I have had high cholesterol all my life. It is, and has always been, around 230 to 270 and my LDL is always from 130 to 170.

However, I have low triglycerides, normal blood sugar, and low / normal BP.

In addition, every time I am dieting and fast, my cholesterol goes through the roof. I don't know why. But each time that happens, my doctor freaks and wants to put me on medication. I don't want to do that. I have heard statins can cause diabetes.

But I am reaching middle age and menopause and I don't know if I am being unrealistic.

Take the meds.

I neglected mine and I developed GORD and I take Salprax and other cholesterol related stuff.

Take the meds.

Chris Masterjohn is the cholesterol guru. I would google your questions with his name.

Actually I ended up finding something out that is pretty interesting - being dehydrated can increase your cholesterol. When I am both dieting and fasting for 15 hours, I am likely extremely dehydrated. So I am going to hydrate myself and retest.

[htoun]

Be really careful with statins I had a lot of side effects with it. everything from muscle pain to mood swings it was really bad. I don't even test for it now.

Interesting about the dehydration. I dropped caffeine apparently it was making me dehydrated. Wonder if it was raising my cholesterol too

[jkcc3434]

Originally Posted by htoun

Be really careful with statins I had a lot of side effects with it. everything from muscle pain to mood swings it was really bad. I don't even test for it now.

Interesting about the dehydration. I dropped caffeine apparently it was making me dehydrated. Wonder if it was raising my cholesterol too

Yes, it's important to understand all the potential side effects of statins. One being lowing CoQ10 levels. We need CoQ10 to help make energy from our cells to function normally, so you can image what issues low CoQ10 levels can cause. Many doctors are starting to recommend a CoQ10 supplement along with the statins. Even if you take a "natural statin" like red yeast rice, your CoQ10 will still be depleted.

Originally Posted by jkcc3434

Even if you take a "natural statin" like red yeast rice, your CoQ10 will still be depleted.

One reason I won't be taking them. The truth is that I am really dubious of the cholesterol causes heart / strokes issues theory.

The truth is, that I recently found out, that stroke is cause primarily by other things. About 40% afib and about 20% heart defects. Heart attacks they still aren't entirely sure but they are sure that plenty of people with low cholesterol still have them.

Your body needs cholesterol for many things. Recently I heard a theory out of brazil that IMHO sounds pretty good. That heart attack is caused by a weak heart. Heart is the only organ that is also a muscle. When a muscle is not getting enough nutrients cells slough off -- this forms blockages around the heart -- but if you give it what it needs cells won't slough off. These are called..."Cardiotonic Agents. Agents that have a strengthening effect on the heart or that can increase cardiac output." There are many things that you can take, including Magnesium, but also YOUR BODY MAKES natural cardiotonics from cholesterol.

Seems obvious then that cholesterol reducers aren't helping.

[-jimi-]

According to statistics, statins haven't saved one female life. The side effects can be horrible. Just that they call it high cholesterol is dumb, without it you die. What they measure is cholesterol transporters which they think might cause trouble, but by stopping the transporters you're also stopping essential cholesterol to your heart, brain and muscle. With low triglycerides and "high cholesterol" not much is wrong really. I'm not into conspiracies but I lost people from statins, it's really toxic. I do think high cholesterol is a myth.

Originally Posted by -jimi-

I do think high cholesterol is a myth.

Agree. If you hear how the cholesterol hypothesis got started you can see the whole thing is based on faulty science. Basically they fed food to rabbits they shouldn't have.

In fact now that I have discovered that being dehydrated can elevate your numbers and most people have these tests when they are most dehydrated, in the morning after fasting, it could very well be that everyone has a higher tested cholesterol than they really have.

If in fact cholesterol is turned into Cardiotonic Agents by your body, keeping it low is actually hurting you.

My doctor really frustrated me yesterday. I mean I understand she has more than one patient but if she can't really remember what is going on with me, why bother. I asked for another cholesterol test to check out the hypothesis that dehydration is the problem. Previously it came back really high and I told her that happens when I am dieting and also, fasting. I believe it is due to dehydration. So this time, we planned, I was going to be fully hydrated when I got my test and not fast.

She sends me the paperwork and goes "be sure to fast for 10 hours prior to the test.'

Freaking... blurg.

It really makes me wonder what would happen if I was incapacitated and left to her care.