Lipitor?

[Jesse]

One of the side effects of TRT for me has been raised cholesterol.

The values from my last test are:
Total Cholesterol - 273
HDL- 26
LDL- 221

Pre TRT my values were:
Total- 171
HDL- 35
LDL- 109

My diet or exercise did not change. The only thing I changed was going on TRT. My doctor just prescribed me Lipitor. What are the potential risks to combining Lipitor with TRT?

 

[Gene Devine]

Did you read the drug insert for Lipitor?

I honestly don't know if there are any interactions with Testosterone to be honest.

It naturally occurs in our bodies so I've never ran into a drug interaction issue before.

Nelson and Keith can probably shed some light on this if there is a concern.

 

[Jesse]

Did you read the drug insert for Lipitor?

I honestly don't know if there are any interactions with Testosterone to be honest.

It naturally occurs in our bodies so I've never ran into a drug interaction issue before.

Nelson and Keith can probably shed some light on this if there is a concern.

I read on the website that it can cause elevated liver enzymes, muscle weakness, DECREASE in testosterone levels and libido. If I am getting synthetic testosterone would that be an issue?

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Is your BMI over 27? http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm

It is really strange that your LDL went up and your HDL went down further. Is your dose more than 200 mg per week? Have you been eating differently? Are you taking any other meds /supplements besides Lipitor? Are you exercising? Did you do the TRT blood work after fasting for 8 hours?

TRT will usually improve triglycerides and moderately LDL. What are your triglycerides?

Lipitor is OK to use with TRT, by the way.

 

[tmckenzie]

Call defy med and get on lipo c. My cholesterol has been high for years. Two months on 1 ml a day, it is in the good range and I even have good cholesterol. The stuff works.

 

[Marco N Cognito]

Also, don't waste time with standard lipid profiles. They are a waste of time. Do the NMR LipoProfile to determine LDL particle size. IMHO, your physician has done you a great disservice by Rxing you a statin drug that will deplete your COQ10 stores and cause other unwanted side effects without first doing the right testing and assuming it's hyperlipidemia from TRT.

 

[Jesse]

BMI is 29. Bodyfat percentage is still 17% same as pre TRT but I gained 50 lbs. Triglycerides also went up. From 110 to 132. My blood pressure went unchanged.

The only drugs that I am taking are 200 mg test cyp/wk, 1 mg armidex/wk and 600 IU HCG/wk.

I changed my training from a bodybuilding protocol with some steady state cardio to more of a powerlifting routine (planning on competing) with conditioning style cardio (prowler, sprints, sandbag etc..).

 

[robs2nd75]

If you experience the body pain that I did on this drug I have no doubt that you will immediately take yourself off. That being said, a diet rich in omega 3's with lots of fiber from vegetables can greatly help. If the dietary changes don't work than gemfibrozil helped me greatly before I had the willpower to make the lifestyle changes. The drug has been on the market for quite some time and is very cheap. Not certain why they stopped using it as a first line treatment, perhaps someone else knows? I had no negative sides and it got my cholesterol and triglycerides down to healthy values.

 

[Marco N Cognito]

Unless one has familial hypercholesterolemia, there is no reason to ever be on a statin. The muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis) can be learned about more here:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rhabdomyolysis/AN01413

I would try 4g omega 3's (preferably from krill oil) + extended-release (no slow-release) niacin 1-3g daily [ http://www.endur.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shopping.display&subcatid=2 ], berberine 500mg twice daily, pantethine 500mg-1g daily, guggulsterones 2-4g daily, intermittent fasting, and a million other things before ever even considering a statin.

One of the best sources for learning about lipids: http://eatingacademy.com/start-here

 

[Gene Devine]

^^^^This is exactly why ExcelMale.com will be the destination source for men's health world wide.

Great advise...and I do agree with you that Statin's should be the absolute last line of defense.

It amazes me how they are so easily prescribed by many Doc's and I believe the reason is they don't want to do for the patient that you are willing to do!

Says a lot about you and how much you care for men's health!

 

[Jesse]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Brooksy Chuck]

I am going to try Bergamonte Citrus Bergamia Risso as my HDL dropped to 28 even only on a very small dose of testo.. reading that bergamont can increase HDL and decrese LDL. we'll see i guess it is worth a couple month trial.. anyone heard of it?

 

[Marco N Cognito]

I am going to try Bergamonte Citrus Bergamia Risso as my HDL dropped to 28 even only on a very small dose of testo.. reading that bergamont can increase HDL and decrese LDL. we'll see i guess it is worth a couple month trial.. anyone heard of it?

Good find, Brooksy. Flavonoids are all the rage these days and this one looks like it also has antiglycemic and hypotensive properties as well:http://www.exactwellness.com/

Sounds similar to a product I've been taking call Sytrinol.

Will be adding this to my arsenal of supps!

NOW is a good brand and is the cheapest:
http://www.bulkapothecary.com/produ...-60-tablets/?gclid=CIDlz9GpmLoCFc01QgodeRwAFQ

But this is supposed to be the most potent:
http://www.bergamet.com/Citrus_Bergamot/

 

[robs2nd75]

Ty, Marco! Rhabdo explains exactly how I felt. Curious why the suggestion for Berberine? I was under the impression that it is primarily used for Diabetes.

 

[Marco N Cognito]

Ty, Marco! Rhabdo explains exactly how I felt. Curious why the suggestion for Berberine? I was under the impression that it is primarily used for Diabetes.

http://examine.com/supplements/Berberine/
http://blog.case.edu/yxr10/2005/1/19/nm1135.pdf
http://news.menshealth.com/your-secret-weapon-against-heart-disease/2013/07/01/

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Berberine acts like a natural metformin.

I wonder if it decreases B-12 levels as much as metformin.

Much of the data is from rats. I have seen little recent data from humans

 

[Jesse]

Unless one has familial hypercholesterolemia, there is no reason to ever be on a statin. The muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis) can be learned about more here:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rhabdomyolysis/AN01413

I would try 4g omega 3's (preferably from krill oil) + extended-release (no slow-release) niacin 1-3g daily [ http://www.endur.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shopping.display&subcatid=2 ], berberine 500mg twice daily, pantethine 500mg-1g daily, guggulsterones 2-4g daily, intermittent fasting, and a million other things before ever even considering a statin.

One of the best sources for learning about lipids: http://eatingacademy.com/start-here

I am going to try all these supplements. Is there like a one stop shop you recommend to order all of these? Or, will like GNC carry them?

 

[robs2nd75]

I am going to try all these supplements. Is there like a one stop shop you recommend to order all of these? Or, will like GNC carry them?

I had difficulty finding Berberine in stores. Check their websites as it is often listed under other names.

 

[blacore]

Put your mind at ease go have a test that cost around $100.00 bucks takes 15 min.
Plaque = coronary heart disease

Cholesterol ≠ coronary heart disease
Just because you have cholesterol doesn't mean you've got heart disease.
Why Get a CAC Heart Scan?
To Reveal Hidden Heart Disease Years Before Symptoms Manifest

A CAC (Coronary Artery Calcium) Heart Scan is a 5-minute, inexpensive, accurate, non-invasive, x-ray scan that can be self-initiated without a doctor's prescription. It measures the amount and location of calcium in the arteries of the heart. Coronary artery calcification is a marker for plaque in one's coronary arteries that appears years before any symptoms develop, giving one the opportunity to initiate lifestyle, supplement, and medication interventions because:


- the first symptom of heart disease in more than 30% of people is DEATH


50% of men, 64% of women heart attack victims have no prior symptoms


- 50% of people with first heart attack have optimal cholesterol + LDL

Here is a form with tons of information : www.trackyourplaque.com

I'm 50 yrs old , I lived with a cholesterol # of 360 for years , Had a full body scan last year to find out how much plaque was built up over that time... I had a -0- CAD score.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

This test is still not paid for by most insurance carriers since there is still controversy on how well it predicts cardiovascular disease. I got it done and had to pay $250