high cholesterol-medication

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moneil21
moneil21 Posts: 20
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I seen my dr today who says my cholesterol is high. I am 33yrs old, and do not want to go on meds. I am going to try to work out and eat better before i start the meds. Anyone else in this boat? I just started this week with myfitnesspal its so so so so hard to give up the yummy foods, and im a sugarholic. And this weekend is gonna suck with everyone bbq'ing. Temptation will be everywhere. How is everyone else handling this?

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  • moneil21
    moneil21 Posts: 20
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    and if you are on meds, can you tell me if they worked, how long it took to work, and any bad side effects> they want to put me on statin...i think thats how its spelt...THANK YOU. My LDL is 158 and my HDL is 55
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    What kind of medication?

    HAve your doctor prove to you that there is a benefit from the medication he'she wants to put you on.

    I've done a lot of research on this topic as I have family members that are taking STatins, like Lipitor. All the evidence today suggests that the only pople that benefit from statins are men with a previous history of heart disease. When I say they benefit, It means they are proven to live longer. When it comes to those with high cholestreol but are otherwise healthy men, men over the age of 70 or women of any age, those drugs have not been proven to help you live longer. YEs they will reduce your cholesterol but that's all it has been proven to do. Taking a powerful drug simply to reduce your cholesterol with no benefit, ie longer life, doesn't seem like a benefit to me. These comments are about statins only.


    Please don't be afraid to ask your doctor the tough questions.

    Good luck,
    Tim
  • mahershey
    mahershey Posts: 2
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    Do you know your HDL and LDL numbers? Not just the total? I would be cautious all statins have side effects. They are known to affect you joints and muscles, subsequently it's stiffness and painful.
    Increase your fiber and excercise will help lower the LDL (lousy or bad) level. Your body naturally produces cholesterol in the liver. It's not always about what you eat. If you start on a statin it's important to also supplement COQ10 for the heart muscle.
  • mahershey
    mahershey Posts: 2
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    Just saw your numbers...are you sure that's correct. Usually a total under 250 is no concern especially at your age. Normal range with LDL approx. 1/2 of the HDL (example: HDL 150 and LDL 75. But if your LDL is truly 158, that is high.
  • tbloor
    tbloor Posts: 56 Member
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    When my dad was 35, he was told by his doctor that his cholesterol was so high that he would be dead by 40 if he did not change his lifestyle. We owned a restaurant and the temptation to eat deep fried foods and cheeseburgers had gotten to him! He did not want to take medication either, but drastically lowered his cholesterol in a few months by doing a few things:

    -avoiding deep fried foods
    -eating more fruits and vegetables
    -avoiding processed meats (he took sandwiches in his lunch every day and did not realize how high in cholesterol many deli meats are...he got my mom to cook a small roast, chicken or turkey each week and made sandwiches out of that as an alternative)
    -eating oatmeal for breakfast
    -incorporating exercise into his life

    You can still BBQ! Throw a chicken breast on the grill with some asparagus, mushrooms, red peppers...so good!!! Don't think of it as torture. And allow yourself a treat every now and then so you don't fall off the wagon!
  • jknops2
    jknops2 Posts: 171 Member
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    Yes, I have been on Crestor, 10 mg for something like 6 years. It works, brings LDL way down for me, no side effects at all.

    In the last six months I have lost 40 lb, bought my BMI from 28 to 22, increased fiber intake, ate much more fish and much less red meat. This helped a lot, HDl way up, LDL the same, triglicerides way down. I am lowering my Crestor to 5 mg and will check in 6 months to see how it looks then.
  • sweet_lotus
    sweet_lotus Posts: 194 Member
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    and if you are on meds, can you tell me if they worked, how long it took to work, and any bad side effects> they want to put me on statin...i think thats how its spelt...THANK YOU. My LDL is 158 and my HDL is 55

    OK, your HDL (the good cholesterol) is > 50 which is ideal, that is the goal for men. Your LDL (bad cholesterol) needs to come down. Do you know your triglycerides?

    I'm in the same boat as you. I have a strong family history of heart disease and high cholesterol - mine started to go up in my 20s. My entire family except for me is on statins. Two people have had side effects (rhabdomyolysis - muscle pain) and had to switch medications, but they were able to find a brand that they could take.

    Losing weight and eating well will help a lot. Through diet and weight loss, I brought my LDL from 152 to 110. It's still higher than ideal but much improved. My HDL went up (which is good) to 87, and my triglycerides dropped 30 points. Because my LDL:HDL ratio is so good, I don't need to be on a statin at this point even though my total is a little high.

    You're young enough that you can work on your numbers and stay off medication, but it takes commitment and work. Good luck!
  • moneil21
    moneil21 Posts: 20
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    Here is the chart my dr sent me with my #'s.
    CHOLESTEROL,TOTAL 234
    TRIGLYCERIDES 113
    HDL CHOLESTEROL 56
    CHOL/HDL RATIO 4.18
    LDL CHOLESTEROL 155

    The meds she wants to put me on is called- SIMVASTATIN 10 MG TABLET

    I am a 33 yr old female. I dont believe I have family history of it, my dad has high cholest, but that is because of his lifestyle I believe. (he is a truck driver and overweight)
    Thank you so much for all of your responses. I think my plan is going to be to give myself 3-6 mnths of dedicating a good diet (on mfp) watching my calorie and fat intake and *trying* to exercise 3-4 times a week. If the #s are still high then when I retest, then I will go on the meds. I am just scared to go on these meds because of a cpl reasons, the side effects scare me. I am a sugarholic, so when i say it is going to be hard to quit the candy, its like a smoker quitting smoking, I believe. LOL!!! Thanks again everyone!!!
  • moneil21
    moneil21 Posts: 20
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    And my current weight is 153- and my goal is to get to 135. Its been a goal for so many years, I need alot of help believing i can get there. I dont remember even being below 140 ever! LOL
  • ka_42
    ka_42 Posts: 720 Member
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    Twenty pounds will be easy to take off.. I promise. No worries. I had my cholesterol checked last year- at the time I weighed 163 lbs my HDL was 65 and LDL 86. I know these are pretty good numbers. I had already lost 30 lbs and was eating healthy at the time. I'm also young- 23. This year I had it tested again 30 lbs lighter at 132 lbs. My HDL was 75 and LDL 56. :) Your HDL (good) should be above 60. The LDL (bad) should be below 100. My mom has high cholesterol and has been on meds for several years with trouble lowering it. She has to have her liver tested annually because the meds can effect liver health. Also- she's had blood in her urine last several tests... could be due to the meds as well but the dr. didn't know why. To lower your cholesterol MOVE as much as possible. Take a hour at 4-6 times a week and go for a walk. Jog a bit if you can. Or find something else if you're not into that... I love Zumba classes! Most of all change your diet. Eat as few processed foods as you can. Read labels. Take red meat and lunch meats out of your diet or reduce your consumption significantly. Find out what fruits and veggies you like and stock up on them. I'm a sugar lover myself - I've found that I can allow myself ONE sweet thing a day (a piece of dark chocolate is a healthy antioxidant filled option) it keeps me happy. Do your research, commit and you WILL see success. It's not as hard as you think.. especially at first. Good luck!!!!!

    editing to say- I have eaten red meat throughout my diet. but I think lowering how much you have helps. I eyeball 3 oz of meat (the size of a deck of cards) for a serving. Look out for things high in saturated and trans fats (like in margarine and other snack foods). Fill your body with good healthy fats like nuts :)
  • sweet_lotus
    sweet_lotus Posts: 194 Member
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    I think my plan is going to be to give myself 3-6 mnths of dedicating a good diet (on mfp) watching my calorie and fat intake and *trying* to exercise 3-4 times a week. If the #s are still high then when I retest, then I will go on the meds. I am just scared to go on these meds because of a cpl reasons, the side effects scare me. I am a sugarholic, so when i say it is going to be hard to quit the candy, its like a smoker quitting smoking, I believe. LOL!!! Thanks again everyone!!!

    I think you have a good plan! It's feasible

    I'm a sugar lover too but I found that gradually decreasing my intake was more helpful than cold turkey! I still have a little sugar but much less than i used to - a little in my coffee, a piece of chocolate, sometimes a small (8 oz) soft drink, or very occasional dessert. I find that's enough for me now. :) You can do it!!

    Replacing some of the processed (trans) and saturated fat with monounsaturated will help raise the HDL, as well as your exercise. Cook with olive oil instead of butter, eat almonds, pecans, walnuts, and avocado and cut out deli meats.

    Good luck!
  • moneil21
    moneil21 Posts: 20
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    thanks so much everyone!! Yeah my dad just filled up my freezer with red meat...goodness!! LOL!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Hi, I seen my dr today who says my cholesterol is high. I am 33yrs old, and do not want to go on meds. I am going to try to work out and eat better before i start the meds. Anyone else in this boat? I just started this week with myfitnesspal its so so so so hard to give up the yummy foods, and im a sugarholic. And this weekend is gonna suck with everyone bbq'ing. Temptation will be everywhere. How is everyone else handling this?

    Exercise!! Aerobic exercise is probably the fastest and best ways to reduce your overall cholesterol. I know you won't want to hear it but I really think giving up sugar cold turkey is a good idea. If you give it up entirely for a couple of months, you'll likely find that you no longer crave it even if you start back eating it occasionally. Those first 2 months will be plenty hard though.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Sounds like you've got a great plan! Hope your doc is on board!
    I've been through the same thing and thankfully my doc was very patient with me and didn't put me on meds. Now my levels have naturally lowered with diet and exercise so it's not a worry anymore! I have a friend who is on cholesterol meds because hers cannot be controlled with diet and exercise and they can be a pain, literally. One brand she was on, which I believe was a statin, gave her leg cramps.

    Any chance you could swing going to a nutritionist to talk to them about eating right to lower your cholesterol? I did this about 10 years ago and it really helped.

    Three tips for you off the top of my head:
    1) Get active, especially cardio. No need to go crazy, just start small with some short walk and increase your time and speed as you get more healthy.
    2) Eat more leafy greens (spinach, kale, dark green lettuces like romaine) and whole grain breads (100 whole wheat)
    3) Get more omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is a great source as are some other products out on the market or you can take fish oil pills. If you go with the pills, get the ones that are "burp free" as fishy burps are gross! :)

    Good luck!
  • ka_42
    ka_42 Posts: 720 Member
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    I have heard that if you keep fish oil capsules in the fridge it prevents the burps. Although my capsules never gave me that side effect. Also- Flax seed is full of omega 3 fatty acids. you can find it in the organic section. the flax meal stays good for only a little over a month but you can find tons of recipes online to use it. Also, you can mix it in some yogurt.

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