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[Dennylou48]

I didn't think the menopause could get any worse than it was, but now have high chlorestrol and blood sugar levels, this is really started to pee me right off, apparently the drop in hormones can cause all these issues, I have never had health issues like this before. I do not want to have hrt as you will still have to go through it when you eventually stop. Anyone else had this problem.

[Taz2]

Hi Dennylou - it's easy to blame everything on the menopause but my husband has the same problems with cholesterol and blood sugar and he's not menopausal so it may be just an age thing. Do you mind saying how old you are and where you are in the menopausal journey?

Although it is sometimes the case that you still have to go through the menopausal symptoms when you stop HRT there is no reason to think that you will have to stop. Lots of GP's nowadays continue to prescribe HRT into our sixties and seventies. What symptoms are you getting at the moment?

Taz x 

[Dennylou48]

Hi taz, I'm 48 and  and not seen anything now for 4 months, my doctor did my bloods and everything is increasing , while hormones are decreasing, my cholesterol was 6.3 and blood sugars were 7.3. I am 5ft 3 and weigh 8st 11 lb. just don't understand it, I have always eaten a good diet . I have been put on statins to protect my heart which I'm not happy with. I. Really wanted to get through this as natural as possible. Xx

[Elizabethrose]

Hi Dennylou48

I'm experiencing exactly the same. Always had a really low BMI and very low cholesterol levels and recent routine bloods showed a massive increase in cholesterol. My Doc literally said "what the heck is happening here?"

He's given me three months to try to reverse it but to be honest I eat so well I don't know what I can change. Veg, salad and fruit, fish, shell fish and chicken, porridge oats. I don't eat processed foods or ready meals and don't snack, everything is freshly prepared. Yogurt and tiny portions of cheese, only very occasional red meats, I don't drink alcohol - what the heck am I supposed to do?

I am so very sensitive to hormone change that I did wonder whether it could be that. I'm 176 days today since my last period and very very late stage peri (it's been a very very long time coming!!) The only change I've experienced is that with my cycle. I'm size 10, 5'4" and weigh about 9 st (though totally bloated at the moment with an oestrogen surge so I'd add a few pounds onto that!!)

Pregnancy and stints on HRT to try to resolve migraine, caused massive weight gain and an obvious change to my metabolism, I really am wondering whether the changes in hormone levels are affecting my cholesterol levels too.

Hah, this is the gift that keeps on giving!!

[Hurdity]

Hi Dennylou48

I am wondering about your treatment with statins and which cholesterol level was raised? Normally you should have three readings, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol and the total/HDL ratio. I had a recent test and my total cholesterol was 6.5 (too high) as was the LDL (4.2) but the HDL and the ratio was fine and the doc said it was a genetic thing and not to worry. No action needed. She recognised my lifestyle factors (low BMI, lots of exercise, no smoking, limited alcohol, good diet), did that Q test thing and said I was really low cardivascular risk. Did they do the same for you? However your blood sugars are high through - but if you are not diabetic you can try to reduce these naturally but cutting out sugar and reducing carbs in your diet - and eating more fat and protein ( to stay the same weight).

Hurdity x

[Cassie]

My husbands blood sugar levels and cholesterol were very high, he brought them down without statins by cutting out sugar, bread and beer, his Dr is amazed, try to limit your intake of carbs, sugars and processed foods and eat more healthy fats, it really helps.

[coldethyl]

Cholesterol is a bit of a red herring re cardiovascular risk. Read Dr Mike Kenderick for an introduction to the alternative take on it , CVD and statins.
There's a body of thought that says it is our low fat high carb diets , whether those carbs be wholemeal and non processed , that causes high triglycerides which is the figure that should concern you from your lipid panel, so ask for a breakdown of the figures.
Is that a fasting  BS? Or an Hba1c test? If the latter you are diabetic for sure and need to cut back drastically on your carbohydrate intake- it really doesn't matter to your body whether it's brown bread , fruit or a bar of chocolate, in the end your liver and pancreas have to overwork to sort it out. I was very overweight at my diagnosis when I thought  it was all just menopause , but 20% of type two diabetics will be of normal weight- you can be what is known as fat on the inside with visceral fat clogging your vital organs as a result of diet. I'd suggest getting yourself a cheap blood glucose meter from home health uk ( codefree meter) and testing to see what effect foods have on you - you soon see that even a piece of " healthy" fruit is spiking you and that you'd be better off eating a boiled egg! I have lost over 5 st, got my BS in normal range and improved my cholesterol this way. X

[Dennylou48]

Hi guys thank you all for your info, I have always eaten a balanced controlled diet, I don't drink alcohol but up till recently I did smoke which I have now quit. I do have polycystic kidney disease which is genetic. As for cutting out sugar I don't add it to anything and don't have a sweet tooth, would rather have savoury foods. Am going back to see my doctor today to try to get this sorted. The  chlorestrol being high could be genetic too as my sister has been told hers is high too and she hasn't even entered peri yet. Not liking the sound of statins so will see what can be done about thAt too. Will let you all know later.

[Dennylou48]

Elizabethrose ,, what have you been given to try or 3 months, hrt or statins. Xx

[Elizabethrose]

Wow, well done to you coldethyl!

Your response is fascinating and I'm going to do some research. My blood glucose levels were completely fine just my cholesterol levels raised. As I said, nothing has changed with my diet, I've always eaten lots of fruit but I suppose it's possible as we age our bodies metabolise our intake in different ways.

After pregnancy, migraine meds and stints on HRT made me put on a lot of weight, the only way I found I could loose it each time was to cut starchy carbs after breakfast. So porridge for breakfast then lots of veg, fruit and some protein for lunch and dinner. I am still a size 10 but becoming flabby and am bloating with oestrogen hikes which makes me feel really uncomfortable. The only thing I was thinking I could do is to try the lower carbs after breakfast again to see if that might reduce my cholesterol levels. Oh it's just a minefield and it doesn't help when nutritional guidance changes on a weekly basis.

Dennylou, I haven't been given anything, just agreed to let me try to change it with diet. My Doc knows I can't exercise at the moment so that is pretty much off the table. But how to change what I think is a really healthy diet is a quandary! I can't do HRT and I'd rather not have to take statins so I need to find another way. Good luck with the GP today.

[Trufflecat]

I am just going to mention potatoes and ask whether you had eaten a lot of them the evening before your blood test for sugars?  I has gestational diabetes care whilst preg and tested my blood sugar a lot. I could stuff myself with kit kats and be fine, but very potatoes sent my sugar soaring. Funnily enough dh read me out an article in New Scientist last night in which the effect on blood sugar of eating a baked potato has now been recorded as the equivalent of eating 90 teaspoons of sugar (although potatoes have their benefits too).

[Cassie]

Watch your intake of fruit its also high in natural sugars, berries are ok, and perhaps try upping your fats, coconut oil works wonders if you can manage a tablespoon daily, perhaps in a full cream smoothie with some berries and cut back on the tatties and breads etc, try that for 3 mths and have another test.

[Elizabethrose]

Trufflecat, life is cruel! I rarely eat chocolate, don't have a sweet tooth, but love potatoes!

Cassie, I use virgin olive oil on my salads and cook with olive oil too, so probably have it most days. I eat raspberries and blueberries daily but also at least 2 other pieces of fruit; apples, pears, oranges, kiwi. I always have. My blood sugars aren't high just the cholesterol. Yep maybe the solution is to cut back on potatoes and bread, do they raise cholesterol levels? I eat both in moderation.

[dahliagirl]

It is worth having a look at the glycaemic index on diabetesuk.

New potatoes are fine, but mashed, baked and chips not.

I got my cholesterol levels down by:

cutting down unnecessary saturated fats (butter/marg in sandwiches, less bread altogether, lean meat, less dairy fat - go for low fat rather than zero fat) and replacing them with avocadoes, oily fish, nuts, olive oil and rapeseed oil.

Keep omega 6s down (chicken no more than 2x per week, and no sunflower oil. These are entirely omega 6) and omega3s up (fish oil and nuts).

Wholemeal everything.  More variety of grain ie, spelt, rye, oats (can't stand barley  )

More pulses - at least one pulse based meal per week
More oats
Plenty vegetables with everything.

I have fallen off the wagon, somewhat, since I had vit D deficiency and also discovered I have a 'mild' allergy to nuts and lots of fruits too   

[Elizabethrose]

Thanks Dahliagirl

Are new potatoes fine because of what you may add to old? I mash pots with olive oil and crushed garlic so not adding butter, only very rarely eat chips! Or is it a sugar composition being different in new and old pots?

I eat avocados, oily fish, nuts, olive oils: never eat sunflower oils, eat wholemeal wholegrain bread but never more than one slice a day and that's not every day by any means. I eat full fat natural yogurt as fruit yogurts are usually too sweet for me and full fat cheese in very limited portions. Red meat maybe once a week, chicken twice and fish or shellfish the rest. Porridge for breakfast most days, (unsweetened as hate sweet things!).

I've never dieted (only cut back carbs after aforementioned weight gain in pregnancy and HRT) so have no idea about calorific content or glycaemic index. Up until now everything has been hunky dory. Suddenly, no period for 6 months and the cholesterol has risen, all other things being the same.

Interestingly, I have been taking a Vit D and joint supplement for the past 4 months, could that have something to do with it?

Oooh it's all too confusing, just read this article in the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/09/low-fat-diets-and-exercise-are-pointless-for-losing-weight-warns/