This is too common a rant, I believe, to merit the Pit.
For the last three months I’ve been avoiding red meat, eschewing my beloved French cheese and skipping eggs. I’ve been eating loads of fish rich in Omega-3, walnuts, oatmeal, olive oil, plant sterols, and enough lettuce to engreen the Salinas valley.
The result? My cholesterol level is precisely the same as it was three months ago. Now I have to start taking Lipitor. Thanks, forebears who gave me your crappy physical tendencies.
Well, I guess the good news is, if the dietary changes didn’t lower your cholesterol and you’re starting Lipitor, you can go right back to eating omelettes filled with bacon, sausage and French cheese?
I have a friend who stopped eating red meat for a while. He’s a big guy and this was a big sacrifice for him. After 6 months or so, he wasn’t getting any benefits from it. He basically woke up one morning and said, “FUCK THIS!”. We went out for churrasco for lunch. I’ve never seen him so happy.
I did the same thing- “eating right” didn’t do a damn bit of good for my cholesterol level. From what I understand, it’s not that you’re taking in too much cholesterol, but rather that your body’s producing it and not getting rid of it. Lipitor did it for me, though… and now I can anything I want without increasing my cholesterol.
I just can’t have grapefruit, dammit. I LOVE grapefruit.
Speaking of mindsets I don’t understand…
It’s taken years for your body to get to this point…and you think a three month change will suddenly fix things? It’s like complaining a two week fad diet didn’t help you lose the twenty pounds you gained over the past ten years.
I’m not trying to be mean or overly critical, I just don’t get the mindset. The same thing happened with my father - he was determined to avoid medications. So much for that.
Some people are happier living the way they always have. There’s nothing wrong with that. I personally believe that quality of life should count for a lot more than it seems to (this coming from someone who just spent a day in an Assisted Living/Dementia wards). But I think it’s a bit foolish to complain about the consequences.
Also, statins are fabulous drugs.
I’m sorry to hear your news. As for me, I just got my results today. It is the only part of my health that is good…
Cholesterol very good.
HDL good
LDL good
Tryglyserides (sp) good.
I take fish oil capsules and eat lots of tuna fish. I also snake on oat based cereals all day. But I’ve been doing this for well over a year.
Good luck!
Changing my diet didn’t lower my cholesterol. Lipitor gave me terrible muscle pains and Crestor did the same, even taking COQ10 with it. I started taking Lovanza, giant soft gel capsules of fish oil, 4 a day and lowered my cholesterol 100 points.
YMMV
After seeing relatives and neighbors suffer severe side effects from statin drugs, I just recommend either a combo of gum guggul and red yeast rice extract, or else the Perricone Promise meals. They are high in protein, low in carbs and sugars. I tried them for a month, lost weight, stabilized blood sugars, and settled down the “Bad” cholesterol.
Clarification: these are not boxed meals. You make them yourself after looking through one of Perricone’s books for the plans and recipes.
Exercise also helps.
Three months after starting on Lipitor, My cholesterol level has been cut in half.
Teela, I went through the exact same thing. I was eating a cup (uncooked) of oatmeal a day and taking up tp 1500 mg Naicin per my doctor’s recommendation. The net result, I was starting to whinny (not to mention a resemblence to the other end of the horse), and itching form all the naicin. I too, said ‘Srew this’ and went on a diet. Dropped 30 lbs or 16% of starting weight. Voila, all the cholestrol indicators dropped down to the optimal range. Some kind of miracle. If I drop another 10 pounds maybe my hair will come back. 
Although many have pointed out, too bad it didn’t do anything for your IQ. 
I feel for you. I exercise and lose no weight. My internist points out that even if I don’t lose weight, I still do my heart some good. That keeps me compliant even though I would rather sleep another half hour.
Stitchglass Slide, three months was the time set down by my doctor for seeing if I could effect a change through eating changes, and if he’s satisfied it’s enough time, I’m satisfied.
Old Goat, I’ve lost a good 22 pounds in the last several months. I had started a diet before I discovered my cholesterol was high. So, I had already cut out the white carbs and the sugars and other tasty stuff, and then I had to also cut out the high cholesterol foods. I will continue to lose weight, but if cutting the other stuff makes no difference whatsoever, I won’t say no to an occasional soft-boiled egg or a shmear of camembert anymore. Hopefully the Lipitor will make the difference.
I’m not sure if this helps at all but my experience is that regular exercise like walking does a lot more for your cholesterol levels than dietary changes.
My total cholesterol 2 years ago was 230. A month ago I had a physical and it was 187. I haven’t lost weight (well, not much that is, about 10 lbs) I haven’t really changed my diet all that much. I did exactly two things different…I eat oatmeal 4-5 days a week for breakfast (not instant… the old fashioned kind) and I started walking, 3-5 miles a day, 4-5 days a week fairly diligently.
According to my doc it’s the walking, more than anything else, that helped me.
My husband was prescribed Zetia but went to the accupuncturist and got an herbal supplement instead. He’s giving the herbs (and increased exercise) 2 months to see if they work before filling the prescription. I’ll keep you posted, his 2 months is up in a couple of weeks.