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Author Topic: Cholesterol  (Read 10426 times)

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Offline Jeffreyj

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,403
Cholesterol
« on: June 15, 2006, 04:12:21 am »
I was informed my cholesterol was high this past Monday...271 (good=34, bad=161) My Dr. started me on Lipitor(10mg). I forgot to ask him about diet. Could anyone please advise me on good foods and some foods to avoid? Thanks allot...hope everyone is doing well!...Jeff
Positive since 1985

Offline Markmt

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2006, 06:05:17 am »
Hi Jeff, some meds raise cholesterol, (tho viramume raises the good fat) One can reduce the bad cholesterol dramatically by diet and excersise. I dont know your eating and excersise habits, but foods to watch out our fast foods  chains where they use cholesterol high prepearations in their fries and meats, Animal fats that is Cheeses, full creamed Milks,butter, Egg yellow, fat that comes in meat (if you cook your self get lean cuts and remove chicken skin). There is hidden bad cholesterol(hydrogenated) in many types of Buscuits/cookies and pastries preparations. 

How ever you do not have to starve :). Besidesgood lean meat There is a wide range of very low cheese spread, bread, ALL fruits and veg (dried and fresh) (inluding tomatoe spreads and paste, and also fish is choleterol free. Most veg oils (cold not heated) are ok to add on salads, skimmed milk, and egg whites + beans and bean preparations,and pasta. One can add lots of herbs too for taste and apparantly believed help liver funcion like mint, rosemary, camomille and so on.

One food that is proven to lower cholesterol is Oats which you can easily find and its not too expensive. A glass of red wine a day is also found to be benefial.

Hope it helps,

mark
"Live to love and love to live."

Leo Buscaglia

Offline fearless

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,191
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2006, 06:46:04 am »
hey Jeff,

I agree with Mark.
Try this link for a whole bunch of stuff about how to lower your cholesterol levels. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Cholesterol.

and here is a simple dietary chart which should help: http://www.stagnessurgery.com.au/download_files/CHOLESTEROL%20%20LOWERING%20%20DIET.html.

Soluble fibre is good (hence the oatmeal) so also try Metamucil (I think you have that in the states), and be active and exercise. even a half hour walk each day will help.

all the best

steve
Be forgiving, be grateful, be optimistic

Offline penguin

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  • Posts: 747
  • The Penguin Whisperer
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2006, 07:04:18 am »
hi jeff,

another site you might want to take a look at - they have a free email support/advice program, as well as some really useful practical tips...
http://www.cholesterollowdown.org

if you feel you need some advice tailored to your particular lifestyle or circumstances, your doctor should be able to arrange for you to see a dietician/nutritionist/nurse specialist too...

Kate

Offline J.R.E.

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,207
  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2006, 08:04:43 am »
Hello Jeff,

 I had never had a problem with cholesterol, until I started on meds. Mine was as high as 287, back in June of 04. It was then, that the doctor had decided medication was necessary.

 I am on 20mgs Zocor. On my last blood test on 5/16/06. Total cholesterol was 212 HDL (good chol. was 49, and LDL (bad chol.,was 104). I have got to admit that I have done experimenting, trying differant things to get the cholesterol done. I currently take the Zocor 5 days on, two days off.

I have become, much more aware of food labels these days. Particularly watching out, for the trans-fatty acids, and trying to avoid them as much as possible. I basically try to eat more fruits and vegetables, and try to stay away from the high cholesterol foods. You may try fish oil supplements, and see if that may help. I also try to eat more fish. But a good burger or steak is hard to resist !! Supposedly oatmeal, is good at lowering cholesterol, but I can't stand the stuff. Some cereal's are also making claims...

Do you smoke ? If so, this can elevate cholesterol. I don't smoke, so that is not playing a factor on me, I also don't drink alchohol, except on special occasions.. ( When I wake up, thats the best, I am going to feel all day :P  )

I am sure, I could probably get the cholesterol down further, If I got off my butt, and exercised more. I am just not that physically active anymore.

I don't know, what else to tell you. There are plenty of web-sites out there, that give all kinds of tips, on how to lower cholesterol, I have probably been to everyone of them, looking for answers, and trying differant things. My doctor seems somewhat sastified, if I can keep the bad cholesterol down below 100. Considering the meds my age,(54) the  years of infection, and as I mentioned lack of exercise, that will be a real effort for me. So, if anyone else has suggestions, I would like to hear them also.

My cholesterol is checked, every 3 months.


Take Care Jeff---------------Ray


Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline jack

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,578
  • fomerly the loser known as Jake
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2006, 08:09:56 am »
Some meds raise your cholesterol and trys and there is very little you can do about it. I dont care what you eat, your cholestrerol is gonna go up on some of these drugs.

Offline joemutt

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,167
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2006, 09:19:55 am »
On combivir + viramune; cholesterol 380, now 209 with lipitor en hidil,
but I was very cake and ice cream and pasta (was diagnosed in '97 and I thought "I'll eat as much as I can" against wasting which you saw a lot then)

Offline aztecan

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,530
  • 36 years positive, 64 years a pain in the butt
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2006, 10:57:09 am »
Hey Jeff,
Jack's post really said it all for me. I never had high cholesterol until I started meds. In January my LDL (bad) cholesterol was 160 and my HDL (good) cholesterol was 17. Not good.

I would definitely try the diet/exercise thing. Some people do marvelously with it. I didn't.

My doc put me on Vytorin, but when he checked my liver function, etc., after six weeks, it was apparent the Vytorin would kill me faster than the cholesterol would.

I have changed my diet, eat "heart smart" foods, exercise, but to no avail. I go next week to find out what my liver is doing now that I've stopped the Vytorin and what my cholesterol is.

I am not holding my breath. I know my cholesterol will suck big time.

Right now I am considering niacin therapy. We'll see.

On a side note, the Vytorin seems to have jump-started my neuropathy.

Oh well, another day in the life.

HUGS,

Mark
« Last Edit: June 15, 2006, 10:58:51 am by aztecan »
"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline doyourowndamndishes

  • Member
  • Posts: 85
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2006, 02:30:22 pm »
Hey Jeff,

I too had a problem with cholesterol and triglycerides; good ole Kaletra really screwed things up.  Theraputic doses of fish oil (3000mg/day) helped a bit at first.  The trigs dropped really quickly.  As the cholesterol started to creep up, the trigs started to climb again.  My doc didn't want me to go on "statins" as they have similar side effects as AZT and I was just starting to develop myopathy.  I eventually switched Kaletra of Atazanavir and in 3 months everything dropped well into the low normal range.  My latest labs put the cholesterol at 4.3 from 7.something.  Even my doctor was shocked at how rapidly they dropped.  Whether the success was do to the med switch or fish oil I don't know; I feel the speed was a bit of both.  If your cholesterol is out of whack from the meds anything you do really is only a bandaid approach.  As my doctor put it, I was fighting an up hill battle: no matter what I did, as long as I remained on the Kaletra I'd constantly have to deal with the cholesterol and tyiglycerides since it was that casuing my woes, not my diet.

I'd try the omega-3 fish oil (but don't use cod liver! it's rich in vitamin A and if you take a good multi already, the cod liver can bump up your A intake well above daily recommended levels and Vitamin A is toxic at high doses) but depending on possilble side effects from the statins you may want to talk to your doc about switching the offending arv.

Cheers,

Alan
"All that we are is theresult of what we have thought." -Buddha

Offline GSOgymrat

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,122
  • HIV+ since 1993. Relentlessly gay.
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2006, 05:07:51 pm »
Before I started Kaletra my cholesterol was 160. After I started Kaletra it jumped to 332. Now that I am off Kaletra and taking Tricor it is 180. My trigylcerides are the problem. When I was on Kaletra they were 1600 and now they are down to 321, which is still too high but greatly improved.

Offline Jeffreyj

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,403
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2006, 04:00:55 am »
Thank you all for the helpful info. I am on the final cocktail, I have ripped through all of the other drugs. So changing viral is not a choice. So looks like the diet combined with vitamins will be a good idea. Thanks again everyone for the insight. I just love a good challenge! LoL....The happy hour continues ;)
Positive since 1985

Offline cmhjeff

  • Member
  • Posts: 870
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2006, 12:19:15 pm »
This was a good topic with many good responses.  I'd save many of the links so that I can refer to them later.  Since my PML diagnosis a year ago my doctor hasn't checked my cholesterol until just a couple weeks ago and I just got those numbers back this week.  She didn't have me fast before the blood draw so I'm not sure if my morning toast and orange juice affected my results.  Here are my numbers but to be honest I'm not sure exactly what it all means.  I would hope my doctor would discuss this further with me that my next appointment.  I don't eat fish at all but I don't eat a lot of fried foods and I have been riding the recumbent bike three times a week in the treadmill twice a week so I hope that helps.

Cholesterol 135
HDL 24
LDL 49
Triglycerides 312



Offline krakerjm

  • Member
  • Posts: 107
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2006, 12:32:56 pm »
I have never had a problem with cholesterol either and I eat pretty much what I want; at around 200, over 50% of that is the good kind(and I love my fried chicken, fish and taters).  Supposedly, garlic in your diet helps keep it in check.  Don't know for a fact, but I do cook with garlic, have for years.  Guess it's like anything else, some people have problems, others don't for what ever the reasons.
GWM, 63, PN w/footdrop
"I swear there ain't no heaven, pray ther ain't no hell"

Offline bobik

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  • Posts: 315
    • My worksite
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2006, 04:13:00 am »
I suppose you have it too in the US: a brand of butter/yoghurt that reduces cholesterol because of addition of plantesterol. I use that it combination with running 3x per week. Next check up soon, curious if it 'll be better, I'll let you know.

Coen
Coen Honig at Facebook

Offline jordan

  • Member
  • Posts: 239
  • What I want is a celebration
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2006, 03:41:21 pm »
Tomorrow I go in to the lab in preparation for my regular appointment on June 28.  They are also supposed to do a cholesteral test for me and then also test to see if I have hepatitis.  I don't know if they are going to test for A, B, or C. 

I only remember the doctor saying that if I don't test positive then they will give me the vaccine so that I will be protected.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2006, 05:28:43 pm by jordan »
If you think your lonely now, wait until tonight.

Offline water duck

  • Member
  • Posts: 404
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2006, 04:49:43 pm »
Jordan good luck for tomorrow  ;) ;) Usually it's Hep C , it can create alot of havoc for HIVers. If he talks about vaccine it's properly A &B.

Jeff, overhere in Europe, the recommendation is to take a tablespoon of virgin cold pressed olive oil in the morning. What can give a helping hands : celery, soybean sprouts, spinach,strawberry,banana, raspberry, apple, grape(don't forget to crush the seed & eat those as well )
Under the heading of High Cholesterol : chinese medicine classified into the following :Heart-kidneys yang deficiency; Superficial dampness-heat; Spleen-sputum; Hot stomach .....based on pains or complains about bodily pains; discharge; perspiration ,etc.
IHMO all these medicines affect the heart meridian (confirmed by my dear friend Hermie ) that is where care must be emphasize. Hope this helps. It's very difficult to bring East & West together in a few lines.

Siang

Offline beauaustintx

  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2006, 12:04:48 am »
I too had a problem with cholesterol...mine went to around 386 when I was on AZT.  We changed my cocktail and I got on Lipitor.  Now it hovers around 165.
Live every day like it's your last!

Offline allopathicholistic

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,258
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #17 on: June 20, 2006, 08:51:29 am »
something else that's been in the news about regulation of cholesterol and blood glucose: agar agar, a.k.a., kanten. it's a completely taste-free jello-esque food and you can buy it in an asian supermarket. its fans say it's great for those with cholesterol issues, or pre-diabetes or family history of actual type-2 diabetes. one big drawback worth noting is that kanten can make people lose weight which might be great news for some people but a no-no for others.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2006, 08:57:25 am by allopathicholistic »

Offline sdcabincrew74

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    • My Manhunt account
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #18 on: June 20, 2006, 09:59:58 am »
My tri's are usually around 200, after two months on Kaletra they were in the 900's.  So, I went to reyataz and in three weeks they were back around 200.  However, I just saw the doc yesterday for strep throat and he reminded me that we had to check that all again when I have july blood draws.  Seems that reyetaz "may not be as perfect as we thought it would be concerning cholestorol"  So, we shall see in July.
The difference between an overnight and a layover is luck!

Offline jack

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  • Posts: 1,578
  • fomerly the loser known as Jake
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #19 on: June 20, 2006, 10:25:18 am »
jeff,lipitor is amazing. It dropped my cholesterol from high 200s to 170 in one month. I stayed there for several years till I hit viracept and Kaletra. I have run through them so I am expecting to be back under 200.

Offline Eldon

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Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #20 on: June 20, 2006, 07:33:07 pm »
Jeff,

I agree with Jack and J.R.E. the meds raises your cholesterol levels. I never had a problem myself until I recently statrted on my meds this year after 16 years with HIV. My doctor prescribed me with Crestor 10mg to take in the evenings. Sure makes me urinate a lot though. I also altered my diet from fried to baked to help things out.

Eldon

Offline heartforyou

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  • Posts: 1,132
  • I must be a survivor in many ways...
Re: Cholesterol
« Reply #21 on: June 20, 2006, 07:39:42 pm »
Jeff,

I would strongly advice omega-3, organic of possible.

Combine with some aerobic excerscise ( biking, powerwalk... if possible)

I was at 385 last year. It has been down to 200 something.

I have some more advice;foodwise. When i come to AZ.

hug

Hermie
Infected 1983. Diagnosed in 1987 and still kicking
Dovato once daily. Hydrea

Happiness is the freedom of breathing fresh air every day.

 


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