'Statins ruined my life': Darling of the gossip columns PETRONELLA WYATT reveals how she conquered high cholesterol

• Petronella was told she had dangerously high blood pressure by her GP
• She was prescribed statins by her GP and given a diet sheet to adhere to
• The drugs gave her headaches, mood swings and effected her sleep
• She came off statins, changed her diet and her cholesterol lowered 

Petronella Wyatt was told she had dangerously high blood pressure by her GP

A few months ago, I discovered I was ‘ill’. Prior to that, at the age of 46, I had felt confident of longevity. 

I had managed to sidestep the surgeon’s knife and, aside from a case of mild pneumonia two years ago, had never succumbed to anything worse than gastric flu.

At nine stone, I ate sensibly and while not exactly sporty, I am a regular swimmer and former sprinting champion. 

Nonetheless, my NHS GP complained I had never had a proper check-up and, tired of her badgering, I went through some routine tests during which a nurse took a blood sample.

I thought little of it until four days later, when I picked up a message on my mobile phone at 9pm. ‘There are serious abnormalities with your blood results. You had better call me,’ the GP said

.

The following morning, after a sleepless night, I dialled my doctor’s number. ‘Hello, Ms Wyatt. It’s about your blood results. I am very concerned. Your cholesterol. It’s 11.5. It should be well below five, ideally three. Moreover, 7.5 is LDL, which is bad cholesterol. In my career I have never come across a higher cholesterol count.’

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