High cholesterol

[1000fist]

Yup this is what I have been saying.

If you have the FH, you need the meds eventually.

some people just think that medication is bad. if u want to stop can. do gene test first. if no genetic condition then exercise and dieting will definitely help.

 

[Racking2322]

I am ALWAYS skeptical about doctors/specialists. If a long term med or any surgery is required, I will always seek a second or even third opinion before making a decision. It's hard some time coz of many self research and reading need to be done and critical thinking / cross checking be applied with all the info that can be gathered (stimes I do feel tired / confused).

Cholesterol and statin use has been a highly debatable topic. If doctors are debating among themselves, and it will be even a more difficult decision to make as a layman individual from the 'risks vs benefits' point (esp if one has no other underlying conditions other than a high LDL).

*The recent research on Lean Mass Hyper Responders pique my interest.

**My direct/indirect experiences with most if not all GPs = once they see LDL high = statin. They don't really look at a patient's overall health picture = I don't trust GPs' when it comes to statin prescriptions.

Actually got. My niece in 20s got high cholesterol. Her gp gave supplement, not statin. My case is statin but the doctor check liver first. Anyway, there r ppl i know try few months and then stop as the level went down. So doesn’t mean once take must take always

 

[Mecisteus]

some people just think that medication is bad. if u want to stop can. do gene test first. if no genetic condition then exercise and dieting will definitely help.

Nah some are just anti pharmas.

You go to r/cholesterol, so many young angmos with FH taking statins.

Diet and lifestyle may not be easy even if you don't have FH.

By they way, you should also test for lipo(a) if not done. You need to bring down LDL much lower if lipo(a) is high.

Lipo(a) is more atherogenic.

 

[TLCTLC88]

the only way is to cut off sugars + carbs, your cholesterol would go down. you may google about it, it's a known problem.

I am already on low carb diet, not much sugar stuffs unless eating desserts or ice cream. Doesn't help lah. Doctor's conclusion is my body cannot produce good chlorestrol.

 

[mummynew]

i am on inclisiran. genetic, did gene test to determine FH. no amount of dieting and exercise will help.

Can share where did you get the gene test from and at what age you start the inclisiran and at that point in time, what're your numbers?

I read that inclisiran is a PCSK9-targeting med that is classified under 'gene therapy' which is relatively new to the market. Are you under private doc's care (coz I dont think our public system will prescribe this yet)?

 

[1000fist]

Can share where did you get the gene test from and at what age you start the inclisiran and at that point in time, what're your numbers?

I read that inclisiran is a PCSK9-targeting med that is classified under 'gene therapy' which is relatively new to the market. Are you under private doc's care (coz I dont think our public system will prescribe this yet)?

I did my genetic test at Yishun Community Hospital.
I just took my first injection weeks ago and I am coming to 31 YO this year.
4.X mmol/L. Government Doctor.

 

[mummynew]

I did my genetic test at Yishun Community Hospital.
I just took my first injection weeks ago and I am coming to 31 YO this year.
4.X mmol/L. Government Doctor.

May I know how much is the cost coz I am keen to get my nephew for a gene test to see which of his genes is/are defective?

Other than that, do you still have to pair it with statin?

 

[1000fist]

May I know how much is the cost coz I am keen to get my nephew for a gene test to see which of his genes is/are defective?

Other than that, do you still have to pair it with statin?

I did it for free 1 year ago. If not I heard its few K.
Yes, need to pair with statin. Statin isn't keeping my LDL down to a very low level
required for people like me with FH.
My target is 1.5 mmol/L.

 

[stanlawj]

I'm also LMHR, and LDL shot up as high as 5.6 (2017) as I adopted LCHF and consume a lot more saturated fats than usual. LDL stayed high for a few years while I was on that diet.

Got my LDL lower to 2.9 (mid 2022) after I went towards plant heavy diet and greatly reduced fatty meat, sticking with leaner meat.

Recently did health screening and my LDL went up to borderline high as I was eating more meat for more protein and consume more fatty meat in the process. Also did ApoB and the number is within range.

How high is the risk with the increased LDL (3.5), coupled with this ApoB reading? Any advice? Thanks.

Risk varies according to person and whether your fats floating around in your body is actually well protected from oxidation, or is constantly under oxidation.

Take it to the extreme: you can eat a high fat meal and spike up your LDL immediately, but why no heart attack immediately after the meal? Especially teenager and children too.

 

[standarture]

I'm no longer on low carb. Stopped it 4-5 years ago and my LDL drop from 5+ to 4+.

Just to make things clearer, I don't think it's the additional of carb that result in the drop of LDL from 5 to 4. It's the reduction of fatty meat for my case, I believed.

It dropped further down from 4+ to 3 when I started to go on a plant heavy diet with some very lean meat. It went up recently from 2.9 to 3.5 when I start eating more meat again (which inevitably add more fatty meat into the diet).

I think I had enough carb. Just need to reduce more meat (fatty meat), to get the LDL to 3 or below which I feel more comfortable. At least that's what works for my body as the previous results shown.

My LDL swings wildly too, greatly depending on my food consumption, based on what I observed. At least as shown in my case with the yearly results, dated from 2015 onwards...

Just curious, your low carb diet, did you really follow it stringently? Not even a slice of bread and not too much protein. As much clean fat as possible. If not it is not much diff. Did you enter ketosis and maintained it throughout? I suspect you didnt and your fat didnt turn into the fuel source.

Hopefully you werent eating lots of hawker roast meats lol

 

[ahnyaahnya]

Have been living with high cholesterol for over 2 decades..

You on statin?

 

[mummynew]

Just curious, your low carb diet, did you really follow it stringently? Not even a slice of bread and not too much protein. As much clean fat as possible. If not it is not much diff. Did you enter ketosis and maintained it throughout? I suspect you didnt and your fat didnt turn into the fuel source.

Hopefully you werent eating lots of hawker roast meats lol

Talking about 'ketosis'.

My about 30 yo girl recently went for check up and her urine showing small ketones (actually first time I see med report showing ketones):



She is not on low carb diet (my house practised 'Balanced Diet') and she is very discipline to drink a lot of water daily (coz she wants to have 'moisten' skin). Don't know the ketones come from where.

 

[Mecisteus]

Risk varies according to person and whether your fats floating around in your body is actually well protected from oxidation, or is constantly under oxidation.

Take it to the extreme: you can eat a high fat meal and spike up your LDL immediately, but why no heart attack immediately after the meal? Especially teenager and children too.

Because it's about the length of exposure.

Try eating the high fat meal every day for the next 20 years.

 

[stanlawj]

Because it's about the length of exposure.

Try eating the high fat meal every day for the next 20 years.

Hmmm... you need to elaborate it as High SATURATED fatty meal that comes from malnourished animals (fat has low vitamins) and oxidised heavily during cooking (fats become sticky in the blood).

Because adding bone broths, EVOO (olive oil) and avocados can turn a meal into a high fat meal too.

Everyday, I have one high fat meal: it's laced with lots of cold-pressed flaxseed oil, or coconut milk. My BMI is between 17 to 18 since I was uni 20s until now in my 40s.

 

[Nanduleg]

You on statin?

I am takin also

 

[LionKingBu]

Recently did body checkup, despite taking fish oil for few years still high cholesterol. Thinking of go JB buy some med. Can someone advice which med the best. Many thanks.

Best not to self medicate
If u have strong family history eg parents with stroke/heart attack
Then better be safe than sorry

 

[lls0101]

Just curious, your low carb diet, did you really follow it stringently? Not even a slice of bread and not too much protein. As much clean fat as possible. If not it is not much diff. Did you enter ketosis and maintained it throughout? I suspect you didnt and your fat didnt turn into the fuel source.
Hopefully you werent eating lots of hawker roast meats lol

Low carb do not mean no carb though. And the definition of low carb is pretty broad based on what I read.

I do keep the carb below 80-100 most of the time when I'm doing LC previously and on some days, below 30g. The keto breath and the metallic taste at the tip of the tongue is awful for me so I prefer not to be in ketosis.

Earlier in my low carb journey, I'm not as knowledgeable and the choice of food is definitely subpar. As I continue to read more and do my research on food nutrition, my diet gradually clean up itself. Healthier fats, minimal junks, etc...

But as I read more, I start to be not as close minded as well. Got out of the echo chamber and start reading more broadly. Eventually settled for my current diet and also more pleased with my current lipid readings.

No opinion on what's the "best" diet. Just bringing up my observation on my diet and lipid readings. May or may not be helpful to others.

 

[bakuten]

Talking about 'ketosis'.

My about 30 yo girl recently went for check up and her urine showing small ketones (actually first time I see med report showing ketones):



She is not on low carb diet (my house practised 'Balanced Diet') and she is very discipline to drink a lot of water daily (coz she wants to have 'moisten' skin). Don't know the ketones come from where.

a few questions.
what's her current body composition like? fit/atheletic/avg/bahbah/buibui?
how is her eating timing like?
she got take MCT supplements like coconut oil?

 

[bakuten]

Low carb do not mean no carb though. And the definition of low carb is pretty broad based on what I read.

I do keep the carb below 80-100 most of the time when I'm doing LC previously and on some days, below 30g. The keto breath and the metallic taste at the tip of the tongue is awful for me so I prefer not to be in ketosis.

Earlier in my low carb journey, I'm not as knowledgeable and the choice of food is definitely subpar. As I continue to read more and do my research on food nutrition, my diet gradually clean up itself. Healthier fats, minimal junks, etc...

But as I read more, I start to be not as close minded as well. Got out of the echo chamber and start reading more broadly. Eventually settled for my current diet and also more pleased with my current lipid readings.

No opinion on what's the "best" diet. Just bringing up my observation on my diet and lipid readings. May or may not be helpful to others.

i did sub 25g total carbs/day for 5months(BMI dropped from 35+ to 25+, 13 inches off my waist), that keto breath started on day 4 and went away after around week 6.

 

[Eddedd]

I also high cholesterol, and only that marker high Nia. Whatever diet you want to go for is your choice to make, but the only sure thing I know is to cut off sugar and highly processed food as soon as possible, it is the root cause of many problems