Visiting your doctor is bad for your health...

[Dayvo]

Eating oily fish (mackerell, for example), high fibres (oats, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts) and plenty of fruits and vegetables will go a long way to help reduce cholesterol.

Red wine (I've heard) is a good 'anti', but in MODERATE amounts!

Or have a butcher's at this: http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/nutrition/nutrition_advice/2125/10_ways_to_reduce_cholesterol.html

Goa's good for cholesterol!

 

[Crackle]

I had a mate who was told by his doctor he had high blood pressure.. Said GP wanted him to take tablets, he didn't want to and asked for further investigation but was really quite angry/upset/anxious/sceptical about it all. He even wore a contraption to take random readings. So he'd be cycling along and suddenly start indicating left as the cuff blew up on his arm.

Turns out, that his blood pressure shot up every time he goes near a doctor/hospital, otherwise it's normal. To re-assure him I booted him off to a private consult with a cardiologist, who gently re-assured him there was nothing to worry about.

In his case, seeing his doctor really was bad for him.

 

[Camrider]

Turns out, that his blood pressure shot up every time he goes near a doctor/hospital, otherwise it's normal.

That's quite a well known issue, and is known as "White coat hypertension" any good doctor should follow up readings taking in a surgery with 24 hour monitoring.

 

[tyred]

I had a mate who was told by his doctor he had high blood pressure.. Said GP wanted him to take tablets, he didn't want to and asked for further investigation but was really quite angry/upset/anxious/sceptical about it all. He even wore a contraption to take random readings. So he'd be cycling along and suddenly start indicating left as the cuff blew up on his arm.

Turns out, that his blood pressure shot up every time he goes near a doctor/hospital, otherwise it's normal. To re-assure him I booted him off to a private consult with a cardiologist, who gently re-assured him there was nothing to worry about.

In his case, seeing his doctor really was bad for him.

I had that when doing a medical for a new job. The company doctor did sign me fit to work but gave a letter to take to my own GP. Much investigation later with all sorts of monitoring devices, my GP diagnosed me with "white coat blood pressure"

 

[lulubel]

Much investigation later with all sorts of monitoring devices, my GP diagnosed me with "white coat blood pressure"

I was diagnosed with this several years ago, after a week long stay in hospital when they said they were reluctant to discharge me until my blood pressure came down. I pointed out that my blood pressure wasn't high until AFTER I was admitted.

Some months later, I finally got a diagnosis of "white coat syndrome" and it was added to my notes.

 

[slowmotion]

Rich, something that mangaman touched on relating to blood tests. I went for one yesterday and subsequently mentioned it to someone of a medical persuasion in my family. She said that if you don't lay off all food and drink for 14 hours before the tests for cholesterol, the results will probably be entirely iffy. I had not been told to.

 

[User269]

7.5 isn't necessarily anything to worry about. Didn't your Doc say anything about the figures for HDL and LDL, and what proportion of the total the HDL represented?

 

[rich p]

Rich, something that mangaman touched on relating to blood tests. I went for one yesterday and subsequently mentioned it to someone of a medical persuasion in my family. She said that if you don't lay off all food and drink for 14 hours before the tests for cholesterol, the results will probably be entirely iffy. I had not been told to.

I was advised to and did fast for 12 hours, slowmo!

7.5 isn't necessarily anything to worry about. Didn't your Doc say anything about the figures for HDL and LDL, and what proportion of the total the HDL represented?

No, he didn't mention that but I could ask if it would be useful. I don't even know what it is!

 

[ColinJ]

That's quite a well known issue, and is known as "White coat hypertension" any good doctor should follow up readings taking in a surgery with 24 hour monitoring.

I get so stressed by any kind of medical procedure that I black out; literally, out cold on the nearest hard surface - gone!

X-rays, injections, blood pressure readings, eye-tests, dental treatment ... show me a white coat on someone coming towards me carrying instruments and I'm gone. I am so squeamish that once I actually fainted when reading an online article about glandular fever. (It was the bit where the article described a spleen so swollen by viral load that it burst when the patient received a blow to his side! Oops, I'm afraid I'm slipping awa ... )

 

[ufkacbln]

I was told by the optician that I had diplopia (double vision), but had compensated for it over the years.

Now he has shown me and I know it is there, I occasionally see double!

 

[User269]

I was advised to and did fast for 12 hours, slowmo!


No, he didn't mention that but I could ask if it would be useful. I don't even know what it is!

The ratio of HDL ('good' cholesterol) to your total cholesterol should be below around 5, but ideally around 3. Causes of high HDL include participation in endurance sports and excessive alcohol consumption. I think it's worth checking this out as I've known a few people, especially cyclists and runners (and indeed a few boozers) who were told they had high cholesterol but had a 'safe' HDL to cholesterol ratio.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Speaking as somebody who ignored the advice over Cholesterol, was prescribed Statins in my 30s and didn't take them, imagine my shock having emergency stenting at 42 ....
None of this is straighforward.
If you don't smoke and exercise regularly and don't consume high amounts of saturated fat, there's not a whole lot else you can do. Dietary change will have a minor effect and anything that has supposed Cholesterol reduction properties like Omega 3s. oats etc will be beneficial in otherways as a bonus, so there's no downside to that. But some of us need Statins to get our Cholesterol even into ball-park. This may or may not be the case for you, but your GP is best placed to advise, or speak to another heart health professional. It's not something to be taken likely.
In my case Statin usage is the lesser of 2 evils. Without the emergency surgery I'd have died within days. Without the Statins I could well have had more surgery or been dead by now nearly 8 years later. The Statins will stave-off the chances of further intervention hopefully for years to come. Of course there's a potential downside to the statins but I'm hoping it's the lesser of 2 evils. So there's an alternative view.
The BHF produce some good info online about Cholesterol and if concerned, seek greater medical opinion rather than anecdote on cycling forum, which like helmet debates, confuse more often than clarify.

Oh, and one more thing ... as per theclaud, don't give up the butter, just moderate!

 

[PpPete]

There are also several heart function "markers" ( I forget the details) that in a normal sedentary person would have a cardiologist really worried... but in endurance athletes are just part of the body's natural adaptation.

I think reliance on a single number without any background detail (and Rich does have a serious endurance sport background which he modestly does not mention) is probably way too simplistic.

It has reminded me that "ignorance is bliss" may indeed be the best policy. Fortunately my surgery has yet to go in for the the full "MOT" type testing.

 

[Davidc]

I was told by the optician that I had diplopia (double vision), but had compensated for it over the years.

Now he has shown me and I know it is there, I occasionally see double!

Just get an appointment before the pubs open next time.

....
None of this is straighforward.
If you don't smoke and exercise regularly and don't consume high amounts of saturated fat, there's not a whole lot else you can do. Dietary change will have a minor effect and anything that has supposed Cholesterol reduction properties like Omega 3s. oats etc will be beneficial in otherways as a bonus, so there's no downside to that. But some of us need Statins to get our Cholesterol even into ball-park. This may or may not be the case for you, but your GP is best placed to advise, or speak to another heart health professional. It's not something to be taken likely.
In my case Statin usage is the lesser of 2 evils. Without the emergency surgery I'd have died within days. Without the Statins I could well have had more surgery or been dead by now nearly 8 years later. The Statins will stave-off the chances of further intervention hopefully for years to come. Of course there's a potential downside to the statins but I'm hoping it's the lesser of 2 evils. So there's an alternative view.
The BHF produce some good info online about Cholesterol and if concerned, seek greater medical opinion rather than anecdote on cycling forum, which like helmet debates, confuse more often than clarify.

Oh, and one more thing ... as per theclaud, don't give up the butter, just moderate!

Can't fault that from FF. I'm another who after a heart attack would probably be dead fairly quickly without medication including Statins.

Like FF I'd view the BHF web site as a better place for advice than a cycling forum, and a GP who's a keen cyclist as better still.

 

[GrasB]

I think reliance on a single number without any background detail (and Rich does have a serious endurance sport background which he modestly does not mention) is probably way too simplistic.

I once got a letter after a medical that I need to see the company doctor to do something about my weight (being in the middle of the 'overweight' BMI category). I made an appointment as requested & turned up wearing shorts & tightish sleeveless top.
Dr: Mr xxx, thank you for coming.
*Dr shuffles some papers *
Dr: So... Er... um, thanks for coming. You can leave now & sorry for wasting your time.