• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Can anyone explain Cholesterol result

PenguinMum

Expert
Messages
7,157
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Serum Chol 7.06 mmol/L
Serum triglycerides 3.01 mmol/L
Serum HDL chol level 1.45 mmol/L
Total chol: HDL ratio 4.9 ratio
Calculated LDL chol level 4.24 mmol/L

Do I need to say yes to statins?
 
I cannot answer your query on statins but my GP gave me these targets - see below. I have inserted your figures in the right column, so you do look high. Mine are also high, although not as high as yours and my GP did suggest statins. As I had only recently (Oct 2017) go to a low carb diet, i pushed back telling him I wanted to see if a dietary approch would work. My latest test in Feb this year seems to indicate that my new diet is working as my numbers have improved. Some of them are still high but they are dropping. My totla chol went from 5.7 in Oct to 4.8 in Feb.
Are your figures dropping or increasing? Obvioisly you need to listen to your doctor but is there another option? Dietary appraoch?



Serum Chol
<5 7.06

Serum triglycerides
<1.7 3.01
Serum LDL Chol<3

Serum HDL chol level
0.9 to 2 1.45

Total chol: HDL ratio
<4
4.24
 
 
 
Thanks that is useful. They were my levels when diagnosed Dec last but only got print out now . Like you I resisted taking statins to see what my next quarters bloods looked like. Had them done this morning and will be reviewed with DN in two weeks time. In the meantime I have been doing lchf diet. I really have lost my confidence especially since my weight loss this morning was only 2 kg less even though I have definitely shrunk in my clothes.
 
Hi @PenguinMum

Did you fast for today's test? If not, your triglycerides may not be accurate.

Hang on for the results, but I really advise you to ask for a print out BEFORE you see your nurse. That way you have chance to analyse them before she bombards you with the statin debate. Results are normally back within a day or two. They then go the person that ordered the test to examine, and then they are available for you to see. Try ringing on Friday or next Monday.
 
Yes I did fast. I will take your advice on getting print out in a few days. My family think I should go on Statins as they have and I do t really know why I dont want to any more than I dont want to take pills unless they really will make a difference.
 
@PenguinMum

good advise from Bluetit but another thing you should do is request online access.
Are you in the UK? If so you can request on line access to your results. I did that and could see my latest HbA1C and other scores. I got tested on a Friday and could view the results and GP's comments by Monday evening. I could also so past tests (before I was diagnosed etc) which was useful as I could see the trend. FYI All my scores dropped after 3 months on a low carb diet. I decided on 75g carbs per day but everyone is different so you will have to see what works for you.
 
Thanks for sharing that. I did ask the receptionist for online access to see my results from now on but she said people can only go online to requst repeat meds but she can alays print it out if I ask. So I go back on Fri and ask. I am trying to keep around 50g carbs a day most days. Encouragement much appreciated.
 

If you are in England, all surgeries were asked to put test results on-line
https://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/aboutnhsservices/doctors/pages/gp-online-services.aspx

Several people on here have been told the same thing by a receptionist, but later found it wasn't true. It is maybe because the receptionist hasn't a clue about it. I suggest you ask again, and if the same story comes out, ask why your surgery isn't complying with NHS England's request. There is a form to fill in, and you need some ID. It is worth nagging. I did this a couple of years ago as my surgery was one of the first to do this. The receptionist had no idea but she did go away and ask someone in authority, and I was then given the form.
 
@PenguinMum

50g is a good target. Remember its a target so if you occasionally miss (go over) that s OK. My Target is 75g per day
There have been occasions when I have eaten more - e.g. 150g but I was out with my family and I didn't mind that as I have to live my life. I did eat 60 and 65 on the two days afterwards mind. .
My average this week (Sun - /Wed) is 70 but I was a little "snacktastic" on Sunday so I ate 77g.
If you end up struggling - go for 75 or 100 or 125 and then you can drop down. I did struggle at first with 75g as I was scoring over 80 and sometimes 100 but you know what 100 or even 125g is still low carb.
 
A simple algorithm is 54321
5 Total Cholesterol TC target should be lower than this
4 ratio of TC/HDL target should be less than this
3 LDL target should be less than this
2 Fasting TG’s should be less than this
1 HDL target should be higher than this
Generally lower LDL cholesterol is better. You want this in the 2-3 range. If you have T2D there is a lot of medical evidence to suggest statins are beneficial.
 
Probably should have added. LDL is the cholesterol being laid down in arteries ie bad. HDL is the cholesterol being scavenged and removed from arteries - so high is good. TGs are the fats in the blood and vary hugely in relation to eating so must be tested fasting for a reliable result. High fats ie TGs is an independent risk factor for increased risk of cardiovascular disease and are commonly raised in metabolic syndrome, pre diabetes and T2D.
 
Thank you all. Great info and help for me. So appreciated.
 

I love your algorithm. I will remember that instead of looking at my data sheets every time someone asks!

The current feelings seem to be it is the trigs/HDL ratio that is important and this should be under 0.87 (in UK measurements), and the lower the trigs are, the less nasty low density particles there are and the more big fluffy particles there are in the LDL, which cause no damage at all. In my opinion, the total cholesterol appears to be meaningless. Mine goes up every time my HDL goes up ........

Where is the medical evidence that statins are of benefit to anyone except those that have had a heart attack or heart disease? All the modern research I have seen seems to indicate they are of little benefit to those that have healthy hearts. This is particularly so in the case of women, and women of a certain age. In fact, as they raise blood sugar levels in many people, it seems they are more of a hindrance than benefit to diabetics .... quite apart from the side effects. Obviously, if someone has really abnormally high trigs and LDL, then there could be some benefit, but such people are normally referred to a specialist lipid clinic.
 
I fully expect your triglycerides to have reduced since December.They were too high, and cutting back on carbs is the best way to reduce them.
Were either of the two tests fasting ? This gives the most accurate trigs result.
Fingers crossed for you,
Geoff
 
All my tests so far have been fasting. I am also testing levels at home for the past 3 weeks with stubborn and non improving levels so far though meal differences are very satisfactory. However I am hoping that persevering with low carbing wull eventually pay off. No other choice really. Thanks everyone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…