STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

calichic · Dooney & Bourke

High cholesterol at 24?!!

Elle · Hermes

I'm sorry Calichic! That's never a fun thing to hear from your doc!

A couple things - How high is it, exactly? Did your doc say anything about how high your good cholesterol was, or just the bad? Do you make an effort to eat 'good' fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil)?

My hubby's in the heart business, and from everything he's told me it's usually not as bad as it sounds, especially since you're so young!

luckylily · Gucci

I'm sorry. Did the doc give you specifics numbers for your good and bad cholesterol? Your total cholesterol isn't nearly as important as ensuring that you have high good cholesterol.

I found out a few years ago that I have high cholesterol too. I totally freaked out. It didn't seem fair because I excersize every single day and generally eat really well. It turned out that mine was related to my thyroid disorder. But, it is still super scary because you hear so much bad stuff about cholesterol.

A couple things to remember: 1) It isn't your fault. So much of it has to do w/ genetics and body chemisty. 2) It is easy to change, especially when you are young. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about what foods to add to your diet to increase good cholesterol.

-- Edited by luckylily at 15:32, 2006-09-07

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

Mine was high last I had it tested too, and I'm only 26 (was 24 when it was tested). I generally lead a healthy lifestyle so I was suprised as well but my doctor told me since I was so young (and had eaten greasy food and drank two margaritas the night before...no one told me to fast!) not to worry about it yet. I don't have a family history of high cholesterol either so I don't know why mine ended up so high.

Elle · Hermes

BC pills can also raise your cholesterol, and technically your doc is supposed to test your cholesterol both before you go on BC and after you've been on it for 1 month to see if it's adversly affecting it .....

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

Elle wrote:

BC pills can also raise your cholesterol, and technically your doc is supposed to test your cholesterol both before you go on BC and after you've been on it for 1 month to see if it's adversly affecting it .....

Crap, my doctor has never done that!

jrhampt · Kenneth Cole

Yeah, but then what are you supposed to do?? Go off the pill?

I've had high cholesterol since I was 22, and it's gone up about 10 points each year since then, no matter what I do. At last check (last Dec.), it was 263 (I'm 28). I'm a normal BMI and exercise about 3x a week. Go figure.

Elle · Hermes

If you don't have a family history of high cholesterol or any other risk factors, they'll often skip the baseline test. But they should always test you after you've been on it for a bit, regardless.

Needsfashionadvice - would going off the pill for a month or two be totally out of the question? If not, it would be really interesting to see what your levels looked like once that was out of your system .... ?

jrhampt - While going off the pill is obviously not the most ideal fix for everyone, it's really not a good long-term option if it raises your cholesterol a great deal. Different pills contain different hormones, so switching to another pill that's tolerated by your body better is also an option. But IMO it would be prudent to at least explore other options if the long term health of your heart is on the line.

All that said, the ratio of good cholesterol to bad matters more than your bad cholesterol number by itself. As long as they're in balance with each other, it's less of a concern.

-- Edited by Elle at 16:11, 2006-09-07

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

Elle wrote:

If you don't have a family history of high cholesterol or any other risk factors, they'll often skip the baseline test. But they should always test you after you've been on it for a bit, regardless.

Needsfashionadvice - would going off the pill for a month or two be totally out of the question? If not, it would be really interesting to see what your levels looked like once that was out of your system .... ?

I might do that Elle, I only have one pack left before I'm supposed to get my prescription renewed (yikes, the dreaded lady doctor appointment) so I may just hold off on filling the prescription for a while.

calichic · Dooney & Bourke

I am glad to know that there are other factors that could contribute to my cholesterol being high. The Dr. said my cholesterol was about 10% high at around 200-something (220?). I think that he said that my good cholesterol was high as well as the bad. So overall just high. I had been eating not terribly well the few weeks before I went in, as I was on vacation. I don't think that the Dr. considered my bc pill to factor into my cholesterol numbers. OOH! And he never checked me before and after a month of bc to see if it affected my cholesterol. Do physicians even know about this? Well I think that the dr. I saw (not my regular one) was a total tool and I was making suggestions to him about other stuff that made me not trust his abilities and knowledge. Thanks elle for all your wisdom. Though I try to eat things with good fats, I guess maybe I should try a little harder to eat better.

Elle · Hermes

It doesn't sound too bad Calichic - other than your docs poor communication - overall high is much better than high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol.

I think GPs are less likely to test cholesterol for bc than GYNs are. But if you don't look overweight and they don't hear any warning bells when you answer the questions they have, some skip it. Most times, it's not a big deal. But not all the time. And because it's a simple blood test (does require fasting - but only after midnight for a first thing in the morning appt) it's much better to be safe than sorry. Because you have a family history and you were going onto a medication that can raise cholesterol, your doc really should have tested you. If not before and after starting, at least after starting so they would have it to refer back to later.

Anyway, in our health care system it's up to you to be an informed consumer, so I'd advise you request your cholesterol be tested at each yearly appointment - that way if it continues to rise you'll be able to keep an eye on the progression. You could also try a different pill with another hormone in it and see if that helps. I'd definitely keep exercising, eating healthy fats, and eating whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice that can help lower your bad cholesterol.

If you didn't fast for the cholesterol test you took, then I would also consider rescheduling for a fasting test. That way you'd have 'clean' numbers to go off of, which could be less alarming.

needsfashionadvice · Kate Spade

Elle wrote:

If you didn't fast for the cholesterol test you took, then I would also consider rescheduling for a fasting test. That way you'd have 'clean' numbers to go off of, which could be less alarming.

I'm going to make sure and get retested this month when I have my yearly appt. I'm not overweight (by the chart the doctors use and my BMI) but I could def. stand to lose 15 -20 lbs to really feel like I'm thin so I know losing that extra weight would prob. help in a big way if my cholesterol is really high. I think it was 220 last it was checked.

calichic · Dooney & Bourke

Thanks elle. I did fast before the testing, but perhaps, my bad diet habits leading up to the test affected the results. I am actually going to change my pill from seasonale to yasmin, not sure if they use the same hormones or what, but perhaps that will help...

I am also not entirely sure about my good to bad ratio. He may have said that my good was normal to a little high and the bad was definitely high. Would that ratio still be bad?

needsfashionadvice, we just seem to be in a similar boat overall.

By the charts I am overweight and have a BMI of overweight, but honestly, I am pretty muscular so I don't think that these really take that into account. Does this even really affect your cholesterol?

I don't know why, but the incorporation of more whole grains sounds so painful. I think that because I typically eat pretty healthy, but I eat regular rice, not brown and the thought of oatmeal doesn't seem terribly appealing. However, this reminder of the things that I/we should be eating is helpful.

At what point would a GP or whomever, recommend a medication? I assume that my cholesterol isn't high enough to justify that, I am just kind of curious...

Elle · Hermes

Seasonale and Yasmin do indeed have different hormonal makeups .

If your frame is on the large side and you are muscular, you probably can weigh more and still be healthy. However, if you're considered overweight on the doctor's charts and have high-ish cholesterol, aiming to lose a couple of pounds would probably make you healthier overall.

Soluble fiber in foods reduce cholesterol, and obviously grains are a good source of that. Frankly brown rice tastes nearly the same as white, and many restaurants are serving it now. As for oatmeal, I buy the instant kind in a yummy flavor like maple and brown sugar, add some raisins to it, and sprinkle some actual rolled oats over the top - then I heat some water in a tea kettle and pour it over. Way less mushy that way! Other things to add to your diet that can help are fruits and veggies, beans and legumes, and soy. You can also try cutting down on the amount of red mean you eat, if you do, and watching your salt intake.

The point at which they'd recommend medication is relative for each person. It depends on a lot of factors, so that would be something you'd need to speak with your doctor about. At this point though I really don't think any reasonable doc would medicate you - you'd have to have a much higher level that didn't respond to diet or exercise changes, be older (usually), etc, etc to warrant that kind of measure.

It really sounds like at this point it's somewhat of a non-issue. You're aware of it and willing to make some minor lifestyle changes - you're keeping it from becoming a bigger issue down the road. Just continue to be aware so you can make a move if it ever becomes necessary, before it gets out of hand.

calichic · Dooney & Bourke

Goodness Elle, you have been so unbelievably helpful. I have started my healthy eating, which isn't really all that hard. I agree with you on the brown vs. white rice. I actually prefer brown, though I have been eating white.

Your other food recommendations are also very helpful fore I do not eat terribly much soy or legumes.

Agreed that medication is likely unnecessary, it is always something that one should know about.

I am just sad that I have to deal with this because I always thought that I ate well enough and exercised like a crazy person.

Again many thanks; I hope this helped someone else too!

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I have had high cholesterol since the 6th grade. Heridity has a lot to do with it.

-gd