Poll: Do you know your cholesterol.....and.are you taking a statin?

[Momto3]

Do you know your cholesterol numbers?  Are you taking a statin medication?  If so, have your cholesterol levels improved?

[Momto3]

Thanks!!  I will be sure to pass along the information!  Always learning something around here....LOL

Thanks for the link.  I'm looking forward to checking it out!  Is niacin something you can take on your own?  Or, do you need an RX?  

[MysteryChemist]

No, I have not had a full lipid profile. It is possible to be at risk even though your LDL is low. LDL is a term that covers many different sizes of LDL.  Some of the smaller sizes of LDL can cause more damage than the larger sizes of LDL. It's possible to have LDL that is mostly the smaller size material so you would be at higher risk than another person who had the same LDL number but his/her was composed of larger LDL molecules.

Statins lower LDL but it lowers all kinds of LDL.  Niacin can help change the smaller size LDL to the larger size LDL.

Here is a link that gives more details

http://www.heartpoint.com/cholesadvanced.html

[Momto3]

WOW!  Great improvement MysteryChemist!!  It really seems that the Niapsan helps!

Have you ever had a full lipid profile done?  I'm asking because I know someone with a TC of 14?, LDL 120ish, HDL, 42ish (Sorry, I can't remember the exact numbers).  Anyway, here's what's weird!  She had this full panel done and even though the numbers are OK, the LDL showed a bad kind of cholesterol.....so confusing!  So, it seems that even though my current levels are OK (in my case TC 148, HDL, 43, LDL, 105, trig 74), it seems that I can still have a tendency for CAD depending on the actual makeup of the LDL...........sigh

[MysteryChemist]

My total cholesterol is 110, LDL 52, HDL 50, Trig 39. I take 40 mg Lipitor one night and 20 mgs the next night. I also take 2000 mg of Niapsan every night

When I was admitted with a heart attack 12/06, my Total was 198, LDL 138, HDL 35 and trig 123.

[Me967]

C Hi.  I had really really bad leg cramps for the first two weeks.  After that it was fine.  I would not want to have to go threw that twice.  Changing or starting new pills for me has always been tough. { :- (

Now I think it was worth the 2 weeks of pain though with levels looking up.  : - )

[Momto3]

Thanks for sharing the good news!!  

I am not currently on cholesterol meds, but a lot of people around me on are different regimes. For the most part, they are experiencing positive results.  However, a couple of people have had to change medications because of leg cramps.  I've been hearing that's pretty common.....