@AdvMom , that’s a great link! Thanks so much. Mine has a 2.3% change of heart problems within next 10 years and no statins are advised. 275 cholesterol with 57 HDL.
Also note (from the above link):
Accordingly, since the administration of statins before the achievement of euthyroidism may exacerbate myalgias or else cause rhabdomyoysis marked by extreme levels of CK, it is crucial that treatment with statins be preceded by the chemical reversal of hypothyroidism.
I am 60 y/o I control my Chol. with Gaia Cinnamon Bark capsules & diet (a handful of raw almonds each day);
my chol levels are as follows (09/17) 228 total (seems high but its not due to high HDL)
HDL 79
LDL 127
Tri 112
That is a positive aspect. Unfortunately for our kids, they have observed us drinking a glass or two of wine most nights.
Campfire girl mints are chocolate on the outside with a creamy vanilla center, ie creamy mint patties. If you ever see them being sold outside your local grocery store, buy a box for your husband.
I had wondered if I should be on statins, because my cholesterol is over 200. My doctor said it was okay, because my HDL was 97, however my triglycerides are way too high (144). Probably drinking a glass of wine the night prior to the test is a bad idea. But that link says my risk is 1.0%. I hope it’ accurate. It’s time to get another test, so hopefully all the bacon I’ve been joining my husband in eating isn’t an issue!
@AdvMom According to that site, I’m fine - just a 1.9% chance of a 10 year risk.
To answer other questions/thoughts and add my own:
Yes, heart disease runs in my family - significantly so.
Current BP (last week, at a blood donating session) was 130/72.
I have gained weight lately due to issues going on (with others) - BMI is just over 30 - but that’s also not the highest it’s been in my life. It’s just something I need to put more effort into and get back to a reasonable number.
Exercise levels are high for walking (Top 10% of my age group according to Samsung), but I don’t do more than that due to some sort of issue causing me to get out of breath once my pulse gets above 110. It’s fine staying below that. I tend to push it a few times per day to “get in shape” (as per doctor suggestion), but nothing changes. I don’t think it’s an out of shape issue considering I’ve done all the same things daily in the past. I have, however, aged over the years. (sigh)
Thyroid is tested regularly due to radiation in the past. Within the past year it’s been perfectly fine, including T3 and T4.
I think my plan will be to tweak my diet more (cheat less), work on losing that extra 15 pounds I’ve put on (really shouldn’t be hard as I never get hungry - I just need to convince others it’s ok when I don’t eat much!), and see what a retest brings in 6 months (next regularly scheduled check).
Some of those side effects of statins seem not so inviting if other things can work instead, and that link seems to think it’s not super important to jump to at the moment.
FWIW, dark chocolate, esp with almonds IS part of my life, so that should help, right? 
My cholesterol skyrocketed to 262 on one test after being steady for years at 192. I wasn’t going to see about statins, because all my other indications are great, but then I went to my eye doctor. She took one of those little pictures of my eye, compared it to the picture from two years previously, and remarked that she could see that in two years there was significant hardening of the arteries-- I think calcification was visible. So then I asked my doc about statins, and was put on Lipitor. No side effects so far, after about a year, and my cholesterol numbers plummeted.
I was diagnosed with high cholesterol in my 20s thanks to genetics. I tried a very low fat diet for several months and it didn’t budge at all. So, I was put on a statin (prevachol/prevastatin) before I was 30. Worked will until a few years ago as we watched my numbers worsen. Was shocked last year when I was at 260, IIRC. My doctor switched me to lipitor and it plummeted to 150. I’ve never seen that number as my first test was in my 20s. No real side effects. I was wondering if I was shedding a bit more hair in the shower and, after seeing here that it can be a side effect, maybe I am but I have very thick hair and can afford to lose some, lol. I didn’t do any subsequent research between the two statins but lipitor seems to work much better for me…the lowest I ever was on Prevachol all those years was around 180. My other numbers improved significantly too; just don’t recall the specifics.
No. I’d try a vegan diet before going on drugs. Statins have lots of side effects. I know someone who eliminated high triglycerides and cholesterol by radically changing the diet.
Ok not giving official medical advice, but based on what you post in first post, you do not need statins. I’m assuming nonsmoking status. The calculator previously posted is in wide use. If you want to improve further, my top recommendation would be increased exercise—walk longer?
My question is why are you having this checked twice a year? Seems unnecessary
Why checked so often? It’s offered very low cost as a wellness program through the school I work at (local community offers it too for those who want to participate) and I’m supposed to keep other numbers checked due to radiation, so no harm IMO. Several of us at school take part in it. The whole bundle of tests (30+) costs a whopping $22 ($32 for spouses) with no insurance contribution. It fits our budget and gives a nice peace of mind when the vast majority of numbers are just fine.
I’m glad so many have said statins aren’t necessary at this point. I’ll admit I didn’t expect to see that considering my doctor suggested them after the last tests when the numbers were lower (still high with the two of them, but less high). I was beginning to think I was being a bit hard headed, but my preference really is for “natural” fixes if at all possible and I feel much better thinking this is actually an “ok” path to choose. I didn’t really change anything last time. I have more incentive this time.
I would try just about anything else before statins. It does not sound like you need them at this point. Like @MaineLonghorn , my cholesterol runs high (and I am a competitive runner) but my ratio is good. I think doctors are way to quick to prescribe this medication. It was suggested to me years ago, but I resisted and the medical thinking came around to my way of thinking. I’m not one to resist all medications, by any means, but I sure would resist this one.
Creekland, my cholesterol numbers are very similar to yours. I have high total, high LDL and high HDL.
My cardiologist doesn’t think I need statins because he says I have no risk factors, but my primary care doctor is pushing them. The primary care doctor says LDL causes plaque to build up. Period.
I have a pain history and the primary care doctor suggested trying red yeast rice first as an alternative to statins. I read about red yeast rice and became a little hesitant, so I came up with another plan:
I cut saturated fat out of my diet, except the milk in my tea, which I really need for my mental health.
I researched foods that lower cholesterol and eat them everyday. I eat oatmeal, apples, beans, chia seeds, nuts, garlic, olive oil, fish or fish oil. Let me just say, sardines are not my favorite.
I also upped my high intensity exercise. I used to do HIIT regularly, until I got a German Shepherd service puppy to raise and walking that dog was a lot of exercise. How many people have to change their their clothes because they are drenched in sweat after walking a dog?!! I never had to do that with a lab. But evidently the sweaty walks are not strenuous enough so I’m back to HIIT.
My primary care doctor wants to retest in three months. If tge LDL still high, I’ll try the red yeast rice, because there will be no doubt that diet alone won’t do it. If red yeast rice doesn’t do it, I’ll try meds.
It’s just frustrating because in the past I had a lot of special lipid testing, and besides LDL, the ratios and everything else was good, including inflammation levels and the very bad kind of LDL. But my primary care doctor’s focus on LDL is making me nervous and wonder if something bad will happen if I don’t take meds.
Red yeast rice contains naturally present lovastatin. So if you hesitate to try statins, you may be hesitant to try red yeast rice. The same may apply to other things containing naturally present stating, such as oyster mushrooms.
Moreover, the amount of statins you are getting with that “natural” red yeast supplement can vary greatly from batch to batch or from one brand to another.
I have never been over 100lbs except during my pregnancies. My H is a physician, a marathon runner and has always weighed less than 140lbs. He had a cardiac CT scan and showed some calcification though his test values are within normal. Both he and I started on low dose statin recently. He thinks statins are a very safe drug if you can tolerate them. My total cholesterol is a bit high but my HDLs are high and LDLs are low. My Dad was never heavy but had mini white matter strokes and he was never on statins. Diet and lifestyle help but genetics rule.
@cbreeze, if your HDL is high and your LDL is low, why would you take any statins? Do you have any risk factor at all except for your Dad having the mini strokes? And if the statin lowers your LDL, which is already low, even further, will that help?
My triglycerides were a bit on the high side and my LDLs were still within normal range. When I checked my lipids after starting statin, my numbers went down.
My Dad’s mini strokes caused him to lose his ability to swallow.
I didn’t realize that statins lowered triglycerides much. I thought you just had to avoid sugar and take fish oil for that. Interesting. You know, just about all the doctors my husband has seen this year have mentioned that they are taking statins. I guess they are believers in it.
I am concerned about small strokes my dad and FIL had (at least we think they had), if there is a genetic risk, and even if you are doing what you think is right…you can still be hosed, regardless.