Q. My husband took Lipitor and had a bad reaction with muscle weakness. Now my doctor is recommending that I take it, but I am reluctant. My total cholesterol is 284. My LDL is 156 but my HDL is 114. Doesn’t that count for something?
A. Your good HDL cholesterol is extremely high, which is great for your heart. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is an important measure of heart risk. Your ratio is 2.5 which is excellent.
Your bad LDL is also high, but you may be able to get it down with natural approaches such as the soluble fiber psyllium, walnuts or fish oil. We offer details on these and other natural approaches as well as medications besides Lipitor in our Guide to Cholesterol & Heart Health.
