Cholesterol

[TerryMiller]

I'd still say our sedentary lifestyles coupled with overeating accounts for most heart disease.

Just like our gluttony for cheap goods and foods give us Chinese crap and McGreaseburgers with lousy service, so also does it give us more miserable lives as we age.

I get my share (and probably a bit more) of burgers, but usually not at Mickey-D's. However, I'd say that my life isn't so miserable. Maybe I'm having an issue with diarrhea and have a bum knee, but I'd say it was still pretty good.

While we are working here in Texas with our Summer job, as we drive through smaller cities and towns, I notice a fairly large number of older folks sitting on their front porch and just watching other people go by. I figure that I am VERY WELL blessed to be one of the ones passing by them and getting to see new country.

 

[Sloth!]

You should be aware of the link between statins and diabetes. Docs told me that they were more worried about me having heart disease than diabetes and to not worry about it. I had the typical sore muscle/joints side effects and coq10 seemed to help.

“greater LDL reduction was associated with worsening diabetes management.”
“Statin users had a 37% higher rate of progression of diabetes than their matched cohort.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29139315/
https://www.acsh.org/news/2021/10/05/unintended-entanglement-diabetes-and-statins-15852

 

[Foxfire5]

I've recently been prescribed Lipitor due to an arterial blockage in the smaller artery behind my heart (40-50% blocked). The two larger arteries are clear. The Lipitor is to help with stopping anymore of a blockage. The doc prescribed it without any discussion on diet or exercise, just take a pill. I like red meat.

I have yet to take the meds due to side effect concerns on my part as well as I've got no other health issues going on.
Cholesterol - 163
HDL - 41
LDL - 109
5'11", around 170# and 59 yrs old.

If anyone is comfortable saying, are you taking Lipitor and have you had any side effect issues?
Thanks.

I take Atorvastatin for around ten years now. I am 85 and had one blocked artery which they went in and placed two stents. I guess things hopefully are better for me now as no problems since.

 

[Droff]

An update to kind of close this loop as I talked with my cardiologist today.

- My LDL (109) is too high, 100 is acceptable but really needs to be under 70 at this point.
- My HDL (41) is too low, needs to be closer to 60.
- Regarding side effects, it sounds like muscle/joint pain is more likely (maybe 15-20% chance) than liver damage.
- I'll be getting liver enzymes tested to check if there is a problem.
- If muscle/joint pain is an issue, I can get the doseage lowered or switch to another statin.

At this point, looks like I'll start the Lipitor and see how it goes.

Thanks for all the inputs.

 

[Snattlerake]

When I was growin up, we didn't know from cholesterol. If we had, we'd a cut it up and fried it.

 

[sh00ter]

Some people have muscle/joint aches.

CoQ10 is supposed to help.

Yes, and at 59 it should be the Ubiquinol form of CoQ10. Statins suppress the natural levels of the antioxidant in your liver (and they are hard on your liver too) so many people supplement to try to keep the CoQ10 levels up. Muscles including the heart need CoQ10 to fuel mitochondria so that is why statins can cause muscle aches from my research...do yours.

Also strongly recommend Dr. Sinatra's books on heart disease.

Dr prescribed it to me. I asked about why, numbers, goals, effects, ??????

LDL should be under 120, you are good.


Take an Omega-3 fish oil. Red Krill is my go to. Been taking it for 8 years.
Dr hasn't mentioned cholesterol since.

Not a fan of Lipitor.

Do a bit of research, fish oil is better, IMHO.

The HDL is above 40 too which i think is good for 59yrs old. And yes, at least 2000mg of EPA/DHA omegas per day can suppress the inflammation in the arteries that leads to the blockages.

Also, look into serrapeptase to clear the plaque over time...it is an enzyme from silk worms you can buy as a supplement that you take away from meals that can help digest the plaques and clear up the arteries. As always, do your own research,.

 

[sh00ter]

An update to kind of close this loop as I talked with my cardiologist today.

- My LDL (109) is too high, 100 is acceptable but really needs to be under 70 at this point.
- My HDL (41) is too low, needs to be closer to 60.
- Regarding side effects, it sounds like muscle/joint pain is more likely (maybe 15-20% chance) than liver damage.
- I'll be getting liver enzymes tested to check if there is a problem.
- If muscle/joint pain is an issue, I can get the doseage lowered or switch to another statin.

At this point, looks like I'll start the Lipitor and see how it goes.

Thanks for all the inputs.

LDL is a precursor to healthy hormones. Most depressed people and people with low T have low LDL...from my research, in order to get a clearer picture, you need cardiac CRP and homoscystine labs to see how at risk you are. If homocystine is elevated, get a genetic test for the MTHFR gene and see which type you are. Some people need to supplement with the right kinds of B complex and especially folate to prevent the heart disease/stroke risks that comes from a result of that gene.

Watch the seed oils (aka vegetable oils)...especially hydrogenated oils like margarine. Thise are what clog you up the most verses real butter, lard, olive oil, etc. A low fat diet with lots of vegatble oil is a recipie for heart disease from my research. Do your own of course.

 

[Shadowrider]

An update to kind of close this loop as I talked with my cardiologist today.

- My LDL (109) is too high, 100 is acceptable but really needs to be under 70 at this point.
- My HDL (41) is too low, needs to be closer to 60.
- Regarding side effects, it sounds like muscle/joint pain is more likely (maybe 15-20% chance) than liver damage.
- I'll be getting liver enzymes tested to check if there is a problem.
- If muscle/joint pain is an issue, I can get the doseage lowered or switch to another statin.

At this point, looks like I'll start the Lipitor and see how it goes.

Thanks for all the inputs.

I'm certainly not saying he's wrong, but bear in mind that your numbers aren't as bad as he's making them out to be. His HDL/LDL numbers are best case scenarios because cardiologists gonna cardiology. <--- cheesy pun

Look at it as a goal. From your posts here it sounds like he's just trying to get you to improve your numbers as much as you can. Between that and the Lipitor he is "pushing the can down the road" for that blockage in your small arteries. I have no personal experience but my dad had 9 angioplasties before his first surgery. Yes NINE, that's not a typo.

He eventually had a triple bypass that was supposed to be a quad (couldn't on one, as it was a total loss), a carotid bypass on one side, a carotid on the other side and then a 2nd carotid bypass on the original and then a couple of stents after bypass. Dad had all kinds of arterial disease and it was seen in his early '40s in the military. Dad's cardiologist's retirement was made on my dad. Lol. He was under his care for almost 30 years.

Dad wasn't really ever overweight, his problem was mainly smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. I follow quite well in his footsteps but haven't had any issues yet that dad had. I think it's in the genes we inherit and I take after my grandfather on my dad's side. Thankfully! Gramps had a bypass at 89 years old.

 

[Snattlerake]

I have tried all the statins and have also had the bad leg cramps. I had them so bad I was trnasported to the ER once. Ever since my doctor put me on Repatha, I haven't had a leg cramp in 5 years. It has also helped bring my cholesterol down to safe manageable levels

 

[turkeyrun]

Yes, and at 59 it should be the Ubiquinol form of CoQ10. Statins suppress the natural levels of the antioxidant in your liver (and they are hard on your liver too) so many people supplement to try to keep the CoQ10 levels up. Muscles including the heart need CoQ10 to fuel mitochondria so that is why statins can cause muscle aches from my research...do yours.

Also strongly recommend Dr. Sinatra's books on heart disease.

The HDL is above 40 too which i think is good for 59yrs old. And yes, at least 2000mg of EPA/DHA omegas per day can suppress the inflammation in the arteries that leads to the blockages.

Also, look into serrapeptase to clear the plaque over time...it is an enzyme from silk worms you can buy as a supplement that you take away from meals that can help digest the plaques and clear up the arteries. As always, do your own research,.

Where is serrepeptase available?
Known under another name?