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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

I would be concerned about all that unessesary health anxiety you clearly live with daily causing a major widow maker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That seems pretty high. I am 42 and my cholesterol is about 195 with the good cholesterol (is that HDL?) higher than the bad cholesterol.

fyi, there is no such thing as "good cholesterol" - newer research shows that high HDL is very detrimental - increase in heart disease, stroke, and cancer. HDL is supposed to be no higher than 80-90 for women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine shot up at menopause. It's now 229 and I'm fit and exercise plenty. My cardiologist said that more important than the overall number is the ratio between good and bad. My ratio is fine. Also important is that my calcium score is zero. So no statins for me yet.

Menopause does a number on not just cholesterol but glucose/A1C.

I'm 56, and my chol is 240, but the triglycerides aren't too bad, and the HDL/LDL is pretty good. I had a calcium score done, and it was zero.

Cardiologist said I don't need statins... yet.

347 is high. What did your doctor say? You should see a cardiologist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate the kneejerk reaction for statins.

+1 The guidance now is not automatic statins for over 200.

[Anonymous]

I've been on a statin for over 20 years and the "news" on cholesterol constantly changes. You can find articles saying cholesterol is fine and noone needs statins and it's all about sugar and calcium. You can read that you need statins or you'll die of a massive heart attack. I don't know what to believe. All I know is that I take a statin. I have no side effects. They are free with my insurance. So I'm doing my due diligence. Just to be sure, I avoid sugar and junk carbs too. There is just so much noise out there it's hard to know. I don't trust doctors fully because I believe they are influenced by big pharma who want you on their statins. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I have a family history of heart disease; my mother had a heart attack at 54 and her dad etc all died of widowmakers. So did she, later. I got my lipoprotein a checked and it’s 369; 99th percentile (but not everyone checks)

All to say- yes menopause has an affect of cholesterol, yes high cholesterol is a huge warning sign and get your lipoprotein checked so you know that if you have the classic signs of a heart attack get thee to a hospital if you have all the warning signs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine shot up at menopause. It's now 229 and I'm fit and exercise plenty. My cardiologist said that more important than the overall number is the ratio between good and bad. My ratio is fine. Also important is that my calcium score is zero. So no statins for me yet.

What do you mean calcium score is zero? Is that not bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the kneejerk reaction for statins.

+1 The guidance now is not automatic statins for over 200.

What is it?

[Anonymous]

Yeah your doctor is going to want to talk about meds.

Were you fasting when the test was taken? I recently had a reading over 300. Went back 2 weeks later after fasting and it was low 200s.

[Anonymous]

What does your doctor say? Mine went up at 205 at age 47 and my doctor gave me a stern talking to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.)

+1

Thank you,
OP

[Anonymous]

That is insanely high. I am 52 and just got my labs done. Mine is 171.

[Anonymous]

Not OP but just for curiosity, has anyone had a reading higher than 350?
I didn’t know 347 was insanely high.
Because my nephew once had 546, before meds.
After meds it is now below 200.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I don't know specifically, either; but there are non-statin cholesterol meds. You'll need to ask your doctor.
Meanwhile, here are some google search results:
https://www.google.com/search?q=non-statin+cholesterol+medication&sca_esv=fecb66123620f6bf&source=hp&ei=lHGkafHJA8bviLMPotO9iAM&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaaR_pDQfzwM-nLya2YV5wIcyQV4WWosg&oq=non-statin&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6Igpub24tc3RhdGluKgIIADIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgARI5CBQAFjZCnAAeACQAQCYATigAa0DqgECMTC4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgqgAosEwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAggQABiABBixA8ICDhAAGIAEGLEDGIMBGIoFwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYxwHCAgUQLhiABJgDAJIHAjEwoAebTbIHAjEwuAeLBMIHBTItOC4yyAdMgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1