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Cholesterol shot up statins required??

M

mon

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Hello there, just wondering if anyone has seen their cholesterol levels shoot up eating a low carb diet? I've been eating tons and tons of eggs (maybe up to 10 or 12 a week), loads of olive oil, mayonnaise, avocados.... could this be linked to high cholestoral levels and is this a danger? I thought I was being mega healthy with my diet, zero processed foods, no sugar at all, minimal carbs. but the doc rang with my latest blood test to say he was concerned about it and even brought up the idea of statins?! Cholesterol has gone up from 6.2 to 8. How bad is this? I can't contemplate the idea of statins. Its a total no no for me. What can I do? Other than that I was actually over the moon as HBA1C has gone down from 8.2 to 7.6!! which proves diet is working and will only better - if I dont have a heart attack first. :shock:
 
I know that some people feel that they have some bad side effects from statins, e.g., joint pain, but personally I have been on a low dose of 1 x 10mg nightly for over 8 years and they do not seem to have affected me badly and have cruised at a safe level reading since diagnosis. Perhaps you may be lucky also??
 
Although my dad isn't a diabetic he's been on statins for 20+ years with no ill effectsand will be taking them for the rest of his life due to familial hypercholestrerolimia, I know that they're not the miricle drug talked about in the media, but I've had my dad 5 years longer than he had his due to the condition so if and when I need to go on them (v likely last check was 7.1) they don't worry me, I'd rather that then be like my grandad was with no quality of life and a "white" diet.
 
Mon, how long haveyou been on the low carb diet?
My Chol went up too,at first, then settled down again once my system had flushed everything out now runs at ~3.7-3.8 total chol. :thumbup:
 
I too eat a lot of eggs but not mayo or advocados.
Also have olive oil and fatty meats.

Before diet cholesterol was 5.2 now is 4.6.
I read that the cholesterol in eggs doesn't get absorbed and the level is from that manufactured by the body.
Don't know if that is true but I suspect exercise is more effective at lowering it than diet.
Also total cholesterol isn't a very good measure, you need to look at the constituents and more importantly triglycerides.


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I've been doing strict low carb for about 5 months. The total cholestorol is up to 8.2 from 6.5 three months ago. HDL the good one also gone up to 2.22 and LDL up to 5.7. The total cholestorol: HDL ratio is 3.7. Not sure what to make of it all... I'm hoping it will settle down as you say fergus the report says I now have severe hypercholesterolarmia. A shame as was really happy about the sugars going down!



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I think your ratio and hdl is good. Also triglycerides are good which can be an indicator of low levels of bad LDL.
So although the total is a bit high it looks like the profile is good.

Opinions seem to keep changing about this though.


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I start on a low dose of statins tonight. With High BP High sugar levels and cholestrol and over weight i think they where worried about my heart. Iosing weight sugar going down as is BP so 2 out of 3 aint bad. So want for it to be 3 and feel well again. You are all an inspiration for me.

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I had a similar result recently (LDL 5.3mmol/L) following my second quarterly set of Blood Tests. I had been following a high(ish) fat/low carb diet for three months, following an initial restricted but balanced diet for the first three months subsequent to my initial tests and diagnosis in February this year.

On researching and re-reading some of the literature regarding High Fat diets and their impact on cholesterol, I read that a temporary increase in LDL levels can be expected when significant weight loss (in excess of 30lbs) is achieved. I would like to believe this, as I have lost roughly 33 lbs since February, but I'll not know until my next tests in November.

In the meantime all other indicators seem to be heading in the right direction:
HbA1c 5.7% (down)
HDL 1.3 mmol/L (up slightly)
Triglycerides 1.6 (down)
BP 120/70 (down significantly)

I would like to believe in HFLC, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so to speak!


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nomistheman said:
FergusCrawford said:
Mon, how long haveyou been on the low carb diet?
My Chol went up too,at first, then settled down again once my system had flushed everything out now runs at ~3.7-3.8 total chol. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Would you ellaborate a bit please Fergus. I'm most interested in timescales for the 'settling down' period.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Old Chol baserate was ~4.0 on Irbesartin but getting joint/muscle pains. Can't find the exact record sheet for first chol after quitting but from memory I went up at LoCarb Day + 3 months to about 4.8 but at next 3 month test it had fallen back to 4.1 and now sits at ~ 3.8. I recon I had started to cope by 2nd month hence i didn't show a full peak so for me it took 6 months to turn it around fully but coping OK by 3 months :thumbup:
 
Sugar Daddy said:
<snip>
On researching and re-reading some of the literature regarding High Fat diets and their impact on cholesterol, I read that a temporary increase in LDL levels can be expected when significant weight loss (in excess of 30lbs) is achieved. I would like to believe this, as I have lost roughly 33 lbs since February, but I'll not know until my next tests in November.
<snip>
Click to expand...

Interesting - I suppose breaking down fat stores chucks all sorts of stuff into your blood stream and changes in cholesterol levels could be solely down to byproducts of weight loss.

Don't know if this suggests that you go on statins immediately then come off them when your weight stabilises.

Cheers

LGC
 
LGC - I think that you're on the right lines, if the theory/science is correct. I did discuss going on statins with my GP, and we agreed that we would review that in the light of the blood test results in November.

Although BG seems to be under control through diet, I believe that there are arguments for taking Metformin in order to prevent longer term damage. This may also help keep LDL down, but I'd welcome any comments on this.




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Read Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy More and Eric Westman and find the truth about blood lipids/cholesterol :o
 
Old Chol baserate was ~4.0 on Irbesartin but getting joint/muscle pains. Can't find the exact record sheet for first chol after quitting but from memory I went up at LoCarb Day + 3 months to about 4.8 but at next 3 month test it had fallen back to 4.1 and now sits at ~ 3.8. I recon I had started to cope by 2nd month hence i didn't show a full peak so for me it took 6 months to turn it around fully but coping OK by 3 months
Click to expand...
Have you got that right? Iberesatan (Aprovel) is not a statin, it is an angiotensin receptor blocker to regulate blood pressure and often used in diabetes to 'protect' kidney function.

Read Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy More and Eric Westman and find the truth about blood lipids/cholesterol
Click to expand...
Read it, but read it carefully, note the real experts(ie those who are in fact lipidologists or have some clinical experience of CVD ) and then try to find in more detail what they say. For example read these three links which contain writings from 3 of the experts quoted in Mr Moore/Westmans book
1) Thomas Daysprings comment on Mr Moores lipid panel result.
(first comment)
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/6-mo ... ment/16449
2) Krause on the combination of beef and high saturated dairy fat.
http://www.meandmydiabetes.com/2012/04/ ... t-depends/
3) Kendrick on what he advises for patients with total cholesterol of over 7mmol/l
http://www.saga.co.uk/health/medicines/ ... ainst.aspx
 
My total cholesterol shot up after changing to HFLC much to the dismay of my doc, the fact that the biggest change was HDL up from 1.5 to 2.6 and didn't seem to interest him he was more concerned about the total 5.6. I told him were to stick his statins politely of course.
 
modesty007 said:
Read Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy More and Eric Westman and find the truth about blood lipids/cholesterol :o
Click to expand...

I would agree with phoenix about Jimmy Mores book as most of the experts claims have been heavily cherry picked and actually distorted in certain cases as it would seem is the case with Dr. Thomas Daysprings quotes in the book.

Anyone thinking of buying this book or basing their views on diet, cholesterol and statins on Jimmy Mores advice would do well to read this review of his book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3RI7FJYWH ... deID=&tag=

Choose whichever path you want when it comes to your diet but dont be swayed by those who make their living out of diets who have no medical training or background. Those with a vested interest in one diet or another will only ever give you what information they choose that backs up their own views.
 
Dr Michael Mckendrick's the "Great Colesteral Con" is written by someone with a medical training so give that a read. If you are a woman over 50 there is zilch evidence that pills or levels have any meaning.
Cd
 
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