Cholesterol levels at my age

[TonyTruthful]

Hi Guys,

Just looking for a bit of advice I’m 26 yr old T1 – 4 years since dx.

My Dr is trying to put me on cholesterol lowering drugs as my level back in July 12’ was 7.1 and just last week was 6.7 (so drop of 0.4) My LDL was 2.8.

I am very opposed to going on drugs after reading up about them, plus surely this is happening 30 years too soon for me.

In your opinions do you think it is something to worry about?

It has dropped by 0.4 in 6 months without me doing anything in particular.

Isn’t it rubbish that we can’t gorge ourselves on mega sweet things as Diabetics and now my body is trying to stop me enjoying all those cholesterol burgers I so dearly love.

TT

 

[hallii]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

[mod edit: instructing member to take medication removed as we cannot advise on either taking or not taking medication]

You could stop all the burgers, butter, and other stuff that push it up (or do they? or does the body simply produce it own? the jury is still out on this) and then you might get it down, but I would start the Statins now, a low dose has never given me any problems.

H

 

[TonyTruthful]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

Thanks for the prompt reply H.

A little disappointed it has happened to me now; surely I'm not due a heart attack for another 10 years at least!

That’s what I was trying to get at should I hang on until I’m at that ages were the risk is more prominent.

Not quite sure the risk is immediate at present to warrant taking more drugs for life potentially.

 

[hallii]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

OK Tony, I look at it like this:- If the pills reduce the chances of a heart attack by even a small amount then they are worth taking.

All diabetics run a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular problems, and those risks go up as you get older.

So anything you do now to slow things down, like taking Statins and reducing your intake of saturated fats etc can only be for the good.

If only we had a crystal ball that worked we could see what the future holds for us. But we haven't so we might develop cardiovascular disease as time goes by, but then again we may not. It's a lottery, so anything that stacks the odds in our favour a bit is worth it.

I am 70 and I know the odds are stacked against me, how I wish my crystal ball had been working way back when I was 35 years old and I had a blood test, the doctor said " your triglycerides are a bit raised but not to worry" , I should, of course have been worrying!

Yours is an early wake up call, get those HDLs, LDLs and trigycerides right and avoid, insofar as you reasonably can, future complications.

If your cholesterol comes right down you can always come of them.

Geoff

H

 

[Deleted member 45091]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

Hi, ive had similar situation, mine was about 7 and 6 and they wanted me to go on them, ive refused point blank for the time being..i know what the doctors say ive took it all in but ive just decided not to take them, its an individual choice. Iam 32 and drank quite abit of beer etc over the years which hasnt really helped, i had high trieyides etc too, and over the last few years took up smoking as at the minute i do enjoy it. For me personally i still think iam too young for all the medication, if your anything like me i love carbs slightly addicted you can say, a good few carbs makes me feel loads better. I do listen to my doctors but dont take everything they say as gospel....too many times ive heard when new research comes out actually that percific medication wasnt that good for you or there seems to be other health risks attatched. I knocked my cholestral down abit eating a few different things, however i am addicted to bread, crisps, pasta etc..but i started eating makerel alot just in the tins, actimel drink, sure theres one called benecol that can reduce it abit, and certain butter and stuff.Iam not saying you should or shouldnt its a personal choice.

 

[SamJB]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

Mine are 6. A study I read recently suggested you can bring them down by 20% by doing half an hour of exercise every day.

Another study I read suggested that the minimum mortality rate occurred at 5.5 for men and 4.5 for women.

I've read enough to suggest that your LDL levels don't cause heart disease that im not sure I believe it. However I will strive to reduce them to appease my girlfriend and my GP.

 

[picklebean]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

If it were me, I'd take the drugs but only you can decide if it's right for you.

I've been T1 since childhood. My weight gradually crept up due to insulin resistance and other health factors but it was never considered too much of a problem and my cholesterol was 'a bit high' as well. My diabetes specialist told me not to worry about it because I was young.

And so I didn't worry about it..... And then I had a heart attack at the age of 27 (I'm now 31). I needed angioplasty and a stent (fairly common treatment post heart attack) and I've been left with some damage to my heart tissue but luckily nothing major. I now take 6 extra types of tablets every day. I was lucky to get treatment quickly and for the damage not to be any worse than it was.

It's all very well thinking "I'm young, I'll be ok" but sometimes you're not... and if taking a tablet everyday will help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease which you're already at higher risk of getting as a diabetic and might not cause you any other problems, then I'd take the tablet. [[that was a really scrambled sentence, sorry!]]


You have to weigh up the pros and cons of taking a medication. There is a lot of evidence that statins cause a lot of problems. But there is also a lot of evidence that they can really help.

Good luck with reducing your cholesterol, but I do seriously urge you to try and reduce it!


[edit: to remove 'advice' / a 'you-should-do-this' type sentence] :thumbup:

 

[noblehead]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

TBH Tony only you can make the decision to refuse or accept the statins, as you are already aware your Total and LDL cholesterol levels are above the recommended limit for people with diabetes and thus puts you in the 'at risk category'.

Should you wish have a chat with the British Heart Foundation, if you phone their helpline they will let you speak with a Cardiac Nurse, here is their website:

http://www.bhf.org.uk/

 

[carty]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

There are other ways to lower your cholesterol besides statins I suggest you do some research and then make up your mind
CAROL

 

[Administrator]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

Please note, none of us on the forum should be advising on whether to take or not take medication.

It is fine to talk about your own experience and to provide information that may be useful but we shouldn't be saying either "take them" or "don't take them", or words to the effect.

Many thanks for the different contributions though

Benedict

 

[picklebean]

Re: Cholestrol levels at my age

There are other ways to lower your cholesterol besides statins I suggest you do some research and then make up your mind
CAROL

Definitely!! There are lots of adjustments you can make that will help reduce your levels, or rather raise your 'good' cholesterol and lower the 'bad'.... and you may be able to avoid medication all together! It's sifting through all the information available and whether it's from a reliable source that's the tricky bit.

 

[carty]

When I was dx with DB I was offered statins but I lowered my carbs and I also take a product called Lestrin which was recommended to me by someone who had used it to good effect .I lowered my chol from 7+ to 4.9 I also did more exercise but not a great amount
But that was me ,not everything works for every one
CAROL

 

[Sid Bonkers]

In your opinions do you think it is something to worry about?

In my opinion having read an awful lot about statins and cholesterol is that I really dont know!!!
I am in the lucky position to have naturally 'good' cholesterol numbers, I honestly dont know what I would do if I didnt :|

 

[SamJB]

Spot on, Sid.