Cholesterol

31 watchers

First
Prev
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Next
Last

Caterpillar Feb 2013 4:42pm, 18 Feb 2013 7,477 posts	0 Caterpillar It is a bit simplified, but I don't think you want or need more detail than that. And it is horribly multifactorial. A premenopausal woman with high cholesterol has lower coronary heart disease risk than a man with low cholesterol. (Also horribly over-simplified) Be a woman. Don't be old.
JohnnyO Feb 2013 5:45pm, 18 Feb 2013 15,079 posts	0 JohnnyO I am having flashbacks to 2nd MB Biochemistry. Frankly its making me a bit nauseous, which is how it was at the time.
Velociraptor Feb 2013 6:04pm, 18 Feb 2013 24,150 posts	0 Velociraptor Fantastic post, Caterpillar
plodding hippo Feb 2013 6:52pm, 18 Feb 2013 47,139 posts	0 plodding hippo yes Nice synopsis Cat
geordiegirl Feb 2013 6:59pm, 18 Feb 2013 6,283 posts	0 geordiegirl That is really helpful thanks for taking the time to explain Caterpillar. I rang the surgery today in hope of speaking to my normal GP. Spoke to one of the nurses who didnt appear to too happy that the dr suggested statins without much research or taking into account the other factors. Now then where's the red wine
gribb0 Feb 2013 7:14pm, 18 Feb 2013 38 posts	0 gribb0 Very interesting thread. Thanks for that explanation Caterpillar. I was offered statins a couple of years ago - total was 5 with HDL of 2.49 - I said no as it seemed over the top, glad I did now!
geordiegirl Feb 2013 6:28pm, 19 Feb 2013 6,287 posts	0 geordiegirl Well then how's this for a reality check? Went to the docs to see the nurse today as I rang for 2nd opinion. Nurse ran all my details through the system my risk of heart/stroke (given my dad has mild angina) are you ready.......1% yes 1 bloody percent yet this doctor was about to give me statins there & then!! Rant rant Then got onto tiredness nurse said 'ah but your iron is low' yet fix said it was perfectly normal!! Not that she tested it this time mind you and given I went partly to check my iron bugs me! Do last time it was checked it was 25.4 when the range is 13-300 ifs hardly mid range is it? And previous rest to that it was 15.1 So while this doc has lovely caring persona she's not to be trusted with a prescription book
Jon_T Feb 2013 7:05pm, 19 Feb 2013 2,420 posts	0 Jon_T Ive been taking statins for as long as I can remember in some form or another, started with questran which was a powder mixed in a glass of water and was bloody horrible, now on Lipitor, having gone through quite a range as and when a new one was offered to my GP, some had unpleasant side effects like aching muscles and general fatigue. I have Familial Hypocholesterolaemia (at least I think its spelt like that) have also been part of a research study at Guys about 15 yrs ago. My level ranges anywhere between 3.8 and 8.6, but when I take my tablets and stick religously to a low fat diet its about 4.5. I have to have blood tests every 6 months, unfortunately my 2 kids also have FH and we are going for blood tests on Friday, 8yr old not looking forward to it. As well as the excellent info above there is a website - www.heartuk.org.uk which has some great advice, I ran FLM for them a few years ago, they are the only UK Cholesterol charity.
Chief Sub-5 May 2014 6:22pm, 16 May 2014 18 posts	0 Chief Sub-5 Have just been told mine is 5:3 by those ever so nice people from North Middlesex Hosp. in the mobi (copyright Sinbad from Brookside) outside Harringay Library. Feel better after 60-minute slow plod, eating an orange and reading this thread - thanks everybody!
Phil70 May 2014 7:10pm, 16 May 2014 469 posts	0 Phil70 Had a blood test a couple of months ago and was told mine was 5.1 against the preferred 5.0. I asked my GP if I should take action and he told me 'no.' It appears that you have to be significantly over 5.0 for it to be serious.