For years my doc has told me to lower my cholesterol. When it rose above 235 early this year and he advised that I needed a statin drug, I decided on a nutritional approach. I started taking a supplement called Vasacor. It contains niacin (Inositol Hexaniacinate), policosanol, guggul, beta-sitosterol, and garlic.

4 months later, my total cholesterol dropped to 195. I bought a CardioChek, a device that measures cholesterol and gives a digital readout. In August, it measured at 165.

Then in early December, it measured <100. I thought maybe I'd done something wrong, I'd done the test near a window with the sun shining in. I bought new strips and tested again, this time carefully following the directions. Tested again today <100.

This condition is called hypocholesterolemia.

Thought maybe the device is faulty, so I bought a First Check test kit and tested again. Followed the directions very carefully. The device indicates a numerical readout that is used to read an accompanying chart. Mine is 14 1/2-15. The chart begins at 18, which is a total cholesterol of 115. So now I have two different results that agree. Seems my TC is somewhere below 100 and I am alarmed. What I read on the Net is several possible causes ..... liver disease, overactive thyroid, malabsorption, among other things. Is it possible the Vasacor caused this and getting off it will return my TC to something more normal? Should I rush off to the doctor? Wait a month after no more Vasacor and test again?