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I did a CAC scan 6 months ago, and my cholesterol wasn’t horrible (total under 200, LDL around 120). Scan came back > 100 and in the 75th percentile for my age, so cardiologist put me on Crestor (which according to TOS I will not discuss further). No issues after 6 months and my LDL dropped to around 70.
Personally I don't believe that cholesterol has any relation to coronary calcium so the pill to reduce cholesterol seems silly and potentially dangerous.
I would be interested to know if the doctor has any proof that going on that pill will do anything at all to reduce your score.
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How can this be possible??????
I have never had my cholesterol change significantly -- no matter what my weight (or my age) I believe that your body has a natural number for you and for the most part it will keep it there for good. There is also mistakes at labs (honestly I found a ton of mistakes this year I think it is due to covid lack of staffing). Also you can make a worse result by fasting or being dehydrated. They say you should only fast for 8 to 10 hours - 12 or 14 will make the numbers worse.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
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Lipid Meters
Glad I subscribe to this thread.
Anyone have a personal lipid meter?
Anyone goes to a lab and get tested out-of-pocket? $42 for triglycerides and Total Cholesterol
Today I was planning on ordering meter and strips, as soon as I make a phone call to the company with moe specific question. I will postpone this until I get some replies here.
My cholesterol is very high too. My doctor told me I could eat nothing but salad, and it would still be high. It` in my genes. I am trying second meds, as the first gave me, bad muscle aches....which lasted for months.
OK...looked up a thread on cholesterol because I just got lab results and I am shocked. I won't talk about those things that we are apparently not allowed to mention even though the whole point is that I don't want to take them.
But after being told in early March that my cholesterol was 244 and my LDL was 145 and the doc saying he should put me on drugs, I asked for time to try to lower it with diet.
Since then, I have lost 22 pounds (have more to go). I completely changed my way of eating. I am now the only person you know who actually eats fish at least 4 or 5 times a week, and the only person you know who actually eats 5, 6, 7 servings of vegetables a day. I can count on one hand the number of times I have eaten meat in that time.
I exercise (walking and some strength things) almost every day.
And as of Thursday, my total cholesterol is 241, and my LDL is 166.
W T F????
How can this be possible??????
Do you only eat fish and vegetables? Your carb and sugar ratio may be too high for you from that many vegetables (and other foods if you include them). IOW, maybe that is not a balanced diet for you. Or, it could be something else. Type of fish can make a difference too, but so can many other things.
Using home cholesterol test kits helped me to figure out the best ratios for me. I was seeing my doctor only twice a year and that was too long to wait to find out if changes I made were working. Including other meats is good for me but not for everyone. I actually eat fish about 4 times a week. There are digital cholesterol meters now that didn't exist back then.
OK...looked up a thread on cholesterol because I just got lab results and I am shocked. I won't talk about those things that we are apparently not allowed to mention even though the whole point is that I don't want to take them.
But after being told in early March that my cholesterol was 244 and my LDL was 145 and the doc saying he should put me on drugs, I asked for time to try to lower it with diet.
Since then, I have lost 22 pounds (have more to go). I completely changed my way of eating. I am now the only person you know who actually eats fish at least 4 or 5 times a week, and the only person you know who actually eats 5, 6, 7 servings of vegetables a day. I can count on one hand the number of times I have eaten meat in that time.
I exercise (walking and some strength things) almost every day.
And as of Thursday, my total cholesterol is 241, and my LDL is 166.
W T F????
How can this be possible??????
My cholesterol numbers are in your range and my doctor explained that it can be hormonal. If you are post-menopause, estrogen drops and you lose the protective effect on cholesterol. He did not ask me to change my diet as I am underweight. He did put me on a couple of statins at various dosages and cholesterol dropped significantly but unfortunately they severely constipated me.
All my others numbers are great and I have low bp.
Wow, I went for my walk, and thanks for all the answers. Now I'm thinking it's hereditary. Come to find out ALL THREE of my sisters are on those unmentionable things. I didn't realize that. I have two brothers, and I'm going to ask them, too. My mother's cholesterol never went above 180, and neither did mine until five years ago--when I embarked on a vegetarian diet for two years. Then the cholesterol went up. But...cheese. One sister also takes the fish oil caps (some of my family also inherited my mother's allergy to fish, but I did not) and the CoQ10. She does fine. The one who has had side effects is also the one with the kidney disease, which is a risk factor for side effects.
I turn 62 next month, so maybe it's just a combination of genes and getting older. I really thought I could do this with diet, but maybe not. I want control, dammit!
His decision has nothing to do with bravery. Refusing to take medications for a condition that contributes to atherosclerosis will place the poster at higher risk for heart attacks and strokes, and most probably, a shorter life.
Ok find me one study that shows proof that cholesterol causes heart attacks or strokes.
Instead of "linked".
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My cholesterol numbers are in your range and my doctor explained that it can be hormonal. If you are post-menopause, estrogen drops and you lose the protective effect on cholesterol. He did not ask me to change my diet as I am underweight. He did put me on a couple of statins at various dosages and cholesterol dropped significantly but unfortunately they severely constipated me.
It has never made sense to me that menopause is trying to hurt your health. Perhaps your body increases cholesterol because it is protective.
Perhaps your metabolism drops because you won't be having children anymore and it is trying to tell you to eat less..
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Lipid Meters
