Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
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tbailey
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Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Post by tbailey »

Hi fellow APOE4s. Trying to absorb this new information I received from 23andme. I realize that there seems to be less risk associated with 2/4 which makes me happy. I actually wouldn't even be worried if I didn't have the family history I have. Biological dad died of suicide at 20 (so I'll never know if he would have developed AD), but his mom and sister (my grandma and aunt) both had/have Alzheimer's. Aunt has been in a nursing home since 70 unable to care for herself. I also went back and looked at a MRI I had 2 years ago (age 49)- directly from report:

"There are 4 subcentimeter small focal areas of nonenhancing hyperintensity identified within the subcortical white matter of the frontal lobes bilaterally." - hoping these are from my migraines
"Choroid plexus cysts (xanthogranuloma) are identified within the atrium of the lateral ventricle on the right."

When I researched these 2 findings they both can point to AD.

Also decided to get my cholesterol checked when I found out my status and was shocked to see I have high cholesterol! LDL is also high. I eat VERY well (BMI 18) and take care of myself. Going to try to tweak my diet further and get retested in 3 months. Willing to go on a cholesterol lowering med if needed. 23and me says I have SLCO1B1 variant so affects metabolism of statins. My aunt said she could not tolerate them at all. Oh that aunt (my dad's other sister) has Parkinson's. Any suggestions for cholesterol lowering meds would help.

It feels like 2/4s are left out of a lot of the research and seem to almost fall into a grey area.

One really good thing that made me smile so much is that my daughter only inherited the 2 from me so she is a 2/3. :)

Any thoughts, recommendations, stories to share are welcomed.

Theresa 2/4
TLS
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Re: Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Post by TLS »

Hi Theresa!
Welcome to the group! Learning from this forum and the wiki's can be very helpful. I would start with the wiki to learn more.

You didn't mention what your cholesterol numbers are and what is being considered high. It is a little high, you don't necessarily need to go on statins which have their own risk. Diet and lifestyle can impact that a bit.

Knowing about your genetics and being aware of your risks can be a blessing because you can use that information and this site to make lifestyle changes, or keep the good lifestyle habits you already have, to take action and move towards prevention of dementia.
apoe 3/4
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TCHC
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Re: Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Post by TCHC »

Hi Theresa
You're in the right place for learning as much as you can about this. My only recommendation would be to find a Functional Medicine Practitioner and get some advice on how to improve your cholesterol with lifestyle or supplementation before going down a medications route. Have you done that already?
I've never had high cholesterol, but it has increased since I hit peri-menopause, so I'm working on it right now too.
Good luck! Let us know what you find out.
Lindsey
TCHC - Lindsey Byrne - The Cognitive Health Coach - UK
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tbailey
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Re: Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Post by tbailey »

Thank you so much, Lindsey! I think I panicked at first but are gaining some composure/sense back. I have made some dietary and lifestyle changes already (right away actually) and will recheck my cholesterol in several months. The more I listen to different books and podcasts I realize a high (not too high) cholesterol level is not anything to worry about and may even be beneficial. At this point I am working on living a healthy lifestyle to help myself the most and exploring a more functional medicine/holistic approach. Again I appreciate your input.

Theresa
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Re: Hello from a newly discovered 2/4

Post by TCHC »

I'm glad you're feeling more composed about it!
Yes, my understanding is that it's about the size of the LDL molecules - big are good - small are not so good. And your brain does need some cholesterol. But what do I know? I'm not a doctor! and I know nothing else about your medical history. So, I think you're absolutely right to take it seriously. It's great that you're researching for yourself.
..and I think Mark Hyman does a good podcast session on cholesterol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Jzmj5X9xA
and here's an article I just found too.
https://drhyman.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... .pdf?v=1.1
TCHC - Lindsey Byrne - The Cognitive Health Coach - UK
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach (FMCHC)
Certified Re:CODE 2.0 Health Coach
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