Re: Cholesterol, darnit...reply about Chol levels & steroids

[Guest guest]

Tina & MSer's,

FYI, I've also fought with the increased Lipid levels.

I'm Not on mood stabilizers but my *good* cholesterol numbers were fantastic. That was when I read up on the steroid side effects and my doctor told me what I already knew.

He then told me the levels usually go down and keep up with the work-outs and also quit smoking because cigarettes are alot worse. After I did what I was told and didn't repeat the labs for about 1 year after steroids. He, was correct went from 300++ to below 200 which at that time was excellant.

I'm retired from nursing and also help run an out-patient LAB @ a cardio-vascular office that I retired from. I'd ask your doctor before changing any of your other medications.

Hugs

Terri

>> Okay, so several years ago when I was on Tegretol I had a routine> cholesterol check and my cholesterol was over 350. Yikes! I did some> research and found that Tegretol increases cholesterol levels. So my next> neuro appointment, (this was before MS) I asked the doctor to change my> medication to Trileptal (unfortunately what I didn't know was that trileptal> has the same effect). After getting my cholesterol down to a manageable> level through medication several years ago, and then cholesterol medication> was dropped because my levels were down to normal, I was no longer on the> Tegretol, and I was eating better and exercising. My (former) doctor did a> cholesterol check, and my numbers were above 300 again. He put me on a> small dose of pravachol. That didn't work. So he increased the dosage.> Now I have a new primary care doc, she continued the pravachol, but I didn't> realize that Trileptol is having the same effect on me as the Tegretol did> (they are basically the same med, but trileptal has an extra oxegyn> molecule).> > As it is now, the Trileptal is also acting as my mood stabilizer for my> bipolar. So, I can ask to get it switched to something else, but then I> have no mood stabilizer. Then again, I haven't been manic in YEARS. I just> really think I need to get off this medication that's raising my numbers so> high. It can't be good for me.> > Tina>