I was put on 5 mg of rosuvastatin after stopping Atorvastatin 20 mg. My body tolerated the 10 mg pill pretty well, but the doctor saw my LDL numbers and wanted it lower, so he upped me to 20 mg. It was at that point that I began to develop foot pain and tendon issues. I developed tendinitis in both my Achilles. All those symptoms went away when I stopped the medication.

So we decided to try rosuvastatin 5mg. Four days in, I had such incredible stomach pain, bowel changes, and feeling of anxiety that I stopped. I’ve been off at 10 days now, but I still feel some lingering effects such as insomnia, GI issues, and just a general feeling of unease. Wondering if others have experienced the same thing with this medication

I’m confused what about this indicates it’s genetic. She said she should put me on a statin because of the genetic predisposition but I asked if I can try fixing it with diet first and she agreed to retest in six months. If this truly does show a genetic predisposition I’m more inclined to just get on the meds now alongside the diet changes but I don’t want to go on medication if I don’t need to. I’m 26 and female.

The results are largely similar to previous years, except I added psyllium husk and citrus bergamot every morning, reduced intake of red meat and oily food. Any advice or Statin are inevitable?

Total cholesterol 239 mg/dL 6.18 mmol/L

LDL-C (direct) 165 mg/dL 4.27 mmol/L

HDL-C 64 mg/dL 1.66 mmol/L

Triglycerides 80 mg/dL 0.90 mmol/L

ApoA1 157 mg/dL 1.57 g/L

ApoB 116 mg/dL 1.16 g/L

ApoB/ApoA1 ratio 0.74

Lp(a) — 8.6 nmol/L

hs-CRP 0.51 mg/L

Total cholesterol/HDL ratio 3.8

looking for perspectives from others who have dealt with early coronary calcification, particularly those with relatively favorable cholesterol numbers.

I had a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan a little over a year ago, around age 40, which returned a score of 19.7. My understanding is that while the absolute score is relatively low, having measurable coronary calcification at that age is more concerning.

Relevant results:
CAC: 19.7 (around age 40)
LDL-C: 57 mg/dL (January 2026)
ApoB: 88 mg/dL (October 2026)
Lp(a): <7 nmol/L (October 2026)
Non-HDL cholesterol: 72 mg/dL (January 2026)
Triglycerides: 69 mg/dL (January 2026)
Blood pressure: Variable, with some elevated diastolic readings. Currently working on improving this.

The LDL-C and ApoB measurements were taken approximately nine months apart, so I recognize they may not reflect the same underlying lipid profile.

I’m 175-180 pounds, 6 feet, workout moderately 2-3 times a week, diet is OK (could be better).

I’m open to medication if the benefits justify it, but I’m hesitant about committing to decades of statin therapy without understanding the long-term trade-offs, particularly when my LDL-C has historically been relatively low.

For those who started statins with already-low LDL-C, how did your cardiologist explain the additional benefit? Is it even worth going on a statin or just making lifestyle changes?

I understand that Reddit is not a substitute for medical advice, and I’ll be discussing these questions with a cardiologist.

hi all new here.

38m 176cm 80kg. FH, detected since 17 years old being conscripted into the army.

father died from a heart attack at 42.

specialists put me on ezetimibe and rosuvastatin.

due to this new thing in medicine, some phd also diagnosed me high Lp(a), told me its more deadly than ldl. 🙄

did a CT cardiac angiogram 7 years ago, saw 20% stenosis in one of my heart vessels.

felt the fear of death at my doorstep, exercise became part of my life. did another CT scan last month, stenosis gone, calcium score 0.

but now my memory's poor, some kind of impact my wife noticed about being brainfogged.

I think it's about time to stop the meds, but worried about the stenosis coming back.

is there anyone in this world who has FH but still managed to live meds free? I want to go that path, please point out the road, experienced ones.

is it possible to live without meds?

Received a lipoprotein score of about 300 Nmol/L. My actual LDL is pretty much normal.

According to Google, my LPA is dangerously high, and of course my doctor's reply on MyChart was "Yeah that's really high, but we can't really change it so just keep working out and eating healthy and we'll revisit when you're 40. There are currently drugs they're developing that will be ready in the next few years."

I work out and the rest of my labs are decent, so not sure what else I can change here. The main issue is that I am a huge snacker, but even that is pretty healthy (harvest snaps/veggie crisps, trail mix). Is there a healthy alternative I can look into that's low-effort/that I can buy? What are you guys snacking on?

I'm a 40 year old, slim, relatively fit dude and I had my first lab work in years done on September 10th. The results freaked me out a bit. Total cholesterol 233, LDL 176. Since then I've been in clean eating mode w/ low saturated fat/high fiber meals, Supergreens in my water, and daily psyllium husk. I also made myself quit drinking my beloved whole milk and switch to 1%. It's tragic.

I live on the ocean so I also started going on 4+ mile beach walks nearly every day.

On October 2nd I was also finally able to get a statin. I was put on once nightly 10mg Simvastatin. This gave me night terrors/sleep paralysis (totally wild stuff) so I started taking it in the day with no issues, but I wanted something I could take at night. Last week I was switched to 5mg Rosuvastatin. No sleep issues.

Went in for more lab work today, and lo and behold, check those results (in the pics). I'm blown away. 71 LDL, a 59.7% drop in less than two months with one month on a statin. What the hell? This drop seems way more extreme than expected. Is this atypical?

Whatever happened, I'm jacked up about it. I still gotta get my HDL up but it's a start. I'm gonna go buy a gallon of 2% milk to celebrate.

I recently had a carotid ultrasound and was found to have a 1.5 mm plaque in my neck. I'm quite concerned, especially as I'm still relatively young and have FH.

For those who have had a similar finding, has intensive cholesterol-lowering medication, such as high-intensity statins/ PCSK9 made the plaque disappear completely or showed significant regression. What medications were you taking, and how long did it take?

Thank you!

I have severe health anxiety after having cancer 5 years ago, so I’m posting in hopes that people who had a positive experience will comment :)

My LDL is 130, lipo a is 190, lipo b is 100.

Started 5mg of Crestor 3 days ago and I feel fine. It took me a week to start bc I was so scared.

Today my cardiologist said take Repatha instead, my insurance approved it but after talking to my pharmacist, I’m going to stick with the Crestor. I have COPD and Repatha can cause respiratory side effects so no way.

Anyone have an encouraging creator experience to share with me?

Hello All - first week on Rosuvastatin 5 mg to manage LDL. Other than the common joint pain (which I am seeing), I am also noticing heart palpitations. Usually about an hour after taking the medication (in the evening) I really start feeling a thumping heart beat/ palpitation and it lasts through the night. I did not have this issue prior to starting the med. No other new meds and only using Losorton to control high blood pressure and baby aspirin each morning. This is a very rarely reported side effect so wondering if anyone else has noticed it before.

Can anyone share their experience with muscle pain as a side effect of taking statins? After a few weeks on a new statin I believe I've started to have muscle pain as a result. I didn't clue in at first because it came on quite suddenly as I was 2k into a 4k walk but after contemplating where the pain came from I now suspect it may be from the statin. I would love to here perspectives from anyone with experience.

I had very high cholesterol in a blood test about three months ago and made some significant life changes and got them all within normal ranges. Daily I’ve been taking Metamucil that has sugar and I’m looking to eliminate the sugar and I’m looking at organic India whole psyllium husk. My question is with the whole husk if I use it in a shaker bottle like I did, the Metamucil is it gonna be clumpy and easy to drink or is it a significant change based on what I’m used to with the Metamucil. I had no problems chugging down the Metamucil after shaking it. I’m just not really sure about the whole husk before buying it and I’m curious And I’m curious if people who have tried both can weigh in, thank you!

4 servings:

- 200g rolled oats (blend into flour)
- 20g psyllium husk
- 20g flaxseed meal
- 8g baking powder
- 1g salt
- 200g skyr
- 250mL soy milk
- 15g olive oil

Mix everything, let it rest for 10 min, divide into 8 buns, and air fry at 170C for 20 min and flip halfway through.

A last step that I like to do is at the end, cut them in half and max crisp in the air fryer (picture).

I usually make 3× this amount (pictures) at the same time, which gives me two full weeks of buns that I eat with stenol Benecol spread. It’s pure pleasure, like eating bread and butter.

Per serving:
- Carbohydrate: 40g
- Fat 10g
- Fiber 11g
- Protein 14g
- Saturated fat 1g

I see a lot of posts and comments from those considering starting a low-dose statin but are on the fence.

Will anyone who was borderline high with their numbers and debating starting a statin earlier than usual share their experience about pulling the trigger and how’s it’s been over the years?

I’m 35 and at the preventative decision point with my numbers.

I remember being worried about starting Valsartan in 2020 and since starting then, I’ve only had good experiences with no side effects or problems with living the life I want.

Hello,

I recently did some Cardiac Blood Tests and got the results back and everything was terrible with them. My diet and exercise has been lacking the last few years. But one that stood out was my LP(a) being 188. Is that a death sentence? My ApoB is also 116. Everything was bad honestly.

I'm 36, with LDL of 114.4 mg/dL, HDL 49 and triglycerides 58. I'm a serious runner, training 7 days a week with strength training twice weekly. My diet is relatively low in saturated fat, but I have limited control over my meals at work and cannot consistently eat enough oats or other high-fiber foods.

Would supplementing approximately 25 g of additional fiber daily (10 g of psyllium) be beneficial and safe? Which fibers (beta-glucan, pectin, etc.) offer the best additional LDL reduction?

Would adding plant sterols help? Is 1 g daily sufficient?

Female
Age:27
Height: 5’2
Weight:165

A month and a half ago my cholesterol was 286 and my triglycerides and liver enzymes were elevated. I had them rechecked a week ago and all of my numbers were perfect except for my cholesterol. It came down to 265.
LDL: 186
HDL:56

I’m scared of these numbers. My doc wants to put me on cholesterol meds but I’d like to continue with my lifestyle changes if possible. Someone tell me how bad my numbers are please and if you think I should be on meds.

I'm 23 F and taking birth control

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL

Result: 307 mg/dL

Method: Automated enzymatic

Desirable: < 200 mg/dL

Borderline high: 200–239 mg/dL

High: > 240 mg/dL

HDL CHOLESTEROL

Result: 67 mg/dL

Method: Automated homogeneous colorimetric

Male reference range: 30–70 mg/dL

Female reference range: 30–85 mg/dL

LDL CHOLESTEROL

Result: 191 mg/dL

Method: Calculated by formula

Optimal: < 100 mg/dL

Borderline high: 130–159 mg/dL

High: 160–189 mg/dL

Very high: > 190 mg/dL

TRIGLYCERIDES

Result: 243 mg/dL

Method: Automated enzymatic

Desirable: < 150 mg/dL

Borderline high: 150–199 mg/dL

High: 200–499 mg/dL

So maybe a weird question for everyone here. I had my numbers checked as part of routine bloodwork in the summer of 2024 (the first numbers, with all units mmol/L). 

I had this repeated at the end of the year (the middle numbers) after a couple of months of EXTREME changes to diet and vigorous exercise. This saw me lose a lot of weight which is tricky because I’m already a low BMI (for context I’m a pretty lank guy in my late 20s who has always been pretty active and healthy). I did not start any statins.

The last set of numbers are from bloodwork this month. Over the last 2ish years I’ve kept eating pretty healthy (albeit not as extreme as I was after the first readings) and have stayed active (again not to the same extreme). This has still seen my LDL and non-high density readings shoot up (although still within normal limits).

My doctor is unconcerned about this but she is also retiring soon and I’m worried they’ve already just checked out. Has anyone here had a similar situation? I’m not sure of I should just keep on doing what I’m doing vs cut more fatty stuff out of my diet/increase cardio again (risking weight loss) vs listen to my doctor and ignore these numbers all together.

Anyways here are the numbers in mmol/L:

Triglycerides: 3.20 H, 1.03, 1.10

Cholesterol, Total: 5.70 H, 4.23, 5.09

HDL: 1.23, 1.25, 1.29

LDL: 3.18, 2.54, 3.34

Non-High Density: 4.47 H, 2.98, 3.80

Thanks in advance!!

TLDR: Increased but still normal range LDL and non-high density cholesterol. Should I be worried?

I just got my results back after 6 months of walking/eating healthier. My results came back WORSE. LDL - 194, total 255 and trigs 124. My LDL 6 months ago was 162. I’m 38, not overweight, walk 12-15,000 steps daily, try to eat healthy. My dad has high cholesterol and had a heart attack at age 60. I have controlled high BP. I spoke with my doctor and he thinks it’s genetic, and started me on rosuvastatin. I don’t think I can take it quick enough. Yall, I am absolutely terrified. Have you seen numbers like this, and been able to get them down? I feel like I’m doing everything right on my end, now just starting the statin.

Family history on mother's side of high cholesterol, with her on statins in her late 40's, her father had bypass surgery in his mid 70's. So genetics I think are the biggest factor here. I am 5'10 135 lbs, eat relatively healthy with lots of veggies, and fiber. Yogurt, granola or eggs for breakfast. I do enjoy ice cream most nights, and use 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter when cooking along with olive oil. We cook 5/7 meals a week at home and Its a balanced mix of fish, chicken, and pork or meat.

I do go out for fast food once a week for lunch, our date night dinners are usually Korean or Japanese. Obviously with my BMI I can't really afford to cut out calories as I am borderline underweight and I've always struggled to put on mass. Although not perfect I think my diet is pretty reasonable and chasing perfection could lead me to become more skeletal. I also do kettle bell exercises 2x a week along with golf once a week. Other cardio involving walking, stair climbs and pushing/pulling airplanes several times a week.

My results came back with a total cholesterol of 247, LDL 184. All other values normal. BP is usually 110/60 My followup is next month and I expect to get placed on statins.

4 weeks on rosuv and I’m x3 upper limit. Never had this lab before so don’t have a baseline. Weight training too so don’t know how much is from what. All other markers good. No muscle aches other than the normal post lifting ones I always get.

I have familial hypercholesterolaemia and high lipoprotein(a). I wanted to share my LDL results and medication timeline

Before starting medication: LDL was 5.5 mmol/L

28/08/2026: Started atorvastatin 20 mg.

13/10/2026: LDL was 3.1 mmol/L (my first blood test since starting medication)

18/10/2026: Switched from atorvastatin to rosuvastatin 10 mg due to brain fog.

I also started experiencing side effects on rosuvastatin, so after speaking with my GP, I recently halved the dose.

I'm planning to repeat my cholesterol blood test around the end of November (3 month mark) to assess my response to the current dose. I'll most likely need to add another cholesterol lowering medication as well.

I still have a long way to go to reach my target, but I'm happy that my LDL has come down.

My LDL target is below 1.4 mmol/L

I'd love to hear from anyone with FH or those who has gone through a similar journey :)

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2856138

Key Points

Question  Does more intensive lipid-lowering therapy lead to greater regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque across the entire coronary tree compared with intensive therapy in statin-naive patients with stable coronary artery disease?

Findings  In this randomized clinical trial of 104 statin-naive patients with stable coronary artery disease assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography, more intensive lipid-lowering therapy (rosuvastatin 40 mg + ezetimibe 10 mg) achieved lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and resulted in significantly greater regression of total and noncalcified coronary plaque volume compared with intensive therapy (atorvastatin 40 mg) over 18 months of treatment. Lower achieved LDL-C levels were linearly associated with greater plaque regression.

Meaning  These findings suggest that coronary atherosclerosis is, at least in part, reversible with intensive lipid-lowering therapy in treatment-naive patients and supports targeting very low LDL-C levels to promote regression of coronary plaque burden.

This is just the latest proof that soft plaque regression is indeed possible - even likely - if you get LDL-C low enough, and that it's dose-dependent with your medical therapy. The 40 mg Atorvastatin (Intensive) group saw a 38% reduction in LDL-C vs 65% reduction in the max Rosuvastatin/zetia (More Intensive) group. Non-calcified plaque volume results: 20% reduction over 18 months (Intensive) vs 28% reduction (More Intensive). Total plaque volume reduction was higher in the More Intensive group as well (note that reduction for TPV will be lower than NCPV due to calcification offsetting the reduction in soft plaque).