Cholesterol

You likely have bad genes ....you can knly change up to 30 % of your cholesterol my gp said...the rest is hereditary......I had good levels (4.5) until I started on letrozole ( estrogen inhibitor as I've had Breast Cancer) ...obviously I can't stop this medication but my cholesterol went up to 6.2 ....like you I'm vegetarian....enjoy hill walking, have bmi of 19 ....so wasn't loads I could do, but the dietician said to try the cholesterol reducing drinks like benecol ( I get aldi ones as much cheaper) ....she said they either work great...or not at all ...my cholesterol is now down to 5.7 so going in right direction... I also have overnight oats every day and have started eating fish again after many years ( salmon, mackerel etc) ....good luck with whatever you try 🍀

Thankyou LOUISA! The doctor doesn't think it's hereditary as I have no family history of strokes or heart attacks.

Sorry to hear you have had cancer but congratulations on lowering your cholesterol levels.

I do eat fish occasionally so pescatarian and will look at ways I can improve my diet, though I don't think it's bad.

I opted for the statins rather than giving up cheese! We do eat rather a lot of cheese... We often have it mixed in our main meal - omelettes, flans, cauliflower cheese - as well as for lunch (only small portions then).
Since the medical that showed my cholesterol levels were high I've managed to slowly lose weight, mainly by halving the amount of sugar I have in tea and coffee (it tastes horrible, though!).
As for chocolate, we only eat it as a treat on Friday evenings and I very seldom drink wine.
I shall see when 12 months is up whether taking the statins has done me any harm. I don't have any side effects that can be recognised without blood tests.

Septimia

I opted for the statins rather than giving up cheese! We do eat rather a lot of cheese... We often have it mixed in our main meal - omelettes, flans, cauliflower cheese - as well as for lunch (only small portions then).
Since the medical that showed my cholesterol levels were high I've managed to slowly lose weight, mainly by halving the amount of sugar I have in tea and coffee (it tastes horrible, though!).
As for chocolate, we only eat it as a treat on Friday evenings and I very seldom drink wine.
I shall see when 12 months is up whether taking the statins has done me any harm. I don't have any side effects that can be recognised without blood tests.

Have you to wait 12mths before blood tests?

I’ve been on a statin for 3mths, 10mg. I have just booked in with my nurse to check to see if my cholesterol has come down, & I suppose, any damage to the kidneys. Just more tired & aches, more than usual.

No Mt61, I had a blood test after 3 months. Although there was a slight effect on other aspects of my health it wasn't enough for the doctor to be worried after only one test. That's why I'm waiting to see how things are later. I don't feel unwell and haven't noticed any problems myself.

I began having chest pain (angina) recently, so it was suggested to take a statin along with asprin and a vasodilator. I was anxious about taking the statin, but because of the angina, I decided to take it.
My cholesterol was a little elevated, and has now settled to within normal limits.
I am a vegetarian, love cheese, butter, occasional cream, some chocolate, the occasional glass of wine.
When you have your bloods redone Grammaretto make sure it is in the morning, no breakfast, and water if thirsty before the blood test.

Please don't discount taking statins, my cholesterol was the same as yours last year , I started on statins and now my count is less than 5. My diet is good, I'm not over weight, I don't smoke or drink . I di have rheumatoid arthritis though , which can effect your heart and lungs .

My husband was told that it doesn't matter how good your diet is sometimes, your cholesterol will be high anyway as it's made by the liver. He takes a baby dose of statin and is cholesterol is now good.

Thanks for all the interesting replies. Lots to consider.

I have managed to reduce my cholesterol, blood sugar levels and weight by fasting. I stop eating at 8pm and have breakfast at 11am, usually rolled or steel cut oats with banana. Otherwise I have barely changed my diet, including red meat.

I am careful with the amount of sugar I eat and have acquired a taste for very dark chocolate. The higher the amount of cacao the less sugar and not surprisingly the less I seem to binge, being satisfied with just a couple of squares after dinner.

As Louisa1523 said a lot of us acquire high cholesterol due to genes but simple changes to your diet does help. I also do a 40 minute walk on the days I don't do exercise classes.

My doctor mentioned statins before I started fasting but has since said he's pleased with my blood results. Do what you think is best for you, statins can cause body aches and other side effects so its a matter of weighing up your options.

Good luck !

If you are consuming lots of cheese and milk you will struggle to.keep your cholesterol down.
In spite of not eating red meat or cheese for many years my right coronary artery blocked to 94% in one place and I have a stent. No family history.
I eat fish, poultry and veg/fruit.
I put benevolent and oat milk on my cereal and oat powder which is a concentrate of the cholesterol lowering bit of oats.
I take a statin too.
Cholesterol has reduced.
Please take this seriously. I had no hint of any problems and led a healthy life ... and then bang! ... out of the blue serious heart problems!
To be avoided at all costs.

Benecol, not benevolent!!!

Over the years it was suggested I should take statins as my levels were considered high at 5. I resisted as I had seen the side effects on my husband and 3 daughters all of whom had familial hypercholesterolaemia. I too, had an annual check up & had been given a 13% chance of having a heart attack. 18 months ago I relented and just one week after starting statins I was admitted to hospital after feeling a ‘bit peculiar’ (not all heart attacks show typical symptoms) and put on the list for a triple bipass which I had 3 months later.
My advice would be to start medication now!! I wish I had listened and acted accordingly - if I had I might not now be sporting 2 huge scars on chest and leg, ongoing discomfort and numbness, and various other irritations which follow open heart surgery.

chocolatepeanuts

My husband was told that it doesn't matter how good your diet is sometimes, your cholesterol will be high anyway as it's made by the liver. He takes a baby dose of statin and is cholesterol is now good.

Is that 10mg dose?

Septimia

No Mt61, I had a blood test after 3 months. Although there was a slight effect on other aspects of my health it wasn't enough for the doctor to be worried after only one test. That's why I'm waiting to see how things are later. I don't feel unwell and haven't noticed any problems myself.

Oh thanks

Goodness Marmight what a shock!

The doctor's advice yesterday when I said I was reluctant to take statins, was to try a better regime and have
more tests in September.

The advice seems to change all the time. I shall certainly try to up the exercise and lessen the dairy. I drink oatmilk already for my hiatus hernia.
Oh the joys of ageing.

I had a very high cholesterol level at nearly 9 despite not being able to eat any dairy or fried food due to having severe Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency whereby my pancreas has stopped producing enzymes and I can't digest many foods.

When the GP I spoke to on the phone (who has never met me) finally listened when I explained about my strict diet, she referred me to the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Clinic and it turns out that I do have that, and my children have had to be tested too. My parents have been dead for a long time and never had their cholesterol levels tested back in the day.

I had resisted taking statins, having heard the dire stories from friends, and put myself on plant sterols which brought my cholesterol down to 7.2 - still high obviously - but then I plateaued and couldn't get it any lower. The sterol capsules are better than the food products like Benecol, of which you'd have to eat a hundredweight every day, apparently, to get enough of it.

Eventually the Familial H. consultant persuaded me to accept a low dose of Rosuvastatin because I already have heart problems with Atrial Fib and SVT. She said this would not give me any side effects and I've been taking it for 4 months and so far have had no problems. I take 5 mg. daily and my latest cholesterol test showed it had reduced to 5.2 in just this short time, so I'm pleased and will continue.

BIL had high cholesterol but didn't want to take statins unfortunately he had a life changing stroke which took away his personality and his mobility. No one knows if taking statins would have prevented the stroke but having seen the devastating effect on the family both OH and I take statins. I've not had any side effects except I have healthy levels of cholesterol, OH had to try a couple to find one which suited him.

Mt61

chocolatepeanuts

My husband was told that it doesn't matter how good your diet is sometimes, your cholesterol will be high anyway as it's made by the liver. He takes a baby dose of statin and is cholesterol is now good.

Is that 10mg dose?

No, he's on 5mg.

I fast for 15/16 hours overnight, have done for a couple of years and spent 6 months, with my GP’s agreement, trying to reduce my cholesterol which was at 6.
I now take 10mg of a statin every night, it’s reduced my level to 4.5, my brother and sister also take one.

My husband is. Type 1 diabetic of nearly 56 years (slightly longer than I've known him) and he's been on stations

My sister reduced her cholesterol in a short space of time by having a bowl of porridge oats every morning. She ate very little fat mind you. The porridge was the suggestion of her GP who had seen it work with other patients. Me? I'm on a statin as I can't stand porridge.

(oops) statins for years and twice been taken off them after complaining of digestive issues (simvastatitn and atorvastatin) and they want him to go back on then as a recent blood test shoswed his cholesterol level has risen from 4 to 5 in the year since his last check up. He's refused as he knows what's caused this increased and cut the offending product from his diet