Ugh... health issues. So, i went to the doctor last Wednesday because my Fibromyalgia was flaring up pretty badly. Doc decided to switch me from Celexa to Cymbalta which is supposed to help with FM plus depression. I was originally on Cymbalta a few years ago, but my insurance rejected it because it wasnt their "first choice" of anti-depressant. My doc is going to tell my new insurance company that the Celexa has failed and they must cover the Cymbalta.

THe short time i was on Cymbalta in the past i liked it, because it really helped my "I am depressed... let's get burgers and ice cream" symptoms. Hopefully this time it will do the same thing... as this brings me to phase 2 of illness...

Doc decided to order me a blood test since i hadn't had one in a year.. just to ensure mainly my thyriod was all good. She called me earlier this week with the results... she started off, "Everything is normal... EXCEPT..." Great. Except.

My total cholesterol is 304. Yes, 304. Extremely high. The Triglycerides alone were 420. My HDL ("good" cholesterol) was 63 (which is great). But the LDL was inconclusive since the Tris were so high.

I immediately have to cut sugars and carbs. (Not all, but i am a carb-a-holic). She's put me on a medication called Gemfibrozil for the next month... just to try to get it controled quickly. I have another appointment in 1 month to go back for re-testing.

I am just in shock. Yes, this is partly genetic. My mother, maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather all have high cholesterol.

No more thinking, "Because i work out/run 3 or 4 times a week... i can eat whatever i want and just stay in the 190s."

My Vitamin D was also extremely low, and she asked me to start taking a supplement. She said this could be a big player into why i am sleeping 10/11 hours a nite.

Anyone know of any good resources (books, websites, videos etc.) for cholesterol reduction? (Especially Triglycerides?)

For me and many I know, eating a plant based, high percentage of raw food, high fiber diet does the trick for cholesterol.

High cholesterol runs in my family (even the thin people) but mine is a healthy low overall number and the HDL is great too! I eat a plant based diet (mostly vegan).

I'm curious to hear about the Cymbalta experience too...I'm considering it myself but am scared!

Wow, your doc at least told you the details! I had mine tested when I was 19 (I know) because I've had a bad lifestyle forever, and he said I was "borderline" and that's it! no interest in talking about it, or what else to do... just that.

As for resources...lemmie c...

webmd had a "cholesterol management center"
americanheart.org has tips for lowering cholesterol and can tell you what it means to have high cholesterol
Amazon has a book called "50 ways to lower cholesterol"
they also have, "The everything low cholesterol book"

Don't feel bad, I've had high cholesterol since I was a skinny, soccer-playing 16-year-old!

I don't have high cholesterol, but this post was still eye opening. It's by the author of Protein Power, Dr. Eades. He talks about four patients with wickedly high triglycerides and the diet he gave them to fix it. Obviously, take with a grain of salt but it is "food for thought."

Four patients who changed my life

Even if i think that diet is sort of strange... the article really hit me. I went to the doctor about 3 months ago with a stomach pain like the first lady. Same place - upper right abdomen. I got a CT scan to verify it wasn't appendicitis. I now wonder if it has something to so with my liver processing the tris. I will bring this up with my doc when i see her in a month.

on a side note, DaisyNicole, I love your avatar, it seems kind of fitting here... is that a generic one or your own upload?

I should go get my cholesterol checked, but I really don't believe that it's not high, and I guess I can only tackle so much at a time... maybe while tackling this weight thing it will improve.

Haha it's from my favorite comic strip, Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis. I uploaded it. Pig is my favorite character. He's sort of naieve but he always means well. On that strip he was mimicing Lucy from Peanuts having the psychiatrist booth.

I wouldn't feel bad. I have had high cholesterol since I was 26. I am on Crestor and is has worked great for me I now have normal cholesterol but my doctor said I will need to be on the meds for the rest of my life or my levels will increase again. That's the thing with the meds, they only work while you take them. Your doctor may have other suggestions for you but mine refuses to take me off the meds. I was on lipitor but had to quit for a few months due to side effects. My levels did shoot up considerably while I was off the pills even though I was eating healthy during that time.
I wouldn't be too upset. Its great that it was caught while you are young so you can do something about it and live a healthier life

My dad has high cholesterol too...but they put him on meds and he claims all of the meds he has tried has given him muscle pain or something like that. So now he is not on any meds...
But he takes some supplements including, ....(I am not sure the first word) Yeast Rice, omega 3/fish oil things, & he also takes typical vitamins & vitamin C but that might just be for immune health.
He eats like...a pig though. He claims he can eat Reeses' peanut butter cups & other things because they have 0 cholesterol. Ummmm...no! Saturated fats & trans fats are supposed to raise cholesterol too, right?
So, I'd look into lowering your saturated fats & trans as low as possible. Eat healthy fats (like the poly and mono-saturated ones)
Also, eat fiber!
We eat alot of fish, turkey or chicken. IF my mom makes pizza, ham or beef my dad freaks out "your going to give me a heart attack!!"
That is all I have...when I had my cholesterol checked, it was under 200 but the HDL was low...not sure how to raise that?

I've always had fairly good cholesterol although my cholesterol has dropped over the years and I'm now well below average.

One interesting book on health changes for improving cholesterol is the Engine 2 diet book. It is about a firefighter who lowered his cholesterol through diet as well as everyone in the fire house and many in the town (and beyond).