had my cholesterol checked, not good, my dr. wants to put me on lipitor which i am not comfortable with. my numbers are: total 309
HDL 71
LDL 225
CHOL/HDL RATIO 4.3
TRICLYCERIDES 28
any feed back would be appreciated

Gab,

I ignore LDL levels as what is important with LDL is the particle size distribution, and this is seldom measured. Also LDL is not usuallly measured, but calculated based on total cholesterol, HDL and triglylcerides.

Large LDL particles are healthy and are associated with low triglycerides. You have very low tyiglycerides and your LDL should be of the healthy type.

Your HDL is high and that in itself is very good.

I go by the HDL to triglyiceride ratio and your ratio is is fantastic!

Lipitor will lower your LDL, put in my opinion will do nothing to make you healthier and could decrease your health.

If I had your blood chemistry, I would not take Lipitor or any other cholesterol reducing drug.

I agree with Dodger.

My total was 324 and my doc talked me into going on Lipitor. It dropped my total to 154. It also dropped my LDL a bit and my HDL a lot.

While on the Lipitor I had memory problems, depressions, continuous nausea and frequent vomiting. I also had muscle aches and exercise intolerance. It's taken a while to get back to normal, and I believe I'm one of the lucky ones, some people still aren't back to 'normal", 2 years after stopping the meds!

Your Tri's are low. That's good. Your HDL is high, that's excellent!

Are you a person with known heart disease? Do you smoke? Do you have high BP or diabetes? If not, and the LDL is your only "risk" I'd opt for continued diet and exercise therapy. Increase your fish oil, flax, whatever and watch the processed foods. Stay off the meds as long as you can.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

PS. I go to my doc in Feb. I don't care how high my numbers are, I'm not going back on the statins. I'll take my chances with diet and exercise.

thank you for the response, i am thinking of taking fish oil and flax, but am not quite sure of the amounts that i should be taking. is one brand better than another.

thanks

Listen to Dodger he is 100% right. LDL has nothing to do with heart disease. If i revered heart disease with an high ldl. Look at the particle size and thats what counts not the number. Look at this article and tell me how important cholestrol is http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm So there u have it stop woryying about it. Even if ur ldl is 10000000 get it fractioaned even thought that would be impossible im just trying to make a point.

"My friends, one day I will find Dean Ornish and tell him name one person who actually sticked on your diet."

Who cares about number they are pointless! I would never never I would sue any docotor if they take my cholesrol it totally pointless. I would never let a docotor stick another neddle on me after I read thsi aricle http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm. Yea please S**** cholestrol and the phony doctors who think im stupid enogh to get mine taken

I'm in exactly the same situation as you, Gab. High HDL and low triglycerides, but with highish LDL.

Having an HDL that high is actually protective against heart disease, so you and I are doing well.

I take fish oil capsules too. I take 1 three times a day, with meals. Try to get one that is "enteric coated" otherwise you will find yourself having "fishy" burps. Not that unpleasant, but better avoided.

Cheers,

Rosebud

For a number of years I suffered spasmodically from angina, that was until I ceased taking fish oil and have not had a tinge since. While fish oil is nutritious, the question which is raised in my mind is, as it is not a saturated fat and would likely cause those nasty wee free radicals, would this then have been the cause of the angina? I have been clear of angina for 3 years.

are you sure it was angina and not something else?

No it wasn't indigestion 'Breakable'.

For around 16 years, from about 1974 I was a vegetarian and fish was the main source of my diet, plus fish oil which was taken regularly yet, in 1990, I was rush to hospital were I had an emergency quadruple by-pass. Until this occasion I suffered frequently from angna which the physician put down to indigestion, some indigestion! I knew there was something wrong with my health, it doesn't take a genious to recognise this, but was repeatedly informed that I was mistaken, that I was, in fact, in good health.

For 5 years after the operation I was in such a poor state when I felt that my life was about to see its end. At this 5 year stage I took a deeper interest in my medication to discover that I was being wrongly treated, and that it was the treatment that was making me feel so awful!

I abandoned the medication and took a simple product like Q10 at 100 mgs or more daily, and have never looked back nor felt better. I did continue to suffer from angina pain so I am fully aware what it is. Around 3 years ago I observed a connection between those symptoms and my diet of fish oil capsules. On ceasing the fish oil I have been symptom-free!

My physician has never queried what I did nor asked why. Today, on reaching my 74th birthday I am healthy, fit, don't have any aches nor pains, do a workout with weights occasionally, and always have that feel good factor yet my diet consists principally of saturated fats and meats. Further more, I now believe that I still have a future! Indeed, I re-married 2 years ago.

Does that answer your question?

Gab:

Fish Oil (Omega 3)-- 1000mg/ 3x a day will bring down the Total Chol. and LDL over the course of 6 months or longer. Did for me.

Niacin (Nicotinic Acid) -- 100 mg/ each meal helps everthing (Trigly., LDL, HDL, VLDL, etc.) In fact, Niacin increases the size of LDL particles (LDL Pattern A). Lipid-CHD theorists consider that a good type of LDL. Of course, for some, Niacin has to be taken in much higher doses at night to have any significant impact on the numbers. I have had success with the dose above over the course of 6 + months. The harmless flushing side effect does take some time to get used to. Doses above 100mg at one time do magnify this flushing effect.

I am not a lipid-CHD advocate but rather an inflammation-CHD proponent. I do not believe that high LDL has any impact on heart disease. Otherwise, everyone with high LDL would have heart disease, but only half do.

You might ask your doctor to perform a VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) blood test. This test breaks down cholesterol into the subparticle classifications and also measures certain inflammatory markers (e.g., cardio CRP, homocysteine). If most of your LDL falls into Pattern A, then your doctor may not have a strong argument (from his/her perspective) to prescribe a statin drug. I had one done a while ago and it indicated that I was at low risk for CHD, despite high levels of LDL.

You might also read some articles on www.thincs.org.

...Find it all very interesting.

Wow, what an interesting series of unfortunate events! This would make for a good medical news article.

Duparc is an amazing person, full of great information.