I am 27, total cholesterol 424, LDL 332, I fear side effects from meds, what should I do??
max 2 drinks a day, often zero, haven't smoked in 8 days(quitting) blood pressure136/80
started diet including, oatmeal twice daily(with ground flax on top), 10 oz oj, carrots, fruits, nuts, eating grilled salmon 2-3 times a week, grilled chicken 2-3 times a week, whole wheat pasta with 2 slices wheat bread and evoo for the bread dip 2-3 times a week. what else???
Hello FELDO311,
I can understand a hesitancy not to take medications, and some of your lifestyle changes should definitely help bring down your number some. I fear though that your cholesterol will NOT be able to controlled by diet and exercise alone. Because your LDL number is so high, you likely have a familial hypercholesterolemia, or genetic cause of your high cholesterol.
With number as extremely high as yours, the benefits of being on a medication like a statin VASTLY outweigh the few, uncommon, and relatively benign side effects of drugs. And with your doctor's and blood work your, you can very effectively monitor the side effects.
Certainly continue your healthy diet. Try to exercise more. And many congratulations on stopping smoking. But honestly, you very much need to be on medications!
To your health,
Neil MD
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Managing Your Triglycerides
Steps to manage these numbers while on a statin drug.
