4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[iar fach goch]

I have just been told by my gp surgery to go on a low fat diet for 3 months and then have my cholesterol level taken again. How important is your cholesterol level as regards your overall health? Mine was 5.1, I am (I thought ) a healthy weight (5ft 8 and 9st 4) and relatively fit, (play netball once a week and keep up with three small boys). I eat quite healthily (am vegetarian with a liking for chocolate!), don't drink regularly and don't smoke. I was quite taken aback with the advice, so I thought I'd turn to you for some more.

[Snowy]

Hm, my knowledge is a bit rusty (one of our Omlet practice nurses will be able to shed more light on the subject!) but cholesterol in the blood is what causes the narrowing of the arteries and increases your chances of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. For most people it can be controlled by lifestyle changes, but for some it is genetic. If there is no change after your 3 months of eating low fat, they may suggest further tests to see if you have a genetic predisposition. But I am fairly sure your result is only just above the normal range and it should be broken down into the 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol as it may not be as bad as thought. Hope that helps to start with!

[Goosey Lucy]

In September mine was 7.7

 

The doc described it as 'a little sky high.'

 

We have a genetic tendency to high levels, I have since discovered that 7 great uncles, my grand father and uncle all died in their late 40s/early 50s due to heart attacks/strokes etc.

I went on a low cholesterol diet for 2 months (sheer hell most of the time TBH). When I was retested it had fallen to 5.5

 

I am due to be checked again in February. However Christmas has taken it toll and I am struggling again to drop the things I shouldn't be eating.

 

If you have a genetic disposition to high cholesterol, diet can still have a big impact.

 

Yes I am overweight but don't eat processed foods, my main problem is butter, cheese, eggs and sausages. And all foods that contain these lovely things.

 

Having said that the doc was very good and said that even people who are naturally slim and eat a Vegan diet can find they have high cholesterol levels.

 

The British Heart Foundation has some good tips.

 

pm me if you want any other info or this will become a huge long ramble

[Seagazer]

My FIL died of a heart attack at 52. He was thin, ate really healthily, was fit and active all the time. It turned out he had high cholesterol and now all of his kids (hubby etc) have their cholesterol checked. Two of them did have high scores and went onto tablets. OH somehow, given his love of butter, had average scores.

 

When I had mine checked it was 4.7 which I was surprised about as I have read that cholesterol can be a cause of gallstones which run in my family (I've got a 'rumbly' gallbladder).

 

I hope you manage to bring yours down but its not really high. A friend of ours was 12

 

Edited to add: sorry don't want to scare anyone. FIL did have high blood pressure as well so it wasn't just the cholesterol.

[abwsco]

Mine was higher than that recently when it was checked but I was told it was OK as the "good" levels were allright. Was just told to carry on what I was doing. Did the GP tell you the splits or just get you into panic mode.

[chickencam]

I had mine checked when I was diagnosed with my underactive thyroid, because one of the complications of this can be high cholesterol. I also come from a family with a history of circulatory problems and my superfit dad had a heart attack at 60.

 

It was 4.3 which I was pretty pleased with because I have a liking for butter cheese and eggs. I don't however eat much chocolate except at Christmas, and no processed foods.

 

I do drink moderately, although after one glass of red tonight I have had to correct so many typos

[Tessa the Duchess]

I had mine checked under a year ago, it was 4.6 which really surprised me as I eat a lot of cheese and butter. When I was younger cholesterol was an unknown thing

 

 

 

Tessa

[iar fach goch]

thanx for the replies, I wasn't told the splits, just that it was too high and that I had to go on a low fat diet, as I said I eat quite healthily, my only real indulgence is chocolate, and it'll be a very miserable life if I cut that out!

[Lesley]

I could be here all night - but I'll try to keep it short

 

I had a test a few years ago after my Mother had to have quintuple bypass. She was the most unlikely person to have heart problems and heart was the last thing to be checked. I and my two sisters were advised to be checked. One sister is thin and didn't bother to be checked, the other was very overweight and had a level of 4.2. Mine, bearing in mind I was normal weight and had been vegetarian for about 20 years, was 8.2. I was allowed to try reducing it with a low fat diet for over a year but it was still 7.9.

 

Eventually, I agreed to try Statins - much against my will. My level came down to 5.3. A year later and it had risen to 6.7. I agreed to take a higher dose.........3 months later and my level was back down again. Nine months later at my annual check up and my level was back up I wasn't happy to keep increasing the Statins level and I've been reading a lot to see if there are alternatives.

 

I started taking a high dose of fish oils and aloe vera juice. I chose products from Forever Living because they offer a money back guarantee if they don't work. After 8 weeks I had another test and my level was back down to 5.3.

 

I'm now testing taking the fish oils but not taking Statins at all.

 

My Practice Nurse is not impressed - nor is my GP, and I can't have any blood tests until my next review is due - because of the cost I bought some home tests and used one straight after the official one and the result was similar so I'm happy to use those until the next test.

 

I would like to explore alternatives with the help of the nurse and GP but I don't have that choice. I'm monitoring it myself - I'm not into just disregarding the value of Statins but I also don't want to take them if I don't need them.

 

I found a few others on the River Cottage forum who have also stopped taking Statins......but they don't chat much over there

 

I can't believe that your doctor is worried about your level - I hope the low fat regime works for you.

[Blackrocksrock]

Not remembering the figures the nurse told me they were high but my doctor said the highest was the good ones so not to worry too much - that was a while ago and they get tested again next week - low fat diet for the next week I think

 

Trouble is the chocolate and biscuit mountain at work is huge and we are now on the Thorntons at the moment and they are to die for not to DIET for!

[Valkyrie]

My MIL has high cholesterol problems - around the iris of her eyes is a big white ring - apparently that is a sign that she should do something about it pronto, so she told me.

[iar fach goch]

oh has just looked into my eyes (doesn't usually happen!) and no white ring. Did also ask "Is that a type of hen?" referring to MIL Obviously he doesn't spend all his time on this forum!

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I have one of those white rings in one eye. The optician sent me to the doctors who promptly did a test. The result was 3.1. That was a few years ago so I suppose I ought to get another one done next time I have an MOT.

[miffy]

I dont think I've ever had mine checked nor OH, is it routine or do I need to ask?

[Joojoo]

I had mine checked about 12 months ago and I think it was about 6.5 which was higher than it had been the previous time I went.

 

To be honest the whole thing worries me silly but I find that the diets they suggest always seem to involve a large amount of fish (which I absolutely detest and just can't eat)

 

My Dad has suffered from high cholesterol for a good number of years now and has had a heart attack and has very bad frequent angina attacks so I know that I really should try harder but what do you eat when you don't like fish, pasta or rice? I know that the diets are a lot more varied than simply these foods but I do find it very very difficult

 

Good Luck with getting your levels down

[iar fach goch]

If you go for some kind of a medical or if you're unwell and they're trying to find out what the problem is they're likely to check, otherwise you just ask (if you really want to know!!!!). I was quite happy until I found out and never had any issues with food, until now when everything I want is bad for me, and I get annoyed when I see OH digging into his second bag of crisps of the day!!!

[Lesley]

but what do you eat when you don't like fish, pasta or rice? I know that the diets are a lot more varied than simply these foods but I do find it very very difficult

 

Try fish oil supplements! As long as your diet is reasonable and you don't go out of your way to eat a high sat. fat diet then it may be all you need. I changed from the Forever Living capsules to Barlean's Omega Swirl Smoothie - it has the highest levels of EPA/DHA (or whatever they are!) and tastes just like liquid lemon curd! No 'fishy repeats' either

[stoice]

I'd been having BP issues. Initially related to the pill I was on but then was still high after I changed it. After a 24Hr BP monitoring session (A cumbersome pump and computer attached to a cuff on my arm that went off every half hour during the day and every hour at night) that found my BP dropped to normal during the night I tried the weight loss route. After loosing two stone my BP is now relatively normal (After a specialist telling me I have 'normal high BP' what ever that means). My cholesterol level was 6.2 but is now 4.3. Well chuffed as my DR says it's an added bonus, she was was just concentrating on my BP initially but is glad it's below 5 for my age. All i can say is that my lower fat regime must've really worked. I also take Cod Liver Oil Omega 3 capsules as a supplement too though so I guess they must also help.

[Joojoo]

but what do you eat when you don't like fish, pasta or rice? I know that the diets are a lot more varied than simply these foods but I do find it very very difficult

 

Try fish oil supplements! As long as your diet is reasonable and you don't go out of your way to eat a high sat. fat diet then it may be all you need. I changed from the Forever Living capsules to Barlean's Omega Swirl Smoothie - it has the highest levels of EPA/DHA (or whatever they are!) and tastes just like liquid lemon curd! No 'fishy repeats' either

 

Thanks Lesley I might try those. Do they sell them in Holland and Barrett or where could I get them from?

[PapaJuliet]

I wasn't very impressed with my doctors' surgery. I had "various" blood tests done, incuding my cholesterol level.

 

I got a letter telling me to try a low fat diet for 3 months - no mention of why. I eventually found something in the letter hinting at a high cholesterol but no mention of whether it was high, very high, or I should be checking my funeral arrangements. When I went to the surgery to get my results I was told it was 5.something (can't remember what) and I had to specifically ask how bad that was.

 

The letter and the surgery never said I should go back for a repeat test and I was feeling so p**d off by the way it was handled that I, er, didn't bother.

 

I don't think I eat too badly, though we do indulge in cooked breakfasts at the weekend during the winter months. I don't eat much cheese or chocolate but I do eat butter (but not a huge amount) rather than margarine... every time I think maybe I should use margarine I read the ingredients and it puts me off...

 

PJ

[feemcg]

Hi, when cholesterol is checked as a full fasting lipid profile the results should give overall chol, LDL (bad) chol, HDL (happy, or thats how I remember it, lol) chol, and chol/HDL ratio, and Trig (triglyceride)......it's important to look at the full picture e.g. the overall chol isn't as important as having a low bad chol, a high 'happy' chol and a good Chol/HDL ratio.

 

* Total cholesterol < 4.0 mmol/L

* LDL cholesterol < 2.0 mmol/L

* HDL cholesterol > 1.0 mmol/l

* Chol / HDL ratio < 4

* Fasting triglycerides < 2.2 mmol/l

 

These are the guidelines for one area of Scotland but each Health Authority have their own......amazing to think that a few years ago we used to aim at total chol being below 6.5!!

[Lesley]

I started off having the whole profile tests Fee - but now it is just a total and I feel that I'm just part of a production line and my fears and worries aren't being taken seriously. I feel it's 'we've sent you for a tesy, your level is high, take statins - we'll collect yhe payment for prescribing - now go away'

 

I want to test the alternative - one which has had a lengthy write-up in the Lancet and I would love to do it with an element of monitoring. It won't happen because of the cost and there doesn't appear to be anywhere I can pay. Pharmacies do tests but I think that it is only the total and not the breakdown? They also don't test people who are taking statins.....that is one reason why I've stopped taking them.

 

JooJoo - if you Google the Omega Swirl you will find a few suppliers.......I ordered mine from the Glasgow group. They appear expensive but you only need 1 - 2 teaspoons a day. Some of the supplements you would need to take 4 of to reach the same level.......

[Tiggy]

I wouldn't worry about 5.1 unless you have other risk factors such as heart disease or diabetes and it also depends upon the ratio of good to bad cholesterol, we do risk factor calculations based upon your age gender ethnicity medical history and if you smoke. the blood test needs to be fasting to calculate levels correctly.

[iar fach goch]

thanks for all the info, I've been reading up on the do's and dont's and I can't really see where I'm going wrong with my diet, surely the odd chocolate bar or cake doesn't make a huge difference. I already eat oats, soya, olive oil, wholefoods etc so I think I'm going to go back to my GP armed with my new knowledge and discuss it further, and try to find out the splits, and where to go from here.

[Joojoo]

I started off having the whole profile tests Fee - but now it is just a total and I feel that I'm just part of a production line and my fears and worries aren't being taken seriously. I feel it's 'we've sent you for a tesy, your level is high, take statins - we'll collect yhe payment for prescribing - now go away'

 

I want to test the alternative - one which has had a lengthy write-up in the Lancet and I would love to do it with an element of monitoring. It won't happen because of the cost and there doesn't appear to be anywhere I can pay. Pharmacies do tests but I think that it is only the total and not the breakdown? They also don't test people who are taking statins.....that is one reason why I've stopped taking them.

 

JooJoo - if you Google the Omega Swirl you will find a few suppliers.......I ordered mine from the Glasgow group. They appear expensive but you only need 1 - 2 teaspoons a day. Some of the supplements you would need to take 4 of to reach the same level.......

 

Thanks Lesley - I'll have a look in a bit.