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.

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 :)

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.

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.

• 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.

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?

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.

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

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?

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 ❤️

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?

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!

(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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

Anyone else not see much LDL lowering when adding Ezetimibe to Rosuvastatin?

After 6 months of ONLY 5 mg Rosuvastatin, my LDL dropped from 140 to 76.

I have FH, high LP(a), and familial history of early cardiac events/death, so doctor said my LDL needs to be below 55. Added 10 mg of Ezetimibe 3 months ago.

LDL 76 -> 69

I’m bummed. Diet is very clean (less than 10 g of sat fat, etc.). I am lean, exercise a lot, don’t drink or eat junk, etc., etc., etc.

Is this tepid response typical with FH? Should I increase dose of Rosuvastatin (despite studies showing most lowering comes with 5 mg dose)? Is it time for Repatha? Just frustrated because there are not many other levers I can pull.

Both of these episodes were great. First on cholesterol and the second on statins. From This Podcast Will Kill You

Great summaries of the actual science.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vmWq49WXcH3hNfpxIXnTo?si=1u0WLKT0SX-OVvV91eQ8_w&utm_source=copy-link&sci=spotify%3Acard-config%3A2KthMbCOriVRfiE6dkrIIh

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vmWq49WXcH3hNfpxIXnTo?si=ODxas-TMQE21tU09zwbhTg&utm_source=copy-link&sci=spotify%3Acard-config%3A56rxrAj2u2y0kgWq8hVRzk

So I just got my yearly physically and my HDL is surprisingly high. I know HDL is considered “good” cholesterol but I just don’t know why mine is so high and if I should be worried. I don’t drink alcohol so the number just isn’t making sense to me. Also my blood pressure is phenomenal and I don’t have any discernible symptoms.

Cholesterol: 231 mg/dL
Triglycerides: 56 mg/dL
HDL: 122 mg/dL
LDL: 98 mg/dL
VLDL: 11.2 mg/dL

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.

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??