Cholesterol and statins - what was your level when you started statins?

[Nik2015]

My doctor suggested I go on statins today. My level is 5.7, but has been raise for many years. The highest has been 6.5 last July and has fallen since then.
My blood pressure and general health is fine.

I am very reluctant to take statins as want to try and address my lifestyle first.

Can you please tell me what your cholesterol level was when you first started statins and did they have an immediate effect?

I have IBS as it is, can’t face my stomach being affected by statins (or the chance of this).
I’m going to go try and sort my diet out and go walking (as suggested).
Doctor said he’d put an automatic retest in 6 months so that’s my target.

I contacted the BHF and they said typically FH usually presents with a cholesterol level of 7.5.

So I’m going to try and sort it and if in 6 months time I can’t I’ll go on statins.

Lost 11kg? Ok sign me up.

Well done you!

@gamerchick indeed. I always said I hate cauli rice , but fried and mixed up with some chicken, stir fry veg and a ton of low salt soy sauce and a drizzle of chili oil I've kind of got used to it and it worked in getting 13kg off since December and reversing pre diabetes and I can eat a lot of it for bugger all calories -

I was at 8 and dropped to 4 with statins very quickly. I’m slim, fit, don’t drink or smoke and am vegan, so I was shocked.

A drop of 4 is amazing @Neverseenbefore did you notice any difference in how you were feeling?

I cant remember mine but was told my good cholesterol was fine but given only diet could change it and mine was good already I opted for statins as I found out my mum and her three brothers all ended up on statins. Decided to take the steps early to reduce risk of a stroke

No, I didn’t notice anything.

My cholesterol was 5.0 but my qrisk is 18.
I agreed to take a low dose statin of 10mg. I take it alternate days. My cholesterol after 3 months was 3.5.
I eat a very healthy diet and bmi is 20.
I didn't notice any difference and had no side effects.

What is your objection to taking them @Nik2015

If you have a family history of heart disease and high cholesterol your LDL cholesterol should be in the lower end of the acceptable range. You will not be able to get it there via diet and exercise. My cardiologist and a dietician both confirmed this.

The statin is going to save you from heart disease in your 60s potential heart attack and stents / bypass surgery.

I have some narrowing at my age (coming up to 50) and feel so fortunate that I can take a daily pill that will massively reduce my chances of bypass surgery and extend my life. Along with exercise and weightloss too of course! After seeing my parents go through this I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Having said that - my first statin prescribed does not agree with me so back to my GP to try another. I think there's about 4 or 5 different ones on the mkt.

It's the ratio of good to bad that's most important, not the overall number. Diet adjustments etc may improve your triglycerides but will do little for your LDL which the body makes itself in the liver.
Even if your total cholesterol is 5.5 for example, if thats made up of more bad fats than good that's still an issue.
Any lipid result should give you a full breakdown to be meaningful. There's a calculator online somewhere to work out the ratio with your numbers.

Has anyone tried CoQ10/ubiquinol to lower cholesterol? How did it work out? My doctor recommended this.

I have the gene for familial high cholesterol. My test is usually around the 5 mark (with good cholesterol being about 1.8 of that). The ratio is good but the number high. I got a surprise that my last blood test was 5.9 (with good cholesterol still being quite high). That was quite shocking to me. I'm trying ubiquinol and will retest in a few months. I have a feeling that I might not be able to avoid a low dose statin with the genetics.

@Parsleymint I just know that my diet has been poor, I don’t really exercise and I’m overweight. So surely addressing them would be better than taking medication straight away.
If when I’ve sorted all of them it’s still high I’ll take the medication.

I didn't get my massively high blood pressure and cholesterol down on statins mainly because of the horrendous side effects.
I got them down to completely normal levels in my 60's on my own by eating a completely unprocessed vegetarian diet.
By that nothing ready made, everything cooked from scratch, no salt, no sugar.
Within three months everything was normal.
Read Food for Life by professor Tim Spector. Its all the rage at the moment. I came off all of my medication - 20 pills a day for various ailments just using diet alone. It can be done.
I didn't want to end up like my patients on loads of medication and getting sicker every year (I'm an NHS podiatrist) and wanted to find another way. I also do intermittent fasting. I've lost loads of weight too. Weight I couldn't budge since my 40's.

Even when I did that for years (semi-vegetarian, very little dairy), my cholesterol was still around 5. It's been there my whole life. My ratio is 2.2 though, which is gather is good. Not sure what to make of it when the number is a bit higher (5.9) but the ratio is considered very good.

@Nik2015 why don't you take some meds initial whilst you tackle your diet, just by way of protecting yourself?

I agree far better to see what you can achieve through a healthier lifestyle in the longer term.

Not sure what mine was, I had tried to avoid them for a few years (due to anecdata) and my mind was changed for me after my heart attack at age 51.

Never had a problem with them - why don’t you want to take them?

And btw - statins help stabilise arterial plaques as well as lowering cholesterol. When the plaques are not stable, bits can tear away, the broken bit leaks a chemical that make the blood rush to make a clot, and the clot blocks the artery and taaadaaaah! Heart attack.

Stephen Spector is a money making charlatan. Go on BHF and see what they say about him, on the forum.

Tim Spector? What do they say? I see more on the thyroid boards about him.

They say he’s a money hungry snake oil merchant. Nothing peer reviewed just lots of ‘I followed….and was completely cured..’

DH had terrible side effects with the three different types of statins he tried. He had migraines, joint pains, struggled with concentration and sometimes couldn't speak coherently. He's worried as his new GP wants him to go for a blood test and has already started going on about DH going on statins before he's even had the test. I don't think he'll even agree to try them again and to be honest I don't blame him.

Thanks @Gettingbysomehow that’s how I feel too.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat I already suffer with migraines, so that wouldn’t be good!!!

I don’t even take the contraceptive pill after it making me paranoid, so avoid any medication when possible.

Also, I thought coming off statins was tricky?

@Nik2015 it's a bit pointless avoiding medication that could be actively helping you but it's your choice obviously. There have been some over hyped stories about problems with statins but actual research has shown that they are no more likely to cause serious side effects than any other drug. Obviously there are exceptions but only about the same as any drug.

I have a long history of migraine to the point where I have taken daily preventatives for years. Statins have made zero difference.
I guess it's all about perspective but without modern medicine I wouldn't be here and nor, I guess, would half of us.

I would say try them if you need them but be aware of any possible side effects, the same as a drug.

I know DH will never take them again and I don't blame him, but he was exceptionally unlucky. The one part where he was lucky was his GP at the time was so understanding whereas from what he said about the new one he wants to push statins.

Regarding coming off them, he just stopped taking them. I didn't know there was a problem coming off them.