Anyone taking cholesterol lowering drugs?

[Anonymous]

So, my LDL has remained in the 140's-150's after 9 months of trying to lower it with exercise/dietary interventions. My doctor wants me to start a low dose of Zocor. I do not want to take this medicine, but I don't want a heart attack or stroke either! Anyone out there on cholesterol meds, and how is it going for you? TIA!

[Anonymous]

DH is taking Lipitor. His high cholesterol is due to genetic factors, not diet or lack of exercise. Before Lipitor, it was close to 300, and after 6 or so weeks it went down to less than 200, in the normal range. They check your liver function after a few weeks to make sure it's not ruining it. DH was not thrilled about the medication, he hates pills and all that, but as you said it definitely beats a heart attack.

[Anonymous]

Interestingly enough, there is no evidence supporting better health and taking of statins. Cholesterol in itself as a danger to health is controversial.

[Anonymous]

Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can take Lipitor if you are trying to get pregnant. Check with doc.

[Anonymous]

My triglycerides plumetted and my HDL sky rocketed by eating an avocado just about every day, eating more fish, going vegetarian an lunch, changing to brown rice, and eating steel cut oats every morning. What I did NOT do was avoid fats all together nor did I eat ANY low fat foods. I also substantially cut down on empty carbs. They tried to put me on satins and I had my cholesterol under complete control in a few months without drugs. I too am genetically prone to high cholesterol (and am thin BTW), but have a hard time believing that someone cannot control it with diet. There is something in the diet that is not working with their body chemistry.

No processed foods for me anymore, even when marketed as low fator "healthy".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interestingly enough, there is no evidence supporting better health and taking of statins. Cholesterol in itself as a danger to health is controversial.

There are good clinical data showing that Zocor (simvastatin) lowers risk of heart attack and death. That said, there are generic statins that work just as well and cost far less. Tell your doctor you will agree to take a low dose of pravastatin and see if that has a positive effect on your LDL levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

It's easier to take a pill than change your diet. Do you want to eat red yeast rice and oatmeal everyday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

It's easier to take a pill than change your diet. Do you want to eat red yeast rice and oatmeal everyday?

Yes, and much easier to die or have serious complications from taking statins than eating rice and oatmeal. As someone who has lowered cholesterol by diet only, I'm healthier and not drugged up and my liver and heart are much happier for it. Taking statins is just plain lazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

It's easier to take a pill than change your diet. Do you want to eat red yeast rice and oatmeal everyday?

Yes, and much easier to die or have serious complications from taking statins than eating rice and oatmeal. As someone who has lowered cholesterol by diet only, I'm healthier and not drugged up and my liver and heart are much happier for it. Taking statins is just plain lazy.

I'm not on statins, but just got my complete blood work done at our company health fair. I was told at 108 pounds and 19% body fat, I should think about GAINING a bit of weight. My total cholesterol is excellent, my bad cholesterol very low, by trigylcerides are very low, blood pressure is great, but my good cholesterol could be better - it is 39 and 40 is the acceptable range.

I've never smoked, am the healthiest eater I know, eating a ton of healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and occasionally lean meats like chicken, ground turkey, and I work out regularly. Never smoked. Sometimes it's just genetics. Again, I'm not at the point where statins are recommended but some people do everything and still have issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

It's easier to take a pill than change your diet. Do you want to eat red yeast rice and oatmeal everyday?

Yes, and much easier to die or have serious complications from taking statins than eating rice and oatmeal. As someone who has lowered cholesterol by diet only, I'm healthier and not drugged up and my liver and heart are much happier for it. Taking statins is just plain lazy.

I'm not on statins, but just got my complete blood work done at our company health fair. I was told at 108 pounds and 19% body fat, I should think about GAINING a bit of weight. My total cholesterol is excellent, my bad cholesterol very low, by trigylcerides are very low, blood pressure is great, but my good cholesterol could be better - it is 39 and 40 is the acceptable range.

I've never smoked, am the healthiest eater I know, eating a ton of healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and occasionally lean meats like chicken, ground turkey, and I work out regularly. Never smoked. Sometimes it's just genetics. Again, I'm not at the point where statins are recommended but some people do everything and still have issues.

You are correct, but they are WAY overprescribed. MOST people have high cholesterol because they have a poor diet. We even have a segment of the population that espouses the belief that obesity is genetic (again some is, but most is not). We have a culture of take a pill, that doctors fully embrace, and you can continue to be either mentally lazy (see xanax thread) or physically lazy...no matter the potential side effects. I see many people who think they are good eaters because they eat lean cuisine and low fat Triscuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Red yeast rice is a natural statin. You can get supplements at a health food store but they might be selling the less potent version because of an earlier challenge by the FDA. Try a store in a Chinatown though. Eating oatmeal and Cheerios everyday also helps lower LDL.

It's easier to take a pill than change your diet. Do you want to eat red yeast rice and oatmeal everyday?

Yes, and much easier to die or have serious complications from taking statins than eating rice and oatmeal. As someone who has lowered cholesterol by diet only, I'm healthier and not drugged up and my liver and heart are much happier for it. Taking statins is just plain lazy.

I'm not on statins, but just got my complete blood work done at our company health fair. I was told at 108 pounds and 19% body fat, I should think about GAINING a bit of weight. My total cholesterol is excellent, my bad cholesterol very low, by trigylcerides are very low, blood pressure is great, but my good cholesterol could be better - it is 39 and 40 is the acceptable range.

I've never smoked, am the healthiest eater I know, eating a ton of healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and occasionally lean meats like chicken, ground turkey, and I work out regularly. Never smoked. Sometimes it's just genetics. Again, I'm not at the point where statins are recommended but some people do everything and still have issues.

You are correct, but they are WAY overprescribed. MOST people have high cholesterol because they have a poor diet. We even have a segment of the population that espouses the belief that obesity is genetic (again some is, but most is not). We have a culture of take a pill, that doctors fully embrace, and you can continue to be either mentally lazy (see xanax thread) or physically lazy...no matter the potential side effects. I see many people who think they are good eaters because they eat lean cuisine and low fat Triscuits.

I'm the person you are responding to and I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I work in health policy - specific to nutrition and physical activity and specific to childhood obesity. Unfortunately though, most people simply won't make changes (and to their credit, it is really hard in our society/environment especially for poor people who have less access to safe outdoor areas, gyms, and healthy foods) and others who have all the resources in the world available to them will just not stop their dangerous lifestyle. It would be irresponsible of a physician to rely on most people to make these changes and not prescribe them a potentially life-saving drug.

For people like my dad, he was on BP and cholesterol meds but to his credit, it was a big wake up call and he's made a ton of changes over the years (thanks to my very vigilant mom and the birth of his grandchild as well). So we can hope that most people on statins are on them temporarily. But I know that is not reality.

Finally, not to get too far afield, but if health care reform is truly only about health care, we will never get out of this cycle. We need to stop relying on our medical system to get and keep people healthy. People don't quit smoking or lose weight in a dr.'s office. They do it or don't it through choices they make every day. Yes, physicians can and should facilitate this, but schools, employers, and communities also need to be involved, and of course we as parents have a responsibility to educate ourselves and model healthy lifestyles for our children.

[Anonymous]

OP here,
Thanks everyone for your replies! I guess what I really need to do is sit down and talk with my doctor. He sent me my lab results and a prescription in the mail along with a request to see him in 2 months. I am wondering if he prescribed the statin because of a family history of heart attack, stroke, and Parkinson's disease. Of course, I won't know until I talk with him. I think part of my issue may be genetic--cholesterol levels are linked with liver production as well as dietary intake. I am going to do some research on the red yeast rice-I thought there was some controversy about it...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interestingly enough, there is no evidence supporting better health and taking of statins. Cholesterol in itself as a danger to health is controversial.

Actually, the above statement is untrue. Recent studies have even shown that taking statins can be as protective as stents and angioplasty in the prevention of repeat heart attacks.

[Anonymous]

I lowered my cholesterol dramatically (LDL 160-->110) by losing weight (a lot -- 50 lbs) and taking 4 Benecol chews daily. Can't say how much each helped, relatively, but I no longer am a candidate for statins. I would suggest giving Benecol a try for a few months and then get tested again.
http://www.benecol.com/home2.jhtml
Yes, Benecol is a supplement/medication, but it worried me far, far less than statins do. Good luck, OP.