chris66
Well-Known Member
No i was never told by anyone in the medical profession of any connection between statins and type 2 which in many ways is quite shocking bearing in mind family history of type 2!
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Can't believe it
- Thread starter chris66
- Start Date
Bluetit1802
Legend
Do you know what your cholesterol levels are, including the breakdown (HDL, LDL and triglycerides) ? If not, then ask for a print out of your last blood test results, unless these are available to you on line, which if you are in England they should be.
chris66
Well-Known Member
Yes i have online access to medical records but dont understand them to be honest, however when i last saw GP she was running through test results and thinking out loud and i definately heard cholesterol level is good.
If you could give us the Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and Triglyceride numbers we could have a look if you want?
Bluetit1802
Legend
I agree with @bulkbiker If you wish to post them on here we will explain what they mean. You really need to know.
Hearing your doctor say cholesterol is good means nothing at all. They may be good, they may be teetering on being too low or too high but still just about within range. This is just your GP's opinion, not fact.
Hearing your doctor say cholesterol is good means nothing at all. They may be good, they may be teetering on being too low or too high but still just about within range. This is just your GP's opinion, not fact.
chris66
Well-Known Member
HDL level 3.7 mmol, HDL ratio 3.7 mmol LDL level 1.8mmol Triglyceride level 2mmol, if thats of any help
chris66
Well-Known Member
Replied on BulkBiker's post hopefully they were the figures you meant
Can you remember if you had fasted for the required 10-14 hours before the blood was taken? And do you have the total cholesterol figure?
KK123
Well-Known Member
You would expect your cholesterol levels to be low now wouldn't you, if you've been on statins for 6 years? You could perhaps find out from your Dr what they were before you started statins as well.
chris66
Well-Known Member
cholesterol level (XE2eD) 3.7 mmol/L [< 5]
triglyceride levels (XE2q9) 2 mmol/L [< 1.7]
cholesterol/HDL ratio (XaEUq) 3.7 mmol/mmol [< 4]
HDL cholesterol level (44P5.) 1 mmol/L [0.9 - 2]
LDL cholesterol level (44P6.) 1.8 mmol/L [< 3]
there all the figures on my records that mention cholesterol, this, was underneath the list but not sure if that has any bearing.
Full blood count (424..)
And had you fasted before the blood was taken? If not then the Triglyceride figure would be corrupted by whatever you had eaten or drunk beforehand.
chris66
Well-Known Member
No was told no need to fast but usually try to go early morning for blood tests so in effect would of had no solids for approx 12 hours plus but 1/2 cups of tea on waking in the days when i would have added sugar.
OK that could explain the Trigs which are a bit high but are influenced by all sorts of thing like food and drink before the test. I'm afraid that makes it al a bit meaningless. I'm surprised your surgery paid for a full lipid panel (which is the test that gives the results breakdown you got) with you not having water fasted beforehand bit of a waste of dough unless they want to keep you on those statins!
chris66
Well-Known Member
Have to admit i was surprised when i asked about fasting and was told it wasnt neccassairy, all i can say is it wasnt my usual GP so possibly could have been a locum as only went in for flu jab and notes on computer advising test
Bluetit1802
Legend
NICE have stated there is no need to fast for these tests unless the triglycerides (and maybe other bits) are exceptionally high and a repeat test is required.
Lipid measurement and referral
1.3.3 Measure both total and high‑density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol to achieve the best estimate of CVD risk. [2008]
1.3.4 Before starting lipid modification therapy for the primary prevention of CVD, take at least 1 lipid sample to measure a full lipid profile. This should include measurement of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, non‑HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. A fasting sample is not needed. [new 2014]
.....
1.3.10 In people with a triglyceride concentration between 10 and 20 mmol/litre:
- repeat the triglyceride measurement with a fasting test (after an interval of 5 days, but within 2 weeks)
This is why we are no longer told to fast, although I expect some surgeries still do it.
Bluetit1802
Legend
As you didn't fast, you can ignore your triglyceride level. Next time make sure you water fast for 10 to 12 hours before the test whatever you are told to do. In my opinion, and I am not a doctor but I do a lot of reading on the subject, your total cholesterol is low and this is not necessarily the best thing, but this is because your HDL is on the low side. The HDL is the good cholesterol and needs to be as high as possible - certainly at the top end of the standard range. One thing that will increase the HDL is reduced carbs. Carbohydrate is known to deplete HDL (and that includes sugar in your tea
)Just to explain:
Total cholesterol is the total of the HDL + LDL + 46% of the triglycerides, so it it a total of the good and the not so good stuff.
HDL is good stuff.
Triglycerides are the baddies.
LDL can be bad and can also be good. It depends on the size of the particles, but here in the UK we don't get our particle sizes measured. There are little hard dense particles that are baddies, and there are big fluffy particles that are goodies. The best guess is the lower the trigs are the bigger the LDL particles will be.
Hope this helps.
Daphne917
Well-Known Member
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- Type of diabetes
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My hba1c rose from 48 on diagnosis to 54 after taking statins for a while. My BS began dropping once I came off them due to other side effects so when I have the ‘statins’ talk with my DN I always refuse her kind offer of a prescription. However I hope I won’t have to next time as the new GP that I saw has annotated my file as being statin intolerant.
chris66
Well-Known Member
Thank you for that, thought it was strange him saying no need to fast but i will know in future, i suppose it's down to lack of appointment time, but a shame GP's seem unable to educate their patients to a degree when giving test results diagnosis etc.As you didn't fast, you can ignore your triglyceride level. Next time make sure you water fast for 10 to 12 hours before the test whatever you are told to do. In my opinion, and I am not a doctor but I do a lot of reading on the subject, your total cholesterol is low and this is not necessarily the best thing, but this is because your HDL is on the low side. The HDL is the good cholesterol and needs to be as high as possible - certainly at the top end of the standard range. One thing that will increase the HDL is reduced carbs. Carbohydrate is known to deplete HDL (and that includes sugar in your tea
Just to explain:
Total cholesterol is the total of the HDL + LDL + 46% of the triglycerides, so it it a total of the good and the not so good stuff.
HDL is good stuff.
Triglycerides are the baddies.
LDL can be bad and can also be good. It depends on the size of the particles, but here in the UK we don't get our particle sizes measured. There are little hard dense particles that are baddies, and there are big fluffy particles that are goodies. The best guess is the lower the trigs are the bigger the LDL particles will be.
Hope this helps.
chris66
Well-Known Member
Some how get the feeling even if i was to question my GP about it i wouldn't get very far.
Bluetit1802
Legend
Yes, I agree. Doctors and others in the medical profession filter out anything they don't think we will understand. The words "fine", "good" , "OK" are simply not enough. I learned this a long time before I was diagnosed with T2. For years now I have always asked for copies of blood test results, letters from the hospital to my GP, biopsies, post op reports and so on. What I haven't understood I have looked up and researched. As an example, doing this after I was diagnosed with breast cancer and was about to start chemo I discovered the Registrar I saw who prescribed a particular chemo regimen for me was wrong in my circumstances. Chasing this up resulted in the chief oncology consultant changing the type of chemo to the one the protocol recommended in my circumstances before I started it. Thank goodness I took control of my own health at the time. I will never accept a doctor's word for anything without doing some checking for myself. I'm not saying doctors are wrong when they say "fine" etc but always want to know how fine is fine and how near to not being fine it is.
