Blood Results - good and bad

[Helen H]

I have just had my first blood test results back a year after finding out I was prediabetic. The good news is that my HbA1c is down to 37 (42 last November), despite not being as good as I had been while on holiday in September, so I am pleased with that result. Thanks to all of you on this forum who have inspired me. The bad news is my cholesterol levels have shot up to 8.7 I do not want to go onto statins which I am sure the doctors will want to put me on so not sure what I can do to try to lower it whilst still controlling my blood sugar levels. I eat a LCHF diet, lots of eggs - probably 15 -18 a week, butter, full fat cheese, red meat, etc etc. Any help gratefully receive.

 

[lovinglife]

Congratulations on a great result! the cholesterol number is a bit meaningless without the ratios between HDL (the good stuff) and non HDL (the bad stuff) if you’ve been losing weight or been ill these can have an effect on your levels too, ask your surgery for the full results, if they haven’t got them - some surgeries only do total cholesterol tests, then ask for a full cholesterol test before you make the decision to take statins or not. There’s lots of discussions on the forum about statins have a good read around so you can make an informed choice and discussion with your GP

 

[Helen H]

Hi @lovinglife thanks for your reply and I am already having a good nose about.

The breakdown is
total serum = 8.7
HDL - 2.6
Non HDL - 6..1
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio - 3.4

On the test results it also state “consider referring to “ WM familial hypercholesterolaemia service “

 

[Speedbird]

Hi @lovinglife thanks for your reply and I am already having a good nose about.

The breakdown is
total serum = 8.7
HDL - 2.6
Non HDL - 6..1
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio - 3.4

On the test results it also state “consider referring to “ WM familial hypercholesterolaemia service “

Try this site, it may help you in understanding ratios, although your chol/HDL ratio looks pretty good to me.

Cholesterol HDL/LDL/Triglycerides Ratios Calculator (SI Version in mmol/L)

 

[Chris24Main]

Do you have any triglyceride levels on that panel?
The ratio of HDL to Triglyceride can be meaningful (though there are some who's opinion I respect that say it's all nonsense - if you understand how critical cholesterol is throughout your body )
Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic condition that causes LDL to be very high, but the effect of that is somewhat in dispute.
I'm about to get test results myself (blood given this morning) - so I expect something similar. There is plenty of evidence that a LCHF regime can result in higher LDL levels - but hugely contested whether it actually means anything. I won't try to deluge you with detail, and can only really speak for myself, but I'm unlikely to be convinced that statins are a good thing for me.

 

[Helen H]

Unfortunately there are no separate values for triglycerides or LDL, they are all just lumped together in the “Non HDL Cholesterol figure.

i am not aware of a history of Familial hypercholesterolemia in the family although my brother had a heart attack at age 58 and was told his cholesterol was high and he had T2 diabetes ( but he was also a heavy smoker and led a sedentary lifestyle). i am pretty sure my paternal grandma had high cholesterol as she had those”white rings” around the iris in her eyes and my paternal grandfather died of a heart attack round about 60 years of age So I suppose there is a possibility.
I really do not want to go on statins - mainly because of the link that they can raise blood glucose never mind all the other side effects.

i also have an underactive thyroid which is a condition that can raise cholesterol as well as it also being linked to raising HbA1C levels (my thyroid has a lot to answer for it seems!!).

I suppose I am not sure whether I should try and modify my diet a bit, less saturated fat? I am fairly active - cycle a lot although not done as much this year as normal, due to my mum being in hospital most of the summer and then trying to sort care homes out for her and all the associated stress that comes with that.

No doubt when I see my doctor he will try to put me on statins and tell me to eat the “eatwell” high carb, low fat diet - which I will not be doing.

i think I am just a bit confused at the moment and not sure what to do.

 

[MrsA2]

Unfortunately there are no separate values for triglycerides or LDL, they are all just lumped together in the “Non HDL Cholesterol figure.

i am not aware of a history of Familial hypercholesterolemia in the family although my brother had a heart attack at age 58 and was told his cholesterol was high and he had T2 diabetes ( but he was also a heavy smoker and led a sedentary lifestyle). i am pretty sure my paternal grandma had high cholesterol as she had those”white rings” around the iris in her eyes and my paternal grandfather died of a heart attack round about 60 years of age So I suppose there is a possibility.
I really do not want to go on statins - mainly because of the link that they can raise blood glucose never mind all the other side effects.

i also have an underactive thyroid which is a condition that can raise cholesterol as well as it also being linked to raising HbA1C levels (my thyroid has a lot to answer for it seems!!).

I suppose I am not sure whether I should try and modify my diet a bit, less saturated fat? I am fairly active - cycle a lot although not done as much this year as normal, due to my mum being in hospital most of the summer and then trying to sort care homes out for her and all the associated stress that comes with that.

No doubt when I see my doctor he will try to put me on statins and tell me to eat the “eatwell” high carb, low fat diet - which I will not be doing.

i think I am just a bit confused at the moment and not sure what to do.

I have a similar pronunciation (I won't call it a diagnosis) of familial hypercholesterolemia after my lipid numbers all shot up after losing 3 stone and going low carb. However I'm nearly in my 80th decade and have never had high numbers before, nor a family history of any heart problems at all. The doctor stuck it on me after I queried why I hadn't been monitored more frequently . My parents died in their 60s of cancer, but the doctor said that meant they might have had fh too...duh!?
I've done a lot of research and think he was talking rubbish. There are other tests that can be done (can't remember precisely right now) .
I'd say research more.
My current strategy is more research and further tests. After all fh causes problems in young (er) people. I don't think I have any more risk than another person of my age, imho.

 

[KennyA]

I have just had my first blood test results back a year after finding out I was prediabetic. The good news is that my HbA1c is down to 37 (42 last November), despite not being as good as I had been while on holiday in September, so I am pleased with that result. Thanks to all of you on this forum who have inspired me. The bad news is my cholesterol levels have shot up to 8.7 I do not want to go onto statins which I am sure the doctors will want to put me on so not sure what I can do to try to lower it whilst still controlling my blood sugar levels. I eat a LCHF diet, lots of eggs - probably 15 -18 a week, butter, full fat cheese, red meat, etc etc. Any help gratefully receive.

Did you fast before the test? I find it makes a huge difference if I go 12-18 hours before the blood draw. Most of the cholesterol in your system is made by the body - the usual figure quoted is around 80% - so what comes in via food is comparatively minor, it does seem to have an impact on the test figure. This leads me to question whether the test is actually testing what it claims to, or is effectively the equivalent of a snapshot fingerprick blood reading.

Current research (see below for a meta-analysis from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, there are plenty of other examples ) is showing that the present dietary recommendations about sat fat are essentially meaningless eg

• Several foods relatively rich in SFAs, such as whole-fat dairy, dark chocolate, and unprocessed meat, are not associated with increased CVD or diabetes risk.
• There is no robust evidence that current population-wide arbitrary upper limits on saturated fat consumption in the United States will prevent CVD or reduce mortality.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109720356874?via%3Dihub=&utm_source=arrow.proteinpower.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-arrow-188

 

[Helen H]

I didn’t intentionally fast, last ate about 8pm the evening before and had coffee with splash of milk at 8am on the morning (blood drawn at 10am). Starting to understand cholesterol levels and what affects it a bit more (stress, underactive thyroid, insulin resistance and only a little bit of what you eat).
i will see what my GP says - seeing him next week before I do anything different.

 

[Sarah Maxwell]

I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic nearly 3 months ago (42). I am due another blood test in a couple of weeks. I have changed my diet (no more pain aux raisins!) and, although I was not overweight (5ft 7 and 10.7 pounds) I have lost over half a stone - now just under 10 stone. Did you lose much weight on your diet? I already do a lot of exercise. I am 75 and play golf several times a week.

 

[Helen H]

9

I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic nearly 3 months ago (42). I am due another blood test in a couple of weeks. I have changed my diet (no more pain aux raisins!) and, although I was not overweight (5ft 7 and 10.7 pounds) I have lost over half a stone - now just under 10 stone. Did you lose much weight on your diet? I already do a lot of exercise. I am 75 and play golf several times a week.

hi Sarah

Yes, I lost 2 and half stone, initially on a keto diet (less than 20g carbs/day). i now have a few more carbs/day but no more than 50g. I don’t eat any potato’s, pasta, rice and the bread I eat is a low carb/keto bread. When I was diagnosed I was 11st (I am 5ft 6) so was a bit overweight but not massively and was active, cycling, swimming, walking. I only got tested due to my brother being diagnosed as T2. Some people will say that I didnt need to go keto as was only just diabetic but I have found this way of eating to be enjoyable and the most sustainable way I have done.