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  #1   ^
Old Sun, May-18-14, 08:52
Thyezer Thyezer is offline
New Member
Posts: 9
 
Plan: low carb - high fat
Stats: 270/236/185 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: iowa
Default Lipid Lab Results

So I had an interesting last week. I had a stent placed in my right coronary artery. I have been eating low carb for about 3 years, losing 60 lbs but regaining back about 25 lbs due to lack of physical exercise this winter and not staying very focused on my foods.

so...i have been placed on several medications hoped to get some opinions:
(i have never been on medications, so this is all new to me)
Meds:
Aspirin 325 mg - 1 daily
atorvastin 80 mg - 1 daily
clopidogrel 75 mg - 1 daily
lisinopril 2.5 mg - 1 daily
metoprolol 50 mg - 3 tabs every 12 hours

Lab results following my surgery:
Age 44
CHOL 145
TRIG 176
HDLP 27
LDLC 83


Thanks for any input or explanations!
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, May-18-14, 19:17
CaliMatt CaliMatt is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 87
 
Plan: Strict Induction
Stats: 200/195/180 Male 6 ft 3 in.
BF:
Progress: 25%
Default

Not too bad, but may want to work on those numbers considering you just had a stent put in. It's essential that you eat clean for a while, best to be healthy. Lots of veggies!
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  #3   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 06:24
Thyezer Thyezer is offline
New Member
Posts: 9
 
Plan: low carb - high fat
Stats: 270/236/185 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: iowa
Default

I guess that is my question.... work on those numbers in what way? My interpretation is to increase my HDLP (good cholesterol) to raise the ratio when compared to CHOL/HDLP. But, how does that really help?

Is there a specific way that is recommended to increase your HDLP? Are we talking a teaspoon of coconut oil a day? Or is this more complicated than that?

My stent was somehow due to the fact that my artery kicked loose some plaque and it became a nice anchor for some platelets to grab ahold of and cause some problems. Oddly, the surgeons stated that my arteries looked good, very mild plaque...no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, and no diabetes.

From some previous studying, I always thought that this issue was more of a inflammation issue and not a cholesterol issue. Reduce the inflammations by eating better/ more of the right fats (Omega 3's, etc). Reduce the inflammations by eliminating the bad carbs (sugars and wheat).

Does anyone know or understand the process of plaque breaking free? Why or how does it happen? Is there something that is recommended to reduce the chances or stop it from occurring again?
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  #4   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 06:28
Hairballz's Avatar
Hairballz Hairballz is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 601
 
Plan: Atkins / M&E
Stats: 000/000/000 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress:
Default

I was always told (by doctors, I work around a ton of them) that the easiest way to raise HDL is exercise - it is the most responsive to exercise.
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  #5   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 07:39
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

It seems odd that you have little plaque and yet plaque "broke free". You must have some plaque or that would not have happened.

I found when I reduced my carbs to 35-50 per day and increased fat (mostly saturated) to 100-110 g per day that my HDL increased by 50% (from 60 odd to 94). My trigs went down to the 40s.

Exercise is also good for HDL but eating fewer carbs and more fat is quicker and more effective. Of course you have to be comfortable with the science that says fat is not a problem with regard to heart disease. I am.

Have you read Gary Taubes Why We Get Fat or Good Calories, Bad Calories? GCBC is what convinced me that eating more fat would be beneficial, and what he predicted was true for me.
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  #6   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:09
Thyezer Thyezer is offline
New Member
Posts: 9
 
Plan: low carb - high fat
Stats: 270/236/185 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: iowa
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liz53
It seems odd that you have little plaque and yet plaque "broke free". You must have some plaque or that would not have happened.


Oh, i agree. Just stating that there wasn't much (as per the doctors). That in itself is slightly frightening as I would/ have always assumed that it is the person with large amounts of plaque that would have this issue. The release documentation from the hospital listed the amount of plaque as minimal...whatever % that means.

I am scientifically just fine with increased fats. My concerns begin with my diet type and the medicines that I have been prescribed. I walk daily about 2 miles a day. My carb count typically is under 30 grams a day. I did stop most exercise over the last winter due to the cold, but picked it back up about a month ago. I also slacked off my low carb eating for about 5 months and it really was noticeable... I gained 20-25 lbs.

I just d/l gary Taubes Audiobooks and will listen to them this week while walking (t/y).

I eat a 2 egg omelet with 1 oz of colby jack cheese (and 2 small sausages heated in butter) for breakfast.
Lunch is either a chicken breast sliced thin and ranch dressing, or a chicken breast salad (lettuce and cheese) with ranch dressing.
Supper changes, but I usually eat a giant bowl of broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans, and finish with a chicken breast, hamburger, or steak.
I only drink water and probably 100-120 oz a day.

I am most curious to see if my eating habits make my doctor reconsider some of the medicines that I have been given. Are my numbers deserving of such items, or am i just taking them because this is what you are given after this medical situation.

Thanks again for your inputs and ideas...allows me to see things from a different view sometimes.

Last edited by Thyezer : Mon, May-19-14 at 08:14.
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  #7   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:14
jaywood jaywood is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 513
 
Plan: the FightDoctors plan
Stats: 215/171/165 Male 177 cm
BF:
Progress: 88%
Location: Scotland
Default

Some people are quite unlucky when it comes to plaque's. We all have a genetic pre-disposition to the first stage of plaque (called a fatty streak) formation. Some have lots some don't. They can also form almost anywhere. The basic theory of how a plaque develops is that, due to damage of that fatty streak. From there various blood borne products are recruited. It is believed that a high amount of cholesterol leads to more cholesterol in the plaque making it more unstable quicker.

Now the problems that exist with this theory are the ones that are coming into play now. Cholesterol concentration is not the be all and end all. But.. HDL is a fantastic antioxidant, if we have more of it then the oxidative species in the blood don't damage other things they are mopped up by the HDL. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18241620). This is why we want lots off it. LDL is not a good antioxidant.

So to build up HDL levels, one cut down on oxidative stresses (carbohydrates, and incomplete carbohydrate synthesis) which you are doing :-). Exercise increases HDL in the body as mentioned (http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...2604958390152X), which again you are addressing.

As for the medication, you fit into one of the seriously unlucky groups where it is hard to manage, if your arteries are not that bad then it is only prophylactic help that can be provided.

The aspirin and clopidogrel are to stop platelet aggregation around and emboli.
The Statin's main important role in your case is stabilisation of any plaque's in your body.

The last two are anti-hypertensives, as control of your BP is now really important and they are probably aiming for 130 systolic.

Hope that is of some help :-)
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  #8   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:18
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,367
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Cholesterol Clarity, page 198, Moore & Westman

Quote: One of the best ways to raise your HDL cholesterol is to consume more dietary fats, including healthy saturated fats, such as coconut oil, butter, cream full-fat meats and dairy, as well as monounsaturated fats like avocados and olive oil. Sounds too good to be true, right? But consuming a high-fat diet provides your body with the raw materials for making HDL cholesterol. Additionally, HDL production responds to regular exercise, reducing alcohol consumption, and (if you're up for it) periodic, intermittent fasting of sixteen hours at a time."

After the events the past week, I highly recommend you buy this book.

Cardiologist websites to check are TrackYourPlaque and Cureality both by Dr. Davis, and http://www.heartmdinstitute.com with Dr. Sinatra

Last edited by JEY100 : Mon, May-19-14 at 08:24.
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  #9   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:23
Thyezer Thyezer is offline
New Member
Posts: 9
 
Plan: low carb - high fat
Stats: 270/236/185 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: iowa
Default

Thank you. I bought a bp machine to monitor myself and since taking these medicines, my bp has averaged 115/75 with a resting heartbeat of 60. Even this morning, my numbers were quite low...105/72 bp = 50.

I assume that the doctors want my heart rate as slow and un restricted as possible to promote healing.
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  #10   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:28
jaywood jaywood is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 513
 
Plan: the FightDoctors plan
Stats: 215/171/165 Male 177 cm
BF:
Progress: 88%
Location: Scotland
Default

They are fine numbers, just make sure you are still able to be active without getting light headed!

The low heart rate is simply a dead easy way of controlling blood pressure. It is why beta-blockers where always first line, although they have now been replaced with less cardio restrictive medications (ACEi or ARB's).
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:42
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
Default

Do you smoke? That can also screw around with your lipid numbers and cause heart issues in a big way. It is probably the single largest risk factor for heart disease.
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, May-19-14, 08:51
Thyezer Thyezer is offline
New Member
Posts: 9
 
Plan: low carb - high fat
Stats: 270/236/185 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: iowa
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
Do you smoke? That can also screw around with your lipid numbers and cause heart issues in a big way. It is probably the single largest risk factor for heart disease.


No. I also do not drink alcohol. I am a manager in an office setting, so my stress levels at work were never too severe (but maybe i am wrong).
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