Author Topic: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...  (Read 47835 times)

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #125 on: 01 June, 2018, 07:06:50 pm »
Sounds like good news @Frank9755. Great to hear that you can carry on riding. Fingers crossed for angiogram now.
One of my old mates is full of stents (about four I think) and he's still riding all over the world at 73.
Hear all, see all, say nowt

simonp

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #126 on: 01 June, 2018, 09:14:23 pm »
One of the older rowers in my club has a stent and last year competed at the world masters championships.

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #127 on: 04 June, 2018, 08:10:28 pm »
Good to hear those stories.

I've had my angiogram this afternoon and it looks like they want me to come back for a bypass and a few stents.  I expect I'll be able to get back on my bike reasonably soon, but somehow I don't fancy my chances of making the start line of the TCR at the end of July!

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #128 on: 04 June, 2018, 09:09:45 pm »
Good luck with that!

Wishing you well...

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #129 on: 07 June, 2018, 11:10:59 am »
Thanks.
Bypass on Monday...

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #130 on: 07 June, 2018, 01:00:52 pm »
Coo that's quick!

All the best for smooth surgery and rapid recovery!

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #131 on: 10 June, 2018, 07:54:51 pm »
Postponed because I've got a cold :-(
A bit more waiting.  Would like to get it over and done with now!

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #132 on: 11 June, 2018, 11:22:44 am »
ATB Frank. Your fitness will stand you in good stead.   
2 mates had this done (stent) with totally + outcomes. ( Seems routine in west of scotland tbh. )

simonp

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #133 on: 11 June, 2018, 11:35:13 am »
ATB Frank. Your fitness will stand you in good stead.   
2 mates had this done (stent) with totally + outcomes. ( Seems routine in west of scotland tbh. )

Diet of deep fried pizza and Irn Bru, what do you expect.

(I spent most of my formative years in Ayrshire, but my diet wasn't too bad).

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #134 on: 11 June, 2018, 12:17:14 pm »
ATB Frank. Your fitness will stand you in good stead.   
2 mates had this done (stent) with totally + outcomes. ( Seems routine in west of scotland tbh. )

Diet of deep fried pizza and Irn Bru, what do you expect.

(I spent most of my formative years in Ayrshire, but my diet wasn't too bad).

Some 25-odd years ago, I was a Professional Witness at a Court in Glasgow. There's a lot of hanging about in court so I thought I'd go to the dining room for refreshment. I wanted an apple or other fresh fruit.
No can do: fruit yogurt and aspirin yes, apple no...

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #135 on: 12 June, 2018, 04:05:43 pm »
Yes, its a great place for heart surgeons to get experience.
(As per SimonP - my formative years were spent in ayrshire, but we were lucky for my mums cooking)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #136 on: 12 June, 2018, 04:55:33 pm »
I think the West of Scotland's coronary health was impaired by:
Fags
Booze
Diet
Dreich weather discouraging outdoor activity and reducing Vitamin D synthesis
Unfavourable genetic legacy.

The Public Health crew did try to address factors that could be modified.

simonp

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #137 on: 12 June, 2018, 11:36:25 pm »
Anecdote I was recounted, by my sister's ex bf years ago.

A friend of his went to have a coronary bypass op at age 28. Yep. This guy was told he needed to go see the dentist first due to poor dental health. Dentist said there was not enough time to resolve his dental health issues before the op, so they decided to remove all 11 of his teeth.

 :-\


Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #138 on: 12 June, 2018, 11:51:33 pm »
I think the West of Scotland's coronary health was impaired by:
Fags
Booze
Diet
Dreich weather discouraging outdoor activity and reducing Vitamin D synthesis
Unfavourable genetic legacy.

The Public Health crew did try to address factors that could be modified.

The genetics?!


On a more serious note I heard an excellent talk by a Professor of Gerontology and Demography last week, during which she explained that smoking and drinking shorten life by (on average) about 3 years and bring forward morbidity by the same amount. However, because we’re ‘good’ at treating diet related disease, poor diet doesn’t have much impact on life expectancy but still brings morbidity forwards by the same 3 years.

Lots of other stuff too, but don’t forget life expectancy in the USA and EU has actually been falling over the last few years.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #139 on: 13 June, 2018, 10:20:34 pm »
I ought to get another test, I suppose.  I had a slightly high test of 5.9 but the nurse agreed it was probably bollix, especially as the HDL was about 1.5 which is 50% higher than it needs to be.  I was dehydrated, as it was first thing in the morning, and had drunk a triple espresso.  I think this made all the numbers higher.

I did two DIY tests in the following weeks and both were low-normal.  The Boots kit gets good reviews for accuracy.  I did mostly stop eating red meat, though, and started drinking those cholesterol-lowering drinks.

My parents are in their 70s and 80s and both have always had low cholesterol without statins.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #140 on: 18 June, 2018, 05:15:02 pm »
Total cholesterol in February was 10 which prompted a retest in March when it was 9. Both readings dangerously high apparently and I don't have the breakdown figures because at that point I didn't realise there was anything other than a total cholesterol measure.

After three months of drastic lifestyle changes the figures are now:

Total cholesterol    5.2
HDL cholesterol     1.7
LDL cholesterol      3.2
triglycerides           0.75

which is loads better.

However, to get it down this much I've given up red meat, all dairy products, fried food and (almost) alcohol. So, no pizzas, no pork pies, no cakes and no chips - all my favourite foods. The only fats in my diet now come from fish, nuts and avocados. I've lost 35lbs in those three months.

The doctor is concerned that it's still a high level of cholesterol and doubts I can maintain my current lifestyle but I'm not going on statins and there will be a retest in six months.
Hear all, see all, say nowt

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #141 on: 18 June, 2018, 06:46:11 pm »
To have done that on diet alone is amazing, congratulations!

Unfortunately your LDL is still a bit high so they will still want it to come down.  But you've definitely earned the right to keep trying by what you've achieved so far.  I expect that kind of improvement from diet is very rare.

LMT

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #142 on: 18 June, 2018, 08:53:22 pm »
To have done that on diet alone is amazing, congratulations!

Unfortunately your LDL is still a bit high so they will still want it to come down.  But you've definitely earned the right to keep trying by what you've achieved so far.  I expect that kind of improvement from diet is very rare.
Not really, if you remove most of, if not all your dietary cholesterol and do some exercise it's logical that your cholesterol scores will go down.

LMT

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #143 on: 18 June, 2018, 08:55:58 pm »
Total cholesterol in February was 10 which prompted a retest in March when it was 9. Both readings dangerously high apparently and I don't have the breakdown figures because at that point I didn't realise there was anything other than a total cholesterol measure.

After three months of drastic lifestyle changes the figures are now:

Total cholesterol    5.2
HDL cholesterol     1.7
LDL cholesterol      3.2
triglycerides           0.75

which is loads better.

However, to get it down this much I've given up red meat, all dairy products, fried food and (almost) alcohol. So, no pizzas, no pork pies, no cakes and no chips - all my favourite foods. The only fats in my diet now come from fish, nuts and avocados. I've lost 35lbs in those three months.

The doctor is concerned that it's still a high level of cholesterol and doubts I can maintain my current lifestyle but I'm not going on statins and there will be a retest in six months.

Good job. :thumbsup:

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #144 on: 18 June, 2018, 11:49:01 pm »
However, to get it down this much I've given up red meat, all dairy products, fried food and (almost) alcohol. So, no pizzas, no pork pies, no cakes and no chips - all my favourite foods.

but I'm not going on statins
Well if I had the choice between giving up my favourite foods or going on statins I know which I'd pick.
I made the choice about 15 years ago and haven't regretted it.
Statins every time.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #145 on: 19 June, 2018, 08:56:34 am »
To have done that on diet alone is amazing, congratulations!

Unfortunately your LDL is still a bit high so they will still want it to come down.  But you've definitely earned the right to keep trying by what you've achieved so far.  I expect that kind of improvement from diet is very rare.
Not really, if you remove most of, if not all your dietary cholesterol and do some exercise it's logical that your cholesterol scores will go down.

In practice that's not normally what happens.  Firstly very few people are actually able / willing to make such a drastic improvement in their diet.  And even if they do, the reduction in cholesterol levels is not usually so great. 

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #146 on: 19 June, 2018, 12:45:43 pm »
I've said before (but can't be bothered to search) much cholesterol in the blood is synthesised in the body and is not amenable to dietary manipulation.

Restricting energy intake from fats carbs and protein might drop blood cholesterol but many can't sustain (say) 1000kcal/day.

Those who make lots of cholesterol despite being built like a racing snake may need statins, especially if there's a family history of heart disease at a youngish age.

Not everyone tolerates statins well.

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #147 on: 19 June, 2018, 05:27:10 pm »
I've managed to alter my cholesterol balance by dietary changes. It isn't just a matter of eliminating fats, increasing the proportion of the 'good' fats is equally important (if not more so).

Much prefer that to statins, those are last resort in my mind.

Congratulations, JonJo
<i>Marmite slave</i>

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #148 on: 19 June, 2018, 06:56:19 pm »
statins, those are last resort in my mind.
Why?
There's no vibrations, but wait.

LMT

Re: Cholesterol and all that gubbins...
« Reply #149 on: 19 June, 2018, 07:17:58 pm »
To have done that on diet alone is amazing, congratulations!

Unfortunately your LDL is still a bit high so they will still want it to come down.  But you've definitely earned the right to keep trying by what you've achieved so far.  I expect that kind of improvement from diet is very rare.
Not really, if you remove most of, if not all your dietary cholesterol and do some exercise it's logical that your cholesterol scores will go down.

In practice that's not normally what happens.  Firstly very few people are actually able / willing to make such a drastic improvement in their diet.  And even if they do, the reduction in cholesterol levels is not usually so great.

Yes it does, it's hardly 'drastic' as you put it, all you are doing is cutting out meat, dairy and eggs and watching the amount of saturated fat you eat.

Can't believe your last sentence after the figures given by JonJo. :-\