I just got my blood results back and my cholesterol has gone up almost 20 points since my lapband surgery in May. The dr. has called me a prescription for a lowering drug but then also said in 8 weeks i have to go back to have my liver checked from the drugs. Is there anyway to lower my levels without medications? Has anyone had any success with this? I do have a family history of heart disease which she said could be genetic and that is why it is going up. I am disappointed that I am losing weight but that is going up??? PLEASE HELP???

Excersise should help bring it down. Also a low fat diet, the fat you do get should be healthy fat- unsaturated. You get these from things such as nuts and avacado. Hope your numbers get better soon!

I am in the same boat, Jen36. I started increasing my fiber intake (Cherrios, oatmeal etc. ). Also, my doctor recommended me a B3 Vitamin called Niacin. I been taking for 2 months now, and I went down 11 points.

I read a study on www.pubmed.gov that said flaxseed oil has shown as good of results as statin drugs

I also saw this on www.whfoods.org

Flaxseed Provides Comparable Cholesterol-Lowering Benefits to Statin Drugs

In a study involving 40 patients with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL), daily consumption of 20 grams of ground flaxseed was compared to taking a statin drug. After 60 days, significant reductions were seen in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol-in both groups. Those receiving flaxseed did just as well as those given statin drugs!

Body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol were measured at the beginning of the study and after 60 days. In those eating flaxseed, significant reductions were seen in total cholesterol (-17.2%), LDL-cholesterol (-3.9%), triglycerides (-36.3%) and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-33.5%) were observed in the diet+flax group, compared to baseline. Similar reductions were seen in those taking the statin. Benefits did not significantly differ between the two groups.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81

Great Find LeighMason!!

Despite all my weight loss and the fact that I have been on pravastatin for years, my HDL just will not go up to an acceptable (to me) level. My total cholesteral is okay, but that HDL level is more important. I have a family history of heart disease and stroke, so I am concerned.

My doctor just doubled my dosage. I eat healthy and exercise but my numbers were slightly better before my weight loss. Go figure. I will get more blood work later this month and see if this helps.

If your doctor prescribes you a statin drug, be very vigilent for any side-effects. Zocor literally attacked my body in every way from the day after I began taking it. All I could do was sleep and hurt. I took myself off of them and within two weeks was feeling almost normal.

I later started taking a multi Vitamin from Centrum called Centrum Cardio that seemed to help, but I am not sure how it work with the band.

I am getting the cheerios and oatmeal tonight. I am also going to get some omega 3 and I think I will try the flax seed oil!!!!! Thanks for the advice. I am def. worried about taking a prescription, I haven't heard alot of good things about those so I would rather try natural first... Wish me luck!!!!

I've been taking fish oil for years and while it helps with my triglycerides, it hasn't helped with cholesterol. The statins are actually fairly safe drugs and are an important part of care for those with high cholesterol, especially those with a family history of heart disease, like me.

All drugs have side effects, just like high blood pressure, diabetic and anti-depression drugs many on here take. But you have to weight the benefits vs risk.

If you have high cholesterol, lowering it with diet alone is usually not effective to get it to a normal level.

Exercise will help your good cholesterol go up but does not bring the bad down. I have lost 100 pounds exercise every day, and don't eat red meat, egg yolks, or fried food; and my cholesterol is not getting any better. I also started a statin drug this month. You do have to get your blood work done to see how it is affecting your liver. My doctor recommended CoEnzyme Q10 (over the counter) to help with the body aches you can get from taking a statin. I started out with 50 mg twice a day and have moved to 100 mg twice a day (just because 50 is hard to find). So far I have not really had much misc. pain. I also have a family history of heart disease. For what it's worth my sister who has always been normal weight had terrible cholesterol numbers for years. After I had a ministroke (at 39) her doctor told her to stop playing around with "natural" remodies and take the medication.

A couple of years ago my cholesterol was over 200, and my doctor prescribed Zocor and lots of exercise. Well, I followed doctor's orders and exercised, ate lots of oatmeal, and tried to avoid red meat and shellfish and within 2 months my cholesterol went down to 111.

Lots of good advice here, but remember that medication is not the end of the world.

If your doctor prescribes you a statin drug, be very vigilent for any side-effects. Zocor literally attacked my body in every way from the day after I began taking it. All I could do was sleep and hurt. I took myself off of them and within two weeks was feeling almost normal.

I later started taking a multi Vitamin from Centrum called Centrum Cardio that seemed to help, but I am not sure how it work with the band.

I was taking Lipitor. I had the same reaction. I was so weak, I couldn't walk without assistance. I was on a very high dose, because this PA at the drs offic ethat thought it was a good idea to lower my cholestrol to below 165. I =, also, took myself off after moving to Florida from Maryland. I refused for my new physician to put me on a drug.

But, the good news is that once I lost my weight, the numbers went to normal!!!

Good luck, I hope that you do not get the same reaction on your body as we did. Karen(kll724)

Believe it or not, I corrected both my good and bad cholesterols by doing Atkins. Took 2 months of eating nothing but Protein and under 20 carbs a day (ate a large salad made only with spinach leaves and oil and vinegar 2 x a day with my protein). At first my doctor was horrified but I'd read enough about Atkins and heard enough from others who had the same results that I thought I'd give it a try. Figured it couldn't be any worse than taking statins.

On the plus side, I was also able to get my blood sugar levels to a normal range without medication.

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