Blood results update as promised

[Swiggy]

Latest hba1c is 61 down from 143 at diagnosis with no medication. My liver function tests are all in the normal range and there is no inflammation. I had a liver scan today and there is some fat in my liver but no cirrhosis or scarring so I have been encouraged to keep doing what I have been doing.
My cholesterol is 4.5 and triglycerides 0.7. LDL 3.1 and HDL 4.1 which could be better but told not to worry.

I wasn't pleased to discover that I have gained 6kg since this time last year despite avoiding carbs. I have started a food diary because I suspect that I have been having too many nuts and too much cream. I felt so much better when forum members responded to my recent post when my GP told me that it can take more than two years for glucose levels to drop. After my appointment today I am determined to keep on with lchf and hopefully see my numbers drop further.

 

[Diakat]

A great improvement on the a1c.

 

[xfieldok]

Well done, brilliant improvement. Food diary is an excellent idea.

 

[bulkbiker]

despite avoiding carbs.

having too many nuts

!

which could be better

How could your cholesterol be better? Did they say? It looks pretty darn good to me..

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @Swiggy

Great reduction, well done you!

It’s very easy to put weight back on - similar to you if I over do the nuts, cream or high % cocoa chocolate, weight goes back on.

However blood glucose control is the important thing and it seems you’re right on top of that. Keep at it!

 

[Rachox]

Very well done with your HbA1c and cholesterol numbers, and without drugs too, amazing!

 

[Flora123]

Fantastic!

 

[Swiggy]

!

How could your cholesterol be better? Did they say? It looks pretty darn good to me..

Hi Bulkbiker, the nurse said that my total cholesterol is fine but the LDL should be lower and the Chol/HDL ratio should be less than 3.5 and mine is 4.1. If you think it's good I feel even more pleased.

 

[Swiggy]

Hi @Swiggy

Great reduction, well done you!

It’s very easy to put weight back on - similar to you if I over do the nuts, cream or high % cocoa chocolate, weight goes back on.

However blood glucose control is the important thing and it seems you’re right on top of that. Keep at it!

Thanks Goonergal, I love nuts, cream and brie but I have never liked chocolate.

 

[Swiggy]

Very well done with your HbA1c and cholesterol numbers, and without drugs too, amazing!

Thanks Rachel, I was feeling quite disheartened last week when I spoke to my GP (different one to the one who didn't tell me when I was diagnosed) because I was trying so hard to get to normal levels but forum members made me see how far I have come.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi Bulkbiker, the nurse said that my total cholesterol is fine but the LDL should be lower and the Chol/HDL ratio should be less than 3.5 and mine is 4.1. If you think it's good I feel even more pleased.

If you believe as I do that the Trig/HDL ratio is more important and should be lower than 0.87 then yours at 0.17 is blooming miraculous..! Well done!
If your nurse said LDL is "bad cholesterol" then ignore her...

 

[ianf0ster]

My cholesterol is 4.5 and triglycerides 0.7. LDL 3.1 and HDL 4.1 which could be better but told not to worry.

Hi Swiggy,
Huge congratulations! Your cholesterol figures are so good as to be almost unbelievable. Your HDL is extremely high and your Triglycerides are extremely low. Even your LDL is lower than your HDL. It is very hard to believe that you can improve on these.
You have also managed a huge reduction in your Hba1c. OK there is further to go with this one, but there is still more organ fat to work through.
Don't let anybody discourage you, you are doing great !

 

[Swiggy]

If you believe as I do that the Trig/HDL ratio is more important and should be lower than 0.87 then yours at 0.17 is blooming miraculous..! Well done!
If your nurse said LDL is "bad cholesterol" then ignore her...

Thanks Bulkbiker.

 

[Swiggy]

Hi Swiggy,
Huge congratulations! Your cholesterol figures are so good as to be almost unbelievable. Your HDL is extremely high and your Triglycerides are extremely low. Even your LDL is lower than your HDL. It is very hard to believe that you can improve on these.
You have also managed a huge reduction in your Hba1c. OK there is further to go with this one, but there is still more organ fat to work through.
Don't let anybody discourage you, you are doing great !

Thanks ianf0ster, I was relieved to hear that there is no sign of inflammation of my liver and no scarring or cirrhosis. Two years ago I became jaundiced and the cause was never determined. There were no gall stones and I was tested for every virus they could think of but nothing showed up and everything resolved without treatment. I was referred to the liver clinic in case I developed an autoimmune condition but everything looks good.
Going forward, I plan to keep a detailed food diary, continue to eat to my meter and see what happens. I will request another blood test just before Christmas and let the Forum know how I am doing.

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi @Swiggy.

What a wonderful reduction in HbA1c -- cut in half. I am convinced your next results will be even better. All due to your dedication and hard work.

Your cholesterol results are also really good. Is it possible that there has been a glitch when writing down the numbers from your blood tests?

If you enter your numbers in the cholesterol calculator http://www.hughcalc.org/chol-si.php, you'll see that the numbers don't add up. Is it possible that the total you noted down is too low? Or the HDL too high?

On a positive note, based on the calculator an LDL of 3.1 is near optimal, so really well done and I don't think anything to worry about.

So, here's to a winner.

 

[Swiggy]

Hi @Swiggy.

What a wonderful reduction in HbA1c -- cut in half. I am convinced your next results will be even better. All due to your dedication and hard work.

Your cholesterol results are also really good. Is it possible that there has been a glitch when writing down the numbers from your blood tests?

If you enter your numbers in the cholesterol calculator http://www.hughcalc.org/chol-si.php, you'll see that the numbers don't add up. Is it possible that the total you noted down is too low? Or the HDL too high?

On a positive note, based on the calculator an LDL of 3.1 is near optimal, so really well done and I don't think anything to worry about.

So, here's to a winner.

Hi Ziggy_w, thanks for responding. I have checked the numbers I posted and they are exactly what was printed on my report sheet. Hopefully my hba1c will be nearer to normal next time and I will have some more cholesterol numbers to put into the calculator.

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi Ziggy_w, thanks for responding. I have checked the numbers I posted and they are exactly what was printed on my report sheet. Hopefully my hba1c will be nearer to normal next time and I will have some more cholesterol numbers to put into the calculator.

Thanks, @Swiggy, for double-checking. I am confident your next set of numbers will be even better. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[ianf0ster]

If you enter your numbers in the cholesterol calculator http://www.hughcalc.org/chol-si.php, you'll see that the numbers don't add up. Is it possible that the total you noted down is too low? Or the HDL too high?

Hi,
As I pointed out in another thread, my Cholesterol numbers per my blood test according to GP don't match the calculator either.

 

[Rachox]

Hi,
As I pointed out in another thread, my Cholesterol numbers per my blood test according to GP don't match the calculator either.

I think I’m right in saying that if you only enter 3 of the 4 stats that are required then the calculator works out the forth. Even the labs don’t actually screen your LDL level but estimate it from the other three. I guess that’s where the discrepancy lies:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/calculating-your-cholesterol
See the paragraph entitled “Measuring Cholesterol”.

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi,
As I pointed out in another thread, my Cholesterol numbers per my blood test according to GP don't match the calculator either.

Hi @ianf0ster,

As @Rachox has pointed out, LDL usually isn't measured, but calculated on total, HDL and trigs. Most often the Friedewald equation is used, which deducts HDL and trigs (divided by 2.2) from the total. Other formulas exist and might lead to slightly different results (but won't be way off).

However, in @Swiggy 's case the total is 4.5 mmol and HDL is 4.1 mmol, leaving a maximum of 0.4 mmol for LDL, no matter which formula is used. The number reported for LDL was 3.1 mmol, though, so it's way off. Possibly someone at the lab or at the GP's practice entered the data incorrectly. For example, if HDL in fact had been 1.1 mmol (instead of 4.1), the other numbers would work out. Unfortunately, there is no way of really knowing.

The actually happened to me at once too when LDL was given as 148 mg/dl instead of 138 mg/dl -- a typo easily made.