Cholesterol gone up on LCHF?

[Kat100]

Only by .owei

They certainly are!
I think my issue is my family genetics - my Dad had a quadruple bypass at the age of 42 (I'm pleased to say he's still alive and now in his mid 70s), his dad died of a heart attack, and both my maternal grandparents died of strokes (plus their parents and grandparents) so I'm right up there in the high risk category!

I'm hoping I can persuade the GP to let me try and sort this out through diet rather than statins but I'm not over-confident

may not help at all but I took the jump and took the statins , my diet was I thought healthy , but my genetic make up was not ...
I don't follow high fat ...medium good fat yes ...and I have a cholestrol of 3 so much better than 7 , I don't want blocked artery disease ....
We are all different ....indeed we are ....I used to love lots of cheese thought it was healthy , part of my veggie diet ,maybe not , just don't know really
Now it's strict moderation ....hope you and your GP sort things out ....
You need to be low risk , it's a bit of a shock high risk ....

Of course others tolerate very hig fat and have no problem ....
I always try to keep an open mind of all diets ....and medication

 

[Winnie53]

Phil1966, my only other thought is did you do a minimum of a 12 hour fast before you had the lab work done? You probably did. I know.

I just received and started reading Diet 101; The Truth About Low Carb Diets by Jenny Ruhl.

She's been on the LCHF diet since 1998 and has a wonderful habit of conveying what the research says and stays on top of it. If I come across any information to add insight to why your blood lipid profile has worsened, I'll post again here.

I have a lot of fear around my heart and kidney health so am actively pursuing research-based information where ever I can find it. I want to understand what I'm doing as I continue on the diet. Today is day 19 for me.

 

[phil1966]

@Winnie53 - it was a non-fasting test but all I'd had in the morning was a black coffee

 

[catherinecherub]

You have to listen to your own body and some forum members will tell you that it is nothing to worry about, your raised LDL will be small fluffy particles etc, etc but they do not know and cannot be held responsible for the outcome for you.

You can research and will find as many articles for as against all manner of cholesterol levels but who is right? Can you gamble with your health by believing one set of research more than another? Is your bias affecting your judgment of the articles? It is a difficult call for all of us.

Statins are a minefield and we have many stories here for and against their use. Side effects can be horrendous and it has to be an individual choice.

I think that whilst blood sugar management is important, we have to be aware of all things related to good health. Diets can be adapted to suit individual needs and we do not have to blindly follow what another person eats because their results are good.

 

[phil1966]

thanks @catherinecherub, that's definitely excellent advice. As I said earlier in the thread, I do think I've been guilty of focussing solely on getting my BS levels down as that appeared to me to be the most pressing issue.

It would appear that in doing that I may have somewhat messed up my cholesterol levels so I guess getting them down (while keeping my BS stable) is my next challenge

I'm always up for a challenge though and I now have a better handle on what causes issues with my BS levels than I did 3 months ago and I'm also getting close to my target weight so weight loss isn't such a pressing priority any more and a few tweaks to my regime are probably due. I foresee a future with plenty of fish and less bacon and cream

It was a bit of a downer when I found out because I was looking forward to getting my HbA1c results (which they have at the doctors but the receptionist wouldn't tell me what they were as the doctor hadn't commented on them yet) and this has take the gloss off what I'm sure will be an excellent result, but my natural optimism has taken over again and I'm looking forward to tackling this with as much gusto as I did getting my BS down

 

[Winnie53]

@Winnie53 - it was a non-fasting test but all I'd had in the morning was a black coffee

I didn't know there was a non-fasting test for blood lipid profiles. Are you sure? A1C's are non-fasting.

 

[phil1966]

yeah, it specifically said on it "non fasting lipid"

 

[Winnie53]

Interesting. I've never been offered one and we have a premiere cardiovascular center here. I'm going to do a Google search on this after work. I'd like to learn more about this.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I didn't know there was a non-fasting test for blood lipid profiles. Are you sure? A1C's are non-fasting.

This is the norm now as NICE has amended its guidance. It only affects triglycerides anyway. (which are always lower after fasting).

 

[Kat100]

I didn't know there was a non-fasting test for blood lipid profiles. Are you sure? A1C's are non-fasting.

It usually non fasting ...

 

[Kat100]

You have to listen to your own body and some forum members will tell you that it is nothing to worry about, your raised LDL will be small fluffy particles etc, etc but they do not know and cannot be held responsible for the outcome for you.

You can research and will find as many articles for as against all manner of cholesterol levels but who is right? Can you gamble with your health by believing one set of research more than another? Is your bias affecting your judgment of the articles? It is a difficult call for all of us.

Statins are a minefield and we have many stories here for and against their use. Side effects can be horrendous and it has to be an individual choice.

I think that whilst blood sugar management is important, we have to be aware of all things related to good health. Diets can be adapted to suit individual needs and we do not have to blindly follow what another person eats because their results are good.

So right , it is up to individuals ...
Health really is not worth the gamble , untill you know the facts ...
It is a worry sometimes that people might just follow another's persons advice because of the results ...

 

[noblehead]

I didn't know there was a non-fasting test for blood lipid profiles. Are you sure? A1C's are non-fasting.

If they are just checking your Total cholesterol then you don't need to fast before the bloods are taken, for a full lipid breakdown you need to fast for 10-12 hours beforehand.

 

[Bluetit1802]

If they are just checking your Total cholesterol then you don't need to fast before the bloods are taken, for a full lipid breakdown you need to fast for 10-12 hours beforehand.

I agree as far as trigs are concerned, but NICE changed their guidelines on this last year and now recommend non-fasting for cholesterol and lipids.

 

[noblehead]

I agree as far as trigs are concerned, but NICE changed their guidelines on this last year and now recommend non-fasting for cholesterol and lipids.

Thanks, wasn't aware of that and only had my bloods taken before Christmas, do you have a link to the revised guidelines Bluetit.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thanks, wasn't aware of that and only had my bloods taken before Christmas, do you have a link to the revised guidelines Bluetit.

Type 2 diabetes (NICE clinical guideline 87).

1.3.3 Measure both total and high‑density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol to achieve the best estimate of CVD risk. [2008]

1.3.4 Before starting lipid modification therapy for the primary prevention of CVD, take at least 1 lipid sample to measure a full lipid profile. This should include measurement of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, non‑HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. A fasting sample is not needed. [new 2014]

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg1...d-assessing-cardiovascular-disease-cvd-risk-2

 

[noblehead]

Thanks for taking the time to find that Blutit

So it says take one sample to measure a full lipid breakdown and goes on to say A fasting sample is not needed, so does the non-fasting just apply for the first lipid breakdown or subsequent tests thereafter?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thanks for taking the time to find that Blutit

So it says take one sample to measure a full lipid breakdown and goes on to say A fasting sample is not needed, so does the non-fasting just apply for the first lipid breakdown or subsequent tests thereafter?

According to my surgery, the fasting requirement has gone altogether. My last 2 tests were non-fasting, although I did fast for my own peace of mind. I queried it and was told it was the new guidelines. That's when I looked at the NICE pathways. It is mentioned elsewhere in the pathways, too. It changed in July 2014.

 

[Indy51]

A timely post from Dr Malcolm Kendrick on the subject of cholesterol:
http://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2015/02/26/the-hydra/

 

[Winnie53]

I did a quick survey of articles and one study. What I learned is that non-fasting is fine for total cholesterol, but there can be a 20-30% difference in triglyceride results. Also, and no one's ever told me this before, alcohol consumed within 24 hours of the test can cause "a triglyceride surge." Good to know. One article I read suggested getting retested in a few weeks if the results are high.

Here's the most recent article I read (very brief, an easy read)...

http://cholesterol.about.com/od/gettingtested/f/fastingcholesteroltest.htm

And here's a report of the Canadian study that got this new trend in testing started...

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-ma...-not-be-needed-before-cholesterol-test?page=2

Apologies for questioning you twice about fasting Phil. I didn't know about non-fasting lipid profiles until today. From what I read, going to non-fasting testing is being sold as a convenience, but it's actually a cost savings effort...less retesting for people who didn't fast.

 

[jack412]

A timely post from Dr Malcolm Kendrick on the subject of cholesterol:
http://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2015/02/26/the-hydra/

I hate it when the waves come in and wash the sandcastle away
"As you may know the ‘authorities’ in the US have now decreed that cholesterol in the diet is no longer a dietary factor of concern, as it has no effect on cholesterol levels in the blood."

when will we read..dietary saturated fat has no bearing on the amount of fat in the blood?
something that they are saying is already proved too