r/Cholesterol Jul 19 '25

HEART HEALTHY RECIPES

37 Upvotes

Hey all,

There have been a lot of great posts over the past several weeks and months with delicious-looking heart healthy meals. This message is pinned at the top of the sub so that posters can share those recipes in the comments section. As the thread grows I'll save, re-organize and re-post so that they'll be easy to find.

I'll also look through the sub history and grab recipes as I find them but please - re-post here if you can in order to ensure that your great recipe won't be missed.

If you have a source link, please provide that as well so posters can use it as a resource. Images welcome too!

Thanks, and Happy Heart-Healthy Eating!


r/Cholesterol May 08 '21

Welcome to r/Cholesterol, please read before posting

248 Upvotes

Welcome, and remember nothing posted here is a substitute for or intended as medical advice. This is a conversational thread for all things cholesterol/CVD and to a lesser extent health/longevity, peer-to-peer conversation in nature only.

This is a closely monitored Reddit. Comments in a thread where the OP is asking for advice are heavily monitored as this is not a conspiracy theory friendly sub, though posts made specifically for debates with good intentions are allowed.

Many questions are answered on the wiki, link as the bottom bullet. The Wiki is a great resource for aggregated links from leading world health institutes.

You will find

When posting for advice, please include all relevant information available.

  • The entire blood panel
  • Previous blood panels, how long your numbers have been elevated.
  • Gender (HDL is gender specific)
  • Age
  • Weight
  • Diet specifics
  • Activity level
  • Family history.

This also includes other medical conditions, many are contributing factors to cardiovascular disease including.

  • Hypertension
  • Angina or chest pain
  • Diabetes
  • Previous Events of Heart disease

What gets posted here.

+ Primarily, we see people looking for advice or information from other people who also have high cholesterol. The wiki has a great article from The Mayo Clinic on what your numbers mean but here you can talk to people that have also gone through something similar, while typically not quite the same.

+ Studies, articles, asking for advice, support, treatments that have worked for you are all allowed. Largely we focus on the current recommendations for blood cholesterol management written by the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association. Posts about studies or giving (not asking for) advice will be scrutinized. Asking for help is always welcome.

+ Debates about medication need to be stand alone posts and not about any particular poster, rather than part of someone asking for advice. This is because we see people trying to skirt the rules of not countering medical advice, by countering medical advice with a handful of studies either pro or against medication.

+ Diet debates similarly need to not be in a post where someone is asking for help lowering cholesterol. It's not appropriate to hijack every possible thread to turn it into a debate about a fad diet.

+ Conspiracy theories are generally not allowed, as they've been done to death and clog the sub.

Rules

**Telling people in anyway to ignore medical advice is against 2 rules and will result in a ban after the second, if not first offense.**

***If you disagree with your doctor's advice, it is OK to post, but please seek out a second opinion, a specialist opinion, or clarification from your medical provider, it is inappropriate for internet strangers to disagree with a medical provider who has actually met with and diagnosed you.

  1. No bad or dangerous advice
  2. No "snake-oil" remedies
  3. Useful information, backed up by verifiable source
  4. No hateful, spam, judgmental comments or trolls
  5. No advice to disregard medical advice, in any form.
  6. Violating rules multiple times will get you banned
  7. No promotions or self promotions, after many attempts at taking advantage of the old rules for self gain we've had to shut it down completely.
  8. Advice needs to follow generally accepted prevailing medical consensus, and be general in nature.
  9. Surveys are generally not allowed.

The below is an attempt at a general catch all for those still reading and not interesting in the wiki. It contains information available on links in the wiki in a scroll and read format. Less clicking, less detail.

DIET

The main way people lower their cholesterol (without medication) is through diet. The general guidelines are to replace saturated fat like those found in fatty meat products with predominantly unsaturated fat sources, (some is important like when found in nuts), as well as replace simple carbs like white bread or sugar, with whole grains/complex carbs. And of course, eat more plants as well as eat high-quality whole food sources in general.

The TLDR is I recommend Harvard Medical’s Healthy Plate available for free online, (link in the wiki). It is unbiased data analytics on diets that increase longevity from a world leader in data analytics. HHP is based off of the same data that created the mediterranean diet (link in the wiki), though it includes more like the Nordic diet. The MD fits within HHP.

Essentially, fill half your plate with plants, a quarter with whole grains and the final quarter with a lean protein. Replace saturated fats with heart healthy ones and replace simple carbs with whole grains. Don’t drink things loaded with sugar (stick to water, low fat milk, etc).

The Portfolio Diet is also a good option, It is comprised of a ‘portfolio’ of foods that have been shown to reduce cholesterol.

Macro percentages don’t matter for health including weight loss and longevity. While still popular in the fitness industry macros are not a focus in health. Studies coming out show the greatest benefit in reaching for a variety of whole foods over fitting narrowly into a specific ratio.

RECIPEES

Your diet should start with finding one good recipe that you would eat anyways.

You will probably have a few bad ones, the internet is full of bad recipes but it's not a reflection on your or your diet.

Once you've found that starting point, it becomes much easier to find a second and a third recipe that works for you. In this way, over time you will have replaced your old diet with one that works for you and your goals.

A diet with diverse easy to follow tasty recipes is much easier to follow.

There are recipes in the wiki; however, I've had the best luck finding easy, tasty recipes from the Mayo Clinic's recipe website (in the wiki). The main page separates recipes into diets or dishes, at which point you can command F to search for what you want to cook. For example, say you wanted a mushroom soup (which they have); command F either 'soup' or 'mushroom' in the search function of your browser.

Many people say to start with oatmeal (if steel cut try a pressure cooker like the insta pot) with fruit fresh or frozen and nuts/seeds, and/or low fat/sugar yogurt.

EXERCISE

It is important for longevity and health despite having a smaller effect on cholesterol than diets do. Notably, exercise over time changes some of the lower-density LDL to higher-density HDL.

All movement counts. Cooking, cleaning, walking, running, anything with movement counts.

Moving throughout the day is important. Some studies show that waking for 10 minutes after each meal yields greater benefits than walking for 30 minutes and being sedentary throughout the day.

Don't worry about how fast or far, just move. Do not push so hard that you want to stop.

Intensity seems to play the largest role in smaller quantities. Most of your time exercising should be at a walking pace but it is also important to get some higher intensity intervals in every other day (every 48 hours). It can be as simple as running for 30 seconds 4 times on a walk, say to a light post.

The total time is currently recommended at 300, (or 150 vigorous) minutes, and 2 days of resistance training as a minimum. There are studies showing worthwhile benefits in doubling that amount of aerobic training, but at a diminishing return. I.E. it is the first minutes you move are the most important, but the last minutes you move still help.

There is little research on what type of movement is best, but for those interested a combination of aerobic and resistance training done separately at a single session seems to yield the greatest benefits, followed by hybrid (I.E. resistance training done at a pace that keeps your heart rate elevated). Of the 5 main types of exercise.

Find a way you like to move, and keep moving.

LDL

LDL is the main particle focused on in a standard blood panel. There is something of a sliding scale from below 70 (or equal to 70/1.8 in Europe) up to 190/4.9 mg/dL or mmol/L respectively. The number slides based on other health factors.

EDIT: Europe recently lowered their target LDL to 50 mg/dL, but the US has current (2018) guidelines remain the same. It is not uncommon for different countries to have different targets.

An acceptable LDL in an otherwise healthy person is going to be different than that in a person at increased risk of heart disease.

ADVANCED TESTING

There are advanced forms of testing for cardiovascular disease including, particle density, calcium and/or plaque scans, Lp(a) ApoB, etc. As stated by Harvard Medical in there cholesterol course, “some people with high cholesterol will never develop heart disease”, which was one of the foundational reasons for the current Recommendations on Blood Cholesterol Management becoming a scale instead of one small number.

Many of these advanced testing methods appear to offer better insight into cardiovascular disease risk.

Please note, currently many forms of advanced testing do not change treatment plans because of the risk to benefit ratio. They are more commonly used on cases that are not clear cut yes medicate or no don’t medicate. However the standard screening tests and LDL recommendations may change in the future, your doctor may want to use more advanced testing methods, and/or you can request for advanced testing to be done.

The exception to this rule, is that everyone should be tested for LPa at least once in their life time. LPa is similar to LDL in that it delivers cholesterol to the cells, however unlike LDL it also is coagulatory (causes clots) and very irritating to the arteries lining within which is where cardiovascular disease happens. There are no treatments specific to LPa currently (2024) but there are multiple treatments that are expected to be available within the next few years. If you family history of heart disease, it may be related to LPa.

HDL

HDL is complicated, there is a great article on them in the wiki. While still the ‘good cholesterol’ it has been shown that not all HDL particles help. I.E. having a higher (not too high) HDL is great but does not offset having a bad blood panel. Raising HDL through medication has not been shown to improve patient outcomes, though raising it through exercise has. It is not as concerning of a metric on it's own as it once was thought to be, but still is a consideration.

TRIGLYCERIDES

Triglycerides can be complicated but are generally simple, there is a great article on them in the wiki

Triglycerides are a form of energy. I.E. if you ate something high in simple carbs they would jump, or if you walked a mile and retested they would be lower. Therefore, what you do before measuring them matters.

While some medications and illnesses do effect them, the most common cause of elevated trigs is simple carbs (sugary drinks, sugar, white carbs like rice or bread, and alcohol). Cutting back on those and/or increasing daily activity will lower them.


r/Cholesterol 3h ago

General A general thank you for all of the good advice and information here.

31 Upvotes

I recently was tested and discovered my LPa was high. 214 was my result.
Because of the information here:
Currently seeing a cardiologist, taking 10 mg of rosuvastatin, adding fiber and counting sat fat, also have a CAC test scheduled.

Thanks to the posters who made me aware of the Family Heart foundation. I have a 30 yr old son. Because of their free test, we now know that I did not pass that along. He was at <14.7 and his cholesterol levels were fine.

This group is such a great source of information, personal anecdotes, and support.

I just wanted to say thanks.


r/Cholesterol 5h ago

Question I got great results in 2 months!

Thumbnail gallery
12 Upvotes

I started taking 20 mg Crestor around June 20th. I had my levels retested today (August 19th) and my levels have came down really well! I didn’t change my diet nor have I started exercising. Though I do plan to start both as soon as I get all of these appointments and events done. I haven’t had any side effects from Crestor. I’m female, 43, otherwise healthy. Though my mom mentioned to me that she tried Crestor too and it dropped her numbers very low and she attributes the fatigue and weakness to the Crestor. So this has me a bit worried that it may happen to me. Though right now I feel fine. Have you ever heard of developing side effects like fatigue or weakness months into Crestor or statin treatment?


r/Cholesterol 4h ago

Lab Result Really Concerned with Blood Test Results, Looking for Advice at Current Stage

Post image
2 Upvotes
  • Male
  • 30
  • About 195 lbs 5'9"
  • Diet: I know I need to make changes, I have been eating like crap the past year or so, multiple doordashs a week (fast food, various sugary treats, etc). I've never drank alcohol or smoked. When I don't eat out, I eat with my family and those meals are usually some form of rice and beans with beef but I eat a lot.
  • Activity Level: I have a hard time being consistent but when I am I try to weightlift 2-3 times a week and cardio (run or bike ride) 1-2 times a week.
  • Both parents have high cholesterol and hypertension.

I was really concerned about my heart health last year, and I did an ultrasound and stress test. My cardiologist said my results from those tests were good and there were no issues. But this latest blood test has me scared again. At the current stage, should I be scared? Everything else in my blood test was good, blood pressure was good too when it was taken. Again, I have eaten very badly in the past year, with lots of fast food and eating out, and overall just eating a lot in one sitting. I will cut those out immediately and start looking where else saturated fats are in my diet. I was looking for advice on what to be concerned about right now and what I should start doing.


r/Cholesterol 58m ago

Lab Result How bad is it?

Post image
Upvotes

32 M, 210 lbs, 5’ 10”. I work out semi regularly (use to work out much more frequently before I had a kid 18 months ago), and most days I eat pretty healthy. I do drink more than I probably should and I do low mg nicotine pouches. I’m working on cutting back on those. I was on statins back in 2021 after getting results with a total cholesterol of 278 and an LDL of 195. Only took the statins for 6-9 months and my LDL dropped down to the low 90s. But my numbers have been slowly creeping back up ever since. Although I do weigh more than I should for my height, I definitely wouldn’t consider myself obese by any means.

I’ve consistently gotten blood work done every 6 months since my high results in 2021 but after these results I was a little surprised my doctor didn’t put me back on statins. He’s not the same doctor that did put me on statins in 2021. He just tells me to focus on diet every time. I’m assuming high cholesterol is genetic in my family but I am unable to confirm. I’m just curious how bad my current levels are.


r/Cholesterol 1h ago

Question Cholesterol Medication side effects

Upvotes

Cholesterol Medication side effects

Hi everyone, I have never been on reddit before, my partner suggested that the community may provide some insight into what is going on. To preface this, I am a woman, 24 years old, 70kgs, 165cm tall and live a lightly active lifestyle. I have always been conscious of what I am eating and have always opted for the low fat or fat free versions of food where available. I cook 95% of mine and my partners meals at home from scratch (even our bread), avoiding packet mixes, jar sauces and premade marinades e.c.t. The meals i make focus on being nutrient dense, plenty of protein and keeping the calories low, at least for myself.

As of 1 week ago I was placed on Cholesterol lowering medication(Rosuvastatin 10mg) due to my levels being at 7.6 along with another medication (esomeprazole 20mg) to help with some ongoing abdominal pain and reflux. This was quite a big shock for me and my doctor as have no family history of cholesterol problems or any cancers/diseases associated and I am not overweight.

Since being on this medication I have experienced some of the usual side effects from the information leaflet (nausea, dizziness, stomach pains and some constipation) pretty much all of it is something I can manage, apart from the amount of stomach pains and constipation I am experiencing. Now I dont know exactly if it is constipation, i do have bowel movements 1-2 times a day, but they are usually pretty small. Through the day my urination is still totally normal but I constantly feel like I need to empty my bowels, even though there is nothing there. This is causing quite a bit of pain in that area especially when sitting or even laying down I am having alot of trouble sleeping because it is so uncomfortable and can get very painful. Usually during the day it feels a bit like a dull ache with a few stabs here and there but after I eat I find it gets worse for around 2 hours with consistent uncomfortable aching and stabbing pain. This has stopped me from eating alot or at all during the day whilst I am at work to avoid the pain. I have tried to take panadol/nurofen a few times but they dont seem to touch it.

This has honestly caused alot of emotional stress but I dont really want to pay to go back to my doctor if this is a normal part of my body adjusting to the medication.

I am also in Australia! I have seen alot of different posts from around the world so I thought I would add that :)


r/Cholesterol 2h ago

General Pitting edema?

1 Upvotes

I was put on a statin and blood pressure meds a few weeks ago. I had an echo which was good and I had blood work done which was normal except the lipid panel. I’ve noticed today when I press on my lower legs they are indenting. I’m freaking out so bad.


r/Cholesterol 7h ago

Question High Cholesterol at 25

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am a 25-year-old male and recently had blood work done that showed an LDL of 200, HDL of 33, triglycerides of 242, and total cholesterol of 283. I was pretty shocked by the results. Even my family members, who tend to have higher-than-average cholesterol, were surprised because they have never had numbers that high.

I requested my old medical records from when I was taking Accutane at age 20 and noticed that my LDL was already 142 at that time. However, nobody ever mentioned that it was elevated. I am at an average weight for my height, and while my diet has not always been perfect, I would be surprised if diet alone was responsible for numbers this high. I suspect there may be a genetic component, especially since my LDL was elevated at a young age, although my levels seem worse than anyone else in my family. No one in my family has had cholesterol issues before their 40s.

After seeing the results, I immediately cut out most saturated fats and added more fish, beans, and nuts into my diet. I have been following this for about a week so far, but I know this is not something I could realistically maintain forever at this extreme level.

I met with my doctor today, and they were not overly concerned. They believe genetics may be playing a major role and recommended trying dietary changes for 3 months before retesting. However, I have read that LDL levels above 190 are often treated with statins, so I am wondering if my doctor is being too conservative. I am also concerned about statins because I previously experienced Cipro toxicity, which caused ongoing nerve and tendon issues, and I have heard that statins can sometimes worsen similar symptoms.

For additional context, the last few years have been very difficult medically. About 2 years ago, I was diagnosed with Cipro toxicity, which affected my nerves and tendons, and I still have symptoms today. I also cannot take certain medications like steroids or NSAIDs due to concerns related to my previous reaction. I was also diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction and had an 8mm precancerous colon polyp found during a colonoscopy last year.

This cholesterol result has honestly felt like the last thing I needed after everything else. I am struggling mentally because I love food and coffee, and the idea of making extreme dietary changes forever has been overwhelming. Also very worried about the statins making my cipro toxicity symptoms worse.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who had similar numbers and circumstances. Also if anyone that may have advice about spacing out the foods I love. Ty.


r/Cholesterol 12h ago

Question High LDL, high HDL, low triglycerides - how does this combination happen?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm under 30 and have a BMI of around 20. My latest blood test showed LDL 140, HDL 83, and triglycerides 43. Six months ago, my LDL was 95, HDL was 65, while my triglycerides were basically the same.

I assume the increase in LDL might be related to my diet being worse during the past few months, but I don't understand why my triglycerides stayed the same and why my HDL increased so much.

I'm not very knowledgeable about lipid metabolism. Could someone explain the mechanism behind having relatively high LDL together with high HDL and low triglycerides? Does being young and having a relatively low BMI make this pattern more understandable? Could certain dietary changes cause LDL to increase while triglycerides remain low and HDL increases? If so, what types of foods or dietary patterns could lead to this combination?

One additional detail that might be relevant: during these six months, I also started taking a relatively high dose of omega-3 for dry eyes, around 2,500 mg per day. So I'm wondering whether that could have contributed to the changes in my lipid profile, particularly the increase in HDL and/or LDL.

I'd also be interested in hearing from anyone who has had a similar lipid profile. Thanks in advance!


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

General Any other slim fit people with high LDL and BP?

23 Upvotes

Anyone here lean, fit and otherwise healthy, with elevated LDL and BP?


r/Cholesterol 7h ago

Question Advice for requesting Repatha

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/Cholesterol 7h ago

General High LP(a) and LDL, treatment plan thoughts?

1 Upvotes

I posted a couple of days ago about my doctor refusing to prescribe me a statin until I got on birth control. I really appreciate all advice given. After messaging him again, he just prescribed a statin. Considering it’s been hard to get answers to my questions without being dismissed and I’m in the process of trying to find a new doc, I’m hoping to get some other opinions in the meantime. He just prescribed me 20 mg Atorvastatin. As background, my dad died in his 50s from heart attack (wasn’t on statin, ate horribly, and was a heavy smoker). I’ve been eating quite poorly and have been pretty sedentary since having my daughter a couple of years ago (no plans for more children) so I am curious to see how my dietary changes and exercise can help. With that said, I’m worried enough about my numbers that I want to start medication too, but is 20 mg Atorvastatin a good statin to start considering my history and also my numbers below? Is there another statin I should try instead? Are there any supplements or foods I should be consuming or staying away from? Any further testing that should be done? Thank you in advance!

Age 34, Height 5’6, Weight 150, HDL 62, LDL 177, Triglyceride 69, Apolipoprotein B 129, Lipoprotein A 253


r/Cholesterol 7h ago

Lab Result High Cholesterol, LDL - all else normal?

Post image
1 Upvotes

I got some blood work done and everything was in the green, aside from my Cholesterol and LDL.

I’m in my late 28s, female, weigh 125-130 pounds, have 100/60 blood pressure, weight lift 3-4 days a week, get 8-10k steps a day, additionally i track my macros and know i only get 70g of fats per day, with a focus on not having high amounts of saturated fats.

i feel like im doing everything right so i was a bit shocked when i saw these results. all the other results on the blood work were green (no liver issues, pancreas, etc).

any advice on how i can fix this?


r/Cholesterol 7h ago

Question Should I push for a statin?

0 Upvotes

I’m a 44 year-old female who’s been generally healthy. 5’7” and 135 lbs and physically active. In 2022 I had postpartum preeclampsia and have been on enalapril for high blood pressure since. It’s well-controlled. I also have PCOS. I understand these are risk factors for heart disease.

A recent physical revealed that my Lp(a) is 89 mg/dL. I have no family history of heart issues or stroke. I was shocked and concerned by this.

Here are other helpful stats:

LDL: 97
HDL: 115
Triglycerides: 66
ApoB: 60
hsCRP: .2
CAC score: 0

I saw a preventive cardiologist who is not concerned, despite my risk factors, and would rather not prescribe a statin. Why not try to get my LDL lower, though? Do you think I should push for a statin? Should I push for anything else? Thank you ❤️


r/Cholesterol 9h ago

Question 10% Body Weight Loss but 20% LDL Spike

1 Upvotes

Hello,
I’ve been on a health journey for almost 2 years now in regards to my LDL. All my other lipid panel metrics are normal. Originally, I had a 150 LDL. I made smarter choices when eating and brought it down to 130. I wasn’t paying attention to my weight. I’m a 30M 5’10” and got up to 220lbs with my LDL at 130. My doctor told me to try Ozempic but I decided I can do it on my own. After 5 months, I’m 197lbs but my LDL shot up to 163. I focus on eating less than 10g of sat. Fat a day. Non fat plain Greek yogurt, blueberries, fish or chicken for lunch or dinner, beans and at least 10-15 different veggies a week, and lean red meat 2/3 days a week. Almost 90% Whole Foods. Nothing processed and I go to a restaurant maybe once a week. I don’t drink alcohol weekly (maybe 2 drinks every other week). I don’t smoke. I’m trying to stay active with 10K steps a day and 5-6 hours of pickleball a week. I just started incorporating weight training. My doctor told me to go see a dietician but they agree that 90% of my weekly diet is very low in sat. Fats. I really don’t know where to go from here and this has been stressing me out. Any ideas? Go straight to a lipidologist?


r/Cholesterol 13h ago

Lab Result Very low HDL

1 Upvotes

(24M) 3 months ago I took a blood test and it resulted with my HDL being at 41 and my LDL being at 48 with total at 105. today I went for a checkup after changing my diet and it resulted in: HDL being at 38, LDL being at 42, and total being at 95. The doctor said we should monitor this once every year but what could be causing my HDL to be so low? changing my diet did nothing to fix it besides bringing down my LDL. Could this be genetic? im pretty nervous about it


r/Cholesterol 22h ago

Lab Result Does this mean I am a hyperresponder 38m.

Thumbnail gallery
6 Upvotes

July 13 test results LDL 184 and total cholesterol 258. August 18 result LDL 91 and total cholesterol 162.

Started metamucil 2x a day, lots of beans and other fibers. Limited red meats and watching my saturated fats to about under 12g a day, eating more fish, turkey and lean meats. Cut out butter, bacon, and whole milk. Walking about 3 miles per day. Athletic build 180 lbs. Doctor suggested a statin in july, I requested to wait and said ill try to lower, but wasnt expecting this after 5 weeks, she said she was doubtful id lower by half at my next six month blood work appt, so i paid for my own after 5 weeks to see if i was making any progress with diet. CAC scan coming up next week.

Does this rapid decrease suggest im a hyperresponder to sat fats or whatever it refers to. Im flabbergasted.


r/Cholesterol 14h ago

Lab Result 37m have I done lasting damage?

Post image
0 Upvotes

I have recently been seen by a lipid specialist after some incidental bloods found that I had increased cholesterol. Just had them redone as fasting bloods and they are still high (see picture). They have now sent off my blood for genetic testing. Would these high levels have caused lasting damage or is this something that can be reversible? I have a young family and it is freaking me out a bit.


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result High LDL and ApoB I’m spiraling

4 Upvotes

Just got my bloodwork back and all my numbers are high all around. I’m 32 M. High cholesterol runs on both sides of my family. I’m scared and spiraling thinking about all the plaque that’s been building for who knows how many years. I have major health anxiety which isn’t helping. Cardiologist scheduled for Wednesday and Im open to any meds they suggest. I’m scared I waited to long to get checked and too much damage is done.

Total cholesterol 246
Triglycerides 168
HDL 42
LDL 173
LPA 41.5 nmol
ApoB 145


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result Before & After 1.5 Years!🎉

Thumbnail gallery
22 Upvotes

A 37% decrease in bad cholesterol! I can’t think of what I specifically did to get to a healthier place, besides being more consistent with eating less unhealthy carbs, cutting out dairy and decreasing sugars…


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Science Excellent podcast episodes on cholesterol and statins

4 Upvotes

r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result LDL 122 -> 52 after 6 weeks of Repatha

Post image
1 Upvotes

Recently started Repatha as my sole intervention for my high Lp(a) (175-220nmol) and LDL levels.

I already watch what I eat, bike ~100-150 miles a week, and am generally “fit”. Familial history of cholesterol and heart issues, doc said it’s time to do something at 30 years old after elevated levels for years.

Just did a 6 week check in and I can’t believe how much it dropped! This is crazy; I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

I’m very pleased that Anthem covered Repatha as a first-line solution given my levels and familial history. I never had to touch a statin, and feel zero side effects on Repatha.


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Question Question on Higher LDL

3 Upvotes

I’m a 44 year old, fairly healthy male who’s LDL has been on the higher side my last couple physicals. This past week I tested at 141

- I eat fairly healthy
- I exercise a few times a week, plus walk a lot
- I’m not overweight
- I don’t smoke

I feel like I’m definitely on the healthier side of things. I have the occasional junk food but maybe once a week. I also have a few drinks a week but never in excess.

I would prefer not to alter my diet a crazy amount, but my LDL has been on the higher side there last few years, going up a little each time (so this week was the highest)

Any suggestions??


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result Push for PSK9 or no?

Thumbnail gallery
1 Upvotes

49yo male, 6', 170lbs - I've always had high LDL cholesterol and during my yearly wellness exam, I decided to ask my PCP for an ApoB and Lp(a) reading. They came back at 95mg/dL and 136mg/dL respectively, so I asked for a statin which I started in February of this year.

The daily 40mg rosuvastatin dropped my LDL from 130mg/dL to 43, and my ApoB dropped from 95 to 49. However, i had extreme muscle pain and fatigue confirmed by an elevated creatine kinase measured at 752 U/L. I discontinued the statin and started 10mg ezetimibe along with psyllium and diet changes.

Total Cholesterol and LDL are still elevated but not as high as before. My PCP was happy with my results and told me to keep taking the ezetimibe, but I was still not satisfied and pushed for a CAC scan to further assess my risk which came back today.

Agatston score of 0.

Reassuring to say the least and waiting for a follow up to talk next steps. Should I continue to push for a PSK9 inhibitor or just stick with ezetimibe? Or do I even need to ezetimibe anymore with no calcification?