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High cholesterol: What have you done to lower your cholesterol?
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (24)Comment receiving replies
Hello: I am a 74 year old very active woman with familial high cholesterol.
I’ve been on various statins for years which have helped lower my LDL but eventually they cause muscle pain and I try a different brand. I exercise 7 days a week, follow a Mediterranean diet, and eat no junk or processed food. Even though my recent calcium scan was zero, my cardiologist wants me to start taking Crestor but after reading the side effects I don’t think I’m going to.
Has anyone taken Crestor and if so, did you have side effects from the drug?
My feeling is since my calcium score was zero and cardiac nuclear stress test did not show evidence of heart disease, why continue taking a statin since I’m 74 years old.
Thank you
Replies to "Hello: I am a 74 year old very active woman with familial high cholesterol. I’ve been..."
So, you have great CAC score, but your doc is prescribing statins? What for ... I'm assuming something else ... high cholesterol ... so, what are the numbers?
What was the result of your stress test with echo?
The numbers only point a direction. I have some numbers that are fantastic, but I inherited the familial coronary artery disease. Fortunately, I’ve paid attention to my diet since I was a kid and I eat a Mediterranean diet and I exercise. Many in my family died from coronary artery disease. I cannot take the statins and I think the statins are kind of worthless IMHO. The best thing is to get a picture of your arteries. That will tell you the condition you are in and then you can go from there. The cholesterol tests aren’t worth too much if you are normal or low only if you are high. Today there are lipid tests, which tell more. And they need to be employed. My numbers started going in the wrong direction for the LP little a test as well as my triglyceride level was heading up. So now I am changing my diet to remove the refined carbohydrates that entered as a result of IBS and gastrointestinal problems And a changed diet. I also believe that those of us with CAD have to demand cardiovascular doctors and have all the tests to physically see what condition our arteries are in since the numbers are all contradictory.
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How lucky are you to have 0 for a calcium score. Are your cholesterol levels good? I would find another doctor if it makes no sense. Is it bc of your age, preventative? Statins are not tolerated well by a lot of people. If I didn’t have to be on one, I would certainly say no if it is just preventative.