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High Cholesterol?

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Posted 8/27/2013 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, everyone I have a question again. This time about high cholesterol.

I watch what I eat and I also don't eat that much when I do. I have watched what I ate since I started living with my husband. He has heart problems as well as diabetes so I started having to make sure I eat right plus i'm borderline diabetic as well.

According to how I eat I shouldn't have this but I had blood tests done last week and my dr.'s nurse called to day to tell me that my cholesterol and mainly my tryglicerides were high. She was calling in a med for me to be picked up in the morning.

I don't understand why I have high cholesterol. Can my Lupus cause this?

Anyway when I told my husband he insisted immediately that I see his cardiologist. He worries about me so much it's cute. I have had high blood pressure since my mid 30's and heart disease runs on both sides of my family.

So he wants to make sure we catch whatever is going on early.

I'm just wondering if it may be the Lupus.

Posted 8/27/2013 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of high cholesterol from Lupus. Maybe it's associated with a Lupus medication? Or maybe it's hereditary. Some people have poor cholesterol measurements even with a perfect diet, it's some kind of common oddity.

Let us know what you find out!
Posted 8/27/2013 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
I have high cholesterol myself.

Are you taking fish oil? I found out when I was on fish oil my trigylcerides would go sky high. It's suppose to help your cholesterol but it messed my trigylcerides up.
Posted 8/27/2013 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the replies. No, not on fish oil.

I finally started doing some research and landed on the The Lupus Foundation of America website.

It states that some people with Lupus have a higher chance of having Higher cholesterol and triglycerides. Very interesting read.
Posted 8/27/2013 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
And I thought I had that whole website memorized! Silly me! Glad you kept looking.

Is it controlled by Lupus meds or will you need specific cholesterol meds?
Posted 8/27/2013 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
At the moment the only meds I am on are Leflumomide, generic for Arava, it is mainly used for Rheumatoid arthritis. Which is interesting because I have not tested positive for RA but it sure has helped my joints,

I am on a Fentanyl pain patch, 25 mcg, 72 hour release for the chronic pain. Trazodone for anxiety and panic attacks, Zoloft for depression, generic Prilosec for chronic gastritis and generic Ambien for sleep.

The dr I am seeing is refusing to put me on any Lupus meds for the moment. Grrr. So my primary dr is putting me on a generic for Zocor.

I just found out yesterday when primary drs nurse called to tell me they had called med in to my pharmacy and I needed to pick it up this morning.

My next visit to my Lupus dr is in Sept, so I will see if she wants me to keep taking this or give me something else.

Post Edited (txplowgirl) : 8/27/2013 10:45:11 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/28/2013 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Cholesterol has nothing to do with lupus.  If you have developed high numbers and have a sensible diet then it is genetic.  My wife has high numbers and eats better than I do but my numbers are low.  However, my good cholesterol is low despite a life of working out.  That is just genetics and there is not much that can be done.

Lupus impacts many things but I don't think it has ever been connected to lupus.  One thing to watch out when taking statin drugs like Zocor is for muscle weakness.  Statins can cause statin induced myositis or even trigger myositis.  It is rare but don't ignore any symptoms.  If you get them talk to your doctor.  If it is statin induced myositis it will go away after stopping the drug.

Bill

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