Just got my lipid panel and my Doctor wants me to go on statins

Total Cholesterol 311
Triglycerides 89
HDL 55
LDL (calculated) 238

weight about 170
height about 5' 7"
Very active cyclist
I have been resisting. I need some input.

My TC and LDL are actually higher. My HDL and Triglycerides are a bit better than yours. Had a VAP test done, middle of pattern A (the good stuff and harmless). Guess it goes back to the old question....What causes heart disease and cvd? Does a High Cholesterol number mean you are at risk. I am of the opinion it does not after reading the info on this board and on other area's suggested by this board. I am continuing my locarb/hifat life style. Taking more fish oil and other supplements to get my HDL even higher and trying to stay VLC to get my trigs lower.

I'll let some other folks chime in who are much more knowledgeable than I am in these area's. I'm just sticking to the basics for now. Oh yea, I'm not taking statins either (however doc did want me too)

It isn't so important how high your LDL really is as to how long it has been high. If you can get your LDL under control by the age of 50, your risk of getting heart disease in your 60's ,70's and even 80's is reduced right down in the area of 5 to 8%. This is the latest statement made by one of the most prominent cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
I too love riding my bicycle and have attended the 450 miles tour of the Wisconsin GRABWAAR in my younger days.
Now back to the cholesterol. There are a lot of literature out there on how to control cholesterol yourself without statin drugs, well I,ve tried it all, from fish oil, niacin, certain vitamins, lucithin, fibre and you name it and it didn't work good enough. According to the cardiologist, the most that you can reduce LDL using natural means fall in the area of 10 to 15% and that isn't enough. The liver just produce more cholesterol.
I still have a drawer half full of natural vitamins which I take once in awhile and I don't know how much they help me. In the last year my doctor told me that I was a high risk of cardio vascular disease and prescribed Lipitor statin drug starting at 10mg . Three month later following blood work it was hike up to 20mg. I'm still taking 20mg per day and I'll be going for more blood work at the end of the month. I'm 66yo and feeling very good, walks my three miles a day and hope to loose somr weight with LC.
I came to believe that it is a better choice to follow the doctor's recommendation on statin and face up to possibilty of side effects than to get a sudden heart attack and die like what happened to a few of my friends.

I have joined Dr. Davis group at www.trackyourplaque.com to find the peace I needed as my husbands lipids look bad right now. I second the suggestion of the VAP test to determine whether you have mostly small (bad) LDL's (the B's) or whether you have the large fluffy (good) LDL's (the A's.)

Dr. Davis is adamant about cutting out wheat, sugar (all forms) as well as cornstarch. I noticed your eating plan was your own, so don't know what that entails. If you haven't cut out wheat, when you do you'll most likely see a drop in triglycerides, and from what i understand, is the most important number anyway.

I'd get the VAP for sure and then proceed from there and get a heart scan. My husband is getting one this Friday for $199.00 at Duke (Feb is heart month!) which Dr. Davis recommends because it takes the guess work out of it.

I wouldn't let a doctor just put you on statins when there are so many other variables. If you lowered the number, you could actually still have an underlying condition that is not being addressed IF you even have a problem at all.

I am sure Nancy LC and others can advise you on this better than I can but I don't see your numbers are completely out of whack unless you have tried changing your diet and supplementing and feel like this is a last resort. Statins have some bad side effects and they only change a number on a lab sheet. I haven't seen a lot of evidence in my research that indicates they improve health.

I do understand your dilemma though and wish you well!

Yes, please have that checked. With your triglycerides being under 100, you are prabably in the clear.