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  #1   ^
Old Fri, Jun-03-11, 19:03
1missydog 1missydog is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 154/150/140 Female 67 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default what the???

I've been low-carbing for four months and have lost about 8 pounds (I actually weigh about 145 so I'm not super overweight). But my total cholesterol went from 200 to 240 during this period and it's almost all LDL (bad) cholesterol. Yes, I've felt great on this WOE - no cravings at all. But I've pretty much decided to stop this high-fat low-carb diet and just go back to eating lots of vegetables and cutting out the butter and sour cream I'd been eating every day. This outcome sucks. My doctor has given me six months to whip my lipids into shape through diet and exercise and then I'll go on medication. Any comments?

Last edited by 1missydog : Fri, Jun-03-11 at 19:10. Reason: typos in message
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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Jun-04-11, 05:37
Elizellen's Avatar
Elizellen Elizellen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,733
 
Plan: Atkins (DANDR)
Stats: 290/141/130 Female 65.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 93%
Location: Bournemouth (UK)
Default

Have you been exercising all along?
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  #3   ^
Old Sat, Jun-04-11, 08:29
Ilikemice's Avatar
Ilikemice Ilikemice is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 730
 
Plan: Paleo-ish general LC
Stats: 151/119/118 Female 64 in
BF:
Progress: 97%
Location: Middle Tennessee
Default

1missydog, before you freak out (and I understand) you should understand that what you usually hear in the doctor's office and the regular media is way oversimplified. Not all LDL is "bad". LDL comes in different "sizes", and it is only when the LDL particle itself is unusually small and dense that trouble starts. A high-carb diet causes these type of particles to form. A low-carb diet helps the LDL to remain big and "fat", and essentially harmless and able to do its regular job. Moreover, carbs cause your triglycerides to rise. (They play a part too).
Here is more information - an MSNBC.com article on the subject. A VAP or NMR (I think) test will show what kind of LDL you have.
Statins don't have any proven benefit for women and are very damaging.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35058896/
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  #4   ^
Old Sat, Jun-04-11, 08:35
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Post your numbers. The LDL calculation they do in the doctor's office breaks when your triglycerides (bad chol.) falls below 100.
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, Jun-04-11, 15:40
Jay1988 Jay1988 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 200
 
Plan: WAPF
Stats: 000/000/000 Male 0'0"
BF:0%/0%/0%
Progress: 163%
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Default

If you're going to go back to low fat/high carb, you'll look forward to low HDL, and high triglycerides. As previously stated, LDL is usually benign when it comes to low carbing.

The LDL-phobia spreads far. I would rather have a pissed off doctor who sees I'm not dying of heart disease with an LDL of 400 than have an LDL of under 70 (which is what new guidelines are suggesting), and have heart disease.
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Jun-05-11, 07:26
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

It's common for a low carb diet to whack out those cholesterol numbers at first. Why?

In order for your body to burn fat, it has to get it into the bloodstream. Hello high numbers!

It calms down in six months. Stick with it; feeling good is usually a reliable indicator.
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Jun-05-11, 07:46
Warren D Warren D is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 331
 
Plan: Fatty meat
Stats: 135/135/135 Male 166
BF:11%
Progress:
Location: Ibiza, Spain
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1missydog
Yes, I've felt great on this WOE
How did you feel before?
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  #8   ^
Old Sat, Jul-16-11, 10:16
Merpig's Avatar
Merpig Merpig is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,582
 
Plan: EF/Fung IDM/keto
Stats: 375/225.4/175 Female 66.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 75%
Location: NE Florida
Default

Medication? Is he talking statins? Are either you or he aware that there are *no* benefits to taking statins for women of any age, but lots of dire side effects. 240 is not a bad cholesterol number at all. It's right in range for lowest all-cause mortality for women, and isn't all cause mortality what we're really after? It's a meaningless number too without getting the HDL, LDL and tryglyceride numbers also.

Perhaps you are no longer around, but if you are then why not give us all the numbers.
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Jul-17-11, 09:07
1missydog 1missydog is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 154/150/140 Female 67 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default

Here are my numbers:

Total cholesterol - 240
LDL - 167
HDL - 46
Triglycerides - 131

My doctor has really scared me saying I'm not in any gray area here - she says I'm at greater risk of dementia and stroke. I don't know what to believe. I do think my HDL is kind of low.

Thanks for your replies!
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Jul-17-11, 09:42
Scotty2451's Avatar
Scotty2451 Scotty2451 is offline
New Member
Posts: 16
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 170/170/130 Female 5 ft. 1 in.
BF:
Progress:
Default

I think a few of us are finding that coffee (sometimes both caffeinated, and de-caffeinated) have a negative impact on weight loss. Are you a coffee drinker? I also think it influences insulin levels.
If you are, you might try avoiding it and seeing what happens.
Good luck!
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, Jul-18-11, 20:31
LarryAJ's Avatar
LarryAJ LarryAJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 702
 
Plan: PP/PPLP
Stats: 150/140/140 Male 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Northern Virginia
Default

You should look at the post I just made at http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...614#post8394614

Look at the solid blue line. It is lowest between 200 and 240 mg/dl of total cholesterol. Your doctor has "bought in to the propaganda" from the drug representatives who want to sell you LOTS of drugs, whether you NEED them or not!
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Aug-02-11, 14:01
Merpig's Avatar
Merpig Merpig is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,582
 
Plan: EF/Fung IDM/keto
Stats: 375/225.4/175 Female 66.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 75%
Location: NE Florida
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1missydog
I do think my HDL is kind of low.
Your HDL is a little on the low side, but not terribly low. Low carbing is the best way to raise that number. Even if your doctor wants you to go on medication you don't *have* to do it. The doctor should be there to be a partner in your health care, not a tin-god dictator. The endocrinologist wanted to put me on statins when I showed up at her office with a total cholesterol of 295. And I just flat out told her that NOTHING ON EARTH would ever make me take statins, which I consider one of the devil's drugs. She was flabbergasted. I don't think she is used to patients second-guessing her like that. But I had gone to her for thyroid issues, and she wouldn't even treat me properly for that. When I finally went to see someone who was willing to treat my thyroid properly my total cholesterol dropped to 196 and my LDL dropped too.
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  #13   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 09:00
gregory b gregory b is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 89
 
Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 146/134/134 Male 165cm
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Thailand
Default

I agree with Merpig. 240 TC is in the sweet spot.
Minimum mortality is found in countries with average cholesterol between 200 and 240 mg/dl.
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=3836
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  #14   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 09:53
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

So my doctor is right. 237 is juuuuuuuust riiiiiiiiight!
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