Donna, Side effects do not affect all people. My father and DH are both on Vytorin and neither has had a single side effect. I, on the other hand, seem to often suffer side effects from meds. Antibiotics always make me sick (supposedly that only happens to 2%) and my allergy medication makes me dizzy, so I take it at night only. Until you take something there is no way of knowing how it will affect you. DH had a cardiac work-up last year. They ran a bunch of blood tests (sorry, don't know which ones) and did an EKG and a treadmill stress test. I had to push to get them to do the stress test. "I'm afraid if I see a cardioligist he is going to run a zillion tests on me." What's wrong with that? If my insurance would pay for a brain MRI I would get one. I say, anything noninvasive, go for it. The typical cardiac tests are less invasive than the ones for Crohn's disease. In terms of alternative treatments for cholesterol, my SIL uses grinds flax seed into a banana yogurt shake she eats for breakfast. I remember her cholesterol dropped after starting that, but I don't recall how much (it must have been at least 20 points or I wouldn't remember it).

Shirley, I read your post just now while eating oat bran. LOL Usually I cook it in a bowl in the microwave, sometimes adding raisins before cooking. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Occasionally I stir in some applesauce after cooking. Tonight I was eating it uncooked, mixed with wheat germ and some raisins and walnuts, and sweetened slightly with one drop of stevia. Cooked or uncooked, I eat it with soymilk. Actually, oat bran is very much on my mind right now because I have to launder a shirt and shorts that are covered with it. I fell down my porch steps this evening while holding a bowl of cooked oat bran and soymilk, and it got all over me--hair, arms, clothes. What a mess. I don't know how it happened. My DS was right there, and he doesn't know how it happened either. I'm just glad I didn't reinjure my bad knee. Anyway, I didn't get to eat any of it, so that's why I was eating it uncooked a little later.

A lot of people do keto, but don't drop weight. They keep up the calories to stay the weight they are. Even skinny people can have elevated cholesterol. I'm learning to eat those avocado's. Someone here told me they like them with lemon juice and so far, it's the only way I can eat them. I put coconut oil and butter in my coffee almost every morning. My ketones are still low: today, 0.6 which is barely in ketosis. When I get back from holidays, I'm going to sit down with my meal plans to try to include more fatty meats. I also have to get back downstairs and use that gym I made my husband put together for me. Haven't been in there since January. On a side note though: my parents live on the bottom of a small mountain. It's like a big rocky hill. LOL I want to walk to the top of it. Mainly so when I get to the top, I can look at the US side and take pictures of Mt Baker from one side, then turn around and take pictures of the city my parents live in. Coming down will be much easier. I mentioned it to my sister last night. I was hoping she would come with me. She said, "ask dad......" LOL

My DH's dr put him on coq10 and liquid fish oil.He took him off the statins because of all the muscle problems they gave him.His came down,and he didn't have to go back on statins.He lowered his triglycerides by cutting back on sweet.Boy,talk about an addiction,he could and did many times eat a whole bag of candy and or cookies,and he could eat a whole pie in less than 2 days. Makes me angry,as he's never gained an ounce from any of it.He's 5'9" and weighs 176.Dr's can't believe what good shape he's in for his age(73) I should be so lucky!!!! Kathi