Started Repatha - Side Effects

I'll post here about the natural way to reduce cholesterol if/when I can stick to my diet and exercise plan and lose at least five pounds, preferably ten pounds, this summer. Currently at 5'11 1/2 and 185 lbs, I'm not obese, but 10 lbs would get me back to where I was twenty years ago. That is a challenge, given my social and geographic environment. Twenty pounds less forty years ago seems unrealistic. Meanwhile, reducing consumption of some of the most notorious cholesterol foods and walking five or more miles per week seems to have helped some.

I'll post here about the natural way to reduce cholesterol if/when I can stick to my diet and exercise plan and lose at least five pounds, preferably ten pounds, this summer. Currently at 5'11 1/2 and 185 lbs, I'm not obese, but 10 lbs would get me back to where I was twenty years ago. That is a challenge, given my social and geographic environment. Twenty pounds less forty years ago seems unrealistic. Meanwhile, reducing consumption of some of the most notorious cholesterol foods and walking five or more miles per week seems to have helped some.

I am looking forward to hearing back to learn how you do it. Question, since the standard lipid panel is pretty general and there is so much more knowledge available today….what specific markers do your doctors want you to manage? What risk are you trying to minimize?

Thank you!! Not so long ago I heard about LPa for the first time from a doctor that said he was more concerned about my LPa than my other numbers. (I understand statins don’t lower LPa anyway). It was only about 6 months ago I heard about “ratios.” My cardiologist was completely stuck on my “bad” cholesterol numbers and nothing else and dismissed me when I couldn’t take statins or Repatha. My internist looked at my ratio, which is very good, and said he’s not worried about me. I lowered my LPa by 60 points with an OTC without side effects. Figure your ratio this way:
Divide your total cholesterol level by your HDL cholesterol level.
For example, if your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL and your HDL is 50 mg/dL, the ratio would be 200 / 50 = 4:1.
3. Interpret the ratio:
A lower ratio is generally considered healthier. A ratio of 3.5 or lower is considered very good, while a ratio below 5 is normal.
A higher ratio, such as 7:1, indicates a higher risk of heart disease.

HomeAgainLA ( @llynch17056 )
Wow, I do know about LP(a) but I didn’t know you could lower it on your own. Great job! It’s genetic, right?

My cholesterol is pesky high, genetic so it always has been. My understanding of that is the typical risk calculators don’t really apply because they assume you have acquired (accumulated) high numbers. I know mine has been high forever so my life-time accumulated impact is much higher than someone else my age with my numbers who has acquired theirs.

Mine is inherited, too. My dad and grandfather died of heart attacks. My cholesterol has always been on the high side. But, my good cholesterol has always been high as well (life style?). It was my internist that gave credibility to my ratio.

Thank you!! Not so long ago I heard about LPa for the first time from a doctor that said he was more concerned about my LPa than my other numbers. (I understand statins don’t lower LPa anyway). It was only about 6 months ago I heard about “ratios.” My cardiologist was completely stuck on my “bad” cholesterol numbers and nothing else and dismissed me when I couldn’t take statins or Repatha. My internist looked at my ratio, which is very good, and said he’s not worried about me. I lowered my LPa by 60 points with an OTC without side effects. Figure your ratio this way:
Divide your total cholesterol level by your HDL cholesterol level.
For example, if your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL and your HDL is 50 mg/dL, the ratio would be 200 / 50 = 4:1.
3. Interpret the ratio:
A lower ratio is generally considered healthier. A ratio of 3.5 or lower is considered very good, while a ratio below 5 is normal.
A higher ratio, such as 7:1, indicates a higher risk of heart disease.

I am pretty good with my eating. No overweightnor underweight. Walk min 7,000 steps a day (approx three miles), today I did 7 miles. Do yard work and house work. Working on sleeping better through sleep meditations and I take Beta Sitosterol supplements which seem to be lowering my LPa. My cholesterol is still high, but my good cholesterol is, too so my ratio is good (2.5). Has to fire my cardiologist because he could not stop beating the statin/Repatha drugs drum even though they made me very sick.