What is your latest cholesterol level?

LittleGreyCat

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Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
Hi, not sure this is the right thread for my question. I’m told i have to increase my statin (right now at 10mg per day) because my ldl is “high” for a diabetic at 2,39. My other results are as follows:
Total cholesterol. 4,79
Hdl. 1,76
Trig. 1,39
I had patted myself on the back for reasonably good fasting blood results, and am now doubting myself. If i take a higher dose of statins, i get leg cramps... i’m about to start keto at 50g carb/day to give a boost to my stagnating weight loss.

The important ratio is total cholesterol/HDL.
The number should be less than 4.
Your ratio is 2.72.
You are well within healthy limits and in my biased opinion you should consider reducing or stopping the statins!

My results below in a separate post.
 

bulkbiker

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LittleGreyCat

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
Total cholesterol 6.67
LDL 4.22
Trigs 1.2
HDL 1.9
Ratio total cholesterol/HDL 3.51

On that basis I am within healthy levels.
My total cholesterol has been higher in the past.
Surgery is comfortable with me not taking statins.

BP is good (although I can't see that in the online records).
 

HSSS

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Not had them done for a while but at diagnosis to 1 yr later on very low carb, high saturated fats diet and a resulting20kg weight loss as well as remission. No meds. Fasting testing both times. Statins offered initially but not required/pushed, not recommended on retest.

total 7.6 - 5.7 high risk to borderline
HDL 1.26 - 1.63 low to strong
LDL 5.05 - 3.7 High risk to average (likely more helpful buoyant not harmful small dense particles as keto favours)
Trigs 2.8- 0.8 high risk to optimal

total/HDL Ratio 6 - 3.5. at risk to good
HDL/LDL ratio. 0.25 - 0.4. At risk to ideal
Trig/HDL ratio. 2.2.- 0.4 High risk to ideal.
 
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NicoleC1971

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I think my last total chol was 6.0, but HDL well over over 1 and triglycerides low. I have yet to see any evidence that statins improve longevity and/or life quality for postmenopausal women who have not had a heart attack.
Doesn't stop my consultants offering them to me like Smarties. I point out my ratios, being female, not overweight, no high bp etc. and ask for a calcium scan if they need to be sure.
 
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Europa

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Thank you all, i had thought i wasn’t doing too bad (all thanks to the info on this site). I’m in Paris so that i doubt my doctor will read documents in English but i’ll read them!
. I’ll try and convince him that even though i’m 65, overweight, diabetic (A1C at 6.1%), i can come off statins. Otherwise i’ll just not take them.
 

Hotpepper20000

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After lots of reading I decided a few years go that I am not getting my cholesterol tested again, since I won’t take statins and what I’m eating is keeping my blood sugar in non diabetic levels.
I think my blood glucose levels are much more important. Healthy numbers keep my inflammation low and I feel good.
 
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KK123

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Total for me is 7 ('too high' according to the GP whom I ignore in this instance), HDL 2.5, Trigs 0.5 and LDL 4 ish.
 

HSSS

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After lots of reading I decided a few years go that I am not getting my cholesterol tested again, since I won’t take statins and what I’m eating is keeping my blood sugar in non diabetic levels.
I think my blood glucose levels are much more important. Healthy numbers keep my inflammation low and I feel good.
I recently had my hb1ac and only because I asked to see the form did I discover they were intending to do a (non fasting) cholesterol without even telling me as well as the usual liver kidney tests. I asked them to reprint the form as I didn’t consent to the cholesterol without fasting first. The nurse was surprised but did so and was interested in chatting politely about my reasoning.

Next time I’ll go fasted as it appears this is a new direction to always do cholesterol and the full panel with hb1ac, even though normally the full work up is only annual and hb1ac on its own I’ve been managing to get quarterly.
 

Sarah69

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Mine was 3.7 with bloods taken a fortnight ago.
 

LaoDan

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HbA1c 5.1%. Total 4.1 , HDL 1.0, LDL 2.8, TRI 0.7
12 hours fasted and super hydrated.

To me it seems cholesterol levels are transitory, depending on last meal, fasting time etc. My diet was a ton of salmon, eggs, avocados, nuts, added fat was coconut cream, double cream,
 
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bulkbiker

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HbA1c 5.1%. Total 4.1 , HDL 1.0, LDL 2.8, TRI 0.7
12 hours fasted and super hydrated.

To me it seems cholesterol levels are transitory, depending on last meal, fasting time etc. My diet was a ton of salmon, eggs, avocados, nuts, added fat was coconut cream, double cream,
Most doctors seem to have forgotten that cholesterol levels are indeed pretty dynamic.. to prescribe medication that lowers something that is essential for life seems quite dangerous to me especially when based on a single snapshot. Even worse when done unfasted so the results are pretty meaningless.
 

Sarah69

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Still taking statins?

Yes, I did ask why I need to be on them and she said they protect against stroke and heart attack. Ive never had a high cholesterol level I was just put on them!
 

bulkbiker

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Yes, I did ask why I need to be on them and she said they protect against stroke and heart attack. Ive never had a high cholesterol level I was just put on them!
Love to see the evidence for what she said.. don't you have trouble controlling your blood sugar? Statins have been known to raise it in some people.
 
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Hotpepper20000

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Yes, I did ask why I need to be on them and she said they protect against stroke and heart attack. Ive never had a high cholesterol level I was just put on them!
My doctor said the same thing a few years ago.
I asked the question, isn’t having a A1C is below 38 enough for protection against stroke and heart attack? Also why would I take statins when they are known to raise blood sugar. She had nothing to say in response and for the the last two years I haven’t gotten my Cholesterol checked because I don’t think it is a good measure for health.
 
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Countryside_Yoyo_

Active Member
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41
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Total 8.4
LDL 5.0
HDL 3.1
Trigs 0.6

HbA1c between 37 and 40 over the last 5 years.

My cholesterol has risen steadily over the last 5 years that I’ve been doing low carb eating. Mind you, trigs have stayed the same, and most of the rise is my LDL, although my HDL has risen a bit too (it’s super high now but it’s always been high, even pre LCHF)

Initially I was quite bothered about it, and my GP tried to send me down the statins route, but after getting advice from this group and doing my own research I declined them - I also turned down a referral to a lipidologist as if I wouldn’t take statins, what was the point.

FH was ruled out as ive had normal results pre LCHF. Per Dave Feldmans research I believe I’m a hyper-responder.

These last few years I feel better than I have in any time in my adult life, and I’m 59 now. I won’t bother with any repeats of cholesterol tests in future as it might stir the GP to push me on the statins train again, I don’t want the aggro as I’ve made up my mind......if research changes, I’ll maybe change it, but I don’t think it will, in fact opinion is starting to move more in the direction I’m going in anyway.
 
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bulkbiker

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Total 8.4
LDL 5.0
HDL 3.1
Trigs 0.6

HbA1c between 37 and 40 over the last 5 years.

My cholesterol has risen steadily over the last 5 years that I’ve been doing low carb eating. Mind you, trigs have stayed the same, and most of the rise is my LDL, although my HDL has risen a bit too (it’s super high now but it’s always been high, even pre LCHF)

Initially I was quite bothered about it, and my GP tried to send me down the statins route, but after getting advice from this group and doing my own research I declined them - I also turned down a referral to a lipidologist as if I wouldn’t take statins, what was the point.

FH was ruled out as ive had normal results pre LCHF. Per Dave Feldmans research I believe I’m a hyper-responder.

These last few years I feel better than I have in any time in my adult life, and I’m 59 now. I won’t bother with any repeats of cholesterol tests now as it might stir the GP to push me on the statins train again, I don’t want the aggro as I’ve made up my mind......if research changes, I’ll maybe change it, but I don’t think it will, in fact opinion is starting to move more in the direction I’m going in anyway.
With a trig/HDL ratio of 0.194 I think you take the absolute winner title..
Brilliant well done you.
 

Brunneria

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I haven't had my cholesterol measured in 2 years, and I don't intend to have it tested in future.

The last time was just after a one off birthday meal blowout, of prawn cocktail, a massive steak, chips and a large icecream sundae.

At the test, 18 hours later, the trigs were 3 x higher than usual after all the chips and icecream. lol.

That was enough to confirm in my mind that not only is the cholesterol test misleading because of the fluctuations that come from recent food intake (especially if those carbs are not usually part of your intake). It was also enough for me to decide not to give health care professionals any unnecessary ammunition to make assumptions and try and push statins.
 
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annabell1

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I just got mine today

Hba1c 6.1

My Total is 6.2
LDL 4.3
Trig 1.4

I didn't get my hdl so I say it must be 1.9

Dr wants me back on statins but I can't see how they help when I was on statins yrars ago my trig was high 2.1 makes no sense taking them