I've always had elevated cholesterol levels. Without medication (statins) my level averaged around 230. With 20mg of Zocor, for one year, that level

dropped to 180. For the past 4+ months I've been eating a whole food, plant based diet/vegan. I just got my bloodwork results and my chol. level

dropped to 99.

 

Wanting to drop the statins...I asked my doctor and she said it'd be a good idea to keep taking them.

 

Fully understanding that 'you' are not going to give me medical advice, my questions is this - should I drop the meds, anyway?

Any insight/thoughts/experience you may have would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks in adv. 

 

 

At 99 your chol. is to low, your body need chol. for many functions and good health. Chol. is not bad it is necessary at the proper levels. Min. 150 for proper body function.

One thing to remember many people drop their statins over time due to muscle achs and pains

4 minutes ago, moe666 said:

At 99 your chol. is to low, your body need chol. for many functions and good health. Chol. is not bad it is necessary at the proper levels. Min. 150 for proper body function.

Yikes. I should have written 99 LDL

 

What is your medical history ? Hypertension ? History of heart disease in family ? Smoker ?  Age, weight and height ?

The conservative answer is that you shouldn't quit them unless you have a doctor that supports the decision and then if you do quit, you should be monitored by a doctor.

Personal opinion, but  if you are managing your health with nutrition, you don't need statins, in fact they are bad for you. Doctor prescribed them for me after discovering partial artery blockage on the grounds that lowering my LDL (which was not high) might help reduce arterial plaque.

 

The statins made me feel unwell and after three days and a load of research, I threw them away and am now attacking the problem with altered nutrition. 

 

There is nothing inherently wrong with high cholesterol; the problems are caused by insulin resistance and inflammation, which statins do nothing to address.

I was able to ditch statins by changes in diet and more exercise.  When was in the process, I was tested every quarter and after a good reading, the doctor suggested cutting the stating dose in half and if I had another good reading, stopping the statins and testing again in 90 days to see if I was keeping the the number in control with the diet and exercise.

 

I really didn't have to make major diet changes -- mainly nearly eliminated cheese and most meat, switching to fish and chicken.  Also cut down on carbs, eating less brown rice and having bigger salads with more fresh veggies.  

 

Ask you doctor if you can cut the statin dose in half and retest in 90 days to see the effect.  

You are giving total not separate LDL levels and HDL levels . The separate levels determine the path possibilities with total cholesterol being almost insignificant and the way cholesterol was looked at decades before . PM me if I can help also statins address symptoms but not get to root opportunities and have side effects .


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It would be more advisable to first rexuce the dosage, give it 2-3 months at lower dose then recheck the levels. Better than just stopping all at once.

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I have ditched Crestor and am now trying Red Yeast Rice supplements as a 'natural' source of statin. I certainly feel a lot better and spring out of bed in the mornings. I will test my cholesterol and liver functions soon after finishing off one bottle (2 months supply).

 

Anybody else tried it?

36 minutes ago, rak sa_ngop said:

I have ditched Crestor and am now trying Red Yeast Rice supplements as a 'natural' source of statin. I certainly feel a lot better and spring out of bed in the mornings. I will test my cholesterol and liver functions soon after finishing off one bottle (2 months supply).

 

Anybody else tried it?

Why would you switch from a regulated and tested statin to an unregulated statin where you have no idea of the potency or ingredients ?

1 hour ago, rak sa_ngop said:

I have ditched Crestor and am now trying Red Yeast Rice supplements as a 'natural' source of statin. I certainly feel a lot better and spring out of bed in the mornings. I will test my cholesterol and liver functions soon after finishing off one bottle (2 months supply).

 

Anybody else tried it?

My Dad has used red yeast rice for many years. Regular statins gave him muscle aches.

1 hour ago, mamypoko said:

My Dad has used red yeast rice for many years. Regular statins gave him muscle aches.

That is your cited research ?

1 hour ago, tonray said:

That is your cited research ?

Are you asking me, or rak sa ngop?

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Funny but in reality diet is not the only factor.

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1 hour ago, Lumbini said:

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Vegan, bro!