diet and exorcise first, or should I start now on meds?

I'm 69 (F) with high cholesterol but have always had a ratio averaging 3.4 so have not gone on any medsl
This year my readings are Cholesterol 250 Triglycerides112 HDL 64 LDL 164. My LDL is staying the same but my HDL is dropping which also ups my risk factor at 3.9. I've gained weight and haven't been exercising but will gladly change my habits to stay off drugs.
Am I putting myself at risk by not going on meds right away?  I'm at the low end of high risk.
My diet is almost vegetarian, I take no medications or supplements, and I'm healthy otherwise. My parents had high cholesterol and heart disease.


This discussion is related to My wife's high cholesterol, is it time for meds?.

[dfritsch]

My suggestion would be to look up Dr. Stephen Sinatra. You may need supplements but probably not meds. His information and background are quite impressive.

[Jayd1942]

thanks, you are the first to comment. My books are out of date so I need to research what's current, and what the alternatives are so that I don't scare myself into taking meds for the rest of my life, although I don't want to be foolish if I'm at high risk.

[dfritsch]

Dr Sinatra has a regimen of magnesium, CoQ10, d-ribose and l carnitine. They think I may have had a heart attack and at 53 and a marathoner, believe me I want to take the natural route to optimum health. Check him out!

[Flycaster305]

I had the same decision to make years ago.  I had high cholesterol and didn't want to take to take prescription drugs, so went the natural route, started exercising, stopped eating red meat, etc.  My cholesterol went down, but about three years later had my first heart attack and stent.  A year later, I had my second heart attack and stent, and had active Cardiac Artery Disease.  I started taking a statin, and the cholesterol level dropped to normal.  In my case, I would say I made a terrible mistake. It sounds like you, like me, make our own cholesterol in excess.

[erijon]

Supplements are not enough, you need to discuss life style changes and meds with your doctor. An LDL of 162 is dangerous and needs to be under 130, or under 100 if you have 2 or more risk factors. Supplements will help, but it will take a statin to get you where you need to be. I get concerned when I visit a website for a doctor that promotes selling his own supplements. You really need to discuss this with your doctor.

Jon

[Jayd1942]

Thanks for the comment. It seems like you had other problems as well as high cholesterol that may have lead to your heart attacks. But, having a heart attack no matter the reason, would make you think that you made the wrong decision. I'm changing diet but statins are not out of the question not only for health but the anxiety about it all. Still on the fence.

[Jayd1942]

Thank you Jon. My Dr. says go on statins, that I probably can't loose enough weight, (although I only have 20 lbs to get back into a size 8) which I want to do and can do, never mind the cholesterol. About 10 years ago I had a scan that showed 0 build up in the arteries and heart.
The more I attend to this, I realize the ego has raised its head as I'm not on any drugs, grandma was 103 and a natural woman.
Yet, life is so delicious I don't want to exit by being stubborn.

[Occupant]

My sister is about your age (one year younger). She weighs 125# soaking wet and exercises regularly. She has no heart problems, but her total Cholesterol is ~380 and she refuses to go on Statins - her business, of course, but it shows that exercise and diet will do squat to get your Cholesterol down.

[Jayd1942]

Wow! That's incredibly high! Why not go on statins, especially when she's tried dieting? She's so young....I've heard that diet can help, as she probably heard as well, guess it doesn't work on all people. Thanks for the info.
it all helps.

[Jayd1942]

Thank you all for your response. Medhelp says to vote but I don't consider this a contest, I value all of your gifts of time and thought.