Just Got My Blood Test Results And My Total Cholesterol Number Is…………….

[Anonymous]

My doctor wanted me on statins when mine was 220. Are you overweight? I lost 70 lbs and really changed my eating habits. It's back to normal and I dont have to be on statins. I would NOT try to manage this on your own since your cholesterol is really high.

[Anonymous]

"I have an obese friend who is on statins and she said it isn’t high enough for med"

Your friend is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saying this based on my own experience. That is high cholesterol (mine was over 400). But it turned out it was caused by a non-cardio condition that needed urgent attention. Since it was applicable in my case, I strongly suggest you talk to your PCP and have a comprehensive urinalysis done.

What caused that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I have an obese friend who is on statins and she said it isn’t high enough for med"

Your friend is wrong.

+1
Why does your friend think their cholesterol level is the bar for meds???

Over 200 is considered high.
If you have diabetes, doctors will probably want you on a statin with high cholesterol because the two conditions together exponentially increase heart risk.
more important is the LDL/HDL. Still, if this is not your typical cholesterol level, I suspect your doctor will mention meds.
I don't like statins, personally. I've had lightheadedness with two of them now; but supposedly insurance wants you to work through all the statins before they cover a non-statin option. I don't know if that's true, just what my doctor explained to me when I asked for a non-statin alternative.

[Anonymous]

my god

[Anonymous]

Mine was like 311 when I was 45. It’s genetic. I’m on Lipitor now. It cut my number in half in the first 6 months taken.

I’m 5’ 2” and I weigh about 105 pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I have an obese friend who is on statins and she said it isn’t high enough for med"

Your friend is wrong.

+1
Why does your friend think their cholesterol level is the bar for meds???

Over 200 is considered high.
If you have diabetes, doctors will probably want you on a statin with high cholesterol because the two conditions together exponentially increase heart risk.
more important is the LDL/HDL. Still, if this is not your typical cholesterol level, I suspect your doctor will mention meds.
I don't like statins, personally. I've had lightheadedness with two of them now; but supposedly insurance wants you to work through all the statins before they cover a non-statin option. I don't know if that's true, just what my doctor explained to me when I asked for a non-statin alternative.

What is a non-statin option? I honestly don't know.

[Anonymous]

Non working options.
Diet changes 10 percent at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Non working options.
Diet changes 10 percent at best.

Not necessarily. I changed mine quite a bit more than that by losing weight and changing how I eat. I think for people who are obese, like I was, the results can be much greater. Either way, there is absolutely zero reason not to change how you eat even if it is only 10 percent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's insanely high.
Often there is a genetic component. Skinny fit people can thus get high cholesterol. And Widowmaker blocked arteries.
FFS you should be on a statin. I was put on one with reading of just under 200.

Skinny, fit person here with a family history of skinny, fit parents having heart attacks out of nowhere. Get your lipoprotein A levels checked, people. I don’t know why this isn’t routine for people with a family history of heart attacks and strokes. It was the easiest, cheapest test ever and it probably saved my life. I had to go on statins straight away, even though my LDL was only 100 and everything else was textbook perfect.

[Anonymous]

Be sure to get a calcium score CT scan because that’s a better indicator of need for statins (according to my cardiologist and pcp)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just saying this based on my own experience. That is high cholesterol (mine was over 400). But it turned out it was caused by a non-cardio condition that needed urgent attention. Since it was applicable in my case, I strongly suggest you talk to your PCP and have a comprehensive urinalysis done.

What caused that?

An autoimmune kidney disease. These diseases cause something called nephrotic syndrome, characterized by high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and edema. Untreated, this could result in end stage kidney disease. I suggested an urinalysis test because nephrotc syndrome causes protein in urine when it should be none. It is a quick and easy diagnostic test.

I am on treatment that is an easy for me medication. They also put me on a statin and zetia, and in nine months my cholesterol is down to 125. I am feeling like perhaps they have overdone the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

[Anonymous]

I hate the kneejerk reaction for statins.

[Anonymous]

I am 50 and not really in great shape, and mine is 150. Yes, you need to see a Dr. next week. Do you not get annual checkups? How's your blood pressure? If you are male, I would be concerned about having a widow maker heart attack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You honestly need to talk to your doc. Do not crowd source your health. You know it's bad. What do you want from us?

Yes. Even if an expert were here, there's no way to know the appropriate behavioral or medical approach without knowing more details about the test (HDL/LDL etc.), your sex, your other medical conditions, weight, current diet and exercise, family history, etc.

And even if you wanted to do some general research before talking to your doctor, you'd be better off talking to AI for background. There will be various answers here and you have no way to know which are informed and reasonable and which are just people spouting off. (I, of course, am informed and reasonable.)