Cholesterol improvements and questions

[mehhh2015]

Normal is far too wide, particularly if trying to conceive. The upper cut off is far lower in that case.

Many many thanks for sharing and will definitely ask again out of curiosity, my story is a bit more complex and no matter what I do we still need IVF. For IVF all my levels have to be the closest to normal people range so it wouldn't be a bad idea to check out again.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

It'd be nice to know your latest test results, keep me posted. Certainly the numbers are great even if not at their ideal level. I get what you are saying about not wanting them as low as the guideline... but I am at their mercy... I have to be within their rules...

A year ago:
Total cholesterol: 5.28
HDL: 1.30
LDL: 3.55
TG: 0.94
Total/HD Ratio: 4.1
TG/HDL Ratio: 0.72

This week:
Total cholesterol: 6.25
HDL: 1.71
LDL: 4.21
TG: 0.72
Total/HD Ratio: 3.7
TG/HDL Ratio: 0.42

So the thing is I'm VERY happy with these numbers - high HDL, low triglycerides, and great ratios.
However, I know I'm going to get pressured by my doctor to take statins due to the total and LDL being over the guidelines.

Should I just smile and say "no thank you"?
Or should I try to argue that my cholesterol levels are excellent and show him some papers to back up my position?
Or maybe I should just let him write a prescription for statins and not take them.
In any case, I will not be taking statins.

 

[mehhh2015]

A year ago:
Total cholesterol: 5.28
HDL: 1.30
LDL: 3.55
TG: 0.94
Total/HD Ratio: 4.1
TG/HDL Ratio: 0.72

This week:
Total cholesterol: 6.25
HDL: 1.71
LDL: 4.21
TG: 0.74
Total/HD Ratio: 3.7
TG/HDL Ratio: 0.42

So the thing is I'm VERY happy with these numbers - high HDL, low triglycerides, and great ratios.
However, I know I'm going to get pressured by my doctor to take statins due to the total and LDL being over the guidelines.

Should I just smile and say "no thank you"?
Or should I try to argue that my cholesterol levels are excellent and show him some papers to back up my position?
Or maybe I should just let him write a prescription for statins and not take them.
In any case, I will not be taking statins.

All your ratios improved, all of them without exception that's awesome and great news.

Why would you have to take statins? Is there a reason why you need to be forced to bring cholesterol down other than a matter of opinion? I wouldn't take the statins either.

Neither your total cholesterol or your LDL are way too high away from normality. There is non diabetic people walking around with much higher numbers...

You know how to bring your cholesterol down anyway if you wanted to, the question is, in the presence of a low carbohydrate diet, is that necessary... I understand why are you happy, I'm happy for you (and me looking at my prospects) too in that respect.

I have no idea of how this works, but have you tested or is it possible to test the particle size thing?

Do you have a family history of heart disease linked to diabetes? I have a very strong one...

 

[donnellysdogs]

I would have changed my caveman diet and tried the meditereanean diet to see if levels got better than that.

Still good levels but you are imposing big limits on food to get thos levels. Mine improved going to the med diet. The med diet got my HDL last time up to 2.1...

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

All your ratios improved, all of them without exception that's awesome and great news.

Why would you have to take statins? Is there a reason why you need to be forced to bring cholesterol down other than a matter of opinion? I wouldn't take the statins either.

Neither your total cholesterol or your LDL are way too high away from normality. There is non diabetic people walking around with much higher numbers...

You know how to bring your cholesterol down anyway if you wanted to, the question is, in the presence of a low carbohydrate diet, is that necessary... I understand why are you happy, I'm happy for you (and me looking at my prospects) too in that respect.

I have no idea of how this works, but have you tested or is it possible to test the particle size thing?

Do you have a family history of heart disease linked to diabetes? I have a very strong one...

I will not be taking statins, but I know my doctor will be following the guidelines on cholesterol for diabetics, which say my total and LDL should be a lot lower. I know he will tell me I need to take statins. It will be very uncomfortable for me when this happens.

I don't have a family history of diabetes. My maternal grandfather had type 2 later in life, but he was not very healthy and couldn't stop eating sweets. My father had a triple by-pass, but didn't have diabetes.

I doubt very much that they will run the LDL particle size for me as we have 100% socialized medicine here. Maybe I could go down to the US and have it run.

 

[Totto]

I used to have high LDL due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism and high cholesterol total. Since going strict LCHF my HDL is 2, LDL 2.7 and trigs 0.7.

And it was still suggested I should go on statins. No way.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

I would have changed my caveman diet and tried the meditereanean diet to see if levels got better than that.

Still good levels but you are imposing big limits on food to get thos levels. Mine improved going to the med diet. The med diet got my HDL last time up to 2.1...

I'm happy with both my diet and my cholesterol levels. The problem is that my doctor will not be.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

I used to have high LDL due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism and high cholesterol total. Since going strict LCHF my HDL is 2, LDL 2.7 and trigs 0.7.

And it was still suggested I should go on statins. No way.

How did that conversation with your doctor go?

 

[Totto]

Who can argue with a HDL of 2 and such low trigs anyway? I had no problems at all. But then I had seen hubby on statins so regardless of my levels I'd never take them.

 

[mehhh2015]

I used to have high LDL due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism and high cholesterol total. Since going strict LCHF my HDL is 2, LDL 2.7 and trigs 0.7.

And it was still suggested I should go on statins. No way.

Still offered statins??? Really????? :S

 

[mehhh2015]

I have to thank you all...

After all the inputs I am very positive that improving the levels to normal or almost normal range can be done.

My tests results were after two months of normal eating so I have my suspicions that my numbers were better by the end of April... and they will be much better in three months time

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

From the latest cholesterol guideline in the US (2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to
Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults):

"On the basis of this large and consistent body of evidence, 4 major statin benefit groups were identified
for whom the ASCVD risk reduction clearly outweighs the risk of adverse events. Individuals 1) with
clinical ASCVD, 2) primary elevations of LDL–C >190 mg/dL, 3) diabetes aged 40 to 75 years with LDL–C
70 to 189 mg/dL and without clinical ASCVD, or 4) without clinical ASCVD or diabetes with LDL–C 70
to 189 mg/dL and estimated 10-year ASCVD risk >7.5%."

70-189 mg/dL = 1.8 - 4.9 mmol/L

 

[AndBreathe]

Since diagnosis, I have had a number of discussions about lipid levels and statins with my GP. I'm not interested in getting into conflict with her as I need a good relationship with my GP, but nor am I interested in taking statins, which I do not believe have much to offer me.

As it became clear I knew more than she did (which she later admitted), I decided to sign her up for an education programme, by stealth. She has done well.

I stated these two threads, and each contains some little nuggets of information:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/anything-else-update.63298/

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...y-the-large-fluffy-ldl-component.67385/page-2

By my last bloods, her opinions had gone from being very concerned, and wanting to refer me to a Lipid specialist to saying "you must be highly delighted with those figures".

On that front, my work is done.

Her dietary educational programme remains a work in progress.

 

[LucySW]

So, how did you do it, AB?