# Are You Taking Anything to Lower Cholesterol?



## Ruthanne (Sep 6, 2020)

*I have had bad experiences with statins--severe leg pains. So as my cholesterol is still too high 220 I asked my doctor if there was anything besides statins to help. He told me he could put me on Zetia once a day and Crestor once a week. I realize that Crestor is a statin but have agreed to try this way and see what happens*

*So, are you trying anything for high cholesterol?  I don't believe in taking garlic as it doesn't stay in the system long enough for benefits.*


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## Leann (Sep 6, 2020)

Yes, I take a statin (Lipitor). I've been on it for a few years now.


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## fmdog44 (Sep 6, 2020)

I took CholestOff years ago it is a nonprescription OTC pill and it did work very well for me.


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## PopsnTuff (Sep 6, 2020)

A very low dose of Lipitor with a very low dose of BP med for years now.....doc says these two taken together presents much better results...and it has...and I've never had high blood pressure.....


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## Ruthanne (Sep 6, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> I took CholestOff years ago it is a nonprescription OTC pill and it did work very well for me.


How high was your cholesterol?  Where did you get that?


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## Keesha (Sep 6, 2020)

Yes! Coconut oil. 
My cholesterol is lower.


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## Ruthanne (Sep 6, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Yes! Coconut oil.
> My cholesterol is lower.


I've never heard about that one before. How much do you take and how often?


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## Oris Borloff (Sep 6, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Yes! Coconut oil.
> My cholesterol is lower.


May I ask?  How much lower?  I was on a statin for a few years, but not for cholesterol reduction specifically.


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## Keesha (Sep 6, 2020)

Oris Borloff said:


> May I ask?  How much lower?  I was on a statin for a few years, but not for cholesterol reduction specifically.


I really don’t know. I ‘think’ my bad cholesterol was at about 225 . Now it’s under 185 . When my doctor suggested I take a pill to lower my cholesterol I told him ‘not a chance’ and started taking coconut oil in warm water. I also cook with coconut oil. Nine years later my cholesterol is great so I’m presuming it worked.


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## mlh (Sep 6, 2020)

I also have a hard time with statins. I take the fish oil gummies.


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## Oris Borloff (Sep 6, 2020)

Keesha, thank you for answering.  I'm happy you're doing well.  

I have lab work done every 6 months so  follow mine.   In my case cholesterol wasn't the primary objective as statins also have a stabilizing effect on arterial plaque, but I had some problems  with the statins.    I don't consume any dietary cholesterol and try to keep the fat intake low, so I'm finding it quite interesting what my body makes of its own accord.


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## Keesha (Sep 6, 2020)

Oris Borloff said:


> Keesha, thank you for answering.  I'm happy you're doing well.
> 
> I have lab work done every 6 months so  follow mine.   In my case cholesterol wasn't the primary objective as statins also have a stabilizing effect on arterial plaque, but I had some problems  with the statins.    I don't consume any dietary cholesterol and try to keep the fat intake low, so I'm finding it quite interesting what my body makes of its own accord.


It sounds like you are doing very well. 
Good for you. That’s good news.


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## Nathan (Sep 6, 2020)

Exercise


Ruthanne said:


> Are You Taking Anything to Lower Cholesterol?



Simply exercise.    If you can get 30 minutes a day walking, your doctor will be amazed.   It's fun!


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## Ruthanne (Sep 6, 2020)

Nathan said:


> Exercise
> 
> 
> Simply exercise.    If you can get 30 minutes a day walking, your doctor will be amazed.   It's fun!


Good suggestion but it doesn't always work for those who are predisposed to high cholesterol.  I have tried that and it didn't work for me.  But thanks.


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## Keesha (Sep 6, 2020)

Nathan said:


> Exercise
> 
> 
> Simply exercise.    If you can get 30 minutes a day walking, your doctor will be amazed.   It's fun!


Oh yes. And I walk at least an hour a day . It IS fun!


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## Keesha (Sep 6, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> Good suggestion but it doesn't always work for those who are predisposed to high cholesterol.  I have tried that and it didn't work for me.  But thanks.


Who told you that? 
Cholesterol doesn’t know it’s predisposed. Lol!


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## RadishRose (Sep 7, 2020)

Oris Borloff said:


> Keesha, thank you for answering.  I'm happy you're doing well.
> 
> I have lab work done every 6 months so  follow mine.   In my case cholesterol wasn't the primary objective as statins also have a stabilizing effect on arterial plaque, but I had some problems  with the statins.    I don't consume any dietary cholesterol and try to keep the fat intake low, so I'm finding it quite interesting what my body makes of its own accord.


Yes, I have heard some people's bodies actually manufacture it!


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## Rosemarie (Sep 7, 2020)

I am told I have high cholesterol but have resisted the doctors advice to take statins. I'm interested in other peoples experiences. All drugs have side effects, so you cure one problem but create another. If I'm convinced that it would be better to take them, I'll consider it.


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## mlh (Sep 7, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I am told I have high cholesterol but have resisted the doctors advice to take statins. I'm interested in other peoples experiences. All drugs have side effects, so you cure one problem but create another. If I'm convinced that it would be better to take them, I'll consider it.



I have tried two out of the three available to me and the side effects were quite dangerous. It is possible for a statin to kill you. We had a gentleman die in my community from his statin. When I saw the symptoms appear of an adverse reaction I quit them right away. You would be better off exercising and dieting.


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## Rosemarie (Sep 7, 2020)

mlh said:


> I have tried two out of the three available to me and the side effects were quite dangerous. It is possible for a statin to kill you. We had a gentleman die in my community from his statin. When I saw the symptoms appear of an adverse reaction I quit them right away. You would be better off exercising and dieting.


Thanks for that. I personally feel it's better to deal with the problem with the correct diet. I know I'm a bit self-indulgent....eating too many chips and cakes. I don't see the point of someone taking a drug and still eating the wrong foods. That seems the wrong way to deal with it.


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## mlh (Sep 7, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> Thanks for that. I personally feel it's better to deal with the problem with the correct diet. I know I'm a bit self-indulgent....eating too many chips and cakes. I don't see the point of someone taking a drug and still eating the wrong foods. That seems the wrong way to deal with it.




I prefer to go the natural route as to allowing a doctor to shove medications down my throat that I do not need or want.


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## fmdog44 (Sep 7, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> How high was your cholesterol?  Where did you get that?


Don't recall the exact numbers (8 years ago) but the doctor put me on Lipitor if I recall and it made me feel odd and did nothing to lower my number. CholestOff is available at all drugstores and grocery stores in the vitamins sections and online. Most important not only did it get my numbers down they have been down ever since and long after I stopped using it.


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## Oris Borloff (Sep 7, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I am told I have high cholesterol but have resisted the doctors advice to take statins. I'm interested in other peoples experiences. All drugs have side effects, so you cure one problem but create another. If I'm convinced that it would be better to take them, I'll consider it.



I will tell you my experience with atorvastatin.  My first script for it was 5 years ago for 80 mg to be taken in the evening.  
My prescription was  because I was being discharged from the hospital after having a heart attack on Monday and  and a triple bypass operation Tuesday.  My lipid panel at that time was:

Cholesterol     115
HDL                   57
LDL                    47
Triglycerides       57

One reason patients are put on statins is that there is a stabilizing effect on arterial plaque and it's helpful in preventing second episodes.

During the first year post op I had blood work done every 3 months.  The first 3 months post op were spent doing cardiac rehab so I was getting 3 hours of exercise/ week.  As time went along  my total cholesterol hit a low of 100, I'd have to look up the specifics, but the doctor was concerned that my cholesterol was getting too low.  I was also having climbing liver enzymes, which could indicate fatty liver disease or that the statin was causing injury to my liver.  My dosage was continually cut down, first to 60 mg, then to 40, 20, my enzymes were still climbing, finally to 10mg.  Finally my enzymes were back to normal ranges and my blood draws went from every 3 to 6 months.    

I should also add that at 6 months post op starting eating an exclusively plant based diet so my dietary intake of cholesterol was nearly ZERO.  I still eat this way , and I say nearly zero it because I've had some commercially produced crackers and such and I can only rely on the content labeling, and this has been tested , is not always 100% accurate.

About that time I started having some other problems...I didn't have muscle pain, which is the most common side effect.  I did have a severed tendon head, which means on of the two tendons that attach the bicep rip leaving a lump of muscle that is known as Popeye arm...anyway it's anecdotal with statin use, but the only other person I know that had that happen to was also on statin.  Again, can't say it is causal.

I also starting having memory issues.  Often reported by patients , but not really accepted as an actual side effect.  Commonly referred to as brain fog.  Brain fog is not what I'm taking about.  I live with brain fog most of the time, I don't sleep very well.  I have little slips of memory.  I know what brain fog is, and it was much much more serious than that.

  My first cardiologist was one of those that would put it in the water supply if he could.  He personally took 80 mg/ day and had been for 30 years.  When he retired my next cardiologist said I could try a vacation from it and as long as my regular doctor kept an eye on it.  
The memory issues are gone.  Rest assured, I still have the brain fog. 

My last test was in April:

Cholesterol    122
HDL                52
LDL                 58
Trigly.              60

I have all my records and I can tell you the Cholesterol is variable as it's components depending on my activity level.  The triglycerides are usually higher in the spring as when I get my tests in Oct I've been eating significantly more fresh produce then over the winter months.  It has been as low as 37.

This is just my story, and it absolutely is anecdotal.  There are many people out there who can tolerate statins and gain benefit from them.  Some people can achieve control over high cholesterol through diet and exercise, but  for some it doesn't work.  

What constitutes healthy eating can be a highly contentious subject as well.  There are a lot of different statins out there, and some work better for some.  I happen not to feel like experimenting with them at this point,  rather I would prefer to experiment with  lifestyle change.  In my case my medical condition was almost certainly brought on by lifestyle.  

I'd really suggest that you discuss the risks and hoped for benefits of this type of drug therapy with your doctor.


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## mlh (Sep 7, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> Don't recall the exact numbers (8 years ago) but the doctor put me on Lipitor if I recall and it made me feel odd and did nothing to lower my number. CholestOff is available at all drugstores and grocery stores in the vitamins sections and online. Most important not only did it get my numbers down they have been down ever since and long after I stopped using it.



Did you experience any side effects from the CholestOff?


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## Rosemarie (Sep 7, 2020)

Oris Borloff said:


> I will tell you my experience with atorvastatin.  My first script for it was 5 years ago for 80 mg to be taken in the evening.
> My prescription was  because I was being discharged from the hospital after having a heart attack on Monday and  and a triple bypass operation Tuesday.  My lipid panel at that time was:
> 
> Cholesterol     115
> ...



Thank you for taking the trouble to write that. My main concern is that the drug companies encourage doctors to prescribe their products, and so they may do so when other methods would be just as effective. I already take something for high blood pressure and stomach problems. I'm very reluctant to start taking even more medication unless it is absolutely necessary.
I talked to the nurse about the debate between butter and other spreads. She agreed with what I said, that spreads may be made from non-animal sources but a lot of chemicals are used in their manufacture. 
I do feel that a lot of our medical problems are caused by a combination of a sedentary lifestyle and pollution.


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## gennie (Sep 8, 2020)

I've never needed to.  My numbers have always been good.


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## Aneeda72 (Sep 8, 2020)

I have issues with statins as well so I refuse to take them.


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## 911 (Sep 8, 2020)

I take Simvastatin 25 mg., one pill daily. My last blood test showed my LDL at 77 and my HDL at 56. I control the good cholesterol by walking/running.

I had my Carotid Arteries checked by ultrasound. It showed that the left carotid was fully open, but the right had some minor narrowing.


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## Ruthanne (Sep 8, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Who told you that?
> Cholesterol doesn’t know it’s predisposed. Lol!


I told me that and my doctor agrees...That my cholesterol is high because of a pre-determined genetic problem and it does not respond to exercise by getting lower because I used to exercise like crazy and it never lowered my cholesterol.  Everyone in my family also has high cholesterol that does not respond to exercise..my brother walks 5 miles a day and still  has high chol. and takes a statin--luckily he did not have adverse affects from them like I did.


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## Keesha (Sep 8, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I told me that and my doctor agrees...That my cholesterol is high because of a pre-determined genetic problem and it does not respond to exercise by getting lower because I used to exercise like crazy and it never lowered my cholesterol.  Everyone in my family also has high cholesterol that does not respond to exercise..my brother walks 5 miles a day and still  has high chol. and takes a statin--luckily he did not have adverse affects from them like I did.


This is something I’m only just learning about. It must be so frustrating for you. I’m sorry you are dealing with this and hope you find something that works without horrible side effects. 

 It actually has a medical name. 

Familial Hypercholesterolemia is a form of inherited high cholesterol. 
People with this have higher levels of cholesterol because people with this condition aren’t able to regulate levels as efficiently as others without it. 

https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/is-high-cholesterol-hereditary#causes


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## Aneeda72 (Sep 8, 2020)

911 said:


> I take Simvastatin 25 mg., one pill daily. My last blood test showed my LDL at 77 and my HDL at 56. I control the good cholesterol by walking/running.
> 
> I had my Carotid Arteries checked by ultrasound. It showed that the left carotid was fully open, but the right had some minor narrowing.


I have an aneurysm on the right carotid artery.  It cannot be coiled or operated on and has leaked once causing a brain bleed.  It also throws off blood clots and has caused TIA’s and two very minor stokes.  I’d rather have some minor narrowing.


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## Aneeda72 (Sep 8, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I told me that and my doctor agrees...That my cholesterol is high because of a pre-determined genetic problem and it does not respond to exercise by getting lower because I used to exercise like crazy and it never lowered my cholesterol.  Everyone in my family also has high cholesterol that does not respond to exercise..my brother walks 5 miles a day and still  has high chol. and takes a statin--luckily he did not have adverse affects from them like I did.


Same with my daughter, she was vegan for decades and vegetarian for the last 5 years.  She won’t even sit on leather , but she has high cholesterol.  Go figure.


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## I'mnotdeadyet (Sep 9, 2020)

My doctor wanted me on something when they found the Type II Diabetes, and I told him no. I told him I'd take fish oil. When I spoke with their dietician she said to skip the fish oil and take 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed every day. It's been shown to significantly reduce cholesterol in 30 days, by like 15% or more. At my first post-diagnosis 90 day checkup, my cholesterol went from 287 to 227. Not perfect, but much better. That also included diet and exercise. 

Note that it must be ground flaxseed. Whole flaxseed just passes through your system without being digested. You can add it to anything. I usually put mine in oatmeal, a salad, soup. I've even sprinkled it on peanut butter.


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## IrisSenior (Sep 9, 2020)

I take a generic Crestor 5mg. I also eat healthier, walk everyday about 1 hr and I have lost weight. Next time I go to the doctor, I well get my blood tested to see if any difference.


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## fmdog44 (Sep 10, 2020)

mlh said:


> Did you experience any side effects from the CholestOff?





mlh said:


> Did you experience any side effects from the CholestOff?


None at all.


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## fmdog44 (Sep 10, 2020)

I have a friend that is a healthy eater but has high cholesterol and none of the fish oils helped him at all. It's like high BP some folks are victims of it early in life.


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## drifter (Sep 17, 2020)

Yes, I  think so. What is Atorvastatin for? What ever it is for, I take one ten MG tab a day.


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## Ruthanne (Sep 17, 2020)

drifter said:


> Yes, I  think so. What is Atorvastatin for? What ever it is for, I take one ten MG tab a day.


It's a cholesterol-lowering medicine.


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## gloria (Nov 6, 2020)

I read reviews on a site {can't remember which one } few months in ago the reviews were with  
several people saying they were eating Celery and there Cholesterol  
went way down, so I decided to try it an mine went down to 189 from 122.  I won't have lab work again till 2021 fasting. 
I will be so anxious to see what it is. Search Celery and you will get much info on the good nutrition in Celery.


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## PopsnTuff (Nov 6, 2020)

I've eaten raw celery every day for years just for the fiber content and a good solution to ward off constipation.....I enjoy eating it raw rather than cooked....


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