Discontinued My Statin…Surprising Results
For context, I lost more than 100 pounds. Near the end of that weight loss period, my cholesterol levels became significantly elevated, with total cholesterol approaching 300. I suggested to my doctor that this might be related to the weight loss itself, but followed their recommendation to begin statin therapy. After about a year, I asked whether it would be reasonable to stop the statin for six weeks to reassess whether it was still necessary (I have a busy schedule, so I waited almost eight weeks to retest) . Although my doctor advised against this, they ultimately agreed to the trial.
My results….great!!!:
Cholesterol total: 150
HDL: 65
Triglycerides: 31
LDL: 70
It’s difficult to overstate how relieved I feel. My doctor has recommended repeating the test next month (just to be extra cautious), so I’m hopeful the results remain consistent.
I am still pro-statin, but I wish I had waited longer to make that decision.