Living with High Lipoprotein(a): Managing Risk and Stress

When treatment options are limited, how do you manage stress related to your high Lp(a)? Our community and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mary McGowan talk about how to balance risk and stress.

[@terribrooks9041]

Just told I have Lp(a) and trying to educate myself on it - it really seems like there are not many effective options - I am trying not to get depressed. It was good to hear these brave people's stories.

[@Meadows191]

Me too. It’s depressing and worrying. I feel like I’m living with a time tomb!

[@Meadows191]

I did just listen to a long video by Peter Attia. He said a promising drug is supposed to come out in 2025. He’s on KZbin.

[@cliftonandpatticox6354]

thank you ❤

[@Notme-tq4xs]

How about Niacin and Vitamin C? Also why not lower sugar/carbs to reduce inflammation?

[@genevievepluviose9919]

I'm doing the Niacin Sauna detox. Just started. I hear really good things about Niacin. The type that gives you the flush.

[@jacobgise2479]

Link to the Lpa risk calculator?!

[@Sapwolf]

I'm Catholic and one thing that helped me was to pray daily and be thankful for my life so far. I also go to Confession monthly and attend Mass regularly for the Eucharist. I have a little more grace, humility, less stress knowing that with Nitorglycerine+Baby Aspirin and cellphone always in my pocket, I'm ready. It's 1683 and I'm on the CVD ramparts of Vienna and I see the Lp(a) Turks coming in the distance. Time for me step up like a Man and not go down without a 100% FIGHT. When I saw my Lp(a) of 170, I knew that I rolled a 5-sided die and got a "1". So be it. The die is CAST. Sign my five stent b*tt up for one of those trials. Dear Lord...GIMME MY CRUSADE if it is your will!!!! 💊🔬🩺🪥💉🧬

[@prateekpawanpaharia8687]

Hey, can we connect? Elevated lp(a) here too.

[@sandybayes]

My LPa is 81 nmol/L and I have had 3 mild strokes so having lower LPa is not protective for me. I'm taking a statin now plus a blood thiner so hopefully am protected from having another stoke. To complicate matters I have also been diagnosed with a very mild A-Fib.

[@petertownsend252]

My Lp(a) is non-detect,

[@stacyjones2605]

This is misinformation, and you are going to harm someone with it. Lipoprotein (a) is established by 2 years of age and doesn't change. It sometimes increases a bit in post menopausal women. LPa effects are 90% genetic driven. I agree with all forms of functional medicine and being the healthiest you can be. But you have to understand that even with perfect health that someone with a high LPa can still be at 100% risk for a cardiovascular event. Also, someone with high LPa absolutely should not be on a carnivore diet. Only a whole food plant based diet will suffice.

[@jeannepeters8836]

Well said... agree 100%

[@eveg208]

With 20% of the population knowingly at risk for a major heart attack or stroke and the powers that be after 20 plus years have still not brought a researched drug to the marketplace is unfathomable. I was diagnosed through a random blood test, 15 years ago, and there is zero benefit. For those of us who already live a healthy lifestyle, there is only fear. Obviously, like every other business, money is the driving force. Disgraceful that at this juncture, I am still reading about the same ongoing studies without results.

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

My Lp(a) was 246 nmol/L last year when I was a meat eater. My small LDL was over 1800 and my LDL was 194. Since going plant based, I it’s fish once to twice a week, my LDL is now 112, LDL small particles is now under 1300, but my Lp(a) is now 380 nmol/L. My moms Lp(a) is 166 and has smoked a pack a day for 55 years, turns 70 in October and has never had anything wrong with her heart. Everyone in her family though died super young from heart disease, the difference? She doesn’t eat red meat or saturated fat. They all ate high amounts of fat and red meat. I’ll also add that she has pretty low LDL, naturally, no drugs. It was 79 last time she had it checked.

[@Notme-tq4xs]

Does she work outside? (sun infrared -> antioxidant boost (melatonin))

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

@@Notme-tq4xs no she was a housekeeper, so inside almost all of the time.

[@sophistrydebunker]

​@@plants_and_wellness1574your post continues to prove to me, through my vast amount of education on this subject, that each one of us, regardless of our familial attachments, are unique. Our DNA is multigenerational and vastly specific to us, and only us. One small blip in the algorithm makes us special. Good luck on your journey, I'm getting my advanced lipid analysis in 3 weeks.

[@stevemc2626]

I was very keen to watch this but I could only get halfway through. With my high levels this has really stressed me out. Maybe the 2nd is great but I can’t watch.

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

If you can get get your LDL/ApoB down really low as well as LDL-small, then I really think you won’t have anything to worry about. I cut out all saturated fat and my LDL went from 194 to 112, my LDL small particles went from over 1800 to under 1300, those are supposed to be under 1000 and are VERY atherogenic. My lp(a) is 380 nmol/L. If it makes you feel any better my mom will be 70 in October, her Lp(a) was 166 nmol/L, she has smoked a pack a day for 55 years, and has never had anything wrong with her heart. Everyone else in her family died from heart disease and the only difference is she doesn’t eat red meat or butter, basically no saturated fat.

[@Notme-tq4xs]

@@plants_and_wellness1574 Better cut out sugar/fruit, the real reason.

[@salyx6687]

i am 22 and have hypothyroidsm. On a regular blood work my lipoprotein a was checked. It was 245 which shocked me. Currently I have heart burns that feel like a radio tgat is not working and is making the rough sounds. Could tgat be from lipoprotein a?

[@cliftonandpatticox6354]

she didn’t answer out the diet at the end of the

[@Meadows191]

Same here. It’s very stressful.

[@edwrobel]

After six weeks with 2000 mg per day my Lp a went down from 147 to 45. I’m on 1000 mg Niacin per day for 6 more weeks.

[@edwrobel]

I’m also on nattokinase 12000 iu and serropeptase 1000 per day.😊

[@everydayhomelife8697]

Age 35. 318nmol. Such anxiety over my heart. LDL 112 and apoB 90. Breastfeeding so cannot take meds until done. All other tests like IR and inflammation are good.

[@cody808H]

My test was 300 nmol as well. Age 37 no history. Did you ever find a way to get by without having anxiety or depressed?

[@everydayhomelife8697]

@@cody808H I still get anxiety over it but time passing has helped. I don't have daily anxiety over it anymore. Now and then I do. I also found a cardiologist I felt I trusted and agreed with his plan. That helped as well. I felt I was being proactive and doing all I can. I eat well, exercise, try and control stress, monitor bloodwork. Pray for the best.

[@leboonleboon1638]

Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge. My wife recently took her blood test and her Lipo proteins a was off the charts so her doctor ordered an immediate calcium. CTA test and thank God. It came back zero score so our doctor recommended ubiquinol 300 mg immediately and he also recommended gooseberries, but in a probiotic form supplement. My question to you is because it’s obvious that you care about the subject matter and we greatly appreciate it. Do you think they will create a medicine that could treat this and lower the risk for millions of Americans since it is genetic?

[@pamelagale6691]

What supplement did she take

[@leboonleboon1638]

@@pamelagale6691 the company is called Himalaya since 1939 organic AMLA it’s the only thing in the world that can lower the lipoprotein a and that’s clinical science gooseberries, but this is in a supplement and does not taste anything it’s like taking a probiotic. Also, another thing ubiquinol 200 mg to 400 mg has also clinical studies they can lower it so she’s actually taking both of them and I’m taking ubiquinol as well and my blood pressure is come down 30 points and that is no joke. We have upcoming bloodwork in April so we’ll can’t wait to see what are lipids are

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

Calcium score or CAC only finds hard plaque, not soft plaque. If she has high Lp(a), please get a CT angiogram. That will show hard and soft plaque and any blockages. I hear people say all the time their score was zero and come to find out they have soft plaque and blockages and get diagnosed with heart or coronary artery disease.

[@terrir.7604]

​@@plants_and_wellness1574 that is exactly what my doctor told me and he's a Gyn! Knows more than my cardiologist. My calcium score was zero as well. I plan on getting the CT angiogram this year.

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

@@terrir.7604 make sure to ask for a CORONARY CT angiogram, I just recently found out after I showed up to have it done that there is a huge difference and the regular CT angiogram will not show the arteries. I was so mad haha.

[@zafar78600]

Anyone knows any clinical trials for lpa treatment?

[@TheFHFoundation]

You can sign up for email updates on clinical trials here: familyheart.org/clinical-trials

[@Sapwolf]

I assume those fancy drugs in trial are not available on EBay. 😞 From an Lp(a) 170 who is doing everything else right and getting numbers WAY optimal. My MOM passed away but my Dad, 90 years old is alive and I'm visiting him in Sept. I'll be sure to let him know HE did this to me. We will have a great laugh Man to Man. 😉

[@DGR33]

My LPa is 413 NMol/L. I've had triple bypass and one stent. I've asked my cardiologist about any clinical studies and he doesn't seem interested in helping me. He wants my LDL as low as possible and says thet's the only thing I need to do aside from diet and exercise. How do I get in touch with someone for a study?

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

Mine is 380 nmol. Can you please tell me what was your diet when this happened? And was your LDL/ApoB high?

[@DGR33]

@@plants_and_wellness1574 When I had my bypass surgery I ate poorly and cholesterol was around 250. After the surgery I changed my ways and watch what I eat. That was 17 years ago. I stay away from saturated fats and most meat I eat is chicken or turkey. My stent was placed April 2022 and that is when it was discovered I had very high LP(a). Cardiologist put me on aggressive statins, Rosuvastatin 40mg, and Repatha 140mg. LDL is now at 36. This wasn't good enough for me and after months of searching I found a clinical test for a drug called Olpasiran. The test in in phase 3 with the first 2 phases show a 90% decrease in LP(a) levels. 50% receive the drug and 50% receive a placebo. I start May 23. The drug maker is Amgen and the study is worldwide. There's a good chance of openings at various hospitals throughout the country. Here's a link clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05378529?id=NCT05378529&draw=2&rank=1&load=cart

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

@@DGR33 wow, thanks! KZbin never showed me that you replied, thankfully I came back to this video and saw your response. I’m 39 and have never had any heart problems. I found out last year from a blood test that I had high Lp(a) and immediately went plant based. Since then my LDL dropped from 194 to 112, LDL particles were over 1800, they’re now 1259, LDL small has dropped but still high. I’m going to get a CT angiogram done to see if there are any potential problems.

[@terrir.7604]

@@plants_and_wellness1574 awesome on the diet change and getting those numbers down. Are u on a statin or other drug to lower cholesterol? I'm terrified of the side effects. I already have awful muscle pain. I really don't want to be on more drugs.

[@plants_and_wellness1574]

@@terrir.7604 no, absolutely not. I want nothing to do with taking a statin. Just diet changes and exercising daily. I paid to have my moms tested and hers was 166 nmol/L and she has never ever had any heart problems and she has smoked a pack a day for 50 years. She does have naturally low LDL, though and stays away from red meat, butter, and milk. Her mom and dad both died from heart disease and they had a lot of lard or butter and red meat. She will be 70 in October.