Cholesterol med alternatives?

[Radar]

One good thing about statins is I can eat two pounds of bacon and sausage, wash it down with a couple lone stars then eat a couple Lipitor pills and am good to go. Don’t know what all the fuss is about.

[Ilik2hunt]

Didn’t realize this thread was old. The Pritikin Program is a good one and I think it’s just a coincidence the author killed himself.

The easiest things to do are eat oatmeal for breakfast , cut out carbonated drinks, say goodbye to sweet tea and only eat whole grain breads ( or whatever they are called).
I like the Quaker instant raisin dates and walnut with a couple of spoonfuls of regular oats thrown in. No sugar, milk, cream or other mixed in. You’ll lose lots of weight and your number will improve.

I’m doing it now. Good luck to you.

Man I wish mine worked like that,I don't eat anything white(bread, potatoes,rice,tortillas etc.)I live on pork tenderloin(the other white meat)chicken ,fish and fresh vegetables,no processed food,desserts, pretty much anything that taste good I can't eat,doctors have said I could eat tuna morning noon and night excise 24 hrs a day and I will still have high lipid counts,said my heart disease is hereditary,I don't smoke,I exercise every day and didn't really drink till I had bypass surgery and docs said to have a little red wine on weekends,I have a older brother and sister that smoke drink and eat anything and their fine,

[Shane]

Man I wish mine worked like that,I don't eat anything white(bread, potatoes,rice,tortillas etc.)I live on pork tenderloin(the other white meat)chicken ,fish and fresh vegetables,no processed food,desserts, pretty much anything that taste good I can't eat,doctors have said I could eat tuna morning noon and night excise 24 hrs a day and I will still have high lipid counts,said my heart disease is hereditary,I don't smoke,I exercise every day and didn't really drink till I had bypass surgery and docs said to have a little red wine on weekends,I have a older brother and sister that smoke drink and eat anything and their fine,

Do you have actual heart disease, or do you just have higher cholesterol than your siblings?

[Ilik2hunt]

I have heart disease, I had a heart attack and quadruple bypass when I was 41,in a couple years the grafts had blockages and I got some stents,had 2 more heart attacks and now 2 grafts are totally blocked,I had surgery at St Luke's in Houston medical center 20 yrs ago and doctors there have tried all kinds of meds to lower my Cholesterol,triglycerides and get all my lipids in count,no luck.2 years ago I changed cardiologist and he is at Methodist
In the Medical center,he got all my records changed my meds. ,started me on Praulent (stomach injections) every 2 weeks,an my lipids are almost to low now,they do blood work every 6 months,stress test every year,I've had so many heart cath's I can't keep count,since I started with this cardiologist I feel great, no more chest pain,not tired all the time.He had a dietitian put me on a diet. So I'm finally seeing progress.He told me if I do what he suggests he will turn this around.

[WyoBull]

I have been on a statin for years. All of my siblings and I have high cholesterol, it is hereditary. Both our parents had high cholesterol.
Unfortunately, for some of us, that is just the way it is. I try to put the right kinds of food on my plate most of the time and stay active but at the end of the day, even if I do my part, my ticket is still getting punched when its my time.

[TwoHighways]

I have heart disease, I had a heart attack and quadruple bypass when I was 41,in a couple years the grafts had blockages and I got some stents,had 2 more heart attacks and now 2 grafts are totally blocked,I had surgery at St Luke's in Houston medical center 20 yrs ago and doctors there have tried all kinds of meds to lower my Cholesterol,triglycerides and get all my lipids in count,no luck.2 years ago I changed cardiologist and he is at Methodist
In the Medical center,he got all my records changed my meds. ,started me on Praulent (stomach injections) every 2 weeks,an my lipids are almost to low now,they do blood work every 6 months,stress test every year,I've had so many heart cath's I can't keep count,since I started with this cardiologist I feel great, no more chest pain,not tired all the time.He had a dietitian put me on a diet. So I'm finally seeing progress.He told me if I do what he suggests he will turn this around.

My concern with PSK9 inhibitors is the potential for development of NAFLD. What’s your blood sugar like? Sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol need to be eliminated completely. You’d benefit greatly from continuous glucose monitoring to see how your sugar spikes when ingesting different carbs (even the so called good carbs). Would be curious to see your inflammatory markers.

I’m not a doctor, but will be starting medical school in August.

[Shane]

I have heart disease, I had a heart attack and quadruple bypass when I was 41,in a couple years the grafts had blockages and I got some stents,had 2 more heart attacks and now 2 grafts are totally blocked,I had surgery at St Luke's in Houston medical center 20 yrs ago and doctors there have tried all kinds of meds to lower my Cholesterol,triglycerides and get all my lipids in count,no luck.2 years ago I changed cardiologist and he is at Methodist
In the Medical center,he got all my records changed my meds. ,started me on Praulent (stomach injections) every 2 weeks,an my lipids are almost to low now,they do blood work every 6 months,stress test every year,I've had so many heart cath's I can't keep count,since I started with this cardiologist I feel great, no more chest pain,not tired all the time.He had a dietitian put me on a diet. So I'm finally seeing progress.He told me if I do what he suggests he will turn this around.

Are your treatments and diet are geared toward reducing inflammation (cut out sugar, stress, smoking, and other causes of inflammation)?

Reason I ask is that all the research I've been reading lately indicates that inflammation is what causes atherosclerosis. The plaques are made of cholesterol, as just about every cell in your body uses cholesterol in its construction. But it's inflammation that causes the plaques to form.

Lots of people have high cholesterol counts but zero atherosclerosis. The difference seems to be a low level of inflammation in their bodies.

By all means, don't take anything I say as a reason to ignore what your doctors tell you (not that you would). But if you haven't looked into some of that, it might be beneficial for you to do so. My dad had a heart attack and stents. I know how scary that can be. Prayers up for you!

[HogHunter34]

This^

I've been looking into all of this over the last couple months. I'm certainly no expert, but there is a lot of research out there these days that makes a pretty compelling argument that the hysteria over cholesterol is very misguided. Also lots of research that statins are WAY overprescribed at best and may do more harm than good at worst.

Here are some of the presentations I've watched so far that I found 8interesting....

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAfhYudWkdBc_Vhl-lPWZKmGOmY58teaz

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

AHA still supports the use of statins. Not saying it’s for everyone & people respond differently. I’m not a Dr but I do have two PharmD’s in the family & they both don’t feel statins do more harm than good. Many Drs prescribe them because most of us don’t live disciplined lives in the area of good dieting & exercise. High obesity rate & low physical activity leads many down a bad road over time.

[Shane]

AHA still supports the use of statins. Not saying it’s for everyone & people respond differently. I’m not a Dr but I do have two PharmD’s in the family & they both don’t feel statins do more harm than good. Many Drs prescribe them because most of us don’t live disciplined lives in the area of good dieting & exercise. High obesity rate & low physical activity leads many down a bad road over time.

I understand all of that. But after reading and listening to doctors like the ones in the videos I posted above that have different opinions and research-based logical reasoning for their differing opinions, I'm not convinced that the AHA and all the docs who still adhere to the 1970s opinions on cholesterol and statins are right.

But I'm a financial advisor, not a doctor. So I am definitely not a resource to listen to on any of it. Every one of us should do our own research and come to our own conclusions.

I have several docs in all sides of my family as well. They're all good and intelligent and caring people. But, just like in every other field, doctors are capable of falling into a "because that's the way we've always done it" rut and getting tunnel vision that can sometimes prevent them from recognizing a time to go a new direction. Sometimes their intelligence and years of training and experience can make them susceptible to believing they already have all the answers when, actually, they should never stop asking questions. Science has never been and never will be "there". There are always times when the conventional wisdom will be proven to be totally wrong. It's never easy to accept whenever those situations arise. The cholesterol/statin conventional wisdom may be such a case. Time will tell. But there's some pretty compelling stuff out there that seems to indicate that it is time for a shift in thinking about it. ??

[Ilik2hunt]

[QUOTE=TwoHighways;14688573]My concern with PSK9 inhibitors is the potential for development of NAFLD. What’s your blood sugar like? Sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol need to be eliminated completely. You’d benefit greatly from continuous glucose monitoring to see how your sugar spikes when ingesting different carbs (even the so called good carbs). Would be curious to see your inflammatory markers.

I’m not a doctor, but will be starting medical school in August

Two years ago when I started with this cardio. that's the first thing he did was all kinds of blood work and had it all broke down, and changed some meds.He said no alcohol,salt,white foods( rice,potatoes etc),no cokes, his words were "if it taste good you shouldn't be eating it" had me a diet drawn up,and said he will do his part and needs me to do my share and we will turn this around. And he has. Before Christmas I had blood work and all looked better than what he expected.I never was much of a drinker (boiling crawfish,when hunting by the fire ) didn't drink cokes,don't smoke,I dipped, don't put salt and pepper on my food,have always been very active.Been skinny all my life.I do blood work each 6 months,and stress test every year.In April I have stress test, blood work and heart cath.

[Ilik2hunt]

I have been on a statin for years. All of my siblings and I have high cholesterol, it is hereditary. Both our parents had high cholesterol.
Unfortunately, for some of us, that is just the way it is. I try to put the right kinds of food on my plate most of the time and stay active but at the end of the day, even if I do my part, my ticket is still getting punched when its my time.

I to was told my problem was hereditary,agree about the ticket getting punched,
my wife doesn't like me going to our place and working by myself,but when my number come's up it doesn't matter where I'm at!

[HogHunter34]

I understand all of that. But after reading and listening to doctors like the ones in the videos I posted above that have different opinions and research-based logical reasoning for their differing opinions, I'm not convinced that the AHA and all the docs who still adhere to the 1970s opinions on cholesterol and statins are right.

But I'm a financial advisor, not a doctor. So I am definitely not a resource to listen to on any of it. Every one of us should do our own research and come to our own conclusions.

I have several docs in all sides of my family as well. They're all good and intelligent and caring people. But, just like in every other field, doctors are capable of falling into a "because that's the way we've always done it" rut and getting tunnel vision that can sometimes prevent them from recognizing a time to go a new direction. Sometimes their intelligence and years of training and experience can make them susceptible to believing they already have all the answers when, actually, they should never stop asking questions. Science has never been and never will be "there". There are always times when the conventional wisdom will be proven to be totally wrong. It's never easy to accept whenever those situations arise. The cholesterol/statin conventional wisdom may be such a case. Time will tell. But there's some pretty compelling stuff out there that seems to indicate that it is time for a shift in thinking about it. ??

Shane I certainly understand where you are coming from. I brought this up because I had these same conversations. I for one would rather not be on a chronic maintenance med in my mid 40s. I’m more motivated to change my lifestyle which I have quite drastically with healthier eating & cardio. For me my high LDL is hereditary on my moms side. All her siblings had it & majority had to have stints by age 65. My mom never had to have stints & didn’t show signs of heart issues. The internist that I go to feels more times than not many who have long term moderately to high LDL leads to buildup & potentially heart issues. I think for him given my family history he is being more proactive & preventative. So far I have had no issues with side effects. My goal is to get off the med eventually.

[Johnny44]

I wouldn’t go hog wild with the fish oil either. If your dosage is too high it can have side effects like stoke, bleeding gums, and other bleeding issues.

I have found that 500mg per day is good enough. It can also keep your eye ducts cleaned out and helps keeps mucus thin.

Some of these natural things can be positive and negative.

The main problem with nightshade vegetables is they are filler foods and folks eat them darn near ever meal. The problem with me is, they have a strange form of D3 which metabolizes as calcium deposits.

This info is kept from us by the industry.

I want to hear some results from the guys who were doing Non Prescription medication last year...did your levels decrease?

Johnny44...I will research some of that info.

[TwoHighways]

I wouldn’t go hog wild with the fish oil either. If your dosage is too high it can have side effects like stoke, bleeding gums, and other bleeding issues.

I have found that 500mg per day is good enough. It can also keep your eye ducts cleaned out and helps keeps mucus thin.

Some of these natural things can be positive and negative.

The main problem with nightshade vegetables is they are filler foods and folks eat them darn near ever meal. The problem with me is, they have a strange form of D3 which metabolizes as calcium deposits.

This info is kept from us by the industry.

I take two grams of an EPA/DHA mix daily... Most people aren’t getting enough omega 3 and far too much omega 6.

[TX Doc]

The myalgia from statins is a class wide side effect. Every single one of them on the market can cause it, but just because you get the myalgia with one statin doesn’t mean you will have that effect from others. Omega3 fatty acid is good for lowering your triglycerides whether you use fish oil or krill oil. It will not significantly drop your LDL level. For that you can try red yeast rice or Kong May. I have seen some patients drop their LDL by 40 points on the Kong May, so that would be my suggestion. You can order it online from Amazon or Walmart.