Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: breastfeeding, exercise, high blood pressure, medicine, meds for cholesterol

This topic has 16 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by Rene.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 17 total)

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November 5, 2013 at 7:41 pm
treasuredkids
Participant
Hello,
I so appreciate the kind, loving group all of you are over here. Even though I am pretty new here, you have taken time to answer questions for me and I now have one that I am getting concerned about.
I am 34 and have had 3 babies in 5 years and we would love to have more. I used to be a really healthy weight and I am now 30 pounds over my original weight. As my responsibilities have increased I have found it harder to get time to exercise. As any momma knows, sleep is a priceless and elusive commodity! I was just restarting exercise and losing weight when I got my numbers back from the doctos saying my cholesterol was high-cholesterol 280, ldl-191, hdl-44. I am still nursing my almost 7 mth old baby. She recommended that i start meds…along with exercise etc.
We eat pretty healthy and I am definitely going to ensure exercise regularly..I am just wonderingwhether I can wait to start the meds or not..I did send my MD a note about this..wondering if anyone here has experience with this.
Obviously all of these things are in the Lord’s hands and He alone is the Great Physician. I am totally trusting Him for wisdom and guidance, I would love any input from those of you that may have had some experience with this.

God bless you all and thank you in advance!
November 5, 2013 at 8:26 pm
HaRae
Participant
I know there is more to your question than this, but if you are at some point researching whether or not specific meds are safe to take while nursing (or how safe), the InfantRisk Center (infantrisk.com, or they also have a phone hotline) is THE resource to get ahold of. It’s connected with Dr. Hale, who is the top expert on this topic, and they will give you specific information based on the age of your baby and how often he or she is nursing. A lot of doctors don’t know if it’s safe or not so they advise to wean.
Hope you get some other great advice and support. I’m sure there are things to try before meds if that is what you prefer (I think I would!).
November 5, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
Are you taking any fish oil? I take it daily, but I am no expert. Ask your doctor and do research first.
November 5, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Bookworm
Participant
If you really want your cholesterol down, diet will do a better job than meds and you’d not have to worry about the effects on future babies.
To lower cholesterol–you do need to find some time to at least walk. And drop: All refined sugar, especially fructose (small amounts in whole fruits are OK) drop saturated fats, reduce oils and fats to less than 20% of calories, and eat as many fresh fruits and veggies as you can possibly stand. Reduce refined flours, pastas, etc. A number of programs have shown that a regimen like this will not only lower cholesterol, but can actually reverse buildup in arteries. I have reduced my cholesterol from 260 to 140 on this program. For further information, you can google Dr. Esselstyn. Most doctors will roll their eyes and recommend the meds anyway, but this is SO worth trying first!
November 5, 2013 at 9:16 pm
treasuredkids
Participant
Thank you both so much!
Bookworm, I eat a lot of fruits…is that ok? Mostly fresh,/frozen..occasionally dried fruit. Also decent amount of veggies. I looked him up..so I cut carbs and dairy entirely? I do a lot of rice, whole wheat pasta/multigrain bread, oatmeal,quinoa, etc.Thanks for the info again!
November 5, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Bookworm
Participant
I did cut dairy entirely. But I did not cut carbs–just refined ones. If you try this sort of plan, and your cholesterol does not go down as far as you want, then too much fructose could be the problem. You might up the veggie/fruit balance. I still eat fruit, but veggies rule! Try to eat less refined grains when possible—I treat bread and pasta as treats, eating whole cooked grains when possible. ONLY brown rice. Watch dried fruit—you get a lot of sugar in a serving! Again, I consider that an occasional treat. It makes OK car food when everyone else is eating a candy bar. 🙂 Fantastic cookbooks for this style of cooking are the Happy Herbivore cookbooks.

November 6, 2013 at 12:44 am
Lucidity
Participant
I don’t post much, but have lurked for years.

treasuredkids, please don’t let them talk you into meds. Your cholesterol should be naturally high while nursing. It’s ok. I’d also highly suggest Carlson’s Elite Fish Oil -> http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-Omega-3-flavored-chewable-Softgels/dp/B003BVIBK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383698569&sr=8-1&keywords=carlson+elite+gems+fish+oil
I don’t know why it says chewable, I’d never eat these. 🙂

Good luck,
Cynthia
Mom to DS16 (learning delays & OCD), DD13 and DS2 (the tornado)
November 6, 2013 at 2:10 am
Shannon
Participant
Eating healthier and doing some sort of activity are always good but do make sure you learn about cholesterol levels while lactating. I’ve heard (and I believe from the AMA) that you shouldn’t even get tested while you are nursing a child becasue the numbers will be high and that is totally normal. Please don’t start taking the medicines. I’m really disappointed your doctor is pushing this.
November 6, 2013 at 8:10 pm
blue j
Participant
Agreeing with the others who posted about high numbers and lactation. You need to wait until about 6 months after you’ve completely stopped to get a really good evaluation.
November 6, 2013 at 11:20 pm
TailorMade
Participant
There are those that also suggest that higher cholesterol levels are connected to longevity and that, especially when sick, the levels may show higher than normal…..because cholesterol helps to fight infection. My DH had lab work done a year and a half ago while fighting and infection. Levels were high enough to discuss meds. He declined. His diet includes garlic and cod liver oil, at times resveratrol and he gets plenty exercise. His levels are within the normal range. I’m no expert, but I think diet and exercise will get the levels back into the range currently considered “normal.” Might it also be due to nursing? I’ve never researched it, but is it possible that your body has higher cholesterol levels while lactating? Anyone know?
November 7, 2013 at 1:09 am
Rachel White
Participant
After you posted, I too researched a little and saw on some mothering posts that it is very normal to have higher than usual cholesterol levels. I read that one shouldn’t get checked until at least 6 mths. AFTER weaning.
When not pregnant or lactating, if necessary, Red Yeast Rice is a very effective natural – yet temporary – statin, along with the cod liver oils, healthy meats (i.e. grass-fed), healthy dairy, vegetables and fruit. Yes, there really should be more veges than fruit in ones diet as said above.
I really wouldn’t worry about it right now, though; get as much sleep as possible, continue to eat right, getting enough of the right stuff, enough calories and good fat that both you and the baby need (now is not the time to restrict healthy calories).
If this had happened to me, I would’ve begun looking for another doctor. Just my opinion.
November 7, 2013 at 2:02 am
treasuredkids
Participant
Thank you all for taking time out of your day to answer my question. God bless you!
I am going to make some dietary changes and make exercise a part of my day as much as able seeing that I have weight to lose anyway:)
Rachel, I completely agree with you and others about the doctor- it was very frustrating and scary to receive an email stating she had put me on meds and that I could pick them up at the pharmacy!!After I had just told her about nursing and hoping to have more babies…I am going to give the clinic some feedback about her. With back to back pregnancies, I have mostly been seeing midwives lately:) so she was just someone I picked for a routine physical..never again!
I have looked for more info on lactation and cholesterol and haven’t yet found a conclusive article. Do any of you have any links for me?

Thank you all again! Blessings!
November 7, 2013 at 3:18 am
gcbsmommy
Participant
Check out the book Trim Healthy Mama (their website and facebook page is a good place to start). I have read a lot of testimonies of ladies whose blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol have returned to normal levels after implementing this eating lifestyle – and you don’t have to eat “diet” food or cut out whole food groups.
November 9, 2013 at 2:20 pm
TailorMade
Participant
This just came to my inbox this morning. I thought I’d post it for you.
http://www.cheeseslave.com/does-cholesterol-really-cause-heart-disease/?utm_source=Cheeseslave+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=cd65a450f1-CHEESESLAVE_Newsletter_April_21_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ae0ef53569-cd65a450f1-219261305
It should be helpful in forming questions to ask the doctor.
November 12, 2013 at 4:54 pm
treasuredkids
Participant
Thank you for this…I’m going to read it today.