High cholesterol help

[Kez0777]

Hi, yesterday I got told by the doctor that my cholesterol level is 7.2 so very high. I’m just 40, fit, vegetarian and even though I eat a bit of chocolate and cheese daily I’d say I have a really food diet.
I’m not sure how I can cut down my food or up my excersie so I’m after any help if anyone has any ideas.
I’m not sure if it’s hereditary yet, I’ve found out my grandpa and aunties all have had high cholesterol. But does this automatically make it hereditary or can it still be down to my diet and health somehow?
Any help would be greatly appreciated

MissConductUS I was just agreeing with your post with an example IRL!

I'm a vegetarian and have eaten low carb for over 8 years now. For me its easy as I am a lover of salads and veg, I replaced mash potatoes with cauliflower mash ..very yum!! if you don't cook it to mush!! you can always season it or add some cheese through it. I also replaced rice with cauliflower rice, I used to spend ages grating the cauliflower but recently you can buy it in the frozen section in the supermarket so its very handy. Replaced noodles and pasta with courgette, I bought a cheap spirializer to make courgette pasta! or you can buy it in the supermarkets. Ryvitas are a good substitute if you find it hard to cut back on bread, I won't bore you but if you google it you will find lots of vegetarian low carb ideas!

Some people just have a high cholesterol and as long as you eat well then that's the most important thing you can do.

More research is needed as some reports suggest health isn't adversely affected by HC.

I’ve spoken to the doctor and she wants me to take statins and re test in 3 months. I’m presuming it’s nothing to do with diet then if I’m taking tablets? Can I carry on as I was except maybe be more aware of things like cake, butter and cheese and eat less of them?

High cholesterol is a diagnostic for underactive thyroid and the guidelines say that statins should not be prescribed except as a last resort, because getting the thyroid under control and optimally medicated should fix the problem.

Personally, I'd start by getting a print out of your blood test results and ask a patient group ( ThyroidUK or Thyroid Patient Advocacy) to interpret them. It does sound from what you say as if you may be incubating a thyroid problem and you would need to identify that, rule it in or rule it out, before you considered statins.

You want to avoid statins if you can as they have some nasty side effects. My dad has struggled on them a lot.
Can you not try cut back on high cholesterol foods for 3 months and then get retested and if it hasn't come down at all then you could try medication?

That’s the thing if I cut down on high cholesterol foods it’s would take me to not eating much or certainly no high energy foods. I’d say other than carbs I eat very little of the high cholesterol things.
I presume the doctor has looked at all my results before deciding on statins for me and knows my food and excessive levels

Ask to do a trial of diet only for 3 months before the statins and go low carb high fat, it’s harder as a vegarian, but perfectly doable. You eat fat to make you feel full and not hungry. Try it, if it fails then fall back to the dreaded statins!

Oh, doctors don’t know much about modern medical research and just prescribe what they are told to for x symptoms (on the most part) - so I get told my by diabetic nurse to eat loads of whole wheat carbs. Luckily the diabetic consultant I saw said that was advice into he way out, cut the carbs and you cure the t2 diabetes. It works, but it’s not something the nhs is allowed to push yet.

But surely a high fat diet is much worse for your cholesterol? I’m still really confused about the carbs thing, if I mostly burn them off then they won’t turn to fat so shouldn’t be an issue should they?

Statins can do some nasty things longer term as they affect cell mitochondria.

Honestly try and avoid the statins if you can. They can cause stomach issues like bad IBS and nauseas, joint pain (everyone I know who takes them has painful knees etc and they can't exercise much) and sleep issues. They are hardcore drugs and I'm surprised your GP was so quick to want to put you on them considering your cholesterol isn't in the danger zone. It's high but if it stays at that level it's not high enough to be much of a concern. Mine was at 8.1 when I was in my early 20s and they just told me to eat more healthily and avoid stress and exercise loads. There wasn't even a mention of going on statins (I've had high cholesterol since I was 7 as I inherited it from my dad)

You could try cholestyramine like questran rather than statins

A friend of mines husband owned a company that promoted the use of statins was something to do with a pharmaceutical company. Anyway he had high cholesterol and he said there was no way on earth he would take them! Quite telling I think

I agree doctors don't know much about modern medicine. I was ripped to shreds in aibu 5 years ago for suggesting some t2 d can be reversed with diet.

Mine was 5.9 when I last had it checked (It was 6.1 the first time but my thyroid meds being adjusted lowered it). After reading the Great Cholesterol Con and other things I now don't think it's the big killer it is made out to be. The statistics are extremely interesting about heart attacks/strokes and cholesterol and the effectiveness of statins on people who haven't already had a heart attack.

I won't get mine checked again for a very long time unless I decide to start roaccutane (id have no choice then)

My blood pressure was fine, my weight was good. My regular GP said he wouldn't consider putting me on them as my overall risk was so low.