Annual Medical

[miles magistrate]

Each year we submit ourselves to the delights (and indignities - think prostrate) of our annual medicals. I do all the right things, keep fit and eat enough fibre to satisfy a Panda, abstain from dairy products, fat etc etc - so why is it I have high Cholesterol? Can anybody suggest anything which tastes better than sheep droppings to bring down the deaded mmo1/L levels? I have tried red wine and although not hugely successful it is one of the more enjoyable medicines the Memsahib puts before me. I have a resit soon and any help would be welcome!!

[Huron Topp]

Do you drink copious quantities of coffee? Stuff'll put your cholestorol through the roof.

[Sarahs]

............fish!!! ............... any oiley fish enriched in Omega 3 (known to reduce Cholesterol)

[PICKS135]

Get to boots and get some STATIN tablets. Now available over the counter. Since my hearts little hiccup, I've been on them. Brought the Cholestorol down lots.

[amb_211085]

Or the stuff in the advert where they guy is eating the plant, Danaone Danacol or something like that. Not a clue as to how it tastes tho'!

[pr00ne]

miles magistrate,

You could just have naturally high cholestrol, a surprisingly high proportion of the population do. Don't forget that we do actually NEED cholestrol.

[jayteeto]

Spoke to the pharmacist in Boots about these STATINS and he gave me an honest answer. The ones available over the counter are VERY low dosage, he said that they were hardly worth the effort and were very expensive. He also told me that I was too young at 41. If you want to take this path, get full strength from the doctor and pay normal prescription charge, much less than over the counter. (Free from med centre of course).
PS. They work!!

[L J R]

Dont eat for a week.

Drink liquids for a week after that ie: water based only.


Run/walk/ride bike a little.

then

Eat 'normally' for a week - & no alcohol (theory breaks down here)

Then try the Blood Test.


You will find the body's in built 'shock' remedies will produce lots of (some term that only docs know - meaning life support) undetectable to a Drugs test.




BTW - let me know how it went!!



safety note - do not fly under this advice and further, I will deny any knowledge.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Chilis, garlic and dark natural ales (unfiltered and unpasteurised).

I'm 43 and have a slightly below mid level cholesterol count. It's also a good excuse to live on curry and beer...:E :ok:

[BEagle]

Agreed! Lots of garlic, extra virgin olive oil, chillis and red wine!

Bolleaux to the fruit and fibre crap - and there are only so many things you can do with smoked fish!

Might be an idea to wean yourself of the full fry English brekkie for a few weeks though.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Beags

Got ambushed on my last medical with a surprise blood test after a brekkie of 8 pork sossies, 4 fried eggs, 4 slices of toast and butter, a small steak, fried 'shrooms and a pint of Earl Grey. Cholesterol came in below mid levels and I believe it's solely due to healthy eating and drinking habits re: chilis, garlic and natural beer. Red wine and natural dark ales have a secret ingredient X which inhibit bad cholesterol. Will get the gen from my local brewer and post it here when I'm compos mentis again...:E

[Pontius Navigator]

My doc once told me not to bother with the fasting blood test. Made no effing difference.

And exactly what are they going to do about a 6.4 anyway?

[FJJP]

Got caught by the medics who went thru the usual rigmarol of test, diets, etc and gave up in favour of Lipitor 10mg, one per day. Cholesterol levels went from high to slap bang in the middle of the normal range.

Then you can crack on and eat and drink your heart out - all the things you are normally forbidden are back on the menu. Thereafter sod the doctors.

I wouldn't buy over the counter, though. I would go through the 'normal' channels, through your doc, including the testing. You've got to start knowing where your cholesterol level is, and then where it ends up after medication.

[extpwron]

Lipitor 10mg, one per day works for me too. Got it prescribed by the doc and I pick up a box once a month from the med centre free of charge.

[ACW418]

Lipitor 10 mg worked for me too. The cardio guy at Peterborough (Air Cdre Batchelor?) approved of them and said they would add a couple of years to my life.

Get on them asap - don't seem to have any side effects.

ACW

[serf]

Do you get the extra couple of years now - or when you're 87 ?

[FJJP]

I tell you what, though, if you're on regular prescription medicines you've got to do a simple calculation. The Prescription Pricing Authority makes available a plastic card [same size as a credit card] called a PRE-PAYMENT CERTIFICATE. It costs £91.80, and entitles you to free prescriptions for 1 year from date of issue. Therefore divide £91.80 by £6.40 [14.3] and if you have more than that number of prescriptions per annum you are saving a lot of money. Some people I know fund their pub visits with the money they save!

http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/ppc_intro.htm