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Repatha, side effects and what comes next?
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 18 hours ago | Replies (193)Comment receiving replies
@mlasky1120, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You have found a good place to share experiences about living with heart health and high cholesterol.
I am tagging a few that may have information to share or know others that do: @gloaming, @ckscoville and @dlkreps
I am concerned that your doctor may not have shared the severity of your situation with you. Your mention of a 90% blockage in the widow-maker, your LDL of 188 and needing to take blood pressure medications do not sound like a good combination. You did not say how much calcium showed up on your scan but it does sound like it must have been concerning as well since it is what began your cascade of testing and eventually stents.
It sounds like you have a wise doctor wanting you to take several medications. I definitely agree with you that they can have side effects but unfortunately, there are times when their benefits are much stronger. I struggled with every cholesterol drug and never had mine under control. I finally found a doctor who was able to figure out how to treat my unique situation and get my numbers down to a reasonable level.
Here is an overview of cholesterol providing details of what levels are appropriate. You may find it helpful if you have not seen it.
- Mayo Clinic Cholesterol Overview
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350806
I am curious if you are having symptoms. What prompted you initially to get a calcium scan? How much has drinking Earl Grey Tea lowered your LDL? I am full of questions…..has your doctor shared what your current risk level is?
Replies to "@mlasky1120, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You have found a good place to share experiences about..."
@jlharsh I forgot to mention I drink The Earl Grey tea from Bigelow - they use real bergamot not just flavored and their
Tea bags don't have any plastic - it is surprising how many do contain plastic, with boiling water not a healthy combo.
Hint: if the bags are heat sealed instead of folded and stapled they are plastic.
@jlharsh , @mlasky1120: Although I had the same situation -- 90% blockage in my widow-maker , addressed with a stent -- I've never had a calcium scan, to my knowledge... although honestly I've had so many tests over the years that it could have slipped my mind. For what it's worth, my cholesterol has been under control for many years. The target for my LDL has been <70. Every now and then it creeps up to 100 but not that often. After my first stent in 2002, I went through an excellent 3-month cardiac rehab program at Vanderbilt Hospital in Tennessee, which included an educational component as well as exercise. That program changed my life and I learned what self-discipline could do to improve my own health, even though I've occasionally strayed from good habits.
It's now my wife whose cholesterol numbers have concerned her cardiologist, to the point where she has now begun Repatha injections. No apparent side-effects yet.
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@jlharsh The 188 was the total cholesterol, I was stating my last two test results of total cholesterol, I haven't gone back to compare numbers but cholesterol was never 200 or under prior to drinking bergamot without a statin,
I had no symptoms at all, my Dr. ordered the Calcium Scan because of my statin intolerance.
No we have not discussed the risk level yet.