Anyone else have high cholesterol?

When I had mine done they told me it was higher than they'd like, but not shocking. 6ish maybe?

I have started having a brazil nut every morning, apparently that can help (but I'm fully prepared to be told that it's an old wives tale)

Que the doubters...Is that your total? In reality you need to know either the ratio, or the levels of non-HDL. It doesn't hurt to cut down on the sorts of foods you describe, but cholesterol is just an indicator of your risk. Weight, diet, alcohol consumption activity levels, family history , all that make a difference.

Yes. Was 8.something at a check when I had chest pains following covid. So made diet changes and it came down to 6 in a year. But the diet was unsustainable for many reasons. So now I eat normally, but with the addition of plant sterol spread instead of butter. But I haven't had a cholesterol check for a while now so don't know where I am at now.

Given family history, I suspect I will need statins at some point and there is not a lot I can do about that.

<p style="text-align: left;">What was your cholesterol level in previous years?</p>
I'm not in the same boat, slightly older but no idea what my cholesterol level is.

I thought cholesterol varied from person to person depending on many factors such as genetics?

I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty certain I'll die at some point!

Given family history, I suspect I will need statins at some point and there is not a lot I can do about that.

Yeah, the nurse said they'll put me on statins before I'm 60 regardless of if I need them or not due to both my parents having TIA's in the past.

As above mine was 8 too and was accidentally discovered when working in Switzerland as the company had voluntary testing.

I was cycling in and out day at the time (40k) and ate a good diet and played 5aside 3 days a week.

Mine is hereditary so no amount of lifestyle changes will make much difference, doctors say 10%. So pills for life.

Similar, late 40's when bloods came back at 7 something. Both parents on statins though, so it can be in the genes. I just take a low dose (20mg) of Atorvastatin and no side effects at all, and cholesterol is OK.

Diet was good as it was, and GP said I won't get it down through diet - I did try first.

Worth trying via diet, but the tablets do work in a low dose. All other health check indicators were low for heart attack risk.

Mine is low, despite being a chubster, but my Doc put me on statins anyway because my QRISK was 10.9. Every indicator except my BMI is low. I'm supposed to take them for 3 months and then do a fasting blood test.

40mg of Atarvostatin.

I messed about with diet for a bit then doc said she thought it was probably genetic. I also take a couple of BP meds too. I feel fine and BP / Cholesterol are now good. I'm glad to be on them.

Despite all the 'anti-drug' stuff, if a small dose brings it in range, then fine. Some drugs cause side effects so be aware not all drugs suit one person. My mum had issues with statins before being on Atorvastatin, no issues after (muscle aches). Me and my dad have always been on atorvastatin. Me about 4-5 years now. PS I do forget to take it, at times, but bloods still OK.

Thanks for the replies. Think I'll try to change diet and ask for a re-test at the end of the year - see if it actually makes a difference.

After I did 4 months on Keto my cholesterol was down to 3.7 from 4.5.

Cut back or don’t drink alcohol. Reduce your carb and sugar intake.

Yes, I had a test on April ( I'm 49 ) and it was 7, currently trying to reduce it by improving diet, less booze, planet sterol spread, more oats, etc.

I've lost 7kg this year since a January high of 84kg and 3kg since April, I'm due a restest this month so will be interesting to see if this has made any difference, I'll go on the statins if I need to as both my parents are taking them.

Cut back or don’t drink alcohol. Reduce your carb and sugar intake.

Interesting, the nurse said my sugar levels and alcohol consumption were fine - instead I was to avoid saturated fats as much as possible.

I’ve lost 7kg this year since a January high of 84kg and 3kg since April

Awesome - well done!! Report back if it made a difference, would be good to know.

I'm 46 and had my first test was a couple of years ago.  The result was 6 something, which was a surprise, BP normal and resting HR of 55.

I went to the Doc as I had a weird pressure above the heart , had and ECG but it was fine too.  I put it down to nerve damage from a clavicle repair but at the time also realised that 10-12 cups of tea with 1 sugar probably wasn't best.  Moved to decaf with a sweetner and it hasn't come back.  I was also smashing the booze through lockdown and that's changed now along with weight.  I'm trying to get another test at the moment so it will be interesting to see if it's changed.

TLDR

Mine was high whilst everything else normal, have made diet changes so awaiting result.

Mine was the highest my doctor has ever seen. Do I get a prize?

Mine was the highest my doctor has ever seen. Do I get a prize?

Wow - what was the number? (might make me feel better)

I don't remember, I didn't pay much attention. Everyone has to die someday, I'd rather have a heart attack than suffer from dementia for years.

Been on 10mg for years, mine is hereditary, have a good diet so my ratio is always good. Get tested every year.

"I don’t remember, I didn’t pay much attention. Everyone has to die someday, I’d rather have a heart attack than suffer from dementia for years."

+1  . A dodgy ticker is a bonus. Rather go suddenly from overindulging than suffer slowly from the joys of cancer et al...

51yo and not particularly healthy lifestyle. Slightly high, but it's been higher before and I know exactly what to do to get it down

Triglycerides 2.1 - green

HDL 1.4 - green

Non HDL 4.6 - amber

Colchester 6 - amber

Total cholesterol/HDL ratio 4.29 - amber

BP 128/66

Got an amber flag because my resting heart rate was 48

On Betas?

What's the least faff way to get a test?

Although I'm reasonably fit for a 43y.o. I follow a butter based diet so I'm half expecting my cholesterol to be off the chart.

It's probably better that I find out now than ignore it for another decade...

Colchester 6 – amber

seems about right, I'd give Colchester an amber rating, dodgy place

I had bloods done for something else recently and the gp messaged me about cholesterol - total 5.6, hdl 2.2, non hdl 3.4. Qrisk is about 6. We'd changed diet a bit a year or two back when MrsP got a high cholesterol reading but cheese and cake were proving hard for me to resist. Gp wants to follow up in a year so I'm being good (well, better) for now.

Understand Your CHOLESTEROL PANEL & Metabolic Health Tests - The ULTIMATE Guide | Dr. Robert Lustig

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Interesting reading this thread and comparing with ones from years back. The message that SUGAR is a major problem particulary in the reducing the levels of friendly cholesterol whilst increasing unfriendly is getting through. That and sugar damaging arteries then cholesterol collecting on damage sites.

I've been avoiding added sugar for years but don't worry too much about butter, cheese or >70% chocolate. A doctor looked at my blood test results  decades ago and said "you don't need to worry about cholesterol and never will"  which seemed like a bold statement given my family history but he's been right so far. Recent results for an active over 60 year old in the ideal body mass range with normal blood pressure :

Triglycerides 0.66

Cholesterol 3.12

HDL 1.57

Total/HDL 2

LDL calculé Friedwald 1.25

If you are worried check out the Meditteranean diet, particularly the Lyon version.

yep @doomanic:

After I did 4 months on Keto my cholesterol was down to 3.7 from 4.5.

I did 4 months on keto earlier this year to drop a couple of stone.  Went from 6.5 (last time I was tested was some time ago) to 3.9 (at the end of my keto this time around).

I also eat more eggs than 99.99% of the population - because I keep chickens, guinea fowl and geese.  Every single day.

I've no studies that show this to hand (doesn't mean they don't exist - there's a lot of research in the area) but I think if your body is fat-adapted, i.e. it becomes efficient at using fat as a source of energy (and keto certainly makes your body that) then you become generally metabolically healthier.  Which makes sense - we've not evolved to eat carbs in the way the modern diet pumps them at us.

I don't think you need to do keto for the rest of your life (I certainly won't / am not) - but I eat no ultraprocessed food at home and I'm now naturally "low carb" (not keto, but for life) because the dietary habits keto helped me form were a total eye-opener.  Only fresh food cooked from recognisable ingredients, from scratch.

If we're out we don't worry.  If pizza is what everyone is going for, then we're not killjoys (although if someone wants me to walk into pizza hut or somewhere equivalent I'll just skip the pizza, if I'm going to eat crap, I'm going to eat on the better end of crap).

Anyways.  I recommend everyone tries hard keto for three or four months because if you've never done it, it's a proper game-changer.  (And a 2 or 3 day water fast to kick you into it - so you can really feel what rubbish feels like for a bit.)

Anyways.  No statins for me! 🙂

Apparently I'm a bit above ideal after having my first NHS check (didn't bother to book one after I turned 40), been told to book another test in six months time.

Main suspected culprits are eating a lot more cheese of late, weekly pizza plus we've finally finished a bottle of cheaper veg cooking oil and now back to extra virgin olive.