Cholesterol soaring from Arimidex

Darcy45

My cholesterol has been climbing since starting Arimidex 4 years ago.  It is now up to 279.  Naturally my dr. wanted to start me on a statin but there is no way I'm taking more meds.  I did see a dr. that practices integrated medicine and is putting me on Red Yeast Rice.  Any thoughts?

Medigal

I have been on Arimidex for 6 years now and it did not make a change in my cholesterol.  It was always a bit too high but I was terrified of statins until I found one in 5 mg. which I am taking and is working great for me.  My insurance company keeps hounding me to switch to one of the older cheaper statins but I can't get them in such a mild dose.  What in the world is Red Yeast Rice?  Can you eat it just with brown gravies etc. like one does with white rice.  It also sounds expensive to me.  But one has to do what one has to do.  Best of luck to you.

vespersparrow

Red yeast rice may be "natural" but it is essentially the same thing as a drug statin because it contains substances that work on the same biological pathways, so you may get the same sort of side effects (although I read that RYR is better tolerated).  You'll need to watch liver enzymes and a CoQ10 supplement might be a good idea as both RYR and drug statins deplete it.  Good luck!

Mountains1day

My cholesterol went up to over 300 after a few months into AI therapy.  It was always normally high but never that high.  I tried RYR as suggested by a holistic doc but it didn't work.  I also tried niacin recommended by my onc and that didn't work either.  Finally, I succumbed to the dreaded statin.  But I cut it in half and in the next blood draw, it went down to 200!  So, I decided to cut the pill yet again.  I bought a pill splitter and was able to cut the statin into thirds.  Did that for another 3 months and my numbers stayed the same at 200!  Currently, my numbers continue to stay in the normal range while I feel better taking only a third of the 10 mg Crestor verses the whole thing.

deborye

No change here, I am on Simvistatin and have been B4 BC.

crusader1

Hi darcy,

I have been on Arimidex for a little over a year and only my triglicerides are a little elevated. I do take cholesterol medicine due to poor family history.

I  would not suggest Red Yeast Rice as it is a statin which is not a regulated drug. If you need a statin just go for it. Take a small dose and see what happens.

Hugs,

Francine

Member_of_the_Club

Have you tried exercise to raise your HDL?  My cholesterol has gone up after only a few months on Arimidex but my HDL is so high it doesn't matter.  If you can improve that ratio you might not have to worry so much about the overall number.

Mandy1313

I'm not on arimidex but my cholesterol soared while on chemo (into the 300s with triglicerides over 700,  and stayed there for several months after chemo). A couple of months after chemo, when it was still high, my internist suggested taking red yeast rice, no flush niacin, fish oil and CoQ10, plus of course watching my diet.  My cholesterol isnow in the low 200s and my triglicerides are into the high 100s.

Red Yeast Rice is a statin that occurs naturally. But if you don't want a statin, you might try the other things i have tried--niacin, fish oil, plus diet.  

Mandy

Darcy45

Thanks ladies for your input.  I am going to give the RYR a try and then have my levels checked in 6 weeks and will see what happens.

Maya2

I've tried niacin too. Couldn't take it. Still refusing statin. Then I read that B5 can "significantly" lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides in one month. I'm taking it now. No side effects thus far. It is recommended by Dr. Michael Roizen and I read it on the Dr. Oz Web site. Dosage 300mg daily taken 150mg morning, 150mg evening. Got it from Vitamin Shoppe for about $10 for 100 capsules. (Unfortunately no 150mg capules, so taking 250mg once a day.) As always, check in with your doc.

I understand that the makers of Red Yeast Rice had to remove the statin from their product because one of the statin companies filed suit. So it may have no effect on cholesterol now.

crazy4carrots

I've been taking aged garlic extract with lecithin to lower my cholesterol and it's working (along with some dietary changes, especially no animal fats).  My HDL is still a bit high, but my LDL is much  lower, and the ratio (according to my doc) is perfect!