Could this be heart disease?

[Scorpio11675]

Back in March, I was diagnosed with really high cholesterol (268, with LDL being 192) and I was put on Lipitor. I couldn't take it very long because it made me feel sick so the doctor switched me to Pravastatin. I soon switched doctors because he was making me uncomfortable with the things he was saying and my new doctor did a liver enzyme test. It came back elevated so she took me off of the Pravastatin to see if my enzymes would improve. They did start to level out and she even said that my cholesterol had also dropped down to 150. This made me very happy and I continued to exercise and eat healthy. Recently I went back for a follow up and to have my cholesterol checked again. To my disappointment, my cholesterol went back up to 237 and my LDL is at 158.She seems to think it is genetic.  I have occasional dizziness and weird feelings in my chest, sometimes in the center and sometimes in my heart's general location. I have had 3 EKG's and the cardiologist did a stress test with me on the treadmill. According to him, I may have arthritis in my heart, but how could he determine that if the only test he did was a stress test? I am worried that I have heart disease with the dizziness and weird feelings in my chest. I am not scheduled to go back to my doctor until July 12, and it sort of worries me to wait that long because it gives whatever is wrong with me time to progress. I started taking CholestOff vitamins made by NatureMade, and then I switched to Centrum Cardio to try to help my cholesterol go down. Do you think this is wise? I also wonder if my arteries are becoming blocked due to my cholesterol going back up? It makes me scared to go anywhere becasue I am afraid something will happen while I am out in public. I go back to work tomorrow though. Any advice or suggestions?

[Scorpio11675]

Ok, well I guess that is something else to discuss with my doctor on July 12 huh? Thanks so much for all the information you have provided!

[kenkeith]

An EKG has many false negatives and positives.  A diagnosis would have to include other tests and associated symptoms to have a reasonable and acceptable evaluation.  Having a negative EKG narrows the range of possible conditions associated with other tests and your symptoms.

[Scorpio11675]

Thanks for your reply. I don't think I misunderstood about the arthritis. He said something ot the effect of thinking I had something arthritic and that it would go away by itself and it was not life threatening. So, sijnce none of the EKG's showed anything, do you think I am ok as far as heart disease is concerned?

[kenkeith]

An EKG can detect pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) and it can detect myocarditis (inflammation of heart muscle cells).  Do you think you may have misunderstood.  If one has rheumatic fever, it can manifest itself with arthritis and myocarditis!  That would be the only connection of arthritis and a heart problem.

I can't comment on the self-medication help.  If you have a chol problem, it is a slow acting process.  Unfortunately, there are people who have a genetic predisposition for high chol and it may require trying different medication, etc. to get it under control.  Good luck with your appointment