I've just forced my surgery to give me details of a blood test I had last week and was told that my cholesterol is 6.9. The person I spoke to said that the doctor doesn't think there is anything wrong with that, but last time I went and it was 6.6, I was told I needed to get the figure lower. What should I do?
GPs are very inconsistent over high cholesterol. Mine is (actually i can't remember it's so high!) – something over 7 anyway – but my GP said that as I'm fit and slim and on a good diet, and have no other risk factors she's not going to worry about it... I could watch my intake of fat (I've replaced butter with one of those horrible olive-oil based spreads) but otherwise not to worry. I wouldn't take statins anyway, even if offered them, so there's no point in worrying.
Thanks. That's very comforting.
Please try very much to lower this as soon as you can. You've got to look out for yourself because no one will including the GPs. No one really can tell you how your DNA works. What you know is that your cholesterol is high, so do something about it straight away. Exactly 2 years ago my cholesterol was just as high as yours. With my doctor's advise I changed my eating habits and added those cholesterol drinks benecol and activia to my diet. My doctor recommended I drank 3 a day and I did just that with daily exercises. Two years on my cholesterol 2 weeks ago was 4.1. The LDL at 2.9 and HDL at 1.4 and the said this is ideal. Initially my cholesterol was at 7, LDL was at 5.1 and HDL at 2.02. What I can say to you is that I have lowered my cholesterol without medication, you can too! The problem is people suffer diseases that are preventable and/or die due to cholesterol issues don't be one of these people. I made sure that I won't be one of them. I am a health nearly 50 years old and I feel like I going on 25. All the best.
Thanks, Dita1. I'm not happy with my doctor's attitude, so am trying to do something about it through diet and exercise. I'll go back for more tests in a few months and then think about the drinks (I don't really like them, but will have them if absolutely necessary).
Thanks so much for your response. It's good to know that there are other people in the same situation who have done something about it.
Sorry about the typo. I meant to say I am a healthy nearly 50 years old. Please definitely try those drinks even if you don't like them. Think of them as medication that is perfect for high cholesterol.
Please keep us posted on your journey and how you are doing. Take care it'll work out! 
Last year I had my blood tested and noticed that they have a new reading for cholesterol ,called serum cholesterol/HDL ratio my reading came out as 5.1 which is OK ,my other readings were
cholesterol > 6.1;triglycerides>1.95; HDL>1.2; LDL>4.0
So I suggest you look out for your RATIO reading, my age by the way is 71 and do not take ANY tablets
dita
What is your blood pressure ?
Sounds good, pottsy189.
Apparently my blood pressure is 'ok'. Notice they don't give me the details. I've given up with my GP and am having to pay for a full health screening which I can't really afford, but would take months of toing and froing to the surgery to have all the tests and then get the results as the GPs won't do health screening where I live.
Every other year I have my blood checked in Spain cost just over £80