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  #16   ^
Old Tue, Sep-01-09, 12:57
JudyW's Avatar
JudyW JudyW is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 788
 
Plan: Atkins/HcG
Stats: 211/168/150 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 70%
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Default

Thanks for the info Nancy -- I'll have to read that section again. I do drink ALOT of water and coffee. Usually on the weekends, I have straight shots of tequila but don't drink sugary drinks. Don't eat much fruit...just a couple of teaspoons of crushed pineapple on my cottage cheese in the am. The only other fruits I will occasionally eat are melons and berries. I am happy that the triglycerides came down to 120 from 167 but will keep working on that!

Cajunboy -- I fasted for at least 14 - 16 hours before I had blood work done.
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  #17   ^
Old Tue, Sep-01-09, 13:01
Cajunboy47 Cajunboy47 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,900
 
Plan: Eat Fat, Get Thin
Stats: 212/162/155 Male 68 "
BF:32/23.5/23.5
Progress: 88%
Location: Breaux Bridge, La
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well, high cholesterol doesn't really mean too much if you haven't had a heart attack from everything I read..
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  #18   ^
Old Tue, Sep-01-09, 13:38
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JudyW
Usually on the weekends, I have straight shots of tequila
Drinking any alcohol, not just sugary alcohol, will raise triglycerides.
http://www.reducetriglycerides.com/...ne_template.htm

Last edited by Nancy LC : Tue, Sep-01-09 at 14:22.
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  #19   ^
Old Wed, Sep-02-09, 04:55
JudyW's Avatar
JudyW JudyW is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 788
 
Plan: Atkins/HcG
Stats: 211/168/150 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 70%
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Default

Very interesting article -- thanks Nancy!
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  #20   ^
Old Wed, Sep-02-09, 08:59
cbcb's Avatar
cbcb cbcb is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 791
 
Plan: South Beach-esque
Stats: 194/159/140 Female 5'3"
BF:34% / 28% / 20%
Progress: 65%
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This blog has some interesting things on saturated fat, heart disease and cholesterol:
http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.com/
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  #21   ^
Old Mon, Sep-07-09, 13:10
gwynne2's Avatar
gwynne2 gwynne2 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,700
 
Plan: Lowcarb/IF
Stats: 215/173.9/150 Female 5.5"
BF:
Progress: 63%
Default

Nancy, you've helped me before on this topic but I just wanted to thank you for the sticky. My Mom and I are both dealing with high total and high LDL on lowcarb (very low trigs), and with doctors who are freaking out as a result. Every couple of months I find the fear has started creeping up on me again (indoctrination is indoctrination, I guess), and realize I have started unconsciously cutting down on fats as the background fear ("my cholesterol tests are really bad!") creeps up. Being able to review this thread for a sanity check when that happens is very helpful.
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  #22   ^
Old Mon, Sep-07-09, 13:29
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Good! Glad to hear this thread has helped! It is really hard to stand up to the so-called "experts" so having some evidence behind you really helps.

Be sure to read this: http://www.fathead-movie.com/index....from-the-heart/

Jimmy Moore has a total cholesterol count of 300 and his heart scan is flawless.
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  #23   ^
Old Mon, Sep-07-09, 14:29
Cajunboy47 Cajunboy47 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,900
 
Plan: Eat Fat, Get Thin
Stats: 212/162/155 Male 68 "
BF:32/23.5/23.5
Progress: 88%
Location: Breaux Bridge, La
Default

I read today that donating blood lowers cholesterol...

not sure who would want mine though..... Perhaps, for those of us who are not suitable donors; "a little blood letting" now and then might be an optiion...
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  #24   ^
Old Wed, Sep-09-09, 06:48
gerimac42's Avatar
gerimac42 gerimac42 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 187
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 245/205/160 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: south carolina
Default My Cholesterol numbers

I had my 6 month checkup and here are my numbers if someone can help me understand i would appreciate it.

date 3/17/2009
NUmbers were
total cholesterol -219
LDL-119
HDL-79
Trig-106
A1c-6.5

Date 9/04/2009
Total Cholesterol is -244
LDL-146
HDL-80
Trig-92
A1C-5.9





I know my HDL is better and my Trig and A1c is better , but why is my total cholesterol and LDL worse , i dont know if i understand all the technical stuff could somoen explain ? or give me something to read that i'll understand ?

Thanks for your help , im worried , what do i need to do now. ive been on low carb for about 5 months now and lost about 34 lbs
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  #25   ^
Old Wed, Sep-09-09, 11:12
Seejay's Avatar
Seejay Seejay is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,025
 
Plan: Optimal Diet
Stats: 00/00/00 Female 62 inches
BF:
Progress: 8%
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You are on the right path for sure.

I would keep doing what you are doing. I studied the cholesterol guidelines in my fitness school...

Your doc recommends more medicine because he's following the AHA guidelines. you have two risk factors, overweight and LDL over the cutoff, and his little table says in that case, suggest statins. To his mind, your lifestyle accomplishments have not lowered the LDL number enough - some of us in LC land think that the LDL cutoff numbers have been fiddled to promote statins, but whatever, that's what the doc thinks, it looks like.

It's your doc's job to suggest treatment. It's your job to decide whether you want to have that treatment. I sure wouldn't!!!

LDL like yours is protective for women, and, the statin your doctor recommends has never been shown to help women, ever. Ask him to see the research where that statin helps women. Not from the drug company, but the honest to gosh research.
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  #26   ^
Old Wed, Sep-09-09, 11:51
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by gerimac42
I had my 6 month checkup and here are my numbers if someone can help me understand i would appreciate it.

I know my HDL is better and my Trig and A1c is better , but why is my total cholesterol and LDL worse , i dont know if i understand all the technical stuff could somoen explain ? or give me something to read that i'll understand ?

Thanks for your help , im worried , what do i need to do now. ive been on low carb for about 5 months now and lost about 34 lbs

Please take a few minutes to read the first page or so of articles. They're not all super technical. If you're really concerned then spend a little time reading and getting up to speed on the issue. Most people just turn over responsibility for their health to their doctors who mismanage it.

Your LDL is only slightly lower though, 142. Probably because your Triglycerides are still pretty close to 100.

You look like you might be diabetic though with that A1C and diabetics usually have high triglycerides. Are you taking anything to treat the diabetes?

Drinking booze, of any sort, also increases triglycerides. I think Vit. D3 deficiency is another thing that can too. Dr. Davis says eating wheat is another factor.

But as long as your triglycerides are low (60 or less is ideal) then your LDL cholesterol will be harmless. Your HDL is also excellent, and it is very protective.

In other words, the only thing you have to worry about here is lowering your triglycerides a little more and getting your blood sugar problems under better control. Your A1C is much too high.

I certainly wouldn't go on statins for numbers like those, I'd work on the blood sugar, take fish oil, D3, maybe no-flush niacin if the LDL really scared me (but it shouldn't) and eliminate wheat.

Dr. Davis, cardiologist, has a really great blog and a program called "Track your Plaque". http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com

Last edited by Nancy LC : Wed, Sep-09-09 at 12:04.
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  #27   ^
Old Wed, Sep-09-09, 13:46
gerimac42's Avatar
gerimac42 gerimac42 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 187
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 245/205/160 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: south carolina
Default

thanks Nancy , I do not drink booze and i do not eat wheat , i read that my a1c was good as long as it is under a 6.5, i do not take meds for my diabetes. but it runs strong in my family bot grandmothers and a few uncles and aunts so i know that something i have to be careful about and the reason i choose low carb , aside from the fact that i like this woe , i will do my research , thank you for your time and advice
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  #28   ^
Old Wed, Sep-09-09, 16:01
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Most doctors vastly under treat diabetes.

An A1C of 6.5 is NOT good. That means your average BG is around 154, which is well over the point where you start acquiring diabetes related damage to your organs, nerves, heart, kidneys, eyes and everything else. 140 is the point damage starts to happen.

5.9 is a little better but you're still very close to the 140 mark. If I were you, I'd look for a doctor willing to treat the diabetes more aggressively. Maybe go on Metformin until you lose more weight and the BG comes down.

Or you can hold your current course and keep a close eye on the A1c, if it doesn't come down below 5.5, definitely find some medical help, IMHO. But your high blood sugar is going to do more to ruin your health than your cholesterol.
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  #29   ^
Old Thu, Sep-10-09, 07:14
gerimac42's Avatar
gerimac42 gerimac42 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 187
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 245/205/160 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: south carolina
Default

I have been thinking about a new doc alot lately anyway , so i will keep that in mind , i so appreciate your help on understanding how this stuff works
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  #30   ^
Old Mon, Oct-26-09, 22:31
LMMS's Avatar
LMMS LMMS is offline
What a good girl!!!
Posts: 2,852
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 195.8/165.0/138 Female 62.5 inches
BF:Getting Rid of IT!
Progress: 53%
Location: Chicago suburbs
Default

Have a question. Just got back blood test results. Dr. wanted them because I had a low vitamin D number of 24. So I got the results and it went up to 31. Funny because I never even took the vitamin D3 2000 units she recommended yet. I am though now. But the nurse said she needed to tell me bad news about my cholesterol. Well in the past it was total: lower than 200, LDL around 118, Try: around 50, and the HDL was about 38. So I changed and got into an exercise program with a team fitness group and work out M,W,F for an hour.

Today was with my recollection:
Total: 223
LDL: 158
try 50
HDL: 55

Ratio: 2.9

I was so proud of the HDL I worked so hard for but the nurse on the phone asked if I wanted info on a low cholesterol diet. NOPE. Thanks. She didn't offer me statins because I said I will never take them.

My only question is: Could it be that my LDL went up because my HDL went up? My trainer at the gym said that if my HDL goes up my LDL should go down.

I am pretty low carb but not strict Atkins anymore. I do LC.

Anyone have any answers to that one?

Also, no diabetes, no drinking, no smoking, no caffeine. But both parents with high blood pressure and high cholesterol both on statins and one had 3 strokes in early 60s. Only big reason that worried. I am 40 and with the last 6 months of working out, feel younger and better than when I started this diet last year.

Thanks LCers

Lisa
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