take HRT. If I did several people told me that I may not have not have had the high readings.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Vavip

I had TC of 285 and tried for 3 months to bring it down myself by strict diet and exercise. Only salads, oatmeal, fruits, veggies, occasional chicken and fish. I walked 30 minutes a day and did 30 minutes daily of floor exercises. The test came back with a TC of 260. I went on 10 mg Lipitor for 6 months with no side affects and the TC was 190 but the Doc wants me lower so for the past 6 months I have taken 20mg. I have my check-up next month for the new results. This all started when my period stopped and my hormones went wacky I guess. I do not and will not take HRT. If I did several people told me that I may not have not have had the high readings.

Why does your dr. want your TC below what it is already? Do U have other numbers U could post, like your LDL, HDL and Trigs.? Unless U have some serious medical issues that need your cholesterol very low, I think your dr. is asking way too much of a drop..... Also, 3 months is not a decent length of time to give diet and exercise a try, it usually takes at least 6-9 months too see any affect, and U were making some progress within the 3 months. JMHO, but think U should have been given more time.

As far as the HRT my numbers also jumped when I went off of them, so I am still giving it some thought of maybe going on a very low dose again to see if it helps, as I had lousy experiences with statins and will not go back on them. Like yourself and many others on this site, I am trying to control my numbers with diet and exercise. Over the last year I have had some fairly good reports and some not so good reports, but all I can do is try.

Besides changing your diet and doing alot of exercise before, did U take any supplements for your cholesterol? Many on here use Niacin, some even with statins and have had very good results, but U also would have to be monitored with that too. I'm sure folks will jump in and give you some ideas of what supplements to try. Hopefully U won't have any side effects from the Lipitor and even will beable to lower the dose, or take it only a few days a week. When they put me on Lipitor my TC went from 266 to 167 within 4 weeks, but I had nasty side effects from it, so they tried Baycol. Needless to say that really started some nasty medical problems, mostly GI, plus pains and aches I couldn't believe, so I stopped. They tried me on it only 3 days a week, but I still couldn't handle it.

I wish I had a computer at that time and knew what I know now, as I would have never even gone on the stuff, and certainly would have known going from 266 to 167 in 4 weeks was WAY too much, too fast.

Good luck......