For Those Of Us Who Have A High LDL Cholesterol Level . . .

[tex]

Hi All,

Trying to treat high an elevated LDL cholesterol level is not as straightforward as most doctors tend to believe. In fact, in many cases it's counterproductive. If you haven't already read Dr. Briffa's recent blog on this topic, and viewed the video made by Professor Krumholz, I highly recommend doing so.

http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/04/30/prom ... ol-wisdom/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... pdAdkyMemg

Tex

[JFR]

Thanks for this Tex. I took Lipitor about a decade ago. It caused disabling joint pain. I had a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and I could only walk the stairs like a toddler just learning to walk. Within 2 weeks of stopping the Lipitor the joint pain was gone.It convinced me not to ever take another statin and now I don't even get my cholesterol level checked. I figure why bother since I am not planning to act on the information it would provided. Also there is a lot of info out there, like this talk by a "credible" MD, suggesting that a focus on cholesterol levels is misplaced. I choose to go with that.

Jean

[garina]

I feel the same, Jean, and have chosen to ditch all statins. I am trying Niacin, but the flushing, so far, has been unbearable, so will try a lower dose niacin tab. I understand the no-flush niacin is useless, so that leaves me with few options. I could not tolerate the painful muscle/joint pain of Zocor. My husband takes a statin and he tolerates it very well without any pain of any kind. So, I guess, it's an individual choice, depending on the pain.

Thanks for the article, Tex. It's a good read.

garina

[Lesley]

I stopped taking statins months ago. About when I found this group. It didn't take me long to take the advice of the folk here to get off as much medication as possible.
However, I think we can keep our cholesterol levels, both the good and the bad at optimum levels (according to the medical community - but who knows?), same as we control MC symptoms, by diet. I can't eat many foods, but I am trying to make the ones I DO eat the best possible. At least I was, until finances made me yield to temptation and buy less than the best.

The farmers who grow grass fed meats claim eating their produce helps to lower cholesterol levels because of the omega 3s they provide, and because they have far less fat than even US premium meats.
I ate ONLY grass fed meats (and all red meat) for several months, and my cholesterol dropped by 50 points. Then, I was tempted. I fell off the ONLY grass fed diet. And guess what? My cholesterol levels went UP 50 points.
So my conclusion - go back to grass fed meats, and figure out what else you can eat so as to lower costs.

[Deb]

Garina, have you tried the slow release niacin? http://www.drugstore.com/slo-niacin-pol ... atid=98034
DH and I both take it. He gets a flush pretty regularly. I get it once in a while but it's manageable for both of us. Deb

[coryhub]

I too was on the high cholesterol medicine Lipitor up until I got my Colitis diagnosis. At that point, I stopped my cholesterol medication. I have a regular doctor's check up next week and am curious what my cholesterol level will be. I chose to go through menopause without any hormone replacement. It is good to read an opinion from an independent thinking doctor.

[garina]

Deb,

No, I haven't tried the Slo Niacin, but I'm curious about that and will check one out the next time I'm at the store. I had been taking 1000 mg, but I could try the SloNiacin 500 mg.

Thanks.

garina

[MaggieRedwings]

I to stopped taking Lipitor against the doctor's advice and have maintained good cholesterol levels without it. The joint paint was very bad while I was on it and cleared up within a couple of weeks of being off of it.

Love, Maggie