bad day at the doc's

[acipenser]

Ok.. I went to the doc to make sure everything was looking good. Well, he was very excited about my weight loss, and everything looked great, except the cholesterol.

Total=265
HDL 62
LDL 189

I had the test done before atkins and they didn't give me the breakdown, but the total was 199. That was on 10/5/00.

on 2\28\99 total was 202, HDL 57, didn't take LDL.

i know back in 92 or so, it was the first time i ever got it checked and it was borderline high, over 220.

any suggestions on what i can do?? the doc says he will recheck in 6 months and if he doesn't see improvements he wants to put me on meds :eek: NONONO, not what i want!!


thanks for any help!!

[Oldsalty]

You should just stop worrying about cholesterol, the myth that cholesterol at your level is a primary cause of heart disease has, in my view, long since been disproved. Read this page for a start and then get the book.
http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm
and here
http://www.redflagsweekly.com/kendrick/2002_nov28.html

Also there is a great deal of concern over the side effects of cholesterol lowering medications. Read here.
http://www.redflagsweekly.com/features/2002_july08.html

I have personal knowledge of a friend on cholesterol lowering meds who was not aware of the side effects. he has "felt ill" ever since starting to take them and ultimately ended up with a torn rotator cuff, one of the side effects of these drugs is to waste your muscle tissue mmmmm....

[acipenser]

great, so now i have to tell doc no i am not changing my eating habits, and you are wrong, my cholesterol is okay?? oh boy!!

p.s. thanks for the itps, it is good to learn all the sides to the story!!

[mamakim1]

Acipenser-
I'm not an expert, but what i learned when i went to the doc is that an HDL over 60 is great and is protective from heart disease. My total was higher than it had been, but my HDL was high and my triglycerides dropped. He said that it was great and that i was better off than i was a year ago.

These were my numbers if it helps:
a year ago- one month before starting Atkins-

Cholesterol - 184
Triglycerides 79
HDL 51
LDL 117
Chol/ HDL ratio 3.6

Last month after a year on Atkins

Cholesterol 218
Triglycerides 53
HDL 86
LDL 121
Chol/HDL ratio 2.5

The ratio is very important- the lower the better
the HDL- over 60 is great - mine went from 51 to 86
Triglycerides - lower is better

The total number is the least important, as i understand it, if your HDL is high it makes the toal higher,but it is better for you.
I don't know enough to tell you if your results are ok or not, but i'd certainly get a second opinion from another dr.
Good luck Kim

[acipenser]

Thanks.

i am not worried about the HDL, it is my LDL that i am worried about. that is what he wants me to get down.