I'm glad to see you're off statins. Fat balance in your diet is very important to improving cholesterol numbers. Your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids should be limited to about 3 g per day. Your intake of Omega-6 fatty acids should be limited to around 15 - 18 g per day. In order to know what your intake currently is, you need to track your diet with software that breaks down the nutrients in your diet. I use this web site www.cronometer.com. It's free and when you put in your diet items, it will show you all the vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins and carbohydrates and fiber in your diet. Once you know how much extra Omega-3 fats you need to add to your diet, then you can add some ground flax seeds into your meals. This is the best solution. I buy them from bulk bins in my local whole foods store. The next best soln is to eat oily fish as your protein source a few times a week, but the fish may have some pollution. Younger people can process flax seeds better and convert the ALA into EPA and DHA, so older folks may prefer the fish. Probably the worst solution is to buy fish oil supplements since they often sit on the shelf for a long time and may go rancid before you consume them.

Excessive intake of Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to bleeding on the brain since Omega-3 fats are blood thinning, so don't over do it. Anything over 6 or 7 g per day gives me nose bleeds, but I suspect that others can consume much higher amounts and the first indication could be a stroke.

Keith, thanks so much for that info. I needed to know all of that. I was not aware of the mentioned website and will certainly make use of that site. I had not even considered side effects. Wow--thanks for the heads up on that as well. You are very well-informed and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I'm goingto re-read this and then go to the website!!

hi Keith and ALL::: I'm about to start on fish oil supplements again of my own choice, not my doctor. I feel the same as you, Keith, about supplements going bad. I'll keep an eye out for any that might have turned rancid, and hope never to find one... they smell bad enough as it is :)

I just had my visit with the Lipidologist. He took 8 vials of blood my last visit, and it generated a 45 page report. The bottom line is that my high #s are familial and diet and exercise will never change those numbers. I'm reluctantly going on Vytorin since I had a stroke to my eye 1-1/2 years ago and he really felt it important to be on this medicine. I really don't agree but will try for the next 6 weeks and then rethink it after my next visit with him.

What I am going to do, and this is why I love this site and all the help everyone gives:: is go thru posts and write down what foods and supplements have helped others, and will make up my own diet along with the Vytorin.

I'm trying to scan the document the lipidologist gave me, and of course the scanner isn't working ...but once it does function I'll post as a document for all to read.

Hope all is well with everyone on this site.. happy holidays!

Molly, that's the same problem I have with my chol. I just do what
I can. Be sure and let us know if the Vytorin works.

The best of everything to you.

hi MIs::: are your high #s familial like mine? (don't know the term, but should learn!). I just breezed thru the report which suggests diet, etc. I wish the doctor allots more time to a visit, which is 15 minutes. Though 15 minutes is considered a lot by most.

I left wondering if I should take fish oil, or any supplements and feel I'm winging it as always. And as always, feel there's just so much any of us can do if our bodies just are... our bodies.

this is interesting though, I'm part Swedish and was told Swedes typically have higher cholesterol and it's normal. That's what I've been saying to my doctors, lol!

Yes my high cholestoral is genetic, my Dr. has me on krill oil, Q10 and I take niacin, which does not seem to help much.

I stay away from sugar. wheat, and most red meat. Mostly I feel
like I'm on my own. I try to eat veggies and a little fruit. But nothing
really works for me.

Vytorin has a statin in it and I could not take that either, but I hope
it will do good for you.

Doc wanted me to go on the Paleo diet which I try to stay on.

I feel like I'm "winging " it also.

Good luck to both of us.............

hi Mis... there's a group on FB that does the Paleo diet and will find the link for you later today and post it for you on this site. I'm not sure if I'll ever try that diet, but like the information that's generally health related and like the administrator who really knows what he's talking about.

I'm also going to try to scan the first part of my lipid report. I'm not sure if it can be done, or even read because of the shading once it's scanned. I still haven't read over the 45 pages on the other report... some seems conflicting from the brief comments the doctor told me. I figure if it was that important he would have gone over it more .. or hope, lol.

I so agree about winging it on our own. When I set up the doctor's appointments, which really are few, I don't schedule with any expectations and am never disappointed. I honestly don't believe they know more than most, except for the clinical readings and are so hung up on numbers they forget the rest... like side effects.

Day two of taking Vytorin and am reluctant still after reading that it causes hair loss (that's nice!), and a variety of pains (like being a senior isn't pain enough, lol). I might just not take it, am still undecided.

I'm off to a journal and hope I can post the results there. If not, maybe you can suggest how I can do this, or anyone on the board that's reading this message.

xo

Yogacat on the afib site can help you with the journal, she seems very knowledgeable about posting.

Dee

I have Familial Hypertriglyceridemia, Dyslipidemia and Chylomicronemia. My triglycerides are normally in the thousands! I am on 8g Lovaza (prescription fish oil), Niaspan 1500mg, Crestor 20mg (statin), and Trilipix 135mg (fenofibrate). I have 2 stents in my heart from this disease. If anyone else has it this high you have to do everything you can to bring it down. Yes i agree also with natural remedies and watching what you eat, but with a disease this bad I have to take everything i can to bing it down. They are now doing partial gastric bypass surgery and saying it has been bringing down the numbers of the triglycerides. Wonder if that is worth it for this ...would love not having to take all these meds.

Diane, I do not understand all the terms you posted but I AM following that you have to use multiple mechanisms to control the condition. Thanks for sharing this info as well. I hope someone who shares your experience will find their way here and share in this discussion. In the meantime, take care!!

I have low blood pressure but high cholesterol. This is something new for me and I haven't really understood it, yet. I hope I can control it with diet and not have to take medication. I already take way too much medication for chronic cystitis and arthritis. Although, I haven't had any alcohol for years, I do have liver disease from the medication. I am taking fish oil in capsule form but my therapist recommends fish oil in its natural form. This is really bad tasting and difficult to swallow. It also has a bad after taste. I'll see how the capsules do first.

I have recently added Benecol powder to my drinks and am using Benecol margarine substitute. I am to have my cholesterol retested on July 4 so will be able to see if all of this is working. It is very interesting because my husband has high cholesterol and high blood pressure and takes a statin. So he eats anything he pleases. I am the one who has to be on the cholesterol diet because I am trying to avoid the statin.