Just got my blood results back and my cholesterol LDL is 194. My lifetime risk for a stroke of MI is 46%. We did a more in depth blood test that looks at the risk. My provider wants me to try through diet first and is giving me 90 days. I am going to increase my fiber and figure out a way I can make it a lifestyle. I am going to have to adjust my diet anyway if I get put on meds so this trial run will not hurt. If the diet does not work I am going to be put on Rosouvastatin 20mg. I have looked at the side effects and curious to see if anyone has any advice on statins. Any advice would be helpful to help me calm my nerves.

try taking a few Fish Oils a day and a couple Red yeast rice capsules,

helped me drop mine

I’ve been on rosuvastatin for the last ten years or so. Genetically predisposed to high cholesterol. I haven’t noticed any adverse side effects.

I tried the diet change, ate like a rabbit, only dropped my Cholesterol 5-10 points. I was put on statins and my numbers were well in the normal range.

Take Co-Q10, as statins deplete this. Statins can cause memory impairment in some people, so don’t panic if you suddenly have problems remembering things.

I look at it like I do food, it is just something you need to get everyday to keep on keeping on.

I was on statins for a while because my doctor insisted after I had a 250-ish cholesterol test on a pre-employment physical.

After about a dozen years I stopped taking them, curious to see if some indeterminate side effects would go away. For the next few tests after that my total was 200-ish give or take, but my ratios are good and my new doctor says it's probably better to keep an eye on it than medicate it.

But here's the rub when you look into things:

There is no proven causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, and there is no proven causal relationship between blood cholesterol and arteriosclerosis.

Decades ago, "the science" made some assumptions, turned the assumptions into dogma, and big pharma has reinforced the dogma to great profit by saying just about everyone needs to take their drugs.

Does this sound familiar?

What are the side effects to the liver when taking Statins? They keep the liver from producing something, right?

Also, exercise. You don't have to go crazy; even some light exercise most days helps.

I take a statin to prevent strokes. Not because of my cholesterol. My numbers were always border high..but my brain doc said she wanted me to take it to prevent strokes. So my cholesterol numbers are lower, I still eat what I want and I can’t tell any side effects. I’ve been on it since 2014. I take 40mg daily

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
I was on statins for a while because my doctor insisted after I had a 250-ish cholesterol test on a pre-employment physical.

After about a dozen years I stopped taking them, curious to see if some indeterminate side effects would go away. For the next few tests after that my total was 200-ish give or take, but my ratios are good and my new doctor says it's probably better to keep an eye on it than medicate it.

But here's the rub when you look into things:

There is no proven causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, and there is no proven causal relationship between blood cholesterol and arteriosclerosis.

Decades ago, "the science" made some assumptions, turned the assumptions into dogma, and big pharma has reinforced the dogma to great profit by saying just about everyone needs to take their drugs.

Does this sound familiar?

that's what happened to me,

sorta,
ate wrong before a physical, 2 years running, and got put on the lowest dose of the lowest effective statin, cause I was thought to be a producer


after a year or so, working a long day and I would hurt,, from the belt line down,

like my belt was too tight and joint/muscle pain, (like I did to much, ,but did nothing actually)

so I dropped it, dropped a few pounds, and started on the fish oils and rice yeast, as well as got a bit better at what I was eating


no issues so far,, 6 yrs later

I take rosuvastatin (Crestor) for my cholesterol and have done so for many years. It appears to be effective and I'm not aware of side effects. I understand it is the only statin that is not adversely affected by grapefruit, which I'm happy about because I like red grapefruit and its juice.

flashguy

I am another person genetically predisposed to high cholesterol. Changing my diet dropped it a few points.

I tried a lot of different statin drugs.

Most made me ache.

Then I tried Vytorin it is a mix of two low dose statins.

It was costing me a chuck of change every month until a generic came out and I started using good RX app.

It cut my cost to $30 a months.

Simvastatin has been prescribed for me for the last 15+ years. The only noticeable side effect for me has been the occasional lower leg cramping at night. Annoying when it occurs, but not an issue otherwise.

I’m on a keto type diet for the past year or so. My total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol all rose, as I’ve learned is what happens on keto due to the low carbs intake. However, while the LDL may show a significant elevation, it’s important to distinguish between the 2 types of LDL you have the majority of, the small dense or the large buoyant LDL. This is revealed by a “fractionated cholesterol” test and I don’t know if this is covered by insurance (haven’t looked into it yet). I have a LDL of 162 and an HDL of 54. If my small dense LDL significantly outweighs the large buoyant then I’ll look into correcting it. But at this time I don’t believe there’s too much to worry about. Many vids out there discussing diets, cholesterol, etc. My doctor (GP) advised me to go on statins as well. My heart doc didn’t say a thing this past July and I passed a stress test no problem. I bike about 40 miles a week, go to the gym etc, pretty active, feel good.
In addition, if you divide your triglyceride level by your HDL number, that is an indicator of problems. Anything greater than 4 is worth looking into. Under 2 is great. Mine is a 1.46 so I believe, that for the time being, that’s another reason not to panic.
Hope this provides some useful info for you to look into.

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
But here's the rub when you look into things:

There is no proven causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, and there is no proven causal relationship between blood cholesterol and arteriosclerosis.

Decades ago, "the science" made some assumptions, turned the assumptions into dogma, and big pharma has reinforced the dogma to great profit by saying just about everyone needs to take their drugs.

Does this sound familiar?

QFT.

I have marginally high LDL. I don't let it worry me.

I was in the same boat, refusing to ever go on a statin.

A low carb diet and intermittent fasting had a dramatic effect.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I take rosuvastatin (Crestor) for my cholesterol and have done so for many years. It appears to be effective and I'm not aware of side effects. I understand it is the only statin that is not adversely affected by grapefruit, which I'm happy about because I like red grapefruit and its juice.

flashguy

After somewhat high cholesterol and a discovered ~30% blockage in a heart artery, I was put on 40mg of atorvastatin. Within a few days I developed lower back pain and constipation. The constipation went away, but the back pain continued. I talked the doc into lowering it to 20mg and that helped the pain. It also lowered my cholesterol dramatically.

I quoted flashguy as I too like grapefruit and have one most mornings, but take the tablet in the afternoon. Seems to work for me.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
try taking a few Fish Oils a day and a couple Red yeast rice capsules,

helped me drop mine

I've been doing the same thing for a number of years and the numbers have dropped enough to put me in the normal range.
My wife has been on Simvastatin for about 10 years with no side effects.

Jim

Cutting carbs out almost completely fixed my high blood pressure, cholesterol and pre-diabetes in 4 weeks.

Because of a coronary artery blockage, I had a stint implanted over ten years ago. I was then placed on a statin drug regimen. I could not take statins because of severe muscle pain in my legs. That is a known side effect of statins. The doctors at Austin Heart highly suggested I sign up for an experimental drug trial they were participating in. The project was known as "Orion-10". It consisted of getting a shot in the belly every six months and giving some blood and piss samples. When the Orion-10 project ended, I was placed on the next long-term project called "Orion-8". That project participation is identical for me, a shot in the belly plus giving blood and piss. I am still participating in that project.

The six-month belly shot medicine I am receiving is called "Inclisiran". For me, that medication worked perfectly. Now I see that Inclisiran was approved by the FDA yesterday, Dec 22, 2021, for general use in the US. It will be sold by Novartis under the name Leqvio. I guess my Orion-8 project will be ended.

If you can take Statins with no side effects, do that. But if you have any side effects. Ask your doctor about Novartis Leqvio.

Look Here > https://www.novartis.com/news/...t-low-two-doses-year

Been on rosuvastatin for about 8 years. Genetics are a bitch. I take a COQ10 supplement with it after a brief dalliance with a different statin gave me muscle issues. The COQ10 is just one more pill. Lipid profile is much better since starting the statin. My medical team is happy. I regard the statin as cheap insurance. I've read the pro and con and had the discussion with primary care, cardiologist, and other specialists.