Should I take statins or not?

[bamboozled]

6 hours ago, Startmeup said:

"veggies, nuts, fruits, salads" are generally considered healthy, for many people they cause alot of issues.
 

You can start by watching this. Cholesterol by itself is not a good marker. You need a whole package approach, most doctors probably dont even know that basic fact. 

 

Interesting. More fuel on the fire. In the end, we no longer know what the hell we're supposed to eat/not eat.

[Sheryl]

8 hours ago, LS24 said:

Hi Sheryl,

 

Would a hospital like Nonthavej Hospital in Nonthaburi be able to conduct the stress test and calcium test? If not, do you have any recommendations, please? What would you estimate the costs of these tests to be?

Any hospital can do a stress test, but you need to consider the qualifications of the cardiologist doing it.

 

Some hospitals can do the CT calcium scan, some cannot (I don;'t know re Nthavej specifically)  and one also has to consider how up to date the equipment is (not only for accuracy's sake but also because older machines use much more radiation)

 

Bangkok Heart Hospital is offering a very good promotional price of 2,500 baht to the end of the year for the CT scan.   https://www.bangkokhearthospital.com/en/package/ct-coronary-calcium-score

 

You won't do better than that  IF a CT scan is what you need. Might or might not be. Even the newer machines  do involve some radiation exposure.

 

For the OP's situation, where a decision has to be made about whether to treat an elevated LDL  (based on what may be an indirect estimation, and with other lipid parameters being fine) it is worth it but for someone else might not be.

 

It would help if I knew why you are considering these tests. One would not usually get both.

 

Stress Test involves no radiation exposure and in addition to identifying about 80% of coronary artery disease, gives a picture of your overall cardio fitness. That may not be a concern if you already exercise regularly with no problems, but for a more sedentary person can be good to know.

 

[bamboozled]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Any hospital can do a stress test, but you need to consider the qualifications of the cardiologist doing it.

 

Some hospitals can do the CT calcium scan, some cannot (I don;'t know re Nthavej specifically)  and one also has to consider how up to date the equipment is (not only for accuracy's sake but also because older machines use much more radiation)

 

Bangkok Heart Hospital is offering a very good promotional price of 2,500 baht to the end of the year for the CT scan.   https://www.bangkokhearthospital.com/en/package/ct-coronary-calcium-score

 

You won't do better than that  IF a CT scan is what you need. Might or might not be. Even the newer machines  do involve some radiation exposure.

 

For the OP's situation, where a decision has to be made about whether to treat an elevated LDL  (based on what may be an indirect estimation, and with other lipid parameters being fine) it is worth it but for someone else might not be.

 

It would help if I knew why you are considering these tests. One would not usually get both.

 

Stress Test involves no radiation exposure and in addition to identifying about 80% of coronary artery disease, gives a picture of your overall cardio fitness. That may not be a concern if you already exercise regularly with no problems, but for a more sedentary person can be good to know.

 

I'm getting a direct LDL test today, among others! I have written a local Chiang Mai hospital that I frequent (Rajavej) to ask about the calcium scan.

[bamboozled]

On 11/28/2023 at 6:42 PM, Sheryl said:

Any hospital can do a stress test, but you need to consider the qualifications of the cardiologist doing it.

 

Some hospitals can do the CT calcium scan, some cannot (I don;'t know re Nthavej specifically)  and one also has to consider how up to date the equipment is (not only for accuracy's sake but also because older machines use much more radiation)

 

Bangkok Heart Hospital is offering a very good promotional price of 2,500 baht to the end of the year for the CT scan.   https://www.bangkokhearthospital.com/en/package/ct-coronary-calcium-score

 

You won't do better than that  IF a CT scan is what you need. Might or might not be. Even the newer machines  do involve some radiation exposure.

 

For the OP's situation, where a decision has to be made about whether to treat an elevated LDL  (based on what may be an indirect estimation, and with other lipid parameters being fine) it is worth it but for someone else might not be.

 

It would help if I knew why you are considering these tests. One would not usually get both.

 

Stress Test involves no radiation exposure and in addition to identifying about 80% of coronary artery disease, gives a picture of your overall cardio fitness. That may not be a concern if you already exercise regularly with no problems, but for a more sedentary person can be good to know.

 

 

Hi Sheryl and friends,

 

I got my direct LDL test result and it shows a "score" of 148. That's down from 174 two weeks ago but not sure if that was direct test or not.

 

I have found I can do the calcium scan at Sriphat hospital here for 5k (And Chiang Mai Ram for 7k). Of course, there is a Dr. consultation first. Based on this new number of 148, would your advice be to proceed with the calcium scan? I guess the "risk" is the expense of 5k and whatever radiation from the scans. From what I understand, it would give the best indication of whether or not my LDL is problematic or not.

 

I also got dinged for high testosterone, high cortisol, and low free T3. T4 is on the low side, too. I'm trying to figure out why I am so, so fatigued all the time. As if my fuel tank is on zero. Energy levels like when one is sick with the flu. Just can't muster energy. My TSH level in the past 4 months has gone from 3.9 in August down to 1 two weeks ago and now today up to 2.8. Is this strange to fluctuate so much? I did ask an endocrinologist whom I saw with my test two weeks ago but she did not do any sleuthing or delve any deeper.

 

My HbA1C test was 5.3% so I guess no diabetes. Not sure if it matters that it is kind of close to the "normal" cut-off level of 5.7%. My CBC was all normal. Waiting for my B12 and Vitamin D test results.

 

Thank you.

[mstevens]

4 hours ago, bamboozled said:

My HbA1C test was 5.3% so I guess no diabetes. Not sure if it matters that it is kind of close to the "normal" cut-off level of 5.7%. My CBC was all normal. Waiting for my B12 and Vitamin D test results.

 

Thank you.

 

5.3 is good. Nothing to worry about at all!

[bamboozled]

7 hours ago, mstevens said:

 

5.3 is good. Nothing to worry about at all!

Thanks mstevens! I'm never sure if being close to a cutoff level is cause for concern. Like borderline.....

[bamboozled]

Got the coronary calcium scan and my score was zero so no calcium build up that could be seen.

[Sheryl]

27 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

Got the coronary calcium scan and my score was zero so no calcium build up that could be seen.

Great!  Have you gotten the direct LDL result yet?

[bamboozled]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Great!  Have you gotten the direct LDL result yet?

I was pretty happy with that, too. My direct LDL was 148. The one two weeks earlier (that I guess was not direct, just normal test) was 174.

[Sheryl]

You are fine.  No need for statins or any other change. 

[bamboozled]

Sheryl, I'm hosting a buttered bacon party this Friday. Come on down! Thanks for your help in all this.

[rumak]

On 11/16/2023 at 12:56 AM, JackGats said:

My cholesterol, including my "bad" cholesterol, has been sky-high for over a decade now. Nothing to do with diet, same as my mother. I'm skinny and eat little. I tried out statins and got cramps in my legs from day one.  Apparently statins hinder muscle build-up. I am not naturally muscular. I need to work out to gain some muscle definition. If I take statins I'll be scrawny like a grasshopper. I also read the literature about the link between statins and diabetes. So statins are the meds I've decided to pass on, come what may.

very good decision .    google censors anti pharma stuff,  but you can find info ( and user comments)  if you try hard enough.    start with big nok link

[BigStar]

Some food for thought:

 

Statins Are Associated With Increased Insulin Resistance and Secretion

 

"In individuals without type 2 diabetes, high-intensity atorvastatin for 10 weeks increases insulin resistance and insulin secretion. Over time, the risk of new-onset diabetes with statin use may increase"

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34433298/

 

https://openheart.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001680 (about 1/3 of the way down in the Findings from the Women’s Health Study section)