My cholestrol has gone through the roof

[Uncle_Bob]

Is there any evidence that sleep apnea or CPAP treatment can adversely impact cholesterol levels?

My first panel since being on CPAP

Total 355 mg/dL
Trig 310
HDL 49

VLDL 62
LDL 244

except the HDL all results have approx doubled since the previous test

The doctor has double booked me for an appointment tomorrow so these levels must be really high

I'm expecting to be put on meds especially with a family history of heart attacks. Are there any medications that are better than others ?

[DreamStalker]

Is their any evidence that sleep apnea or CPAP treatment can adversely impact cholesterol levels?

My first panel since being on CPAP

Total 355 mg/dL
Trig 310
HDL 49

VLDL 62
LDL 244

except the HDL all results have approx doubled since the previous test

The doctor has double booked me for an appointment tomorrow so these levels must be really high

I'm expecting to be put on meds especially with a family history of heart attacks. Are there any medications that are better than others ?

Diet and exercise is generally the only worthwhile medications.

High trigs and low HDL imply high carb diet ... bad deal all the way.

To increase HDL for better health, go very low carb for diet, take niacin (I use Slo Niacin brand but Twin Labs makes a good one too -- just stay away from non-flushing cuz flushing is good), and do low-intensity exercise (ie. walking) on a frequent basis (ie. daily) and high-intensity exercise (ie. resistance training and interval aerobic training) on an infrequent basis (ie. once or twice a week max for short duration periods of less 10 to 20 minutes). Avoid chronic long-duration endurance type exercise.

Low carb is the only way to reduce trigs.

Let the LDL types fall where they may as they will automatically correct to reduce bad LDL subtypes.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Uncle Bob,

Diet and excersize are really important, but there are some individuals who are very careful about their diet, excercize daily and still have high colesterol. My husband and I are both on Lipitor. With any staten drug, your bloodwork should be taken quarterly, as this mediciation could possibly affect the liver. For many, it can be taken safely and effectively. My cholesterol has NOT worsened with CPAP use. CPAP is not the culprit. Your diet, your body, your genes are the culprits for this one.

And, sometimes you might start on a higher dosage of a staten drug like Lipitor and then after awhile through diet and exercise are able to go to a lower dosage later on, as I did.

Let us know how it goes with your doctor's visit.

Best regards,

Jersey Girl

[Uncle_Bob]

A healthy lifestyle I'm working on it

From what i found on line to reduce cholesterol

* Doing plenty of exercise (check with your doctor)
* Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, good quality fats
* Avoiding foods with saturated fats
* Getting plenty of sleep (8 hours each night)
* Bringing your bodyweight back to normal
* Avoiding alcohol
* Stopping smoking

The only vice i have is alcohol and every night.

Alcohol - people who consume too much alcohol regularly, generally have much higher levels of LDL and much lower levels of HDL, compared to people who abstain or those who drink in moderation.

And i have high LDL and HDL.

I need to bring my weight back to the recommended norm of 172lbs, I'm 215 right now

I think my diet is ok although i have 2 eggs for breakfast most mornings.

[howkim]

Hi, Bob,

Ask the doc to check your thyroid levels. When mine are off, my cholesterol skyrockets.

[CPAPcub]

uncle_bob

The good news is that modern medicine is very effective against high cholestrol. You'll probably be put on one of he many statins out there initially. That and making necessary lifestyle changes should do it

Good that you found out in plenty of time, to give yourself good opportunity to address it.

[SnoresLikeWalrus]

* Doing plenty of exercise (check with your doctor)
* Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, good quality fats
* Avoiding foods with saturated fats
* Getting plenty of sleep (8 hours each night)
* Bringing your bodyweight back to normal
* Avoiding alcohol
* Stopping smoking

YES YES YES YES YES

AND YES YES YES YES

And some people have a genetic tendency toward low HDL and high tris, which has NOTHING to do with "high carb eating." I'm not going to argue about it though.

Once you are doing all the above and have your weight within a normal BMI, or as close to it as you can get, see what your #s are.

Statin therapy with the right one is not such a bad thing, but it works mainly on LDL. Statins are also antiinflammatory. Some can't tolerate them, but most can.

If you are very overweight, eat lots of saturated fat and transfats, eat refined carbs, eat lots of meat, don't exercise, smoke, drink, etc., you can't tell what your "real" numbers are because you are not in a "healthy" condition.

Lifestyle first. Healthy fats, yes! whole foods, veges, fruits, yes. Feel free to PM me for support.

You can change those numbers.

[DreamStalker]

Statins? What statins? We don need no stinkin statins!

Spilling beans

A paradox

[SnoresLikeWalrus]

I love Blazing Saddles!

[Uncle_Bob]

I may have a genetic tendency. My doctor has my cholesterol checked every 6 months because of family history, my uncle bob died aged 32 of heart attack during a soccer game.

But I will cut back on the alcohol and get my weight down.

[LSAT]

Bob.....Your numbers are way too high......DANGEROUS

Total should be <200.....Yours 355
LDL should be <150.....Yours 244
HDL should be >40......Yours 49
Trig should be <150.....Yours 310

You seem to be spending lots of time trying to fine tune your AHI with your new CPAP.
You should spend as much time consentrating on diet and exercise.

[SnoresLikeWalrus]

Alcohol can raise the tris for sure.

I don't want to be nosy (well maybe I do), but are there other lifestyle factors you could modify? My intent is to be supportive and not judgmental.

[SnoresLikeWalrus]

With a family history LDL should be under 70.

Total cholesterol of 150 is optimal.

[Uncle_Bob]

Alcohol can raise the tris for sure.

I don't want to be nosy (well maybe I do), but are there other lifestyle factors you could modify? My intent is to be supportive and not judgmental.

What other lifestyle factors are we talking about here ? I'd love to know, don't worry about upsetting me

My diet has slipped a bit over the last year but I've spent most of the year doing a cycle commute for 3 days a week, so that's 75 miles or 4 hours on my bike each week and my polar heart rate monitor tells me my heart rate is getting into the 170's

[SnoresLikeWalrus]

that sounds like pretty good exercise!!

i guess i would ask what your BMI is (or weight/height).....and what your diet is like generally.