I just had a $15 heart screening at Costco, (that's all I can afford!), and the machine found that my triglycerides were OVER 500. Over 500, the machine wouldn't give an exact number. My Total cholesterol was 248, my HDL (good) cholesterol was 28. The machine couldn't give the LDL (bad), as the triglicerides were too high, and the machine won't measure that under those conditions. My blood pressure was OK, 125/87. I'm 45, somewhat overweight, but not too serious (maybe I need to lose 15-20 pounds). My family history has SOME heart disease. I don't get much exercise, I can and will improve that. I generally eat OK, but I know too many sugars. Not too much meat, a lot of fruits and vetetables. The machine calculated the Total cholesterol/hdl ratio at 9.7.

With triglycerides that seriously high, what should I do? Eating right and excerise are not enough. I'm not taking any medications right now. I don't have health insurance, but I can go to Mexico and buy cholesterol-lowering drugs there at affordable prices.

I'm told that gemfibrozil (LOPID) is best for lowering triglycerides. Do any of you nice people have any suggestions/advice what I should try to take?

Also, would it be too much to take 500mg of niacin, twice a day, in addition to Lopid and or something like Lipitor or Provochol, which I can get in Mexico at affordable prices?

Any assistance, however small, is highly appreciated. Thanks! weho

Hi, Weho

This is my story ...

I also been fighting high Triglicerides for yrs now.. Mine is 500+ but i have had 700 + before..

When i was first told i had 700+ and 226 cholesterol i had taken Tri-cor for only 7 wks and it knocked my Trig down 500 pts.
But, my first blood showed it effected my liver so i had to get off Tri-cor then we lost our ins for 1 1/2 yrs so i couldnt do anything then..

When we got our Ins again I redid my bloodwork and of course my Trig were back up there ..

Then i got on Lopid and that stuff made me so sick to my stomach feeling like i had the flu or something, and all i did was eat to head the hurt in there, also made me tired ..
So, then instead of taken Lopid twice a day i tryed it once aday and the hurt was still there so i got off of the meds.
But, again in the 3 ms i was on and had blood work checked it did knock the Trig, way down ..
Guess, i been lucky with meds knocking the Trig down fast..

Then i tryed Lipitor in 3 ms it didnt really touch my numbers at all ..
Later i found out from a heart Dr my husband has to see they said Lipitor doesnt work on Trig as well ..
So, that sort of pisses me off my dr. gave it too me ..

I am trying Tri-cor again to see what it does for me ..

Also, to find out thyroid problems has to do with high Chol since being on my thyroid meds its knocked my Chol down to 166 from 226 but it doesnt touch or help the Trig come down ..

Good luck

Lolly

Quote from weho:

I just had a $15 heart screening at Costco, (that's all I can afford!), and the machine found that my triglycerides were OVER 500. Over 500, the machine wouldn't give an exact number. My Total cholesterol was 248, my HDL (good) cholesterol was 28. The machine couldn't give the LDL (bad), as the triglicerides were too high, and the machine won't measure that under those conditions. My blood pressure was OK, 125/87. I'm 45, somewhat overweight, but not too serious (maybe I need to lose 15-20 pounds). My family history has SOME heart disease. I don't get much exercise, I can and will improve that. I generally eat OK, but I know too many sugars. Not too much meat, a lot of fruits and vetetables. The machine calculated the Total cholesterol/hdl ratio at 9.7.

With triglycerides that seriously high, what should I do? Eating right and excerise are not enough. I'm not taking any medications right now. I don't have health insurance, but I can go to Mexico and buy cholesterol-lowering drugs there at affordable prices.

I'm told that gemfibrozil (LOPID) is best for lowering triglycerides. Do any of you nice people have any suggestions/advice what I should try to take?

Also, would it be too much to take 500mg of niacin, twice a day, in addition to Lopid and or something like Lipitor or Provochol, which I can get in Mexico at affordable prices?

Any assistance, however small, is highly appreciated. Thanks! weho