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[CLKD]

GP is insistent.  No consideration of my changing/improving my diet or exercise regime, the subject wasn't up for discussion  .  Handed a prescription for statins - must NOT eat GRAPEFRUIT !  I suppose long-term patients on statins are less likely to have stroke or heart attack which means less strain on NHS and Social Care - however 

Still putting off taking the 1st tablet ...... in case of side effects.

[Hurdity]

Have you had the results of the full profile? As I said initially and Cassie also said - total cholesterol on its own is not the important measurement. Mine was 7.4 at the docs - no action needed apart from a recheck in two years. Some other tests I had total cholesterol was also way over the limit, as was LDL. However HDL was within range and the most important measurement - ration of total to HDL was normal. I can't understand why you've been given statins - but I presume there is something else in your medical history for which this is indicated? As I said before my doc did the Qrisk thing and my stroke risk was very low - maybe you've had this test (an online risk thing) and yours was high? This depends amongst other things on BP as well as body weight. If they offered them to me on the basis of my total cholesterol I would have refused!

Hurdity x

[dahliagirl]

I feel your  and have found you this 

Grapefruit was made to be avoided IMHO 

[Snoooze]

My sister had a reading same as yours CLKD and was initially told to lose weight (even though she wasn't even overweight). She did lose weight but the level didn't change so was told it was obviously hereditary (both parents have it) and was given statins but she only took them for 3 months then stopped taking them as she found it hard to get to sleep at night. They made her feel hyper!

[CLKD]

Morning!   Thanks Girls!

There is absolutely NO reason other than my age ......... she didn't ask about family history, nor what we eat/drink/exercise ......... I took the 1st tablet this morning and then saw a grapefruit  - haven't eaten one for years but OH did I fancy it.  [tripe is made to be avoided IMHO ;-) ]

What the GP told me is that because we age the risk goes up and 'so far your diet hasn't altered the reading in 4/5 years' ........ surprisingly, Himself wrote to our GP [Practice Owner] as his level is raised, and on the back of some questions that he asked, he's been advised to lose weight, exercise more and alter his diet ....... neither blood test was done, as NHS Guidelines suggest, after 12 hours of fasting  .

Damned if you do, damned if you don't and we can't even be a 'double blind study' 

Snoooze - what did your sister's GP suggest - I was told that there are several different tablets to try 

[Hurdity]

Well it just once again goes to demonstrate the lack of consistency amongst the practicing medical profession - as with menopause - because as I said - there has never been any suggestion that I do anything about mine nor take anything - and if you haven't had your HDL and LDL done separately - it may well not be a problem anyway. Personally I wouldn't take any of them until having had that done because if your HDL is also high and therefore high ratio of Total to HDL - there isn't a problem - as far as I understand!

Hurdity x

[Snoooze]

She just stopped of her own accord then never went back to the GP! This was in her early 50's. She does have a very sweet tooth and always has so I know she found it hard to cut those out but she's always on the go, she never sits still so she gets plenty of exercise as well.

My husband also had a high reading and was told to try and lose weight and go back for another test in 6 months (but he didn't - you know what men are like).

I've had the test Hurdity talks about. I had it back in my 30's when I was very overweight and they were both OK but had them done (not the fasting one) again during peri and my level had gone up slightly but was just told to exercise and eat oily fish 3 times a week.

[CLKD]

I don't like fish 

All testing was done without being fasted.  Need to see if the next test in 3-4 weeks needs prior fasting.

[CLKD]

I itch - in my scalp, down my legs, 'bites' up and down my body ........ 

[HopeAlone]

CLKD  there is a calculator on line and if you put your readings in it tells you the percentage and the difference statins would make over the next 10 years. I've just put mine in as I have been told to take them but I'm unsure 

[CLKD]

My GP did this in the surgery.

I itch. 

[getting_old]

I had cholesterol tests done a few years ago, and the readings were pretty bad, however I was fairly sure I hadn't fasted for 12 hours so thinke they may have been slightly skewed. Doctor told me to try to lose weight, and said if that didn't work then it may well be pills. I haven't lost the weight, but there is no way I'll take pills as I do a reasonable amount of exercise and refuse to risk the joint aches and pains.
I'm no expert CLKD but if the original blood tests weren't done after fasting then I would be insisting on blood tests after a definite 12 hour fast before taking the pills.

[Katejo]

I had cholesterol tests done a few years ago, and the readings were pretty bad, however I was fairly sure I hadn't fasted for 12 hours so thinke they may have been slightly skewed. Doctor told me to try to lose weight, and said if that didn't work then it may well be pills. I haven't lost the weight, but there is no way I'll take pills as I do a reasonable amount of exercise and refuse to risk the joint aches and pains.
I'm no expert CLKD but if the original blood tests weren't done after fasting then I would be insisting on blood tests after a definite 12 hour fast before taking the pills.

At my practice patients get asked whether they have eaten during the past 12 hours before the blood sample is taken. If you say Yes , they don't continue. Obviously  this only applies if relevant. Am surprised that you have managed to have a cholesterol blood test without fasting.

[CLKD]

Maybe because it was done as a full blood screening and showed up 7.5 ?  However, Himself had a Well Man Check recently and his blood screening showed the same reading  - both not fasted.  When I make the next appt I will ask the question.  If I remember the answer, I'll be back to let you know 


I haven't had joint pains but the itching yesterday was intense 

[getting_old]

I had cholesterol tests done a few years ago, and the readings were pretty bad, however I was fairly sure I hadn't fasted for 12 hours so thinke they may have been slightly skewed. Doctor told me to try to lose weight, and said if that didn't work then it may well be pills. I haven't lost the weight, but there is no way I'll take pills as I do a reasonable amount of exercise and refuse to risk the joint aches and pains.
I'm no expert CLKD but if the original blood tests weren't done after fasting then I would be insisting on blood tests after a definite 12 hour fast before taking the pills.

At my practice patients get asked whether they have eaten during the past 12 hours before the blood sample is taken. If you say Yes , they don't continue. Obviously  this only applies if relevant. Am surprised that you have managed to have a cholesterol blood test without fasting.

Mine wasn't a cholesterol specific blood test. I was told to not eat on the morning of the blood test, but they didn't ask how long ago I'd actually eaten, and I didn't really think about that until I saw the 12 hour requirement on here.