Lipid lowering success stories

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2008

I have had success with raising my HDL (good cholesterol) levels through strength training and lifting weights. My HDL level, by itself, has been as high as 101mg/dL when the normal range is 40 to 60mg/dL.

In addition, ensure that your thyroid is functioning within normal limits. An underactive thyroid can slowly cause cholesterol levels to climb upward. Good luck to you!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jan 2, 2008

Cholesterol med. walk, walk, walk, walk.....cut down on sweets-they really do increase triglycerides. Cut out transfats and limit cholesterol intake.

However, the younger you start, the better you eat, is often offset by family cardiac history. I don't eat meat, I walk all the time and have maybe 1 glass of sweetened beverage a day. At age 63 I now have a pacemaker. (

____edited to add

My heart cath was absolutely clean as a whistle. Carotids-no plaque, electrical system....well pretty frayed at the ends.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 2, 2008

I'm a disease manager with many hyperlipidemia patients. I've had success with educating my patients to lower cholesterol and trans fat intake, losing weight, exercising regularly, limiting ETOH intake, etc. Most of my patients' doctors have actually prescribed Omega 3 fish oil supplements and flax seed with a good amount of success, before trying statins.

http://www.rocheusa.com/products/accutane/pi.pdf

Page 7 of the above link states that the effects of Accutane on triglycerides, HDL, and cholesterol are reversible once the med is d/c'd.

rita359 · Jan 2, 2008

Diet and exercise did not do it for me. Numbers were not too much out of whack. Added niacin. Numbers are all wnl now. Refernence Goodman and Gillman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics.

Blackcat99 · Jan 2, 2008

I always have low cholesterol lab results. I have been a vegetarian for many years. After doctors looks at my lab results they always ask me "Are you a vegetarian?";)

pickledpepperRN · Jan 2, 2008

My cholesterol went from 202 to 163 in about a year.

I do aerobic exercise at least three times a week and weight training about two.

Mostly I follow the vegan diet like on this site (click "cholesterol high") http://www.rightfoods.com/library.php?PHPSESSID=c7511017c6e530810284cf0c413a2c1e

http://www.rightfoods.com/cholesterol.php

I do also take fish oil as suggested by my physician.

And often but not every day enjoy non fat dairy products.

Rarely I do eat a bit of meat or sweets. I do still love cheese and don't buy it or I'll eat it.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 2, 2008

My cholesteral dropped from 250 to 144 in 3 stages.

Stage one: It went from 250 to about 185 by taking standard meds. (Zetia and Tricor) I had taken Zocor for a couple of weeks and sent it down to 129, but I got the muscle aches that they warn you about in the ads and had to stop taking it. Anyway, at 185, the total was only "OK "and the individual components were close to normal, but not great.

Stage two: It went to about 159 when I went on a low carb diet (in addition to my meds) and my individual components (triglycerides, HDL, LDL) all moved nicely in the correct direction and were then in the desired ranges. My doctor was thrilled with me. I lost almost 40 pounds in about 6 months.

As is common with low carb diets, I did not limit my fat intake much -- bacon and eggs for breakfast, etc.

Stage three: Everything has continued to improve as I have increased my exercise, added some whole grain carbs to my diet, and tried to watch my fat intake a little more. I eat lots of fish and use only olive and canola oil for cooking -- but I still eat some "bad fat" on a regular basis, just not as much of it. My total cholesterol in October was 144. I still take the meds, but that total has gone down almost 50 points since I have changed my diet and exercise habits -- and the individual components are now in the "terrific" ranges.

nurseaboveboard · Jan 3, 2008

Hey, thanks everybody for your posts! Keep them coming, the more specific, the better. Has anyone had experience with Accutane and abnormal lipids and/or know the answer to the question in my original post? OH! I just read the responses again and see that the Accutane question was answered, so thank you! That is some relief, except now, it looks more like a familial component is at work here.

nurseaboveboard · Jan 4, 2008

Have any of you had success using red rice yeast (I think that's what it's called)? It's essentially a "natural statin." My own success has come from gradual weight loss, moderate exercise and fish oil caps. Thanks!

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 5, 2008

Have any of you had success using red rice yeast (I think that's what it's called)? It's essentially a "natural statin." My own success has come from gradual weight loss, moderate exercise and fish oil caps. Thanks!

Funny story there. Statins are derived from yeast- this is true. And red yeast rice in its natural unprocessed form does have lovastatin in its chemical makeup. But the FDA decided because of that property, that it needed to be FDA regulated. Sooo...most of the OTC red yeast rice you see today has had the lovastatin taken out. Some still has it, but you still can't verify the dose. I would just suggest taking generic lovastatin if that's what you're prescribed. It probably doesn't cost that much more that red yeast rice, anyway.

nurseaboveboard · Jan 5, 2008

Well thank you Baptized, I wasn't aware of that. I thought the whole idea of natural supplememts was that the FDA couldn't regulate. Well, there ya go. No matter how old I get, you all manage to teach me something new! Appreciate it! Has anyone ever heard of someone naturally being able to lower triglycerides in the very high range (generally 500 and above)?