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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Oct-25-17, 09:50
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default A Good, Comprehensive Blood Test

It's almost three months now since I started changing my WOE and know I have made some good progress, but my plan may need a little bit of tweaking. I want to get a good snapshot of my current health situation and get a blood test that is more comprehensive than the one my doctor ordered the last time. This one includes everything he ordered plus a lot more stuff I want to know like my vitamin D, kidney profile and uric acid levels - and other stuff. Do you think this is a good one? Is there anything major its missing?

https://www.walkinlab.com/wellness-...rine-panel.html
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Oct-25-17, 10:42
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Note the Prep says you should be on a "stable diet" 2-3 weeks. If you are activiely losing weight your Trigs and other lipids could be wacky. Not always, but be aware. http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/...nfuses-doctors/

A TC:HDL ratio OK, the Trig: HDL ratio better...you can figure that yourself with a paper and pencil.

An NMR Lipoprofile would be a better lipid test, but you can get a decent snapshot from this lipid panel. Even better with the CAC.

Have the Liver Panel and Vit D, my only sugestion to add is Fasting Insulin!

Ted Naiman explains the best markers right at the beginning of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOoKd1QUD1c
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Oct-25-17, 12:23
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

OK I talked to them and they have the same package with the NMR for a little more and its only $30 more to add the fasting glucose.

I remember reading that what you eat in the days leading up to the test can effect results. I want to get results that are as accurate as possible. Is there anything I can do that will help make the test more accurate? What if I'd been fasting 24 hours when I went for the test, would that make any difference? (I only eat dinner and the lab is not that far away, I could go in the morning or in the afternoon before dinner).
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  #4   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 03:00
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Think you mean fasting insulin for $30, that's about the cost for one at the direct to consumer labs.

The NMR test does give more information 1. If your doctor knows how to interpret it and 2. It is not impacted by your weight loss. You have lost quite a bit of weight quite fast, some of the fat might be cruising around your bloodstream when the blood is drawn, and it will show up in both a basic lipid panel or NMR. http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/...nfuses-doctors/

Dr Naiman just uses the basic panel and checks the Trig/HDL ratio. The NMR use to cost about $100, about the same as a CAC test, which I now think may give more useful information at this point in your journey to good health.

Fasting longer does not work well, and may even make the lipids worse, though I did drive down my glucose and insulin by trying that once. Stick to the recommended 12-14 hours and get a good baseline. Think of cholesterol as an "energy system" and read some of the crazy new info from Dave Feldman, about how lipids can be manipulated in the short term. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=477759

Interesting stuff, but still think you should not do that this time. Eat your normal LC meals, fast the hours suggested, and get a good reading (understanding that the fatty acids released into your blood may throw those numbers off anyway)
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  #5   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 07:15
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Ya, I was thinking about my morning doses of coconut oil throwing things off but the NMR should be able to distinguish that from what I'm reading.

I'd like to get the CAC sooner but it's just not available in my area yet.
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 07:44
Liz53's Avatar
Liz53 Liz53 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,140
 
Plan: Mostly Fung/IDM
Stats: 165/138.4/135 Female 63
BF:???/better/???
Progress: 89%
Location: Washington state
Default

You are right, your morning coconut oil might throw off your lipids. And as JEY suggests, your ongoing weight loss may throw them off even more (my lipids dropped immediately when starting LC but people react differently).

My question is: what will you do if blood lipids are "through the roof"? Will you conclude LC is unhealthy? Will you quit it or will you be able to maintain your composure and be comfortable with the fact that your lipids may be high while you are actively losing weight?

Have you read Ken's journal of his high lipids and how/when they finally came down?

I googled CAC test + Tucson AZ and here is what I got:

https://www.radltd.com/exams/ct-score-tucson-az/

It may not be covered by your insurance, it may be more expensive than blood tests, but it appears to be available.

Last edited by Liz53 : Thu, Oct-26-17 at 08:32.
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 08:43
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liz53
You are right, your morning coconut oil might throw off your lipids. And as JEY suggests, your ongoing weight loss may throw them off even more (my lipids dropped immediately when starting LC but people react differently).

My question is: what will you do if blood lipids are "through the roof"? Will you conclude LC is unhealthy? Will you quit it or will you be able to maintain your composure and be comfortable with the fact that your lipids may be high while you are actively losing weight?

Have you read Ken's journal of his high lipids and how/when they finally came down?

I googled CAC test + Tucson AZ and here is what I got:

https://www.radltd.com/exams/ct-score-tucson-az/

It may not be covered by your insurance, it may be more expensive than blood tests, but it appears to be available.


I will stick with what I am doing regardless, I'm just curious to know. I try to eat salmon and avocados every week so I'm hoping that's helping my good cholesterol.

I really don't have much choice here, I mean, I'm down over 40 pounds and my blood sugars have normalized, and I doubt that going back to my old WOE would "improve" my situation

Ya I already contacted Radiology LTD and they won't do it without a prescription. My PCP said a cardiologist would have to order it and that could get quite pricey, (I have a $6,000 deductible), and then no guarantee that the cardiologist would even prescribe the CAC. There is a hospital in Phoenix, Abrazo Heart Hospital, that plans to start offering screenings in January. I've been in contact with the Medical Imaging Supervisor who says he'll notify me as soon as the program starts.
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  #8   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 13:20
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
Default

Be aware that some of your earlier posts have answers to all the questions you're asking now:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=478036

There are a couple of us on this forum who have "hacked" the NMR Lipid Panel by doing a multi-day IF prior to the blood draw. I wouldn't recommend that if you simply want an accurate baseline representing what you measure with your present WOE. Just do the recommended 12-hour fast. Follow your normal WOE right up to when you start the 12-hour fast with full fat you normally eat. If you have further questions, see the following website:
http://cholesterolcode.com/

I'm sure you've seen this site before, if not, read his experiences and what he's doing. In very general terms, what Dave has found is that fat consumed is the inverse of the amount measured in the blood. My important markers on the NMR Lipid Panel look like the picture of health when I'm eating my normal diet with no restriction on healthy fat.
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  #9   ^
Old Thu, Oct-26-17, 16:58
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GRB5111
Be aware that some of your earlier posts have answers to all the questions you're asking now:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=478036


Ya, thanks for the link - I was going to go back and re-read some of my old posts again. Now that it's getting close to the time that I'm actually going to do it I just wanted to make sure I didn't screw anything up like missing the suggestion for an NMR test like you suggested the last time, or any other little things like the fasting insulin test.

The suggestion regarding the vitamin D came up in a different thread - just wanted to make I get all the important stuff. I think I should be OK on the vitamin D since I get plenty of sun and also take a supplement that has it, but I'll get it checked anyway.

Now that I'm in this thing and committed, in for a penny in for a pound as they say...
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  #10   ^
Old Sat, Oct-28-17, 10:15
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Bill,

I had noticed the your Walk-In Lab used both Quest and LabCorp.
Here's a reason you might ask for Quest to do the blood analysis.
it offers a more personalized (and I hope accurate) way to calculate LDL.

See my post in Heart forum: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=478504
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  #11   ^
Old Sat, Oct-28-17, 15:57
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JEY100
Bill,

I had noticed the your Walk-In Lab used both Quest and LabCorp.
Here's a reason you might ask for Quest

Thanks! I'll be sure and requesst Quest. November 6th will be my 3 month anniversary so I think I'll shoot for that date.
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  #12   ^
Old Sat, Nov-04-17, 10:07
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Looks like I need to postpone. Had some bad news this past week. My wife's annual mammogram spotted a "lump". They did a followup ultrasound on Friday and the doctor thought it looked like a fibroid tumor but they will be doing a needle biopsy next Friday to be sure. These tests will certainly eat up our HSA.

God I hate Obamacare! We used to pay about $250 a month for a PPO and everything was a small co-pay. Now we pay over $500, (next year $560 NOT including what we have to put into the HSA), a month and have a $6,000 deductible before the insurance pays anything at all.
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  #13   ^
Old Sat, Nov-04-17, 19:00
robynsnest's Avatar
robynsnest robynsnest is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 336/286/199 Female 5'11"
BF:Losing it....
Progress: 36%
Location: Canada ay?
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OMG Bill ....sending prayers your way. No matter what, keep on track, you need to stAy healthy and strong, you don't need those labs to know that our are doing great!!!
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  #14   ^
Old Sat, Nov-04-17, 22:47
TucsonBill's Avatar
TucsonBill TucsonBill is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 339
 
Plan: ≤ 20 carbs & IF
Stats: 292/235/170 Male 72 Inches
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Tucson, AZ
Default

Thanks for the prayers Robyn. I know you've been going through some tough times with your family as well. I just said one for you.
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