Pravachol and Coumadin

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Greg H.

My internist has prescribed Pravachol to me today. After two cholesterol tests (one normal and one Lipomed test) it seems that I have an elevated LDL (Bad, I think) level and a decreased HDL level. The Doc thinks the Pravachol will help. I am nervous about starting a new medication. I just stopped taking toporol for a-fib a few weeks ago. Coumadin is enough to deal with. Anybody have any experience with pravachol and its effects. Did you notice a change in INR levels? Thank you for any input you can offer.
 
Cholesterol Watchers!

Cholesterol Watchers!

Hi, Greg:

The new Cholesterol drugs (Lipomed, Lipitor, etc.) all have a good purpose which is to lower the bad LDL cholesterol levels. A sure-fire way to up the good HDL stuff is exercise. Mine is rising due to exercise, but I'm still battling the LDL war.

Although my doc believes in a drug therapy of some sort, he also believes in a natural approach and has me on a Red Yeast Rice supplement and I have recently started to add a daily fix of 25 grams of Soy Protein powder. I hope it works. I have until end of this year to get the numbers down or I will likely have to go on the prescription stuff which I dread! It's bad enough taking these high-priced drugs: Toprol, Altace, Digoxin and Coumadin!

At this point, I feel I am still a Coumadin newbie and although I've been on it for 14 months, my education and personal tracking of my PT's and Coumadin related factors didn't kick in until early this year when my doc got a Coumadin Clinic started at the hospital I take the tests at. I no longer maliciously say I have to visit the "vampire bats" as the full time clinic nurse is incredibly knowledgable and caring and the head of pharmacy is my education channel.

I started the rice stuff 3 weeks ago. It has a combined co-enzyme which bothered the pharmacist so she requested a new PT. I re-tested this last Tuesday and it dropped 1 point. I am testing again the end of next week to see if the added 2.5 of Coumadin helps and to also see where my added Soy Protein takes it.

Boy, what I've learned about consistency in diet. You try something new or do too much of something and pow!, the INR gets wacky. I've never gone way above or below board like some folks seem to be going on this forum, but I've sure been tripping around the dance floor! My INR's were steadily consistent for 6 months, dropping one time because some new vitamins contained a little more Vit-K than what I get naturally. I gotta hand it to some of the folks here who have been doing Coumadin for a long time and thank them for their confidence and knowledge.

Greg, I hope we can continue comparing our cholesterol watching on this forum. I re-test for Cholesterol in about 3 months and will post my results here. In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck with your own LDL war and I hope I may meet you at the reunion.

Sincerely,

Perry Anderson
 
I'm on Coumadin, and have added red yeast rice = lovestatin at 1/2 dose. No effect on my INR at all.
 
The last time when I had my total cholesterol checked before surgery it was 151. I do not remember the breakdown as I did not ask for copies at that time. I am smarter now and ask for copies for my own records.
I had it rechecked in December of last year and it had elevated to 242 total cholesterol. HDL 35, LDL 184, Triglycerides 119.
My doctor right away wanted to write me a prescription for Lipitor which I politely refused, and promised him I would change these numbers with diet.
I had my cholesterol rechecked again in May and the numbers were:
Total cholesterol 216
HDL 45
LDL 154
Triglycerides 83
NOT PERFECT BUT A WHOLE LOT BETTER I'D SAY!

I did this by eating a high protein, low carb diet. I am only eating fruits and vegies as carbohydrates, and stay away from breads, potatoes, pasta, rice (I love brown rice) and all sugar foods. I consume real butter, olive oil on salads, real salad dressings, cheeses, real cream in my warm drinks. I stay away from all Non-fat stuff. It usually has high carbohydrates.
I am by no means perfect all the time but the numbers are changing, and thats what I am interested in. In time they'll get even better.
You'd be surprised how many carbohydrates are in foods and carbohydrates convert to sugar in the body and than to fat. Read your labels, and start watching your bad carbs. A lot of our foods are packaged and are not real foods.

I also changed my hormone numbers by going on Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy instead of the synthetic stuff that they prescribe for everyone else. I was low in everything before, but since I have been on the natural HRT my numbers are all NORMAL. The doctors wife was impressed with what I had done when she saw the before numbers.
Just wanted to pass this on.

Christina
 
Fortunately homosapiens is an homnivorous creature. Can eat a varied diet. More than half the world lives on a carbohydrate-rich diet using rice or wheat as source of CHO. The color of the rice or wheat has nothing to do with CHO content, though there is an added benefit of, for example fiber. Most homosapiens these days must watch total calorie and cholesterol intake.
 
Cholesterol Readings

Cholesterol Readings

Thanks, Christina for your informative reply. My latest reading was Total= 241 (LD=170, HDL=47, Trig.=98). I know that exercise will bring the HDL up, but it's one heck of a lot of work! Nevertheless, gotta just do it!

I was never a HealthFood store shopper before any of this, but now I'm re-training my ol' brain to learn about all the good stuff that's available. My wife is also getting into it and we're now doing meals as healthily as we possibly can. I started a daily dose of 25 G of SoyProtein supplement and was wondering if anyone's Protime has gone adrift due to Soy or any Soy products? Does anyone know of a low Vit-K oil, or non-dairy spread brand that I can buy to replace butter or margarine? Seems like most of these health food items' primary indredient is Canola oil which is rated as high in Vit-K. I am using a little olive oil now, but it's a medium rated V-K item also.

I will have a new Cholesterol check in about 3 months so I'll let you know if this is all working. God willing and the (cholesterol) creek don't rise!

Thanks.

PerrryA
 

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