People who take certain HIV medications often get high cholesterol as a side effect of the drugs. Recently my doctor told me that I have high cholesterol. But is it a result of my drug regimen? I had been taking Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada, all of which have high cholesterol as a possible adverse effect. It could be my genes or my lifestyle–or even a combination. I may never really know. But since high cholesterol increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, it’s time for me to make some changes. Here Comes Trouble My average cholesterol is 234.1; the average of my doctor’s patients is 185. My LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” is 143.1, which is borderline high. My HDL, or “good” cholesterol, is 52, which is good. (To learn more about cholesterol levels, go here.) My triglycerides were also high. High cholesterol runs in my family. For years I have known that my dad has it. Over the holidays I learned that my mother does too. This double shot of high cholesterol means that I really have to be careful, especially since being male and of African American descent may increase my risk of heart disease also. Fortunately I don’t smoke. Living for the Weekend Rather than immediately change my meds, which is complicated, my doctor decided that we’d first approach the problem by making lifestyle changes. There are two areas that I can take charge of on my own: eating and exercise. First I had to slow my cholesterol intake. Now that I’m 30, my body doesn’t process foods at the …

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