posted
I know this is a crazy question but my recent blood test shows that my cholesterol levels are extremely elevated and I don't know why. I am certain that I have Lyme and am trying to get in to see a LLMD. I was just curious if anyone else has noticed something like this? BTW, the ELISA test came back negative and my non-LLMD refused to put my on antibiotics.
Posts: 11 | From Manassas, VA | Registered: May 2011
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lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
Our LLMD told us that Lyme does cause elevated cholesterol levels. It has to do with the liver being affected. I don't remember the details.
My 25 year old daughter had elevated levels and she was fit and thin, with no family history, at the time.
posted
That is very interesting and I knew there had to be some other reason because I am not doing anything differently (re diet) than I have been doing all along! Thanks for the info.
Posts: 11 | From Manassas, VA | Registered: May 2011
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My cholesterol has always been normal, and the last few months has been borderline high/normal, along with elevated CRP and other inflammation markers.
Makes a lot of sense.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
ppl-please be very careful with statins and esp lipitor
check ou my thread STATIN POISONING
it doesn't affect everyone-i think there is a gene component...but the drugs we take for lyme interact with statins and the result is severe cognitive problems, and/or muscle wasting (myopathy) and/or periferal neuropathy
the easiest way to get info is at spacedoc.net
also just google lipitor poisoning or statin poisoning
this is very serious. lyme is bad enough. i seem to have got over the hump with lyme and now have to deal with going downhill for the rest of my life...i mean a BAD hill...als type hill
please be careful. i was on the lowest dose for 6 months and ened up in a walker
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I don't take lipitor but I do take Crestor. I was very upset with my non-LLMD PCP when he called me with the news of my cholesterol blood level with such an accusatory tone. Like I am sitting home eating a gallon of ice cream every night.
Posts: 11 | From Manassas, VA | Registered: May 2011
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posted
I have been in treatment with A LLMD for a year after being misdiagnosed for more than 10 years (Clinical diagnosis Lyme, Bart/Babs. WB only 41K IGM & IGG)
I stopped all antibiotics 7 weeks ago due to an yeast infection in my ears (after being on multiple combinations: last combo was Biaxin, Rif, and Penn V. LLMD had changed antibiotics to Meprone and Biaxon before I stopped all antibiotics).
Was only on Nystatin and Duff--to clear the yeast, which is now cleared. Currently I am only taking probiotics.
My cholesterol kept creeping up during antibiotic treatment. During last LLMD visit (7 weeks ago)it was quite high: 325
I also decided to go off all antibiotic to retest cholesterol after being off since I did not have a problem with my cholesterol until I started Lyme treatment.
Before treatment I ate ice cream almost every evening! I have changed diet and lost 35 pounds. My cholesterol was better before I made all these efforts to improve my diet and reduce my weight-now back to normal weight!!
I was thinking all of these antibiotics may have increased my cholesterol.
I have an appointment next week with LLMD. I really hope my cholesterol is down; I do not want to go on Statins!
Posts: 119 | From New York New York | Registered: May 2010
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posted
Cholesterol levels were used long ago as a marker of thyroid function...just sayin'.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
crestor is bad too...please all of you read the info. cholesterol is not bad stuff...it is necessary...please got to the site and read the books...the statins are going to disable half the population and it doesn't have to happen but it will cuz of those stupid ads and the drug companies making so much money...i didn't pay attention...i was warned...please read...
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
please explain:
Cholesterol levels were used long ago as a marker of thyroid function...just sayin'
assume i am a total dunce. i have been on armour a long time
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ATG: BTW, the ELISA test came back negative and my non-LLMD refused to put my on antibiotics.
- I agree with kayak about the statins ..be extremely careful and know the dangers.
I hope you find a real LLMD soon.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Inflammation and high cholestrol go hand in hand for some. Doesn't mean I'm ignoring my 270 bad cholesterol and my bad good number.
I'm not doing statins period. No family history even my obese brother with everything wrong with him doesn't have high cholesterol.
So I'm special? Well, I will get this number lower by eating the right foods. Even foods we are allergic to can cause inflammation in the body.
I've lost 10 lbs in the last 2 months. I'm losing the weight that happened one night while I slept, literally. Two years ago during summer, went to bed size 12 woke up a 14? All in the middle region.
Now my 14 needs to be tightened areound the waist. Anyone heard about ViSalus shakes? Known as Vi shakes. Love it, two scoops of Vi shake add Almond Milk shake in tight lidded cup, add crushed ice and it's good.
I do one shake a day instead of lunch except if I'm doing something special for lunch, then I do it for breakfast.
Dinner is family time. I can't fix others dinner and drink a shake, so I decided lunch was eliminated Mon-Fri. Don't do shakes on weekends.
I don't crave bad food. In fact I've found my body wanting more healthy food. It's not a diet, it's good stuff.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
Unfortunately, meal replacements don't work for me. I have to chew on something to be satisfied.
Posts: 12 | From Manassas, VA | Registered: Jun 2011
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
I guess I'm a trend-bucker once again...my total cholesterol is 103 (too low!), and I have a lot of chronic inflammation (ESR is high; CRP is normal).
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
The thyroid comment is an interesting one... and is also correct.
There have been studies showing that high TSH is correlated to increased lipid levels. I recall one study showing anything over 2.0 as being suspect.
It's worth getting a thyroid panel done regardless, but just make sure it's a proper one. TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and thyroid antibodies is a good basic panel. Too often docs just test TSH.
And since Lyme can cause all sorts of immune system weirdness, and Hashimoto's (thyroid disease) is auto-immune, there could be a correlation.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
Before the development of the high sensitivity TSH, Drs based their thyroid diagnoses on clinical appearance, signs and symptoms, and many noticed that in the setting of a cold, overweight, befuddled, constipated individual with coarse hair and dry skin (the indolent features of hypothyroidism) cholesterol was frequently high, so those same docs simply added high cholesterol to the list of signs of hypothyroidism.
Back then, many used Armour (T3 & T4) and got better results than docs nowadays who only use TSH to make the diagnosis and synthetic T4 to treat.
The modern approach falls well short of helping people IMHO.
Not using cholesterol as a marker adds to the problem of borderline thyroid function because in the face of a borderline TSH, Docs will ignore the thyroid complaints and focus on lowering the cholesterol with a statin.
The statin then adds to the metabolic load of the liver.
If your body temp runs low all the time, the lipid moiety of your blood will be just a tad more viscous, your metabolic rate a tad slower, and cholesterol will tend to accumulate.
It makes sense in a simpler way than one would expect...
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
Interesting thread. I was just told yesterday that my LDL is high. She recommended lots of veggies and no animal protein or fat.
I had not even thought about it being related to Lyme treatment. I am fairly thin and I don't want to lose weight but I will try the diet.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
This is what I've learned from my research. High cholesterol is not a bad thing like doctor's would make you think. Cholesterol is natural and normal and one of its functions is to protect cells. This makes sense that people with Lyme have high cholesterol because due to the Lyme, your body is creating additional cholesterol to protect your cells. I eat EXTREMELY well, eat hardly no fat, no meat etc and only weigh 113 lbs...and have high cholesterol. So, when my doctor told me I should go on statins, I said NO WAY and explained to her what I've researched and she ultimately ended up agreeing with me.
Posts: 215 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Jul 2008
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I agree about thyroid connection also my TSH was .94 and my endocrinologist seems to think that's my level????????????????????
I don't agree with her and my PCP doesn't agree with her. My thyroid is being attacked by my immune system and there is a shadow in my ultra sound. I know why my immune system is attacking my thyroid.....it's trying to get to the colony of bacteria in there. Of yes I am dx Hashimoto's. Doesn't surprise me my thyroid is under attack. That kind of makes me happy that my immune system recognizes the enemy in it.
My thyroid has been dead for years, ultra sound shows no blood flow, no blood flow, no oxygen. These bad guys are some smart bacteria laying in my dead organ.
I just hope my endocr doc gets the big picture of lyme & co & endocrine system soon, because she won't be my doctor if she doesn't get it.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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hiker53
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 6046
posted
Funny, my cholesterol dropped a lot when I got Lyme disease. Now I believe the germ is killed and I am detoxing and need to heal the nervous system and my cholesterol is slightly up.
Hiker53
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 8931 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
doc lud and others -thanks for explanations i can sort of understand
"There have been studies showing that high TSH is correlated to increased lipid levels. I recall one study showing anything over 2.0 as being suspect."
i'm still a little confused about the numbers and name...is hashimotos LOW or HIGH (hypo or hyper) thyroid?
i think i get confused cuz the nuber 2.0 say is lower on the scare that is about 1-5 i think. and low number means higher thyroid function...is that right?
i know my number is always about 1.4 and they say my number is gettting close to borderline and i might have to cut back on the armour but they never tell me to stop the armour---and as far as sx i am overweight but never (rarely cold0 and actually have trouble with heat. and i guess you could say my hair is dryer now and my skin would be dry except i'm big into lotion and if it wasn't for abx and/or magnesium i would be constipated...
so many variables-i've been trying for so long to understand thyroid but the low means high thing gets me so confused now
i'm still pretty sure i should beon armour and should not be on statins and should not woryy about the docs flipping out about my near 300 total choles
i also watch homcystein and c reactive protein and the size of the particles...but the docs don't seem to be able to talk about that intelligently...except for my one llmd doc who was my primary for 12 yrs. i miss that man. he is too far away now.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
In general, you shouldn't worry about high total or LDL cholesterol, but low HDL is a concern. lpkayak, check your body temp daily, even 2-3x/day see if it runs high, low, or 98.6.If chronically high or low, something is being missed. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in thyroid function. TSH has significant limits in really determining thyroid function, it usually is only predictive if it's very high or very low. Most docs treat TSH like scripture though.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
In addition, vitamin D level has more predictive value for vascular risk than cholesterol.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i take D when i don't get out in sun-i always took it in nh but the sun in nj is strong
my hdl is always normal...thats the one affected by es=xercise right? i do exercise a lot compared to some in my condition...i can get the stress test up where they need it even with my fake knees my temp is always low. w/o armour it is 96 or lower but with armour usually 97 something-so far i'm lucky to get the armour but at times i have trouble
i have trouble understanding the docs fliping out over cholesterol readings in the 300's. my mom had one 600 and she lived many years til late 80s and dies of pnemonia and lots of Bb not anything heart
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
Thanks for posting this ATG because I had never heard about the TSH/high cholesterol correlation.
Right before my PCP quit his practice iin Dec. I tested high cholesterol and high TSH. He would have put me on a rx med but I would have refused.
My new MD said my cholesterol was fine because my HDL was 101. He said he had never seen HDL that high.
He upped my synthroid though. Thyroid had been stable for years and years.
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
I went to a lecture delivered by a lipid disorder specialist about three years ago and he said that if the HDL is over 80, there is nothing to be gained by adding cholesterol lowering drugs, the protective effect of HDL is so great. lpkayak, the sun is stronger in Jersey, but the skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D in that sun declines as we age, and also is markedly limited by any sunscreen, the thing to go by is blood level. For nursing mothers, vitamin D starts to show up in the breast milk at a blood level of 50ng/dl, the implication being that it won't spill until mother's vit D needs are satisfied, therefore, adults probably require 50ng/dl for their metabolism to be optimal.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
My only out of normal tests are low vitamin D, Lyme screen, scleroderma, and high cholesterol. Was looking for correlation and found this thread. My cholesterol has been high for 15 years, had cat scratch fever 26 years ago that hospitalized me for over a week after a tonsillectomy. The bacteria enter epithelial cells of lymph and vein. High cholesterol is blamed for plague buildup. Biofilm is also called plaque. Vitamin D is used by spirochetes to make biofilm. Am I missing something?
-------------------- * Posts: 74 | From Bowie, Maryland | Registered: Aug 2014
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lymie_in_md
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14197
posted
Many of us have probably seen the marshall plan, but some may not have.
What I like about this link is the pathogen's ability to reduce the amount of vitamin D uptake by affecting the receptors in our body.
Trevor offers one solution, not exactly a supporter of the treatment or the conclusion. I certainly didn't take that road for myself. But, I believe this link describes very well the issues with Vitamin D.
Trevor Marshall uses the hope to get lucky mechanism if using low dose ABX and just increasing the body's metabolic function -- don't see how you've affected the biofilm community.
I view it differently, remove the biofilm and attack the organisms, ABX is one, herbals another, our vitamin D levels maybe the marker for how well our metabolism is working.
-------------------- Bob Posts: 2150 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- hermit,
Yes, lyme can cause high cholesterol. Still, IMO, it's not all what we have been led to believe, all that stuff about cholesterol being so bad [within reason, of course].
I can't take the time to go into detail but it's not quite like all the Rx commercials would have us believe. And many of the Rx to lower cholesterol can be very harsh and, IMO, not the way to go.
For a start:
This explains how lyme & other chronic stealth infections can raise cortisol levels:
posted
I had been off of statins for a long time (several years) and the pharm at the VA was constantly on me to take them.
Since I changed my diet last April to lo carb, my last blood test indicated I had a 10% drop in chol levels but that wasn't good enough for the VA.
Before they would think of the little "blue pill" (for loss of energy among other issues) the diabetic doc said I would have to reduce the chol levels even more and that I would have to lose more weight.
Uhhh, excuse me? I had already lost 40 pounds at that point AND the levels dropped 10%! Oh no, I have to take 10 mg of chol meds.
Seeing my dietary doc today at 3 and we'll talk. Blood test Thurs to check levels.
As far as the thyroid and chol levels, I don't have either lobe. I've been on Synthroid for a couple decades now so I'm sure how that affects me, personally.
Personal opinion, I think chol is only one small piece of the puzzle. And considering how I've had a stint put in an artery AND had an angiogram and there is nothing, I mean NOTHING in any report about plaque build up in my arteries or veins. Hmmmm.
-------------------- I have a good time wherever I go! Posts: 665 | From Lost Wages, NV | Registered: May 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I don't see how any doctor can force you to take any Rx if you want to approach the issue in another way.
I also think cholesterol is not exactly the bad guy, either. Not exactly as portrayed, anyway. But I can't elaborate on that or even bring up what I've read from researchers who think outside of the box as I've not collected links, just filed in in my brain . . . somewhere.
Oh, but Stephen Sinatra, MD - a cardiologist has some good books and website. He thinks outside of the box. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Approaching high cholesterol from another way.... do you mean exercise, lowering weight, and taking phytosterols? I am not the athelete I was twenty years ago. With swollen joints, I'm not sure it is good to use them with exersion. (maybe an excuse?) I have never been overweight. My BMI is the middle of normal range. So, I do not need to lose more than the five pounds that I would prefer to lose.
Phytosterols are a plant based natural supplement that binds to the bile cholesterol precursors to inhibit reabsorbsion. I guess you could call it a binder in the herbal protocols.
Anyone use phytosterols?
I guess that the reason why you need to continue to take phytosterols to keep the cholesterol levels down, is because your body is making them for a good reason - or a messed up reason.
-------------------- * Posts: 74 | From Bowie, Maryland | Registered: Aug 2014
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lymie_in_md
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14197
posted
Dr. Harvey Bigelsen probably has the most appropriate view of cholesterol. Along with the recommended diets of the Weston Price Foundation.
And why would anyone trust big pharma's influence on how medicine is conducted to be true. Many of the cholesterol studies in my mind twist the truth. I for one have stopped being a lemming to this propaganda a long time ago.
eat butter, don't trim the fat, eat the skin on the chicken.
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