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my cholesterol is too high

well the good doctor had me tested today for my C levels....and they are a little too high, so I have to start eating sticks and twig, feathers and beaks....for awhile

it was only 236...no cause for the drugs to come out....he said diet and excercise could control this...

is shaving an excercise ??? would a steady diet of shaving creams to my face help increase my good Ch ???

Does anybody else face this and the biggest question is : What do you EAT !!!!!

mark the shoeshine boy
 
Well, the fat in the Avocado is supposed to be the good kind of fat. I guess you could try eating some Taylors Avocado.
 
All the males in my family naturally have high cholesterol. The Doc said it's most likely genetic. The first time I had mine checked, it was around 300+. :eek:


Tried the strict diet and exercise but it didn't do much. I do cardio 5-6 days a week for 45 minutes in the morning and weight train at night for about an hour 4 days a week. The cholesterol drugs really helped drop it down. These days, it's in the range of 150-200.


My doc prescribed Lovastatin. He said its been on the market for 10+ years and it's pretty safe. Plus its cheap. 30 day supply (generic brand) usually costs $25.

I have no problem getting the brand name stuff (Lipitor, Crestor, etc.) for free. My dad, uncle and his friends, brother in law are all doctors.
 
I'm in the same boat as roughrider.

I was on Lipitor for about a year and it did a real good job, but I started getting some muscle aches in the legs. Doc switched me to Zocor about 3 months ago and I'm doing good.
 
I tested myself using a cholesterol test kit which is found in any pharmacy and my C. level was around 180. A few weeks later our company was giving C. tests and I tested about 203. Several other people from our group had elevated levels and they subsequently went to their doctors only to discover that their levels were normal.

From what little I read there does not seem to be universally established standards on how the level of C. is determined. That really surprised me.
In your case, I would not despair just yet. Buy a C. test kit from your local drugstore and see if you get a different result. Go to a different doctor that sends his blood specimen to a different lab and compare the numbers.

Your level is borderline and may be perfectly OK for you, be skeptical if doctor wants to put you on medication.

I would be more concerned if there is a history of heart disease in your immediate family, otherwise, just go easy on bacon and pork chops and stick with grilled lean meats and fish.
 
Okay, so we've all compared razors, soaps, creams, brushes, balms, splashes, etc. If we are going to start comparing drugs...you guys better start stocking up. Lovastatin is my appetizer.

Randy
 
I'm quite lucky, I have low cholesterol but it been a few years since I was checked. I'm not sure how the scale works in the US, mine was 2.3. 2.3 whats? I couldn't tell you.
 
rtaylor61 said:
Okay, so we've all compared razors, soaps, creams, brushes, balms, splashes, etc. If we are going to start comparing drugs...you guys better start stocking up. Lovastatin is my appetizer.

Randy

oh no :w00t: ...if Randy starts flash backing to the drugs he had...start playing white rabbit and cocaine, we're in for a long one ...:lol:

ner ner ner neer....cocaine....:blink:

mark tssb
 
my cholestoerol is hereditary....my father, his mother both are the culprits. All of my grandmothers brothers and sisters have high counts. Mine isn;t that high, so I have to cut out the fat and do some walking...i have to tweak my lifestye a bit. I don;t abuse the eggs, cheese or milk, but I do eat the fast foods at work and of course red meat.So I will break out the chicken, whole wheat, and salads. I may try some fish, since i now how to cook it.I always thought fish was to be fried here in S/E missouri !!!!anyone else with any thoughts of good low fat rib eyes or Bacon/lettuce/tomato sandwiches ???mark tssb
 
Are you eating the creams? Cause oatmeal is supposed to do wonders.

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My cholesterol and triglycerides were too high about a couple of years ago. My doctor sent me to a dietician, whose recommendations led me to start reading about low fat/high fiber diets. This, in turn, led me to Dean Ornish's diet.

It is an extremely low-fat diet, and encourages you to eat as much complex carbohydrates as you wish. The only problem is that eating out is very difficult, and many people have trouble with the vegetarian aspect. I’ve adapted somewhat by continuing to eat (cold-water) fish. The result is: after 6 months my cholesterol and triglycerides were within a hair’s width of normal. After 1 year they were normal. I’ve also lost a lot of fat.

Check out the books (although almost everything you need to know is available free at WebMD’s Ornish section). You don’t have to go to his extremes to see benefits, but making some small changes can really make a difference.
 
My cholesterol was high. I lost some weight and started taking fish oil along with more exercise and that brought it back down. I got the fish oil thing from my father in law who has seriously high cholesterol and his doctor perscribed fish oil in addition to other standard meds. You can pick it up at any granola store - I like the Carlson Super Omega-3 (not the orange - yuck). At my last check, my doctor approved of it as well and said to keep taking it.

Dennis
 
Some people can control with diet and exercise, and some people need the drugs. My doctor put me on Pravachol 5 years ago (my cholesterol was 250), and my cholseterol went down to 195. After a year I was developing muscle cramps and having difficulty losing weight. I went off the drug, lost 20 pounds, ate no red meat or dairy, ate avocados and fish oil, exercised every day. I went to the doctor and my cholesterol was 250. He laughed at me. Now I'm on Zocor (simvastin), I exercise 2-3 times a week, eat whatever I want (eggs every day), and my cholseterol is 195. Go figure.
 
Mark, I am a heart attack survivor. Two years ago July I have a serious heart attack. I now have 6 stints in my heart. My cholesterol was 255 before my heart attack. I wasn't give meds for it. I was told to lose 40 lbs and watch my fats. Mark, that didn't work for me. There are a lot of good cholesterol medications out there. I am on Vitorin (Spelling ) I have also tried Zocor and Crestor. My C number is now 176 with the Vitorin. I eat pretty much anything I want and I don't exercise. I am still 40 lbs overweight. My heart is doing fine. I just had a check up a few weeks ago.

I suggest you ask your doctor about getting a cholesterol medication. I haven't met many guys who can control cholesterol with diet and exercise alone.

Good luck,
Tony Espo
 
At last!!! A topic on which I can offer an authorative reply ( I'm a cardiologist).

About 85% of your cholesterol is manufactured in your body ( i.e. is genetic: pick your parents carefully); the other 15% is more diet-related. Thus, on average, diet will reduce cholesterol for most people about 15%, which ususally isn't enough. In order to make an informed decision about how best to treat your cholesterol you need to know: your blood pressure; your gender and age; if you are diabetic; your lipid profile (total, HDL, and LDL cholesterols, and triglycerides); and any other risk factors for coronary disease. With this information your doctor can calculate your exact risk of developing coronary disease over the next 10 years based on the Framingham study. Once you know your risk, you can make a decision about whether or not to take drug treatment. If you are diabetic, you should take a statin drug, regardless of all other factors.

Regards,
Stan
 
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