Reducing high cholesterol from AIs?

Posted by coco46 @coco46, 2 days ago

Has anyone had success with reducing cholesterol that's become elevated from taking AIs, besides from taking additional drugs like statins?

I have ended up with high cholesterol from the AI I am taking, it's nearly doubled from what it was pre-cancer/treatments. Total is 222 and LDL is 135, at least my HDL is in the good range 69.
My PCP wants me to start on a statin but I said no, I have enough horrible pills to take that cause way too many side effects, I am not adding another one to the mix. I have already been on a heart healthy diet for years, which hasn't helped. Has anyone had success lowering it with any particular diet change or from any supplements?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

tillymack | @tillymack | 1 day ago

You might find some useful information on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website.

lcr2017 | @lcr2017 | 1 day ago

Remember—I am not your doctor! You haven’t mentioned your age although it doesn’t have to be a factor. I have similar numbers now (and I don’t know if they will go away or change) but my PCP is a ‘numbers’ guy. He did the math and showed me how much a statin would change my levels and it was negligible. So he doesn’t want to add more medication for such minimal results. I—on the other hand—I have read here that others are taking a certain form of K2 (m7) so I tried that but no change and had stomach issues. The theory is that K2 takes the calcium—I don’t remember from where, if it’s the plaque? and sends it to the bones which would be a win-win. Going to research and try again because I also tried red yeast rice which is like taking a statin and you have to find one with no contaminant and that also wrecked my stomach. I have always wondered how statins lower the numbers. Do they actually remove the plaque? More to discuss at my annual visit…

gldilli | @gldilli | 1 day ago

I also developed elevated cholesterol after starting AI and my doctor wanted to prescribe a statin. I refused and she then suggested something called Zetia which is supposed to block the absorption of cholesterol from food. I cut way back on processed meats, ate more vegetables, continued with the K2, B12, D3, etc and my numbers dropped to near normal within a year. My Doctor seemed a little surprised that my numbers dropped so much without statins.