My blood test shows high Cholesterol – Looking for advice - Drugs / Diet .

[tomgreen]

15 hours ago, Globalres said:

Tom, your LDL is high for a reason.  
 Cholesterol is like a dishwasher detergent and produced by the liver, it gobbles up lipids (fat) and is carried out in the blood like the detergent gobbles up fat from your dishes. These lipids are released in areas where necessary for cell repair which are areas that have inflammation/infection.

By taking statins you are forcefully lowering your LDL, and not sorting out why/where the the inflammation is.  The inflammation is still there, but is being masked by lower LDL levels.  Find out where the problem is, sort it out and you’ll get normal LDL levels

Too many drugs these days only mask the symptoms (eg beta blockers, ace inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors to name a few), the only happy ones are the Big Pharma industries. Unfortunately the FDA and CDC get 💰 from said pharma.

 

Get your body into homeostasis (= good balance) and the rest will come.

All cells in your body communicate with each other by giving and taking electrons from each other, when you use drugs you interrupt this communication thus causing tons of side effects.  You are indeed messing up the communication pathways.  Give your body the energy to heal itself as much as possible.

 

 

Hi and thanks for your comment.

 

One area that I'm having a problem is where you say .... Find out where the problem is, sort it out and you’ll get normal LDL levels

 

By that do you possibly mean the problem may be due to a poor diet .

 

Also I would love to know how one can get their body into a state of homeostasis .

 

 

Tom

 

.

 

 

[newnative]

4 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

 

 So have I got  this in the right order . There you were,  you had been taking statins for high cholesterol years , you had an annual physical exam that included a CAC scan and the results of that CAC scan were very high . You don’t drink alcohol or smoke and you exercise and are not over weight along with normal blood pressure . You eat a healthy diet . So after having the CAC scan and finding out that the results were very high , what action did you take .

 

 

Tom

 

. 

     Doctor changed the statin to 40mg and added taking a baby aspirin every day.  Had heart test at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and second opinion with another heart test at Bumrungrad in Bangkok to determine how clogged the heart arteries are and the tests indicated not clogged enough at this point to warrant having stents put in.  

[Skipalongcassidy]

41 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

 

I would be interested to hear about the other ways to deal with high cholesterol ?

 

Tom

 

. 

I was faced with the same decisions about cholesterol a few years ago... current age 76... I am very happy that my Dr suggested SHORT TERM statin use coupled with two lifestyle changes... 1.) exercise if only moderately... a walk... a bike ride... anything, and at first I hated it... 2.) eat smaller meat portions during meals... not easy to do believe me.  Now I am statin free and healthy and walk when I play golf instead of using a cart.

Don't fool yourself... your BMI is moderately high... 5'7" and 174.3lbs is overweight.

[actonion]

On 3/7/2024 at 11:25 PM, proton said:

Had high test twice in the past at Thai Hospitals, when checked in the UK no problem!

If you  had a problem  in the  UK they would have to start issue  you with  medication, that costs money which they like to save,   I've had similar experience with NHS, I don't trust their results, in Thailand  you can see the Lab results, in UK I have never been shown  any

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, tomgreen said:

 

My Thai wife's home cooked food is basically fry every thing in oil 😀

 

 

Tom

 

.

See if you can at least get her to switch to healthier oils.

 

NO palm oil (which is what they usually use). Olive oil, sunflower oil, soybean il, canola all better choices. 

 

Also ask her to make more soups and Thai salads. 

 

And switch ftom white rice to brown rice. 

[newbee2022]

12 hours ago, KKra said:

The Cardiologist advised to take medicin in the evenings, as she said Cholesterol seems to be produced mostly during sleep, is that so ?

Yes

[tomgreen]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

     Doctor changed the statin to 40mg and added taking a baby aspirin every day.  Had heart test at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and second opinion with another heart test at Bumrungrad in Bangkok to determine how clogged the heart arteries are and the tests indicated not clogged enough at this point to warrant having stents put in.  

Thats good news about not having stents put in . Ive seen a few articles about aspirin being good to take to reduce the risk of blood clots forming / heart attacks. 

 

Tom

 

.

[tomgreen]

38 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Yes

 

I never realized about Cholesterol seems to be produced mostly during sleep . I learn some thing new every day .

 

Tom

 

.

[n00dle]

On 3/7/2024 at 11:46 PM, NoDisplayName said:

My understanding, having this high cholesterol thing for 30 years, is that it's mostly genetic, accounting for 75% of the high numbers.  Changes in diet and exercise can result in minor changes, but to get numbers down to the recommended ranges requires medication.

 

 

Sadly this has been my experience too. I cycle 200 km weekly. eat well. 

A doctor I used to work with once told me that if you have good genetics and a poor lifestyle, you can generally get away with it.

If you have poor genetics you might get away with it -- If your lifestyle is immaculate. If you have poor genetics and live poorly, you are a heart attack waiting to happen. 

I had a great lifestyle and poor genetics, I didn't get away with it. 

[superal]

36 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

See if you can at least get her to switch to healthier oils.

 

NO palm oil (which is what they usually use). Olive oil, sunflower oil, soybean il, canola all better choices. 

 

Also ask her to make more soups and Thai salads. 

 

And switch ftom white rice to brown rice. 

If only we could find authentic olive oil , avocado oil etc in Thailand and not the fake oil that adorns most super market shelves .

[n00dle]

2 minutes ago, superal said:

If only we could find authentic olive oil , avocado oil etc in Thailand and not the fake oil that adorns most super market shelves .

https://paleorobbie.com/grocery_details/boundary-bend-estate-australian-extra-virgin-olive-oil-4l?srsltid=AfmBOopEkkJOnVIrCjQnr4RDO3H1omiLnm-MaiRiU9lytXSQeYWYJ4aymPY

 

 

[Sheryl]

48 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

Thats good news about not having stents put in . Ive seen a few articles about aspirin being good to take to reduce the risk of blood clots forming / heart attacks. 

 

Tom

 

.

Only for people with clear risk factor. Not recommended for mass use. 

[superal]

14 minutes ago, n00dle said:

https://paleorobbie.com/grocery_details/boundary-bend-estate-australian-extra-virgin-olive-oil-4l?srsltid=AfmBOopEkkJOnVIrCjQnr4RDO3H1omiLnm-MaiRiU9lytXSQeYWYJ4aymPY

 

 

Many thanks . Are you a regular user of this brand ? Your opinion would be welcome .

[indyo]

your body produces cholesterol only during the night take any prescribed drugs before to go sleep and eat lighter at evening or night

[Chetzee]

I take 80 mg Atrovostatin   and will do forever .....  at 58 I discovered that ive Familial hypercholesterolemia   . no diet or excersice was going to make an inpact on it ..... but they no doubt make you feel better in other ways .....      Suck it up and get on with life ! 

[n00dle]

34 minutes ago, superal said:

Many thanks . Are you a regular user of this brand ? Your opinion would be welcome .

it's great, and in many cases cheaper than the Bertoli and other household brand names of dubious provenance. it is certainly better tasting. I  was turned on to it by a friend who is willing to spend stupid amounts to get what he perceives as quality and he swears by it over more expensive options. 

[tomgreen]

19 minutes ago, Chetzee said:

I take 80 mg Atrovostatin   and will do forever .....  at 58 I discovered that ive Familial hypercholesterolemia   . no diet or excersice was going to make an inpact on it ..... but they no doubt make you feel better in other ways .....      Suck it up and get on with life ! 

 

I had to Google ….. Familial hypercholesterolemia 

 

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a disorder that is passed down through families. It causes LDL (bad) cholesterol level to be very high. The condition begins at birth and can cause heart attacks at an early age. 

 

What are the signs and symptoms of familial hypercholesterolemia?

 

These physical signs of FH occur when extra cholesterol builds up in different parts of the body: Bumps or lumps around your knees, knuckles, or elbows. Swollen or painful Achilles tendon. Yellowish areas around your eyes.

 

I’m sorry you have to deal with this , it just amazes me what can go wrong with the human body. 

 

 

Tom

 

.

[newbee2022]

On 3/7/2024 at 11:23 PM, tomgreen said:

So over time I have had 3 blood tests all at the same Thai hospital ( different doctors ) 

 

1. Blood test was on 12th December 2022       ( A ) 
2. Blood test was on 19th of September 2023  ( B ) 
3. Blood test was on 5th of March 2024           ( C ) 

 

The first blood test done on 12th December 2022 ( A ) showed that I had high numbers in several areas , so the hospital doctor prescribed 20 mg of Atorvastatin , once a day and made a new blood test appointment for the 19th of September 2023 ( B ) .

 

The second Blood test was done on the 19th of September 2023 ( B ) , and the results from that blood test showed that my previous high numbers had now come down , due to me taking 20 mg of Atorvastatin , once a day . On seeing the reduced numbers in that blood test the hospital doctor said to me that I could stop taking the Atorvastatin if I wanted to , so I made the decision to completely stop taking the Atorvastatin. The hospital doctor then made a new appointment for a blood test for 5th of March 2024 ( C ) 

 

The Third blood test was recently done on the 5th of March 2024 ( C ) and the test results showed that my numbers had gone way back up. On seeing those blood test results the doctor prescribed 40 mg of Atorvastatin , once a day . And a new blood test appointment was made for the coming 28th of May 2024 .

 

The blood test results are shown as screen shots – A / B / C .

 

So it seems that I may have made a mistake by accepting the hospital doctors choice to stop taking the Atorvastatin on the 19th of September 2023 ( B ) when in reality I should have just continued to take the 20 mg of Atorvastatin on a daily basis . 

 

During all the previous times I was taking the 20 mg of Atorvastatin I did not alter my diet or life style, but the doctor who looked at my recent blood test results on the 5th of March 2024 ( C )  did say that I should look at altering my diet .I’m 74 years old , Five feet Seven inches tall , my weight is 79.1 Kg , my blood pressure is 117 / 71 / 65 , a non smoker / non alcohol drinker . I am not really physically active . ( Lazy ) 

 

So looking back at my past blood test results , there could now be a possibility that I may have to take the prescribed drug Atorvastatin for the rest of my life . 

 

I’m now wondering if any one here has had a blood test done and the results showed a high level of LDL cholesterol , and if so did you rely on drugs to lower the high  LDL cholesterol number or a combination of diet + drugs .

 

Any advice , suggestions or recommendations very welcome. 

 

 

Thanks - Tom 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

Already answered yesterday

[JGV]

My advice

Exercise and better diet - no processed food - Exercise 30 minutes a day and stretching routine

Statins have little effect on cholesterol - a great effect on big pharma profits

Your numbers are generally very good for a man of your age'

Diet and exercise - drugs have side effects that could lead to more druga

 

[Globalres]

Tom, yes, possibly your diet is poor. Do not use any veggie oils, stick to organic, cold pressed olive and coconut oils. Try to cut down somewhat on meats and add many kinds of veggies to fill you. I like to put some olive oil (as per above) and slightly heat onions, snow peas, paprika, broccoli for a few mins. Add Himalayan salt, pepper and herbs to your taste. 
to reach homeostasis is having all your cells happy with energy. Cells’ job amongst other things is to repair where repair is needed. If there is no energy, they can’t do their job. 
the cells produce energy (ATP), but that energy comes from clean food sources, vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals. 

It has taken me many years of daily research to get some understanding of this. 
I’m a 75yr old Scandinavian woman living in Thailand. 
 

 

[superal]

6 minutes ago, Globalres said:

Tom, yes, possibly your diet is poor. Do not use any veggie oils, stick to organic, cold pressed olive and coconut oils. Try to cut down somewhat on meats and add many kinds of veggies to fill you. I like to put some olive oil (as per above) and slightly heat onions, snow peas, paprika, broccoli for a few mins. Add Himalayan salt, pepper and herbs to your taste. 
to reach homeostasis is having all your cells happy with energy. Cells’ job amongst other things is to repair where repair is needed. If there is no energy, they can’t do their job. 
the cells produce energy (ATP), but that energy comes from clean food sources, vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals. 

It has taken me many years of daily research to get some understanding of this. 
I’m a 75yr old Scandinavian woman living in Thailand. 
 

 

You seem well informed . Would you mind sharing with us , which make of olive oil do you use ?

[Chetzee]

37 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

 

I had to Google ….. Familial hypercholesterolemia 

 

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a disorder that is passed down through families. It causes LDL (bad) cholesterol level to be very high. The condition begins at birth and can cause heart attacks at an early age. 

 

What are the signs and symptoms of familial hypercholesterolemia?

 

These physical signs of FH occur when extra cholesterol builds up in different parts of the body: Bumps or lumps around your knees, knuckles, or elbows. Swollen or painful Achilles tendon. Yellowish areas around your eyes.

 

I’m sorry you have to deal with this , it just amazes me what can go wrong with the human body. 

 

 

Tom

 

.

thanks for your concern ....... but ive just got high cholesterol .... managed by a statin ....... I do not have bumps I and not going yellow and you should not believe all the things you read in the paper .... so to speak !

[mark5335]

6 hours ago, tomgreen said:

 

That's interesting about Atorvastatin causing Creatinine to go through the roof. 

 

 

Indeed. My cardiologist increased my Atorvastatin dose from 10mg to 20 mg, and shortly thereafter my creatinine level also increased to the higher end of the acceptable range (similar to the OP).

 

However, my online research indicated no such link. But looking back then I recall that my cardiologist also diagnosed that I had a Vit D deficiency. So I took a health supplement to correct that (and my Vit D levels went from 16 to 61), and I read online that Vit D can increase creatinine levels. I've been drinking 3L of water per day but don't seem to be able to reduce the creatinine level (and I prefer to now keep my Vit D level above 50).

[phetpeter]

Stain taken before sleep will reduce that, plus I use the 12-hour diet eat breakfast in the morning and no big meal until 12 later, now and then you can nibble snacks. coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon. I am not at all into exercise, but, tend to walk around a lot and stand rather than sit down when visiting offices Etc., Your reading will change every 5 minutes, but for the blood test make sure you don't eat or drink 12 hours before the test except water, not even a cup in the morning until the blood has been taken, and by some miracle it will be correct

[phetpeter]

11 minutes ago, mark5335 said:

had a Vit D deficiency. So I took a health supplement to correct that (and my Vit D levels went from 16 to 61), and I read online that Vit D can increase creatinine levels. I've been drinking 3L of water per day but don't seem to be able to reduce the creatinine level (and I prefer to now keep my Vit D level above 50).

same here after the heart attack, given some additional meds to drink, The doc told me to eat 5 bananas a day for 2 weeks. I did and everything normalized, now I eat one banana a day. Natural remedies!

[ade591]

Are we kidding ourselves with statins? Higher cholesterol less cancer risk than lower cholesterol. 

https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2016/april/cholesterol-levels-not-statins

I've read before that from all the studies, statins have no benefit to normal healthy people unless they have already had a cardiac event. 

[phetpeter]

Males are at risk of cardiac events from the age of 45, and they tend to ignore warning signs until it is to late.

[Sharp]

Google Barbara O'Neil 

 

Worked wonders for my health following her guidelines 

[AgMech Cowboy]

@tomgreen Wow... you got a lot of advice and comments, which is why I tagged you. I am not advising you... just commenting.  I sort of went through the same process with my Thai Doc and I'm not changing to any other, because she's one of the smartest Docs I've met in her nephrology field.  However, I did find that she liked to use me a bit as a lab rat. (It was really evident with regard to my blood pressure medication(s)).  But yes, cholesterol high, take lipitor. Cholesterol low, okay, you can stop.  I didn't. I reduced my dosage to one 10mg tablet every 3 days.  My cholesterol readings were just fine so far since then.  I did think about just cutting the pills in half and taking 1/2 daily, but the every three days was easier (for me).

 

On another note. Do you drink alcohol.  My friend was a social drinker, mostly wine and a little beer, some whiskey.  He died from liver disease in his mid-60's and the doctors in the USA attributed it to his use of statins and alcohol.  I didn't understand all that, but it made me very cautious about taking more than I absolutely needed.

 

Best Wishes,

James

[Luuk Chaai]

I see most of the advice / opinions here are based on  1950' sbought and paid for bad information

tie to move up to the  current proven science

 

I would fire the doctor.... anyone that wants to keep you on a slow poison instead of finding out the real cause of your "NOT "high cholesterol ( get th idea")

 oh..  and your sugar is too high !

Get a full lipid panel and ask what your " Small LDL-P marker is   Usually part of the Lipoprotein Fractionation NMR test

 

there are a few people here who have done their homework and are current ..

Diet,,  #1  drop all carbs        try and go Carnivore    that would be ruminant meats   ..red as in beef.. and fatty

                 eggs..  4-5-6 every day ,     butter ,   and bacon .....    you need high saturated fat  to be on a proper Human Diet

                    2nd choice ketovore,    3rd choice keto      you as a human do not need vegetables  or fiber to be healthy

Thank God mankind survived the ICE AGE ( and it was not because of frozen vegetables ansd a microwave )

 

there is no reason with some quality current medical facts you should live well over  100

 

hope you have time to view this info from Dr Chaffee  check out his channel