Revisiting cholesterol meds and my Type 2 journey

[MikeZ]

Hello all,

I have not been active here in quite some time. I will try to be brief. Several years ago I was diagnosed as Type 2. I had just recently started a statin regimen and my subsequent research led me to believe that the statin may have been partially responsible for raising my BS. In any event, I immediately quit the statin and went on a health bender. My numbers improved dramatically and I have been, (for the most part) at either pre-diabetes or non-diabetes levels for quite some time. The last year has had me between 5.6 and 5.8 ac1 levels. My family has a very long history of cholesterol issues and heart problems. My dad, and all of his siblings, have had heart attacks and they all have one or more stints. Now my cousin, age 63, has had his first heart attack, He is in good physical shape and rides his bike 15-30 miles a day. I just came from the doctor for my annual visit and he wants me to try Zetia, (ezetimibe), because I refuse to resume taking a statin. Do any of you have any knowledge of this drug? Thank you.

 

[Rachox]

I refused statins for some years but got scared when my cholesterol hit a certain level. Still determined not to accept statins I did a bit of research and discovered Ezetimibe. My Dr was happy to prescribe it, I have taken it for some time now and have suffered no side effects and it has worked to lower my cholesterol levels.

 

[MikeZ]

Thank you for your input!

 

[Pipp]

Have you been tested for familial hypercholesterolaemia, @MikeZ ?
I have this condition, screened when I was 40, because of the history of early hesrt attacks in family members.
Statins prescribed and currently Ezetimibe, no problems with taking Ezetimibe, though I do wonder if the early statins contributed to raised blood glucose, and T2 after 10 years.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia

Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition where your liver can’t process cholesterol properly.

www.bhf.org.uk

 

[coby]

Hello all,

I have not been active here in quite some time. I will try to be brief. Several years ago I was diagnosed as Type 2. I had just recently started a statin regimen and my subsequent research led me to believe that the statin may have been partially responsible for raising my BS. In any event, I immediately quit the statin and went on a health bender. My numbers improved dramatically and I have been, (for the most part) at either pre-diabetes or non-diabetes levels for quite some time. The last year has had me between 5.6 and 5.8 ac1 levels. My family has a very long history of cholesterol issues and heart problems. My dad, and all of his siblings, have had heart attacks and they all have one or more stints. Now my cousin, age 63, has had his first heart attack, He is in good physical shape and rides his bike 15-30 miles a day. I just came from the doctor for my annual visit and he wants me to try Zetia, (ezetimibe), because I refuse to resume taking a statin. Do any of you have any knowledge of this drug? Thank you.

Hi @MikeZ I also refused Statins, and my doctor suggested that I try Plant Sterols. I've been taking them for five years now

 

[MikeZ]

Have you been tested for familial hypercholesterolaemia, @MikeZ ?
I have this condition, screened when I was 40, because of the history of early hesrt attacks in family members.
Statins prescribed and currently Ezetimibe, no problems with taking Ezetimibe, though I do wonder if the early statins contributed to raised blood glucose, and T2 after 10 years.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia

Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition where your liver can’t process cholesterol properly.

www.bhf.org.uk

Hello Pipp,

Are you currently on both statins and Ezetimibe?

 

[MikeZ]

Hi @MikeZ I also refused Statins, and my doctor suggested that I try Plant Sterols. I've been taking them for five years now

Thank you, I will look into that as well!

 

[Pipp]

Hello Pipp,

Are you currently on both statins and Ezetimibe?

No, just Ezetimibe, at the moment and Metformin. I have meds for hypertension, and antileuketrine meds for blood disorder. Statins are on my prescription list, though. Currently I am having a review of meds, as some for an allergic condition are being withdrawn. So waiting for further blood tests and consultations before a new medication regime is sorted.

 

[Mrs T 123]

Hi @MikeZ I also refused Statins, and my doctor suggested that I try Plant Sterols. I've been taking them for five years now

May I ask how much they lowered your cholesterol?

 

[MissMuffett]

Hi @MikeZ I also refused Statins, and my doctor suggested that I try Plant Sterols. I've been taking them for five years now

Is the plant sterols from food or in tablet form? I’ve not heard of this so I’ll do some research. My GP wants me to go on statins but I refuse.

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

Have you been tested for familial hypercholesterolaemia, @MikeZ ?
I have this condition, screened when I was 40, because of the history of early hesrt attacks in family members.
Statins prescribed and currently Ezetimibe, no problems with taking Ezetimibe, though I do wonder if the early statins contributed to raised blood glucose, and T2 after 10 years.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia

Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition where your liver can’t process cholesterol properly.

www.bhf.org.uk

When you say you were 'screened' for it, do you mean that you underwent genetic testing...?

Also, if it is genetic, why would you expect to see much if any reduction from a drug that only (as far as I've read) helps to reduce cholesterol intake from food...? (that's the only method of action mentioned on the NHS website)

To what extent is high cholesterol caused by cholesterol in food anyway? Isn't that the reason they reversed their advice on the consumption of egg yolks years ago; because they established that dietary cholesterol has very little impact on blood cholesterol? You can eat as many eggs as you want nowadays, apparently. If I remember correctly, it would be saturated fat that drives up blood cholesterol, not cholesterol from egg yolks etc.

I believe my own cholesterol issues to be genetic also. 5mg Rosuvastatin for me at the minute.

 

[coby]

Hi @MikeZ I also refused Statins, and m y doctor suggested that I try Plant Sterols. I've been taking them foe five years now

Is the plant sterols from food or in tablet form? I’ve not heard of this so I’ll do some research. My GP wants me to go on statins but I refuse.

Yes @MissMuffett the tablets are 800g

May I ask how much they lowered your cholesterol?

Yes, my cholesterol was over 7.5 when I started tasking them. On my following annual review it had reduced to just under 5

 

[HSSS]

If I remember correctly, it would be saturated fat that drives up blood cholesterol, not cholesterol from egg yolks etc.

That is the commonly held medical opinion of recent decades. There are increasing expert voices questioning both the evidence for that opinion and presenting evidence for alternative hypotheses

Oddly many if not all of us that have gone low carb high fat (usually saturated) have found that cholesterol ratios all improve with the increase in such fats, because of the drop in inflammatory carbs it would appear.

 

[Pipp]

When you say you were 'screened' for it, do you mean that you underwent genetic testing...?

Genetic testing was not available at that time .
Blood tests, family history of close relatives having heart attacks in their late 40s and early fifties, and the presence of xanthomas on tendons. Determined my diagnosis.

 

[MikeZ]

So, since I quit taking statins all of those years ago, I finally agreed to take this Zetia, (ezetimibe) as an alternative. I had not done any lipid panels because, as my doctor said, "what's the point if you won't take the statins?" But I did go in last week and get the lab work done because I needed to see if there was an improvement WITHOUT any adverse reaction with my a1C. My goal is to get my Triglycerides/HDL ratio below 2.0. Right now it is at about 2.35. We'll check back in 3 months!

FWIW:
Total Chol = 231
LDL = 160
HDL = 48
Tri = 113

I'm not sure if the US has different numbering system for cholesterol. But I do believe that the entire cholesterol subject is much more complicated than we are being told, regardless of which side of the pond.

 

[saky]

Have you been tested for familial hypercholesterolaemia, @MikeZ ?
I have this condition, screened when I was 40, because of the history of early hesrt attacks in family members.
Statins prescribed and currently Ezetimibe, no problems with taking Ezetimibe, though I do wonder if the early statins contributed to raised blood glucose, and T2 after 10 years.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia

Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition where your liver can’t process cholesterol properly.

www.bhf.org.uk

Thanks for the article. I do have familial hypercholesterolaemia. I have always had high ldl ranging from 113mg/dl to 162mg/dl.
Prescribed rosuvastatin. My mother has had MI and high cholesterol, diabetes type2 etc.