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Cholesterol of 8.7 at 35

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hannahbell35
hannahbell35

Hi and thanks for taking the time to read this. I have been back to my GP in the last few weeks after continual hypertension for the last couple of years which peaked at 190/124 two weeks ago. I was started on Amlodipine 5mg, had eye test and ordered to have further bloods done and urine dip. I went back to my GP today. I've got to redo urine dip, but bloods showed "generally normal results" but cholesterol of 8.7 and today's BP reading of 168/104. GP says cholesterol levels are the highest of anyone he's seen of someone my age (35) and called me a "ticking time bomb for death" which has not done me anxiety levels much good! ... He's increased Amlodipine to 10mg daily and asked me to go back in 2 weeks for further BP check. Had 24 hour heart monitor on August this year which showed heart as fine .... I guess my question is if anyone else has been in similar circumstances ... And whether I should start statins which is something that was suggested by doc today. To add last year my bloods showed raised liver enzymes and ultrasound confirmed fatty liver. I have made big changes to my lifestyle and current liver results were normal. I am 35 yrs old and 10 stones 4 lb. my dad had high cholesterol and was stated on BP meds in his thirties ... Any advice welcome:

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37 Replies

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  • lee12629
    lee12629 hannahbell35

    Posted

    Do you ever monitor your own blood pressure at home. Google white coat syndrome. If I had your doctor mine would be through the roof. He should be helping you,not scareing the heck out of you.
    • mrbob84
      mrbob84 lee12629

      Posted

      My GP does not trust the machines that take your BP, she likes to do it manually.  I also do NOT drink coffee the morning of a doctor visit.  Doing so was responsible for me being on BP meds for a couple years, causing all sorts of ill effects, from not being able to stay awake through a full movie to impotence, all from bp that was too low due to the drug.  

      Since I have stopped drinking coffee any morning of a doctor visit, my BP has returned to absolutely normal and I have stopped taking the enalypril for that purpose.  I still take 1/4 of the minimum dosage I had been taking, but only because the cardiologist wants me to have the benefits of that drug for heart maintenance purposes.  

      But my low bp symptoms are now a thing of the past.  As is my high bp. I am completely normal now.  

      DON'T DRINK COFFEE ANY MORNING OF A DOCTOR VISIT!

  • wayne1962
    wayne1962 hannahbell35

    Posted

    Wow. Reading these posts is like looking in the mirror. We are not alone.

    Hannahbell, you state you have made big changes to lifestyle and current liver results were normal. You state that heart monitor showed that organ to be fine. You also state that your father had high cholesterol, which would indicate that your condition is inherited, but you are counteracting that by being sensible with diet and exercise. Your youth is an advantage. Get another medical opinion, and then another if you are not comfortable. Don't get bogged down with numbers. Worrying won't help, but knowlege will, so research the effects of statins. You are doing the right things now and they seem to be working. Statins are a big risk.

    Good luck.

    • loxie
      loxie wayne1962

      Posted

      Very sensible reply Wayne.  I totally agree that Hannah's doctor has inappropriately used 'scare tactics', even if they were well meaning.  Frightening her and causing her stress is going to increase her problems not help them.  You are so right about not getting bogged down with numbers - when my doctor threw my reading of 9.2 at me, he made it sound like i'd drop dead before leaving his office.  I went home and cried for days fearing my life was over.  I obediently, and to be honestly eagerly, swallowed the statins believing they were my only chance to save my life.  I was ignorant and ill informed.  As you've rightly advised Hannah, research, research and more research is needed.  If I'd done my homework and armed myself with knowledge I wouldn't have been so stupid and allowed myself to be scared into the wrong course of action.
  • loxie
    loxie hannahbell35

    Posted

    Hannah, regardless of the discussion on statins.  Well done you for making lifestyle changes to help your health.   If your health issues were at least in part due to an unhealthy lifestyle, ie diet, overweight, lack of exercise etc.  All of that can be changed very simply.  It's hard work but it's worth it,  you will see results very swiftly.  Keep up the good work, continue what you're doing to get back to a healthy lifestyle.  This is the best - although hardest - way of reversing a lot of the 'bad' readings.  Doctors are too keen to throw pills and toxic drugs at people as an easy fix when often counselling, support, life planning etc would be a much better option, maybe theyre lazy maybe theyre 'too busy', who knows but please dont grab the pill bottle as the first port of call, these toxic chemicals will solve one problem and damage your health in other ways, which may not be reversible.  Last comment - you've done well and can see the benefits, use that as your motivation to take control of your own body and dont be bullied by doctors.  xx
  • mbfish1
    mbfish1 hannahbell35

    Posted

    i have been taking statins since 19995, 4 years ago i was switched to pravststin with a kicker of  Lopid .and ever since i have been in agony. Against Doctors orders i have begone to wean myself off statins very slowly. my most recent levels are perfect so i will continue to keep reducing my intake until i am not taking anything. I will check back when i am completely done and let you know how i feel.
    • wayne1962
      wayne1962 mbfish1

      Posted

      Hi mbfish1, glad to hear you are taking control of your health. I weaned myself off statins without telling the doctor having taken lipitor @ 80mg for two years. It has been 6 months and I am still dealing with side effects - the occassional burning liver at night, aching in hands and feet that constantly need stretching, excema rashes appearing on face, chest and back. These exasperating side effects are diminishing but very, very slowly. Time will tell whether there has been any long term damage as a result.

      I think it's criminal the way doctors prescribe this poison that they know very well have multiple debilitating risks for the patient. The very best of luck with your journey and do keep us all posted as to how you are progressing.

  • helene32790
    helene32790 hannahbell35

    Posted

    Hi, a year ago I was put on Amlodipine(10mg) for high blood pressure. I was over weight and I am a smoker. After taking them for 2 months my hair started falling out and by October I had lost about half my hair and my gums were swollen (side affects of Amlodipine). Every day I checked my own  BP with a moniter I had bought and it came up very low, 90/59. Still taking Amlodipine and 2 stone lighter ,I had a routine BP check at my GP's surgery and my Blood pressure was 179/85. Have you heard of white coat hypertension? I came off the Bp tablets as it was decided that's what I had. I monitored my BP at home for a month which showed normal readings. I have also had  cholesterol  tests. First was 8.2, second was 15.5 but was on the Atkins diet, third at LLoyds chemist 5.3. My Gp referred me to a lipid clinic as she said I could have FH. My cholesterol test there was Total 7.2, LDL 5, HDL 1.8 and Tryglicerides 0.9, total/hdl ratio 4. Both my GP and the hospital tried to push for me to take statins and my GP one day said and I quote "you've got to take them." I dont think so. I went on to the NHS heart health risk check and it says that my last cholesterol results are healthy so what should you believe. I will not take statins even if my DNA test proves positive for FH, the side affects are frightening. Statins cost very little per day,would they be prescribed so freely if that cost was much higher? You should get yourself a blood pressure monitor to see if you readings are different at home then take it to your Gp's surgery and get them to check it.  
    • loxie
      loxie helene32790

      Posted

      Your comments ring a bell with me too Helene.  I have always had normal BP but a couple of times I was at the doctors who tested it and it was raised.  Instantly it was a case of ...here take these pills for the rest of your life.  No thanks said I, it's maybe just anxiety at being at the doctors.  After much pushing, my doctor agreed to fitting me with a 24hr monitor to wear at home.  End result, overall normal.  Raised BP when doing anything stressful or overly energetic, lower when resting or calm.  Thanks said I, do I now say "I told you so".   If it werent for forums like this I probably would have just said yes to taking more poisonous pills.  Statins taught me a lesson, never again will I be a sheep and let my GP force me into taking something that injures my health.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 helene32790

      Posted

      In the US its called white coat syndrome. For a few years I was pressed to take bp med,monitered it at home,normal. Never did take the pills,would have had low bp if I had. Thsy push pills like crazy and keep lowering the standard for whats normal.
    • mrbob84
      mrbob84 lee12629

      Posted

      At the risk of repeating myself I am going to repeat a post above, as it applied to BP there too:

      My GP does not trust the machines that take your BP, she likes to do it manually.  I remind her of that with every visit and she's always glad to do it.  The numbers are often very different between the machine's results and those of the doctor doing the testing.

      I also do NOT drink coffee the morning of a doctor visit.  Doing so was responsible for me being on BP meds for a couple years, causing all sorts of ill effects, from not being able to stay awake through a full movie to impotence, all from bp that was too low due to the drug.  

      Since I have stopped drinking coffee any morning of a doctor visit, my BP has returned to absolutely normal and I have stopped taking the enalypril for that purpose.  I still take 1/4 of the minimum dosage I had been taking, but only because the cardiologist wants me to have the benefits of that drug for heart maintenance purposes.  

      But my low bp symptoms are now a thing of the past.  As is my high bp. I am completely normal now.  

      DON'T DRINK COFFEE ANY MORNING OF A DOCTOR VISIT!

    • lee12629
      lee12629 mrbob84

      Posted

      Hi,yes caffine will raise blood pressure. They always took my bp manually,doctors visits stress me terribly thats why my bp would shoot through the roof.
    • helene32790
      helene32790 loxie

      Posted

      Hi Loxie, my GP was quite irate when I refused statins. But what makes me laugh is that they tell you how dangerous high cholesterol can be but it took 6 months for me to get an appointment at the lipid clinic. I questioned the Doctor and Consultant there about the dangers of statins and all the media coverage they were getting, neither of them would comment. They said that I should give up smoking, yes we all know the risks we take when we smoke and that is my choice, but THEY are willing to prescribe you something that has dangerous risks to your heath and irrevrsible side affects.  I have to wait until June for the DNA test results for FH, well that's if  I decide to go back there. In the letter they sent me and my GP with some of my blood test reults it says that I may reconsider taking statins if I have FH, again I dont think so. Clearly they didn't listen to what I said. I should have done some research before going to the lipid clinic. They do your weight, height, measure your waist  blood pressure, ecg, Qrisk2, check your heart rate when holding your breathe, pulses in you feet, check for tendon axanthoma. and get you to talk to a dietian. The Qrisk2 was done using the 15.5 cholesterol result and did you know that your post code is used for social status. When I asked what that has to do with anything the Doctor didn't know what to say. So just because you live in a certain area you are more at risk. How do they know how you live, what money you have, if you own a house or car, your achievements in life? Everyone is different, they should be looking at the individual.  They dont actually measure your waist but more on the top part of your hips, then tell you your waist is too big.   My GP told me it would just be for blood tests. That made me very angry because she knows my views on hospitals especially the one I went to. You walk in the doors and it is like walking into a shopping mall, clothing and toy shop, chemist, M&S food store etc. I told one of the nurses at the lipid clinic that there was no way I would ever take statins and she said I dont blame you and that she would never take them. There are going to be many more people put on statins with the new guidelines and if you look at certain other guidelines it says Doctors have to treat patients in the most cost effective way, STATINS.  It should say they safest way. 
    • helene32790
      helene32790 lee12629

      Posted

      I did read that a normal cholesterol level in UK, maybe 20 years ago or more, was 7.6. My Son told me about statins. I have problems with my spine and not a day goes by where I am not in pain. I dont take any medication for it and I think it helps that I have a very high pain threshold. When I did take medication  many years ago I felt dreadful. I have looked at many studies and research from all over the world in the last year about the pros and cons of statins and I have decided they are not for me as I am not prepared to put myself at risk of further health problems especially after the BP  tablets made my hair fall out. My GP became very irate when I refused statins and said if I have FH I would have to take them. She never asked why. I worked for quite a few years caring for wonderful people who had terminal cancer, Parkinsons, MS, Motor Neurone disease, Ataxia to name a few. Some decided not to take medication as they didn't want to prolong the inevitable for them. Like those people we all have a choice and GP'S should respect that.  
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