Cholesterol vs. Weight Loss

I tried looking this up on the internet with no success. I was on Lipitor for high cholesterol before I lost my 22 lbs.  Then I got off of it cuz my levels were good.  Now after 6 months of not losing any more weight (while trying...mostly), I got tested again, and it was high again. I'm anxious to see if my weight begins to drop again now that I'm back on the meds. Does anyone know if high cholesterol can cause a problem with weight loss? Bren

I honestly don't know the answer to that.  but my endocrinologist did tell me that it can raise glucose levels.  If you have glucose problems or are borderline for diabetes, it might contribute to weight gain.  I would be interested to hear about any research in this area. I hope we have others who know something about this.  I think it is a good question. Do you also have hypothyroidism?  Chris was just talking about thyroid problems contributing to the problems. Loretta

I don't believe so.  I did a little digging around also and only found of course the obvious..losing weight can make your cholestrol better.  Taking the meds only keeps it down so you aren't at so much risk of other things.  So sorry, lol nice try though! :)  That is, from what I found anyway!

I use to be on Lipitor, I'm allergic to the stuff.  It makes my arms feel like it's going to fall out of  my joints.ha   I couldn't even put my purse over my shoulder.

 

Thanks for your responses (and research, Holly). I had 1/2 of my thyroid taken out about 3 years ago...had a cyst on it, but I'm on no medication for it.  And I don't have diabetes. We'll see what happens now that I'm back on Lipitor. Thanks again! Bren

I don't know the answer, but I guess time will tell.   Brenda

What are your FT3/FT4 and TSH levels like?  I'm surprised you're not on meds for your thyroid if 1/2 of it was removed!  One thing you may not know is that if your thyroid is not producing enough hormones then it WILL raise your cholesterol. If you haven't had a full thyroid panel run then I suggest seeing an endocrinologist who is familiar with thyroid disorders. It could explain a lot of things. Also you may not have diabetes but you may still have elevated glucose and be in a pre-diabetic or possibly even insulin resistant state. Do you know what your current glucose or A1c is? Also you can have your doctor run a c-peptide test to find out if you're insulin resistant. 

Wow, Chris!  You sound like a doctor! I had a thyroid panel run about a year ago and all was fine.  I've had diabetes tests done in the past, but none lately.  Good idea.  I might check into that.  My husband has diabetes, so do you think I could ***** my finger with his machine and see what my blood levels are from that? Getting old is getting to be a hassle! Bren

Lol, I've done a lot of research on the thyroid over the last month or so. I have hashimoto's disease so let's just say I had an interest. :) Your panels can change from year to year. I would recommend going back and getting a new work up. You should get a physical at least once a year. This time request the FT4/FT3 in addition to the TSH. Ask your doctor what he thinks about the numbers and request a copy of the lab results. There is a thyroid support group online that is a WEALTH of knowledge and can help to further decipher your results.  If your levels are all within the norm then no big deal. Yep you could use your husbands glucose meter.  I would check it after a 6-8 hour fast, like after you wake up in the morning.  And then I would check it through out the day to see how it reacts to the foods you eat. I'm not as well versed in the diabetes/IR area but I think monitoring your glucose levels can give you some insight into whether or not you're insulin resistant.  Talk with LVS/Lori about that as she's our resident diabetes expert. :) I think the cholesterol, thyroid hormones and insulin (among others) all contribute to your metabolic rate in some form or fashion. It's quite possible that your elevated cholesterol could be the culprit but I haven't run across any research on the matter.