Need help to lower high cholesterol & high triglycerides

Does it have side effects? I'm on Medicare so I wonder if they would cover it. My cardiologist mentioned that and I have to see their lipid specialist who is located inside a hospital, at this point my children do not want me to go near a hospital.

The French who eat cheese and cream sauces and slather everything in butter (but who don't eat much) have a much lower incidence of stroke and heart attack than others in the world. (Read up on the French Paradox) and they figure that it is because of the resveratrol which is natural in wine, especially red wine. I don't tolerate wine so I take resveratrol. Resveratrol builds up in grapes especially when they are damaged; like a scab let's say. 6 - 8 ounces per day of wine keeps the blood thin. Better than statins I would say and more natural. I wonder if on the American site NCBI, the site for the results of research has any information on this. You can google 'resveratrol NCBI stroke' and many articles on research are there. Here is one: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4587342/

I used to take resveratrol and omega 3 too but since I'm on blood thinner, I read that I should not take them anymore.

@mayofeb2020 I have not experienced side effects. Repatha lowered my LDL by 50%. Due for bloodwork f/u in April.
One minor side effect. Sometimes, not everytime, there is some soreness at the injection site but it disappears fairly quickly. Injection is every two weeks and very easy to administer.

I'm in Canada so can't help with the Medicare question.

I went to my PCP last week and she ordered a cholesterol blood draw. Turns out my cholesterol is very high and I need to do something about it. Unfortunately, I have a lot of health problems including a liver disease which doesn’t make me a good candidate for cholesterol medications. Plus, one of the medications I am on right now causes weight gain and raises cholesterol. It’s a crucial med that I will be on for the rest of my life. So, my doctor wants me to lower my cholesterol with diet and exercise. Seems like an uphill struggle. Is there anybody else in this position? Have you been successful at losing weight and lowering cholesterol?

Hello @alive. I can see how this may feel like an uphill battle, which is why I am glad you reached out to others in the Connect community to provide support.

I found another discussion on a similar topic so you will notice that I have moved your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/need-help-for-high-cholesterol-222-high-triglycerides-217/?pg=3#chv4-comment-stream-header

Members such as @sue225 and @afrobin may be able to come back and share their experiences with you as well.

Also, I wanted to share a couple of articles that I thought may be of interest as you get started:
- Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/art-20045935
- Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/cholesterol/art-20045192

What seems like it will be most challenging and/or require the most support in this journey?

Thank you, Amanda! These are good resources to have. I have already started dieting and hope it will make a difference. My biggest challenges are sticking to a diet long-term and getting exercise. I have some mobility issues which limit what exercises I can do. I am also not very sure how much impact lifestyle changes will affect my cholesterol levels. I will give it a try and see what happens.

alive, research annatto tocotrienol and krill oil for your high cholesterol. Annatto tocotrienol offers benefits for the liver too, check that out. Always consult your health care provider before using any supplement.

I started searching for a way about 6 weeks ago and found Joel Fuhrman's "End of Heart Disease" book. It is loaded with research showing the the 30 years' evidence for plant based eating, specifically what he calls the Nutritarian (as in eating to get all the nutrients you need) approach. I've lost 5 pounds in the few weeks I've been on it, feel more completely nourished than I have in my life. I had my blood pressure go down and am in the process of withdrawing from two blood pressure medications under my doctor's supervision. As a side benefit I have some more energy and clarity.