High Cholesterol

[aDviSol2y]

Ok, so about 13 years ago the old man had a heart attack requiring 3 stents in his arteries. Since then he has been on all sorts of meds and trying to stay healthy. Then just before last Thanksgiving he had a major heart attack, requiring triple by pass, that didn't go so well. He basically cheated death.
Now, the wife is freeaking out that I'm going to die of a heart attack. So I go to the Doc. get a physical, and what do you know, I have high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, and high Trigliserides(spelling). The doc. tells me if I don't get my levels in check in 6 months, she's gonna put me on meds. I'm thinking to myself, "man, I'm only 26, and I'm gonna have to be on old man meds."
So now I've started watching what I eat, I'm already active, and the worst thing is I have started eating Plain Oatmeal every morning. Does anyone know if this stuff actually lowers Cholesterol? Because the recomended Heart Healthy portion is pretty hard to stomach every morning. Its not to bad at first but now its just getting old.
Do you think Im just doomed because of my blood line? My wifes really on me about this. If I don't get this under control in 6 months, she going to get rid of all the red meat in my freezer. I still got half a cow in there!
I know this has been a lot to read, but any one had experience with this that has any suggestions for me? Thanks in advance!!

[Exrider434]

eat cheerios!

[aDviSol2y]

Originally posted by Exrider434
eat cheerios!

Supposidly Cheerios works also, but does it? Or is this just a marketing tactic?

[JRP]

Eat fiber, like kashi, oatmeal, don't eat butter, sweets, greasy foods.

[ATV Chic]

^^^ what he said but also realize it is genetic. You can help it by diet an excercise but only by so much when it's hereditary. Good you're doing something about it now that's what's important! Honeynut Cheerios are great for it too! :p

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Most people have high cholesterol a little. Do you remember what your level was? Over 200 is too much. Eating cheerios won't help it as much as cutting out junk food. Mayo and Ranch dressing are the worst for cholesterol. Cheese has a good bit. Burgers, fries, pizza. It's not as hard as you think to regulate your cholestrol.

[Canadian144]

My grandpa had high cholesterol, he died of a heart attack back when he was in his 70's or late 60's I think (sorry I was a little kid at the time, don't really remember). What do you know, my dad also has high cholesterol, he had a heart attack back in 07, he was fine, but has since changed his diet and exercises regularly. For breakfast, every morning that he is at home, he always eats hot red river cereal... looks gross to me but he says it helps. Also he eats lots of fish now, and rarely beef.

One of the major problems he says he's having is as a result of being on the meds a good 20 years. Now's he's having lots of side effects (ex feet so sore that you can't exercise, very sore joints) and every time he has tried to ween himself off the meds, his cholesterol shoots back up again.

He wishes that he had known about these side effects, and had gotten homeopathic medication instead. At GNC they sell a heart health kit, it is mix of various natural products that are supposed to lower your cholesterol. I would say, if the doc says you have to go on meds, try the natural stuff from GNC... if it works, in the long term, it will be much better for your body.

[aDviSol2y]

Originally posted by MX MaNiAc 06
Most people have high cholesterol a little. Do you remember what your level was? Over 200 is too much. Eating cheerios won't help it as much as cutting out junk food. Mayo and Ranch dressing are the worst for cholesterol. Cheese has a good bit. Burgers, fries, pizza. It's not as hard as you think to regulate your cholestrol.

I was at 212. And for being only 26, I guess thats pretty high. I have completely stopped eating anything greasy. I even traded my neighbor some of my beef for a bunch of salmon he caught this year. I also started buying mainly fresh foods, and alot of veggies and fruit. The Doc wanted me to start taking fish pills. 6 a day? Supposidly if you freeze them, you don't get the nasty burping side effect. This will help with the triglisorides(sp).

[aDviSol2y]

Originally posted by Canadian144
My grandpa had high cholesterol, he died of a heart attack back when he was in his 70's or late 60's I think (sorry I was a little kid at the time, don't really remember). What do you know, my dad also has high cholesterol, he had a heart attack back in 07, he was fine, but has since changed his diet and exercises regularly. For breakfast, every morning that he is at home, he always eats hot red river cereal... looks gross to me but he says it helps. Also he eats lots of fish now, and rarely beef.

One of the major problems he says he's having is as a result of being on the meds a good 20 years. Now's he's having lots of side effects (ex feet so sore that you can't exercise, very sore joints) and every time he has tried to ween himself off the meds, his cholesterol shoots back up again.

He wishes that he had known about these side effects, and had gotten homeopathic medication instead. At GNC they sell a heart health kit, it is mix of various natural products that are supposed to lower your cholesterol. I would say, if the doc says you have to go on meds, try the natural stuff from GNC... if it works, in the long term, it will be much better for your body.

Thanks for the tip on the meds. My pops has been taking meds for about 13 years now. I'll have to ask him if he has any of those side effects. I know he does complain about his feet. I agree, natural has to be better for you. Its kind of like fresh foods vs. processed foods. They say if it didn't exist 100 years ago, its not good for you. So I have heard.

I guess all I can do, is watch what I eat, keep active, and hope it goes down. If I do all this, and its still high in 6 months, I must just be one of the unlucky blood lines that has high cholestrol. But atleast I will know it now, and hopefully not have to go what the old man went through.

[dns1764]

my boss is in his mid 50s, works out everyday, eats all health food crap, takes lipitor, and its still high. sometimes its just genetics. hell, i probably have high cholesterol and i'm 19. luck of the draw

[aDviSol2y]

Ya, my pops says, he takes 80mg of lipitor a day, and his is where mine is.... :ermm:

[Les Davis]

Guys I had a stroke a few years ago when I was just 31. It was a result of untreated high blood pressure and high cholesterol...both in my family blood. I was healthy as a horse when it happened and was exercising regularly. They don't call it the "silent killer" for no reason. I had temporary paralysis but regained all functions although I do notice some occasional side effects with motor skills.

In regards to the meds, do everything you can to stay off them. I've had more side effects and sickness since I've was prescibed after my stroke than I had in my previous 31 years. Was on Lipitor, Plaxix etc...for the blood pressure/cholesterol and I was a zombie half the time. Side effects I have sufffered are joint pain, gout in my legs (painful!!!), lack of energy, muscle swelling and other little ailments. Over the years I have stopped taking the meds due to all the side effects but sure as ****, all my levels would rise immediately. A year ago, I decided change was required. I changed my diet, increased the cardio, started fish oil tablets (over the counter) and low and behold everything has dropped to a comfortable level that my doc was pleased with and I'm now on one medication and not experiencing all the side effects of the multiple drugs. It took 8 years of messing with different meds but the one thing that had the best results and has proven to work the best has been DIET and EXERCISE! I can't stress that enough to you that suffer with this stuff.

Good Luck!!!

[aDviSol2y]

Thanks for the input!!!!!!! That sounds like a horrible experience. I am glad that you are doing better now. Thats exactly what I'm working towards, Staying off the meds I mean. I now that I have some more evidence of the bad side effects of them, it is going to push me even harder to stay healthy. 10 years ago I could eat anything and not have to worry about it. Now I relized my eating habbits were horrible. I think I even feel better and have more energy. I think my labido(sp) has even improved! :devil:

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Originally posted by aDviSol2y
I was at 212. And for being only 26, I guess thats pretty high. I have completely stopped eating anything greasy. I even traded my neighbor some of my beef for a bunch of salmon he caught this year. I also started buying mainly fresh foods, and alot of veggies and fruit. The Doc wanted me to start taking fish pills. 6 a day? Supposidly if you freeze them, you don't get the nasty burping side effect. This will help with the triglisorides(sp).

That's not too bad tho. Mine is hereditary and i was on meds that made it high. They had to take blood once a month. Mine was 313!!!! This was when i was 16 years old. I cut out ranch dressing, pizza and burgers and it was 175 the next month. Could have just been your recent diet

[Canadian144]

Originally posted by Les Davis
In regards to the meds, do everything you can to stay off them. I've had more side effects and sickness since I've was prescibed after my stroke than I had in my previous 31 years. Was on Lipitor, Plaxix etc...for the blood pressure/cholesterol and I was a zombie half the time. Side effects I have sufffered are joint pain, gout in my legs (painful!!!), lack of energy, muscle swelling and other little ailments. Over the years I have stopped taking the meds due to all the side effects but sure as ****, all my levels would rise immediately.

Sounds exactly like my dad's situation! He had gout in his legs, lack of energy, swelling muscles, etc etc, pretty much exactly what you said. He now exercises frequently, takes the fish oil pills, and eats much healthier... but unfortunately it seems his body has become so accustomed to the meds, if he stops taking them then his cholesterol will rise up again.


Originally posted by aDviSol2y
I guess all I can do, is watch what I eat, keep active, and hope it goes down. If I do all this, and its still high in 6 months, I must just be one of the unlucky blood lines that has high cholestrol. But atleast I will know it now, and hopefully not have to go what the old man went through.


Sounds like a plan, just try to stay healthy, but unfortunately there are things that are out of our control. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that I will probably end up in a similar scenario as then one you are in, with the history that my dad's family has. I am starting to realize that this is a definite possibility, so recently I've been watching what I eat/drink much more cautiously, I haven't had chips/cookies/pizza/fries/pop/etc for a few weeks now, just been trying to eat a lot of fruit - though this is mainly as a result of me needing to fit back into my MX pants haha. Hopefully I will have time sometime soon to start exercising again.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by Les Davis
Guys I had a stroke a few years ago when I was just 31. It was a result of untreated high blood pressure

if you don't mind me asking, how high was it? i have had to take medicine for hypertension since i was 16 :ermm:

[aDviSol2y]

Originally posted by MX MaNiAc 06
That's not too bad tho. Mine is hereditary and i was on meds that made it high. They had to take blood once a month. Mine was 313!!!! This was when i was 16 years old. I cut out ranch dressing, pizza and burgers and it was 175 the next month. Could have just been your recent diet

Ouch! 313? Thats like my sis. When she was in college, hers was above 300. Mainly because of beer and diet. Hers if fine now. I'm really hoping it was just my diet. we will see. Glad to see you got yours under control.

[Les Davis]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
if you don't mind me asking, how high was it? i have had to take medicine for hypertension since i was 16 :ermm:


Pipeless, I think on avarage it was running around 165/120 but I had got sick with a sinus infection and they put me on Sudafed D for 10 days. Day 10 my blood pressure had elevated to over 200/165 I think it was? Not sure of the exact numbers