Supplements for high Cholesterol anyone?

I was put on Atorvastatin but suffered the joint pain (that they say doesn't happen!) in my shoulders, elbows and ankles, so I came off it. However my GP really wanted me on statins so she prescribed Simvastatin, and I've had no side effects at all.

I'm happy to take these pills as at my age I don't want to live a life of total deprivation, although I do watch what we consume - my mantra is "a little of what you fancy does you good", with the emphasis on the "little".

silverlining48

Oh, what a shock for you Marmight. Glad you are ok.
How did you know you had a silent heart attack? Was it by chance while you were having a test?
I really need to speak to a gp. If only it were that easy.

An simple ECG will show whether a patient has ever had a heart attack.

I had a heart attack in 2017 and was treated very quickly. Afterwards, I was told that there was no significant damage to my heart, especially my left ventricle. Nevertheless, every time I have an ECG, it shows as "abnormal".

I have appointment envy Poppy it’s almost impossible to get one at my surgery.

I wasn’t offered them Marmight.

But will discuss why/why not at my next appointment in 4 weeks time.

Oh, what a shock for you Marmight. Glad you are ok.
How did you know you had a silent heart attack? Was it by chance while you were having a test?
I really need to speak to a gp. If only it were that easy.

My late husband had, and our 3 daughters all have, familial hypercholesterolemia. We all had an appropriate diet & they were all on statins from a very early age. I just jogged on over the years, declining statins as I saw the problems my family had with it. This time last year I had a blood test. Slightly raised levels so was recommended statins. Before I even started them I had a silent heart attack and in March underwent a triple bipass. I still can’t believe it. Life has changed considerably. I would say to OP to see the GP and start statins pronto. I wish I had! I’ve been given a chance of a ‘new’ life but certainly not without its problems.

I know this thread was started in the summer but it’s an important subject. My cholesterol tested 6.8 earlier this year and I was prescribed statins over the phone, by a pharmacist who coukdnt tell me the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack.A quick and easy thing to find out.

I checked on the nhs site and it clearly states that statins should not be prescribed ( for the first time presumably) for anyone 75 or over with no other health issues, heart /lung I suppose. I am 76.
I have odd problems, but nothing that requires regular medication so i decided not to take them, but if I ever am lucky enough to see a doctor I will discuss options in more detail because if I really need to take them I will.

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Luckygirl3

It sounds as though the balance showed up as good - which is great news for you. Hope it stays that way.

Thank you.

It sounds as though the balance showed up as good - which is great news for you. Hope it stays that way.

She didn’t offer any Luckygirl3. She said the good outweigh the bad ….and that was that. I’m having a retest next month so will discuss again then.

9 ... heavens! ... please take the statins or whatever is on offer.
Earlier this year I had lots of heart trouble and finished up with a stent in my main coronary artery which was blocked to 94% at one place! It was a disaster waiting to happen. And caused by cholesterol.
I now have to be on a whole raft of drugs which have lots of side effects.
Your GP has the means to help you prevent similar happening to you.

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My GP told me changing your diet will affect your cholesterol levels by 25% maximum. The other 75% is due to age and genetics, so don't expect miracles whatever changes you make. My sister in law runs marathons and never eats sugar. She is stick thin, always has been and still has high cholesterol. That made me think maybe it's time to give in & take the statins. I don't want to but I doubt I can reduce it significantly without medication.

I found out I had high cholesterol a few years ago, just a routine health check up with my doctors. I'm slim , eat healthy etc. I was referred to ' the lipids clinic ' at my local hospital. They couldn't understand it either, however , I do have rheumatoid arthritis. This can effect your cholesterol apparently. I take statins now, they've worked for me

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I had a high level of cholesterol - 8.0 consistently for years, but like Petra I asked for the risk of a heart attack or stroke if I took statins and if I didn't and the difference was 2%

I later had a medical incident, which it was thought might be a TIA and had a MI scan and that showed no damage of blocking of my arteries at all. They were all clear of sclerosis.

Ps I read that atorvostatin can increase the appetite and lead to weight gain on the NHS web page

I took atorvostatin which brought my chosterol down from 6 to 2.3 but found I was more hungry than usual. Having ,ost rice stone in over a year I am dreading putting it back on and indeed had gained a few pounds. I stopped the drugs and the weight went. I am now trying plant sterols and watching my food intake like a hawk I never eat saturated fat and am slowly cutting out meat though eat fish. I am trying a natural approach now. Will see what my next reading is.

I would be grateful for the opinion of any doctors on her with this approach. I do have high blood pressure and take three medications for this which have almost no effect!

I have been having tests for Atrial Fibrillation. My GP didn't mention a cholesterol test (which I think he should have) but I asked for one ... and it turns out my cholesterol is high (8.4)

I am hypothyroid which is linked to high cholesterol which I know from research, and I also have EPI which means I have problems digesting fats, consequently I eat very little of them. My GP hasn't joined up the dots, and read me the riot act re taking statins.

I have refused for the moment as I've seen friends go downhill, including getting brain fog, once they started taking them. I already have fatigue and pain from having longterm M.E. and Fibromyalgia and don't want to add to those symptoms.

Our brains need healthy fats and mainly consist of cholesterol, and I do wonder if the increase in dementia is being caused by statins reducing that cholesterol.

I am going to take plant sterols from Healthspan for 3 months and then get another cholesterol test to see if they have made any difference.

Good luck Poppyred. It will be great if the results show you do not need medication. 🍀

Like many on here I refused to take statins 20 years ago. I am absolutely fine and no sign of any problems.

I refused because I saw my own father go downhill rapidly after starting them. Aching joints, aching muscles, memory problems, confusion. I also worked with older people for 16 years and saw countless people decline on them too.

A friend was diagnosed with high cholesterol and was advised by her GP to take statins. She decided to change her diet, and within a few months her cholesterol had lowered to an acceptable level. The GP was astounded and very impressed by her discipline. It can be done.

I went to see G.P. with my results. She has insisted on doing another test. Will hopefully get the result later on this week and her recommendations. Will keep you informed.

Please come back and update us Poppyred. Have you started on Statins? I believe they can be life-savers from some serious potential health issues.