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[countrybumpkin]

Apart from the Q risk score the other really important question is your ratio.  As long as your ratio of cholesterol/triglicerides is 5% of below then you are fine and don't need statins. So someone can have a high total cholesterol of say 7 but if they have low triglicerides and lots of good cholesterol then their ratio can be low.

I worked in a GP surgery and know what the incentives are for them to put patients on statins and blood pressure drugs. it's always wise to bear this in mind and question the Dr closely on your risks and scores etc when considering these types of drugs.

[Hurdity]

Maybe that's the difference - re the qrirsk test as mine was about about 6% I think or maybe lower? One time when my cholesterol was 6.5 my ratio (Total to HDL) was 3.82 which was apparently OK (although my LDL was high). I presume this is what you are referring to countrybumpkin? Did you have all these other lipids measured as well ellie?

Hurdity x

[ellie]

I really must look into it hurdity, because the answer is...I don't know..
  I had a phone call from the  my own doctor telling me my chosterol was 3.9 , and yet when I went in to see another doctor about different blood tests, she said it was 6!  And did I want to try a statin 

[countrybumpkin]

This is what I find so annoying with Dr's as most people are not medically aware enough to question what results are what.  I have had startled looks off GP's when I question them so I understand exactly what they mean and have been asked if I am a Dr

Your 3.9 could be hdl or ldl cholesterol result, I am guessing your 6 is total cholesterol. You could phone your surgery and ask for a print out of your result.  to find your ratio you divide the total result by the hdl result and it should be less than 5.

[dahliagirl]

That is interesting

My original 'high cholesterol' was 6.5, but with a ratio of 2.6 and a 'Framingham risk' of 1 %

With a lot of diet changes I got to 4.8 with a ratio of 2.6 and a Qrisk of 3%

The latest (strict diet lapsed and went back to normal healthy eating) 5.86 and ratio of 2.4 (no risk done).

All I can say is cut out the butter (and any substitutes) and eat more beans 

Ellie - If you can do on-line appointments/prescriptions etc (SystemOnline), you may now be able to get online records (summary) too.  I got this with my new surgery and my husband managed to get it sorted for himself (eventually).  Now I have a list of all the tests ever done and everything I have ever been prescribed.

[Cassie]

Everyone has their own opinions as to what reduces it and I was told butter is fine, margarine is bad for cholesterol, full cream milk also fine, but to cut out refined sugars and to cut back on carbs, this certainly helped to reduce my hubbys cholesterol.

[dahliagirl]

When I tried to get mine down (which you can see that I did, but did not change the ratio at all) I found it very hard to stay within the recommended guidelines for fats, and get all the non-processed carbs in. 

I just could not get the calories in.  The only treats ended up being sugar based, or alcohol.  Chocolate is all the wrong kind of fat and messes the whole thing up 

When I relaxed it and ate more beans, it got better    Butter is better than marg, but I save myself for cheese.

You also have the avoid tipping your omega 6/3 balance by replacing saturated fats with omega 6s (sunflower oil and chicken are mostly omega 6).  This is a whole new can of worms with some people claiming omega 6 is worse than saturated.