High cholesterol PsA condition?

[Jon_sparky]

How many of you have Hyperlipidemia or high triglycerides? I have the genetic predisposition for this, my mothers triglycerides were 800 supposed to be <120. It is listed as one of the possible conditions, probably due to systemic inflammation.

They used to think that cholesterol was effected by the foods that we ate, but have since modified that mechanism as more of a genetic predisposition. Of course they still want you to control the diet, and still pushing statins, but they are starting to come around to the fact that not all cholesterol is bad.

Of course practically all my cholesterol is bad, along with the several other markers my GP tested, (about 10) so it is mushy bland food from here on out…

Funny thing, he had this blood test with all the different markers for my physical, but then didn’t even bother with the F t3/t4 hormones to check my thyroid meds. So I ordered them myself online! Having chronic fatigue, it would be nice to check the obvious things that could cause it, like low thyroid, adrenals, iron etc.

I get my physical next week, and I will have to bring up the short comings of my Rheumy, and tell him he will now have to deal with treating the fatigue, sleep issues, OA, and fibro because my specialist only wants to give me MTX and biologics, and pat me on the knee with sympathetic looks on her face…

Should be a long appointment, just going over my latest events. I will make a long list for him.

He is a very good GP, but has been forced to add a bunch of fluff procedures to keep the doors open, like “body sculpting” and vitamin pushing for the La Jolla elite. With insurance paying a fraction of the procedures billed out, the doctors have to whore themselves out to these companies that come in and set up shop. Gives him a good steady income, I asked him about it, and he said “helps to keep the doors open”…

[Sybil]

I have high cholesterol, almost all of the bad variety.

As I think I mentioned on here before, my GP was adamant that I’d have to take statins, even though she thought my high levels might well be hereditary, but I asked for a period of grace to at least try to get my cholesterol down via dietary changes. In fact, when I thought about it, I realised I’d been eating daft quantities of dairy products, mainly cheese 'cos it is such a quick & easy source of protein. I cut it out for a couple of months and now eat much less than I used to.

Anyways, I eventually went back to GP, as I’d promised I’d do. Nobody tested my levels. However this time she got the check list up on the computer and entered the levels I’d had done many months ago, family history etc. She asked me to weigh myself & to tell her what the scales showed (she has mobility issues). I didn’t have my glasses & when I got home I realised I’d told her I was about 7 & a half stone, whereas in fact I weigh 10 stone. At 7 & a half I would be a flipping skeleton. Lo and behold, at that point my risk of popping my clogs from a heart attack went right down. She declared me free to go without a statin prescription & I didn’t argue.

My rheumy is also keen for me to start statins. I did ask her if she thought PsA causes high cholesterol, but that is not her view. I think she might just be wrong.

When are you starting the body sculpting??

[Jon_sparky]

The new findings regarding hereditary lipid conditions, it is recommended that those with this, take the statins and lower the numbers. I am taking a minimal amount of Pravastatin to shut my cardiologist up, but I would rather not take them.
My dietary needs, being a lacto vegetarian that is intolerant to soy and gluten, it limits my choices of protein sources. Also they found that high fat foods will not affect cholesterol, but the gained weight will increase the pre-diabetes, and triglycerides. I think sugar ans starch is more of a problem then good quality oils in the diet.
No plan for the body sculpting, it was funny watching the before and after on the advertisements you have to watch in the lobby, the person looked the same! What a scam…

[Sybil]

I’ve been trying to tweak my diet in line with my own tastes, just in case there’s a ghost of a chance of upping the good cholesterol & reducing the bad … I agree with you that sugar is likely to be a problem and as I’ve only recently developed a sweet tooth it’s no hardship really to go easy on desserts, cake etc. And I’m trying to eat even more oily fish etc., which I like anyway. The information on cholesterol and diet in general is so various, so prone to fashion … but sugar is a waste of space, I’ll go with that. Shame it’s so nice!

I don’t know what body sculpting is, but it sounds very fishy. Glad you’re not planning on getting sculpted, especially if the end result is something you just have to convince yourself about to justify money spent.

[Poo_therapy]

You guys echo my thoughts on cholesterol issues and statins. You’re sane. Fashion is never sane. Statins as @Grandma_J posted about lots causes issues that mimic PsA. Indeed they can cause inflammatory issues in people with just bog standard immune systems too. @tntlamb eulogised on this a lot not that long ago and explained our issues quite succintly too. Statins for us should never be prescribed by a GP or indeed a rheumatologist or an inexperienced cardiologist. They should only be prescribed by a cogently ‘experienced in rheumatology issues’ cardiologist. They’re thin on the ground but please seek them out.

And I so utterly believe for PsA sugar is just food for inflammation. I ate a lot of grapes today, cold and crunchy (as in fresh) and just out of the fridge. They contain lots of fructose as in ‘sugar’. My feet are hating me this evening. Note to self, fruit is great but don’t overload on it. As a result I lay on my sofa and ate a chocolate biscuit as in truly given the state of my feet from my grape overdose, a chocolate biscuit wasn’t going to harm me more now anyhow.