I have been type 1 diabetic for 39 years…for the last 2.5 months I have been following a low carb way of eating. I recently had my blood levels done and my HgA1C is 5.7. My triglycerides are good (51) and my HDL is good (75); however my LDL level increased to 161 and now my doctor thinks it is way too high and I need to take a statin.
My total cholesterol was 246 which is obviously high, but when you take the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol, it comes out to 3.28, which is good right? So confusing.
Then when I do the ratio of bad cholesterol to good cholesterol I get 2.15. They say that anything below 3.3 is considered less than a low risk for heart disease. Is my cholesterol number really a concern when my high HDL makes the ratio low for heart disease?
I really would rather not start on statins but my doctor says that if I don’t… I am putting myself at risk for heart problems.
My blood pressure was 117/72.
I feel like all my bloodwork was really great except for my LDL…and I don’t want to start medicating with statins if I don’t need to…any thoughts? Should I just take the statin…am I making a big deal out of nothing?
Why don’t you want to take them ?
Can you start with low dose?
I have been taking for over 30 years, without problems.
Sometimes doctors prescribe, simply because of diabetes (with in range numbers) and many object to that.
There is also a test known as calcium heart score, which can show relative risk of heart attack.
I seem to be very sensitive to a lot of medications and I don’t want to take a medication that has a potential for side effects if I don’t really need it. It’s so hard to know since there are so many differing opinions amongst doctors and others.
Part of a person’s cholesterol can be genetic, and part can be from of diet and behaviors.
There are other things you can do for cholesterol that might be useful to try first. I would do statins only after trying other things first.
Do you exercise?
Do you watch your diet?
How about taking psyllium to lower your LDL? Have you tried that?
Exercise really helps a lot.
If you do start a statin, monitor your BGL. I started on Simvastatin last year–my A1C rose from 6.5 to 7.6 in 3 monthes. (Apparently not a common side effect, but it happened to me.) Pravastatin might be another option.
@Kayla1029 I totally understand where you’re coming from. My numbers were good, or so I thought, and yet they (my doctors) wanted them better.
I just updated a post where I asked about what you’re asking.
A keto diet may help you too?!
Only in the last year has my cholesterol been rising. I can definitely increase my exercise and will try that for the next three months til my next blood draw.
I think my diet is good since low carb has helped me lose weight and my triglycerides and good cholesterol are great. My roller coaster blood sugars have improved and I definitely feel better. My blood pressure is great. I do eat more fats since cutting carbs…but my ratios of bad to good cholesterol are good. I eat tons of fiber and plant fats like unsweetened Tahini and coconut flour and green leafy and low carb veggies.
Many people believe that the ratio of bad and good cholesterol and low triglycerides is much more important than just the ldl value itself.
I did lower my ldl at one time by taking red yeast rice, but was told that that contains statins anyway and so I might as well just take a pharmacy statin.
It’s all so confusing…but i don’t want to add digestive issues, higher blood sugars and stress on my liver if i dont even need to.
I wish there was more understanding and research on whether the total cholesterol and ldl levels are really as important as the ratios of the types of cholesterol. There are many varied opinions. I read somewhere that you shouldn’t be concerned about your total cholesterol number…as long as your ratios were good…unless the total was over 300. But who knows if this is true.
Statins have caused muscle pains and such for me, so I have stopped taking them. My endo really wants me to take them, but I am going to try to get away without them.
I know there are conflicting opinions on statins. And there are conflicting opinions on what levels of LDL are good, and even conflicting opinions of whether the ratio is more important than the number!
But there is very little conflicting opinion on the benefit of exercise.
I am like an exercise troll. I know there are people who post on how great Afrezza is, or people espousing Tresiba or low carb diets. All kinds of things people are promoting on diabetes sites.
But I am always promoting exercise, so sorry about that!
You are right. Don’t apologize for promoting exercise :).
Thank you for the reminder…i will definitely make a point to increase my exercise and if nothing else it will help with my anxiety and stress :).