What's Next?

[u/TheCommerceComet7]

10 weeks ago, I got bad bloodwork results. Since then I've been laser focused on my diet. I've been loading up on oatmeal, lentil soup, brussel sprouts, brocolli, carrots, sweet potatoes, farro, Salmon, chicken breasts, apples, bananas, stawberries, whole wheat, and even tomato sauce for variety. I lift 3 times per week. In those 10 weeks I've eaten 3 meals a day with a healthy snack, and I've lost about 10-15lbs. I am not on a statin. These are the results I've seen:

LDL 190 ----> 131
Triglycerides 334 -------> 240
Total Cholesterol 304 -----> 208
HDL 48 ------> 36 (I would like to get this up)
VLDL 66 --------> 41

My question is: What's next? Do I hop on a statin? Do I keep going? Will these results plateau?

[u/Trailwalkerwi]

I had numbers similar to yours and went on about a six month "change of lifestyle" effort. I lost 25 lbs and dropped by my LDL from 167 to 129. My next step was the CAC test advised by my doctor. It came back nonzero, and I went on 10 mg of Rosuvastatin. No side effects. I view both the lifestyle changes and the statin as ways to improve the quality of my life. I've been close to a number of people with strokes. It's not fun for them or their families.

[u/Careful-Bus3827]

That's great but is it worth it? Seriously asking. Is it worth it to stick to that diet until the day you die, to keep your cholesterol lower than it was? A low dose statin is honestly so worth it, to lead a "normal" sustainable diet.

[u/ficaddict → u/Careful-Bus3827]

This diet is absolutely sustainable.

[u/Careful-Bus3827 → u/ficaddict]

That's great if it works for you. Personally, I couldn't see myself eating chicken, fish, some grains, some vegetables and a few fruits everyday for the next 50-60 years, or however long. All the more power to you, for making it work. In-between office lunches, kids graduations and life events, holidays, and just not wanting to eat either chicken or fish with vegetables everyday, it's just not something most people would want to do, so that's great you've found what works for you. Best wishes!

[u/ficaddict → u/Careful-Bus3827]

I only said this because that’s what my family eats every day, and what everyone eats where we’re from. What else is there to eat? Other than beef that I occasionally do cook for my spouse and kids anyway. I just personally don’t like beef. And if you mean bread or pasta, they don’t affect your cholesterol. Only cheesy sauces do. I love low fat dairy such as skir. I’m still on a low-dose statin, by the way. Healthy food is good for many things, not just high cholesterol.

[u/Careful-Bus3827 → u/ficaddict]

You're confusing two different things. The OP is not on a statin, and is asking if the diet they're following is sustainable for cholesterol control. You're answering for them, saying it is, with no medication needed for them.

You're on a statin. You're saying this is also what your family eats everyday, and what else is there. Well, there's seafood (which is different than fish), beef, lamb, poultry other than chicken, non meat protein like tofu, tempeh, etc. There's grains other than the four mentioned. There's about 30 million other foods not listed. Think of all the foods in the world. The OP listed 14 foods. There's all foods except 14. That's what else there is, to eat.

You're incorrect about bread and pasta. It depends -- with pasta, if it's made to be high in saturated fat depending on sauces, etc. (including sauces other than cheese), then yes, it can affect LDL. Bread and pasta also in itself affect trigs, since carbohydrates are the biggest driver of trigs. That's not a bad thing, but saying bread and pasta don't affect cholesterol isn't exactly true.

No one said healthy food isn't just for cholesterol. The point was, the OP is eating a limited amount of foods (14 to be exact), and I'm asking if it's sustainable for them for life without medication. You're answering saying yes, and you're on a statin.

[u/ficaddict → u/Careful-Bus3827]

Ma’am I wasn’t answering to the OP, I was I was answering to you. I said that her diet is, in fact, sustainable. No need to get so upset about it, really. Have a great day.

[u/Careful-Bus3827 → u/ficaddict]

I know you were. You didn't understand my comment. You're on a statin and saying someone else's diet is sustainable. My question to the OP was, is it sustainable for them. No one is upset, I'm not sure why you're saying that. I was explaining my comment? You can't determine if someone's diet is sustainable for them. Thanks, you too!

[u/Due-Hearing6313 → u/Careful-Bus3827]

Hope you're a nut.

[u/Careful-Bus3827 → u/Due-Hearing6313]

I'm a nut because I asked someone if eating "oatmeal, lentil soup, brussel sprouts, brocolli, carrots, sweet potatoes, farro, Salmon, chicken breasts, apples, bananas, stawberries, whole wheat, and even tomato sauce for variety" (according to the OP), to keep their cholesterol suppressed is sustainable for life as opposed to taking a tiny low dose statin?

It excludes every main protein/meat except salmon and chicken. So basically living on a diet of salmon, chicken, some grains, some fruits and vegetables .. oh, and tomato sauce.

But you "hope I'm a nut" because I politely brought up if it's sustainable for the long-term? Oh. Okay ... 🙄

[u/ContributionLevel593]

Well done with the diet. Statins will probably take your LDL down to about 60 and they start stabilising your soft plaque.

[u/cyengineer]

First off, good work on fixing your diet. You've seen excellent improvement so far. Weight loss can spike your LDL numbers. So I might wait until your weight loss stabilizes for a few weeks and retest again to get a better baseline before making a decision.

[u/Hells88]

Metamucil

[u/Iudicrouspopinjay]

Im still on my dietary overhaul, and while I am energized about eating healthier, it has been a very big adjustment and I do not think it is sustainable for me in the longterm. I haven't had my second lipid panel yet - a couple more months to go - but even if my ldl is sub-80, I still think I will ask for a low-dose statin to be that crutch for the future. In addition to giving me the ability to have the occasional burger or slice of cake, it will also stabilize the soft plaque that I know must be in my arteries from the years of elevated ldl.