Roger
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Post by Roger on Apr 23, 2019 15:23:23 GMT -8
I have been dealing with high cholesterol for over 40 years. I am a vegetarian eating a limited amount of eggs and dairy. I have been on statins in the past but stopped due to the adverse effects. Diet and exercise have helped in the past bring in down close to the normal range. However, last December on my annual Medicare exam the cholesterol and triglycerides were at “widow makers level”. I went on the lowest dose of a new statin, made major changes to my diet and joined a gym which I have been going to 5+ days a week. The results are a 11 1/2 lb weight loss, a 2 1/2” decrease in waist size to within recommended size and after 4 months replete lab values are now normal. I will get labs repeated at the end of the year to see if I can maintain these levels. Many of the control for cholesterol (diet and exercise) are the same as for diabetes.
So how have others dealt with high cholesterol?
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Post by msdoolittle on Apr 24, 2019 5:19:41 GMT -8
Oddly, I have never had cholesterol issues [edit to add: *knock on wood*].
My issues have always been with blood pressure. Great job with getting your numbers back in normal range. Keep up the great work, Roger!
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 24, 2019 8:34:21 GMT -8
I'm surprised you could find 11 1/2 pounds to lose, or 2 1/2 inches of waist. I hope it keeps working. I'm overdue for a cholesterol check, but my numbers in the past were always good.
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Roger
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Post by Roger on Apr 24, 2019 15:03:08 GMT -8
My BMI and weight are within the normal range for my height but my waist was 2+" above the recommended max (35") for my height (5' 10"). The weight I lost has been that belly fat that has been linked to a greater risk for a number of of problems (high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and a number of cancers).
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foxalo
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Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Post by foxalo on Apr 24, 2019 18:22:05 GMT -8
I've always had high cholesterol, but not ridiculously so, and my ratios were good. Several years ago though, my LDL, triglycerides, and total were lower than they had ever been. It's because I cut sugar from my diet and exercised regularly.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 24, 2019 18:39:11 GMT -8
but my waist was 2+" above the recommended max (35") for my height (5' 10") Hmmm, I guess that shows I haven't paid very close attention to your midsection. |
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Roger
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Post by Roger on Apr 25, 2019 3:20:10 GMT -8
With 75% of men and 60% of women overweight or obese my little “love handles” were hard to notice. They are gone for the most part and I plan on keeping it that way. With so many people overweight people seem to have justified a new norm even if it is unhealthy. I was somewhat surprised when I measured my waist and found it above the recommended size for my height. It is easy to justify to oneself a little extra weight after all the consequences are sometime in the future.
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desert dweller
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Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
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Post by desert dweller on Apr 25, 2019 11:22:37 GMT -8
It's in the family. Every one of my mom's 8 brothers sisters had heart attacks in their 50's. Mom lucked out because she went in for a check up and they put her on the treadmill and within a couple of minutes had her get off and sit in a wheelchair. She got a quad bypass within a couple of weeks. She lived till 92. I've got a good diet and I'm always on the bike and walking. But, my cholesterol and blood pressure are always high. On my dad's side the issue was strokes. Nothing worked for me.
So, when I went to the VA hospital while I was between jobs a couple of years ago they did the tests and said my cholesterol was high and so was my blood pressure. Yeah, I know, I told them. They wanted to put me on pills and I resisted for about 6 months. Nothing changed no matter what lifestyle changes I made. So, I told the pharma consultant that I would try her pills as long as they didn't affect my lifestyle. That is biking, hiking and backpacking. The cholesterol pills (Astrovastatin 20 mg) worked just fine and brought my cholesterol down to 115 from 185 without any physical effects. The first round of blood pressure pills worked but made my ankles swell a lot. That did affect my hiking and I developed tremendous blisters on the bottom of my feet during a 40 mile backpack because my boots wouldn't fit right. I told her I'm not going to take those anymore and she put me on Lisinopril 40 mg. Those didn't make my ankles swell but didn't bring my BP down as much. It's about 135/60 instead of 195/80 which is my normal.
I feel fine and can still do the things I want. The pharma girl isn't happy with my decisions but, that's the way it is. As for blood sugar/diabetes issues, I have none. My A1C thing was well within parameters and no where close to pre-diabetic.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2019 12:48:03 GMT -8
Diet of 3 days a 14 day red meat, on average, lamb with trimmed fat, fish the rest of the. Morning breakfast either shredded wheat or oats. Those have been the difference makers for me.
I exercise 3 to 5 days a week, at this time.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Apr 28, 2019 14:29:01 GMT -8
One of the issues highlighted by Roger's situation is that dietary cholesterol intake has very little to do with our serum cholesterol levels. Our serum cholesterol is made and to an extent controlled by our liver. The issues with high serum cholesterol are due mainly to inherited traits. By losing visceral fat we help our liver to control our serum cholesterol to healthy levels. Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is also closely related and connected to Type 2 Diabetes.
Losing your belly fat, i.e. your visceral fat is one of the best things you can do for your current and future health, especially if you are a male. I can't tell you how much better I feel since I have lost so much of that belly fat. No more acid reflux, no more uncomfortable after dinner feelings, etc. I sleep better and snore less. I can sleep on my side and belly if I want.
Rumi
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on May 24, 2019 18:07:23 GMT -8
Family history of triglycerides here. I keep it under control with fibrate drugs, krill oil, diet, and exercise.
OTOH -- also have family history of low BP -- borderline hypotensive. A systolic of 110 is really high for me.
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Post by hikerchick395 on Jun 17, 2019 8:33:00 GMT -8
I have high cholesterol myself. My doc is not concerned because my HDL levels are off the chart good, but the ratios are not as outstanding as they used to be. I can do better with my diet, fitness and losing a bit of weight.
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Post by bobcat on Jul 6, 2019 6:32:11 GMT -8
I experienced a big drop in my cholesterol numbers when I switched to 100 percent plant-based. No dairy, no fish, no meat, no eggs, etc. I had a lot of support in a structured educational way, and the only problem I have had with the approach is that it requires me to plan, shop, cook, prepare and clean up. Not kidding, I have never enjoyed working with food and up until recently I accepted poor nutrition choices because I could just buy and eat. I always joked that I ate better on wilderness trips than at home because I put so much time into the food preparation. Anyway, I hope this eating style continues to work for me. I don’t feel any different and I have plenty of energy. I have gotten a rotation going of about 5 favorite dinner entrees that I like, and I batch-cook on weekends. Three of the entrees can be dehydrated and seem to work ok for backpacking.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 8, 2019 12:22:05 GMT -8
bobcat, care to share any of those dehydratable recipes over in the food forum? I’m always on the lookout for new meals 
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jul 26, 2019 7:06:55 GMT -8
Unfortunately, I'll be following and participating on this thread. 6 months ago, my total cholesterol was near 200, and my doctor put me on her "watch list". A couple weeks ago my follow-up test came in at 216. My total cholesterol has always been close to 200, but the most surprising thing this time around is that my HDL was low (it is usually high, to the point where I still have negative risk factor). So my doc wants to put me on statins. I really don't want to start taking pills, so I'm meeting with her on Monday to see if refining my diet will have an effect.
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