High cholesterol question

[FED_UP]

I'm not sure what side effects you speak of. I've been taking statins for years and I'm not aware of any side effects. I agree with you on taking the more natural approach before going to pharmaceuticals. When I was first diagnosed, I tried fish oil and niacin. Unfortunately, they did not work for me. I wish you the best of luck with your endeavor.

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/side-effects-of-statin-drugs?page=2

Most people who take statin drugs tolerate them very well. But some people experience side effects.

The most common statin side effects include:

•Headache•Difficulty sleeping•Flushing of the skin•Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (myalgia)•Drowsiness•Dizziness•Nausea or vomiting•Abdominal cramping or pain•Bloating or gas•Diarrhea•Constipation•Rash
Statins also carry warnings that memory loss, mental confusion, high blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes are possible side effects. It's important to remember that statins may also interact with other medications you take.

 

[ArkRescue]

Damn it!!! I had a complete blood work thing done for my health insurance company and the lab called - my cholesterol is high (in the low 300s) and she has called in a prescription for some medication that I am to start taking right away.

I don't want to take this medication. Or any medication.

There are a number of things I could be doing to lower my cholesterol naturally. I could lose weight, I could give up eating animal things, I could get more exercise, I could eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast. And yes, I would rather do those things than take a pill every day. Plus I've been wanting to do those things anyway (except the eating animals part) but haven't really been that motivated. But I am motivated now.

So what I'm going to do is blow off getting the prescription filled. I see the doc again on Thursday anyway and will just explain to her that I'm not going to die in the next month, so I'm going to try to get rid of the bad stuff without pharmaceuticals. If I can't get my numbers lowered within a month, then I'll consider the med option.

Is this too reckless and I should do what they say and not what I think is best? I admit to being an insufferable know-it-all, but I think doctors rely too much on pills. Plus I'm not interested in the crazy side-effects that go along with statin drugs.

Any advice?

I'm not huge and I have it too. I have been taking 40mg of Pravastatin for several years now and my level is coming down albeit slowly. If you can drop your cholesterol numbers some in one month to show the Dr you can continue and do it on your own, more power to ya. I was in the 300's also and I forgot to ask what it was the last time. I really want to know so I will call them.

One way to drop it is to take Niacin right before you go to sleep. Unfortunately when they told me to do this, they forgot to tell me there may be a side effect. I woke up a couple hours later hot and itchy all over and I looked in the mirror and my whole body looked flushed. I almost went to the ER then checked the internet and realized it was a reaction to the Niacin. I tried it over and over and I kept having that bad reaction so I stopped taking it.

Red Yeast Rice extract has been used with success by many people. Be cautious that the product you buy actually has the ingredient in it as some are sold now minus the key ingredient that lowers cholesterol. More on the Red Yeast Rice: and also this: http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/red-yeast-rice/safety/HRB-20059910.

 

[twinoaks207]

And what's ignorant is that, for me, it's easier to overhaul my diet than take one little teeny tiny pill every day. I swear I am mental. It's one of those weird aversion things that I can't explain.

My big deal is eggs - I love them and eat them daily. But I also love steel cut oatmeal with apples and nuts, so there's no reason why I can't make that transition. I rarely eat fish, even though I like it, so there's a swap. There are a lot of things I could be doing different that I'll actually enjoy. Rather than taking one little pill a day. How messed up is that?

You are not mental! I totally understand. I think your idea of discussing a month trial run of diet changes is a good one. You might very well be able to reduce that number with diet and exercise changes so why NOT try that first? I think a lot of doctors go for the "pill" first because most folks ask for a "pill" to fix things. Not everyone has the self-discipline to do a diet overhaul. Do some research and see what you can find. There are lots of suggestions out there and your doctor may be able to provide a list of foods for you to start with as that's what they did with someone I know before the medication was a choice. Very much depends on your doctor.

I sat in the Doctor's waiting room one day with a Pharmaceutical rep and his trainee right across from me. I couldn't help but overhear their conversation. It was very, very illuminating and I haven't had the same view on medication since that day.

Go for it! Do that trial & see if it helps!

 

[ArkRescue]

$50 a month is great, a friends pill (Crestor) is $120 a month and that's with insurance and a coupon from the maker of the drug. He was also over 300 and it brought him to the 170s in 6 months.

Crestor was the 1st med they gave me and it gave me headaches. I do get muscle cramps (mostly my calves) with the Pravastatin, but if I take potassium and magnesium supplements, the cramps are not bothersome usually.

 

[ArkRescue]

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/side-effects-of-statin-drugs?page=2

Most people who take statin drugs tolerate them very well. But some people experience side effects.

The most common statin side effects include:

•Headache•Difficulty sleeping•Flushing of the skin•Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (myalgia)•Drowsiness•Dizziness•Nausea or vomiting•Abdominal cramping or pain•Bloating or gas•Diarrhea•Constipation•Rash
Statins also carry warnings that memory loss, mental confusion, high blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes are possible side effects. It's important to remember that statins may also interact with other medications you take.

I should stop taking my med to see if my memory gets better. I probably need a break from it anyway - I can switch to taking the Red Yeast Rice unless it too has the same side affects?

 

[somdfunguy]

I should stop taking my med to see if my memory gets better. I probably need a break from it anyway - I can switch to taking the Red Yeast Rice unless it too has the same side affects?

what red yeast rice is still available that works? all the ones that did the FDA outlawed.

 

[DallasRed]

Try taking RX fish oil instead.

 

[DallasRed]

I had side effects from them (Statins). It gave me horrible back pain. Diet doesn't work for me. I weigh 130 and exercise. I switched to Fenofibrate and no issues with it.

 

[PsyOps]

I encourage you all to read the book 'Grain Brain' by Dr. David Perlmutter. The down and dirty of what he is promoting is the problem is NOT cholesterol or fat; the problem is gluten and sugar. Aside from the allergy/intolerance to gluten, Perlmutter claims gluten is just plain destructive to the brain. It's all about inflammation.

Carbohydrates (which converts to sugar) are the runaway enemy. Your cells (particularly your brain) are predominately made up of fat and cholesterol. You need this stuff in large amounts. It’s when you introduce carbohydrates to your body (especially if it’s in large amounts) is when things like cholesterol become bad. Even LDL in its pure form is good for the body, and your body is starved for it; particularly the brain. When sugar bonds with it, the shape of the LDL cholesterol changes and becomes ‘abrasive’ to the cells of your body; particularly the arteries of your heart. The result is free radicals, thus causing inflammation.

Perlmutter recommends a high fat, high cholesterol, low carb diet. His claim is this kind of diet will answer to a plethora of diseases we suffer: Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s, heart disease, diabetes...

 

[itsbob]

And what's ignorant is that, for me, it's easier to overhaul my diet than take one little teeny tiny pill every day. I swear I am mental. It's one of those weird aversion things that I can't explain.

My big deal is eggs - I love them and eat them daily. But I also love steel cut oatmeal with apples and nuts, so there's no reason why I can't make that transition. I rarely eat fish, even though I like it, so there's a swap. There are a lot of things I could be doing different that I'll actually enjoy. Rather than taking one little pill a day. How messed up is that?

If you like eggs eat free range eggs (lucky for you we have a supplier) they are ten times healthier, with less than a 1/3d of the Cholesterol

 

[ArkRescue]

I encourage you all to read the book 'Grain Brain' by Dr. David Perlmutter. The down and dirty of what he is promoting is the problem is NOT cholesterol or fat; the problem is gluten and sugar. Aside from the allergy/intolerance to gluten, Perlmutter claims gluten is just plain destructive to the brain. It's all about inflammation.

Carbohydrates (which converts to sugar) are the runaway enemy. Your cells (particularly your brain) are predominately made up of fat and cholesterol. You need this stuff in large amounts. It’s when you introduce carbohydrates to your body (especially if it’s in large amounts) is when things like cholesterol become bad. Even LDL in its pure form is good for the body, and your body is starved for it; particularly the brain. When sugar bonds with it, the shape of the LDL cholesterol changes and becomes ‘abrasive’ to the cells of your body; particularly the arteries of your heart. The result is free radicals, thus causing inflammation.

Perlmutter recommends a high fat, high cholesterol, low carb diet. His claim is this kind of diet will answer to a plethora of diseases we suffer: Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s, heart disease, diabetes...

- I have a book about inflammation at home I need to get more serious about reading. There are ways to reduce inflammation via food choices. I suffer from several inflammatory issues, so I would feel much better if I got serious and used the information in that book to change what I eat.

 

[ArkRescue]

what red yeast rice is still available that works? all the ones that did the FDA outlawed.

Exactly - I do recall the pharmaceutical companies confiscated the special ingredient that WAS available to use low cost and they turned it into a product they make mega bucks on if I am recalling correctly? However, I thought someone told me that some forms were still available intact. That is why I made the prior comment about checking to be sure the special ingredient is present.

 

[PsyOps]

- I have a book about inflammation at home I need to get more serious about reading. There are ways to reduce inflammation via food choices. I suffer from several inflammatory issues, so I would feel much better if I got serious and used the information in that book to change what I eat.

I am about half way through ‘Grain Brain’ and Perlmutter goes into detail about what happens to cholesterol and fat proteins when sugar is introduced to them. I like to think about cholesterol and fat as lubricators and when sugar bonds with them, the ‘texture’ (my word) changes and it becomes rough against the cells of your body causing inflammation. His big focus is on the brain. Even though our brain has no nerve ending to feel pain, it still suffers from inflammation; and the result is the destruction of brain cells and thus things like Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. But he also goes into detail how all of this is the catalyst for diabetes and heart disease.

Basic premise: Lots of fat (good fat like eggs, avocados, fish, etc…), lots of cholesterol (both HDL and LDL), and very low carbs. And stay away from gluten.

 

[ArkRescue]

I am about half way through ‘Grain Brain’ and Perlmutter goes into detail about what happens to cholesterol and fat proteins when sugar is introduced to them. I like to think about cholesterol and fat as lubricators and when sugar bonds with them, the ‘texture’ (my word) changes and it becomes rough against the cells of your body causing inflammation. His big focus is on the brain. Even though our brain has no nerve ending to feel pain, it still suffers from inflammation; and the result is the destruction of brain cells and thus things like Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. But he also goes into detail how all of this is the catalyst for diabetes and heart disease.

Basic premise: Lots of fat (good fat like eggs, avocados, fish, etc…), lots of cholesterol (both HDL and LDL), and very low carbs. And stay away from gluten.

The book I have is Inflammation Free Diet which was recommended to a coworker of mine by someone who had already read several books and liked that one for having easy to grasp information that was helpful.

My Maternal Grandmother had ALZ but the family swears it was due to her regular (daily?) beer sipping. She eventually had a stoke and had to be put into a nursing care facility. My Mother shows no signs of it at all, but I am having short term memory issues since being on the Pravastatin. I've actually heard that the statins have benefits to the body with reduced risk of stroke.

 

[PsyOps]

The book I have is Inflammation Free Diet which was recommended to a coworker of mine by someone who had already read several books and liked that one for having easy to grasp information that was helpful.

My Maternal Grandmother had ALZ but the family swears it was due to her regular (daily?) beer sipping. She eventually had a stoke and had to be put into a nursing care facility. My Mother shows no signs of it at all, but I am having short term memory issues since being on the Pravastatin. I've actually heard that the statins have benefits to the body with reduced risk of stroke.

My grandmother died from Alzheimer’s and my mom now has it. My mom was a pretty big beer drinker. I don’t think my grandmother drank. But beer has a ton of gluten in it. Perlmutter claims gluten is the enemy of the brain. But breads and wheat-based (and other grains with gluten) foods are huge in American diets. So I am taking this whole ‘Grain Brain’ thing seriously.

 

[Roman]

My grandmother died from Alzheimer’s and my mom now has it. My mom was a pretty big beer drinker. I don’t think my grandmother drank. But beer has a ton of gluten in it. Perlmutter claims gluten is the enemy of the brain. But breads and wheat-based (and other grains with gluten) foods are huge in American diets. So I am taking this whole ‘Grain Brain’ thing seriously.

I've been gluten-free since October 2014, and can't tell you how good I feel. If interested, read the book 101 Best Gluten-free Foods. Good recipes in there too.

 

[ArkRescue]

I've been gluten-free since October 2014, and can't tell you how good I feel. If interested, read the book 101 Best Gluten-free Foods. Good recipes in there too.

I'm not a recipe person, probably because I don't get much time to cook. I like making a couple of big meals, then fill up plastic containers to freeze and rotate what I eat day to day. I do meals like pot roast with potatoes and carrots, or spaghetti. No more turkey though, that's an inflammatory meat Waaaa.

 

[PsyOps]

I've been gluten-free since October 2014, and can't tell you how good I feel. If interested, read the book 101 Best Gluten-free Foods. Good recipes in there too.

I don't have gluten allergy, but I am gluten intolerant. I’ll check out the book. Perlmutter also made his own cookbook that is centered gluten free and law carbs high fat/cholesterol. He talks a lot about being careful with ‘gluten free’ foods that claim they are gluten free but the grains that included in those foods (like rice or oats) may have been grown on farms where wheat was grown and the gluten-laden germ from the wheat can ‘infect’ the otherwise-normally gluten-free food. He also warns that a lot of gluten free foods are still high in carbs.

 

[PsyOps]

I'm not a recipe person, probably because I don't get much time to cook. I like making a couple of big meals, then fill up plastic containers to freeze and rotate what I eat day to day. I do meals like pot roast with potatoes and carrots, or spaghetti. No more turkey though, that's an inflammatory meat Waaaa.

I didn't know turkey is an inflammatory meat?

 

[ArkRescue]

I didn't know turkey is an inflammatory meat?

I am sure I read that, but I can't find the reference at the moment, so maybe someone else will chime in.