Best Home Testing Cholesterol Kit?

usignuolo

My OH has recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol and wants to keep an eye on his levels at home. I have looked on line and all the home testing kits advertised, including Boots own, have very poor reviews. Has anyone used a home testing cholesterol kit and can recommend it?

mogwai

i got this one for my mum and dad

http://www.cardiochek.com/

the test strips are around £2-4 each, you can get strips for HDL, truglyerides and cholesterol

I think I bought it from here - its the consumer version of their professional range

http://www.bhrdirect.co.uk/cardiochek-for-home-use-1289-0.html

Its very easy to use, recommended

Pennylane

I sometimes wonder whether these gadgets make people worry even more. I've seen them but never thought to buy one.

Several chemists offer a free cholesterol check and of course your GP surgery will carry them out at regular intervals if you have "high cholesterol". It might just be very slightly over normal and they'll still call that "high". If your GP is concerned that it's very high then they will monitor your other half regularly anyway.

usignuolo

Yes but unfortunately he does not get on very well with the GP in the practice who specialises in this area. My OH, he likes to discuss treatment and possible alternatives, side effects etc before he starts course of drugs. GP is something of an evangelist for statins, thinks the entire population should be on them and any side effects reported are greatly exaggerated. So has no time for discussions. So my OH wants to monitor his diet and cholesterol levels himself as far as possible. I have enquired and there are no local chemists who do the tests.

hotpot1000

Be careful with statins, they gave my dad muscle wastage and the gp took him off them, he got nothing in their place. So how bad was his condition to warrant them being prescribed?

I think your OH is very wise to be weighing up the pros and cons
Half a grapefruit 1st thing then another later in the day helps with cholesterol plus oats, porridge.
Of course Im not suggesting this in place of prescription meds, etc.