Dd's doctor's office just called. I took her in last week to have another blood draw because her previous lab results can back funny. Apparently, I was supposed to make sure she fasted beforehand, which I didn't. The nurse wants us to redo the labs, but the dr is already talking about Lipitor, a cholesterol lowering med.

Dd is autistic and bipolar. She was dx with low thyroid and PCOS this past year. She's already on a ton of meds for her autism and bipolar disorder, plus Metformin and synthyroid for PCOS and low thyroid. Now we're talking about adding another. Is high cholesterol common with PCOS?

We've been seeing a dietician through her endocrinologist's office, but she's just not losing any weight. She was on Zyprexa several years ago and packed on the pounds while taking it. Before that she was rather thin. This is just discouraging. She's only 14!

I don't know. I was diagnosed w/ PCOS about 8 years ago, but no one ever mentioned cholesterol. My cholesterol is too high, however, I've also gained back some weight this year & I know my diet could be better.

Yes, when you have that sort of blood work done (like for a PCOS diagnosis or for your annual physical) it is supposed to be a fasting bloodwork.

Some people just have high cholesterol due to hereditary influences - not diet related at all. They have to have it controlled by meds & not diet. I know a few people with that, and they are all skinny. Sorry I don't really know.

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Google "pcos cholesterol." Yes, they seem to go hand in hand.

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They've never specified it needed to be fasting. Usually they are checking medication levels, thyroid levels, and other things that don't require fasting ahead of time. Maybe the nurse told me and I forgot, it took forever to get the blood draw request faxed to our local doctor. At least a couple of weeks, so I had plenty of time to forget.

Dh's family has a history of high cholesterol. His doctor told him he would need to take cholesterol meds because with his family history, diet and exercise were not going to be enough. I have PCOS but my cholesterol is low: ~115 last time it was checked. But I get that from my Dad's side of the family. I guess low cholesterol can be hereditary also. Too bad dd didn't inherit that from me instead of just the PCOS.

Since it wasn't done fasting then I would insist on another that IS fasting before I would make the decision to take Lipitor. I do take lipitor myself and I do know that cholesterol tests are supposed to be done after a 12 hour fast. So I would think her results wouldn't be that accurate if she hadn't fasted. I would also want to know HOW high the results were. If they were just around 200 or slightly over I would wait and try dietary or exercise treatments first. Now if we're talking 250 or above (FASTING again) then I would consider the lipitor.

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I have PCOS and also just found out my cholesterol is high.

If you don't want your daughter on the meds the only thing you can do is have her go on a low fat diet and get 30 minutes of exercise 5 times per week. I know with your daughters other conditions that might be difficult though.

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Jodie....Wife to Andrew (1995)
Mommy to Riley (2000) and Wyatt (2003)

[quote=bonnotsm9;894802
We've been seeing a dietician through her endocrinologist's office, but she's just not losing any weight. She was on Zyprexa several years ago and packed on the pounds while taking it. Before that she was rather thin. This is just discouraging. She's only 14![/QUOTE]

This med is known for this!

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* Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it's realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.

~Ron Paul

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping that the fasting test yields much different results.

I'd redo the tests(fasting this time)and ask about a lowering-bad-fats-and-upping-the-good-ones diet and exercise. Docs are too Rx happy now and none of them seemed concerned about the adverse side effects!

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* Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it's realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.

~Ron Paul

Her other meds make her very sleepy, so getting her more active has been especially difficult. Her appetite has diminished a lot since she started on the Metformin, but her weight has remained the same.