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Type 2 Cholesterol / Lipid profile after low-carb

Jo123 said:
I wish we could have our ldl easily tested to see the size, plus I wish there was more actual evidence that the larger ldl is harmless rather than scientists saying it is without the proof.
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You could look at it logically and ask why would our body want to cause itself harm when we eat the food that it thrives on?
 
bulkbiker said:
You could look at it logically and ask why would our body want to cause itself harm when we eat the food that it thrives on?
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Yes, but I would like to see more evidence. I feel at the moment I'm playing safe! I did go back to some butter, cheese etc, once I'd got my ldl down, just not the quantity I did at the start of my low carbing journey.
 
Jo123 said:
Yes, but I would like to see more evidence. I feel at the moment I'm playing safe! I did go back to some butter, cheese etc, once I'd got my ldl down, just not the quantity I did at the start of my low carbing journey.
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Try this guy then..

 
AndBreathe said:
@zamalik - Lipids can seem a bit mystical, and oftentimes I think they are as much a mystery to our GPs as they can be for us. I know I have certainly had some "interesting" conversations with GPs.

These are my historic lipid levels. I have had a more recent set, which have been discussed, but I haven't yet had the consultant's letter with the numbers in it:

View attachment 50294

The most recent bloods I have had done broadly reflect recent years, with the Total Cholesterol coming in at 7.6, if I recall correctly, and trigs at 0.8. Those bloods were done as part of my participation in a research study (which is still recruiting), looking at cardiac failure in those living with T2. I have no history of cardiac issues of any sort.

I had extensive tests - EGC, Stress/Exercise ECG, CT Scan, including an arterial calcium scan, then MRI and extended MRI, including an Adenosine stress test.

In discussing my results (and watching my own heart beat), the cardiologists were supremely unconcerned by my lipid panel. He was keen to emphasize he might view it differently had I had any form of cardiac event or have other underlying cardiac challenges. I took enormous heart from that.

I would urge you to expand your learning on lipids. If you haven't done so already, you might find some of Professor Ken Sikaris's presentations on YouTube to be helpful. He presentation style is very relaxed and clear.

As has been said, if you are in a weight loss phase, please don't be too quick to draw conclusions where your lipids are concerned. You may find your numbers moderate as your waistline slims.
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@AndBreathe your HDL are impressive, mine was .88 and improved to 1.2 in 6 months, not sure if that's a decent improvement or not. However, can you through light on your food/exercise habits or anything that could actually make difference to HDL, i need it above 2 at any cost :) or is it just genetic?
 
zamalik said:
@AndBreathe your HDL are impressive, mine was .88 and improved to 1.2 in 6 months, not sure if that's a decent improvement or not. However, can you through light on your food/exercise habits or anything that could actually make difference to HDL, i need it above 2 at any cost :) or is it just genetic?
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Zamalik - Thank you for the kind words.

My eating style is reduced carbs, with balancing fats (to maintain weight), although I do eat more carbs now than I did during the remedial phase of my journey, as opposed to what I now consider to be maintenance. I keep myself busy, and keep moving, but I'm not a gym bunny, and like most people, the last 18 months has been a mixed bag in terms of exercising in a formal way. I have been keeping the garden spic and span though.

In terms of eating, I neither seek nor shun fats and don't spend a great deal of time analysing whether I'm on sats, unsats, or whatever - especially as few fats are solely one thing or the other.

Someone I respect very much advises people to moderate their carbs to satisfy the blood sugar meter, and to moderate the fats to satisfy the bathroom scales.

There may be some genetics going on here although my mother took a statin and my brother does. I will avoid them for as long as possible - ideally forever.
 
Ryhia said:
Wonderful HbA1c result - congratulations!

I can't really help you with what to do re your cholesterol as I am in a similar predicament to yourself. I started my low carb journey with a total cholesterol score of 4.7 after a few months cholesterol had gone up to 6.7 but I was losing weight and folks on this forum pointed out that losing weight can temporarily lift cholesterol. Move on a few months when my weight was stable and the results of a further lipid panel showed that cholesterol had gone up to 10. Doc referred me to a lipidologist who blamed the keto diet - she asked me a few questions and decided my issue was Polygenic Hypercholesteremia, which is a genetic condition but they haven't worked out all the genes that are involved, she would not arrange any genetic testing so didn't convince me re her diagnosis. Its seems just as likely that I am a hyper responder.

I did try to change my diet, I reduced my fat intake and switched to extra virgin olive oil as my main source of cooking fat. I also increased my fibre and cut down on dairy. A test in November showed my cholesterol to be 7.9 so some reduction had taken place. Don't know if this was achieved through diet changes or just the passage of time. Still trying to find a solution to bring my cholesterol down, I have a blood test next week and my cholesterol is still definitely too high according to my cholesterol test meter.
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@Ryhia I know this is an old thread, but can I ask about your lipids now, as I seem to be in the same situation now that you were then, ie excellent ratios but totals all going up, the good and the bad?
 
I am afraid I still had a very high cholesterol result last year, but I do feel it is probably the result of too much dairy. When I finally saw a consultant and not just a registrar, he simply said the issue was my diet!

I still don't take statins, GP wanted me on Atorvastatin but when I read the side effects noting the potential increase in blood sugars I decided I wasn't going there. Unfortunately everyone used to panic about my cholesterol levels which in turn created stress in me. I finally complained to my GP about it so he said he would put a note on my record for no one to hassle me. Not sure he ever did but when I saw my DN last year and she mentioned my high figures I said there should be a note on my record that I was not to be hassled, after that she changed tack and simply said, that I didn't need to take statins if I didn't want to and congratulated me on my other results. Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact lipid figure, forgot to ask for a printout of my results and don't have access to my online record, to find out. I do remember shed was pleased the numbers had come down a little from the previous year so that was a positive - probably the result of not worrying so much about them

I've got my A1c coming up, either in June or July depending when I get the text message- so it will be interesting to see what this year's results will be.. I feel they will certainly be higher than last year, just because I have had a bad year mentally which has affected my management of my diabetes. I hope I am still in remission but I will just have to wait and see. You never know my cholesterol results may be better this year because other things aren't but I won't bother to hold my breath. ;)
 
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Ryhia said:
I am afraid I still had a very high cholesterol result last year, but I do feel it is probably the result of too much dairy. When I finally saw a consultant and not just a registrar, he simply said the issue was my diet!

I still don't take statins, GP wanted me on Atorvastatin but when I read the side effects noting the potential increase in blood sugars I decided I wasn't going there. Unfortunately everyone used to panic about my cholesterol levels which in turn created stress in me. I finally complained to my GP about it so he said he would put a note on my record for no one to hassle me. Not sure he ever did but when I saw my DN last year and she mentioned my high figures I said there should be a note on my record that I was not to be hassled, after that she changed tack and simply said, that I didn't need to take statins if I didn't want to and congratulated me on my other results. Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact lipid figure, forgot to ask for a printout of my results and don't have access to my online record, to find out. I do remember shed was pleased the numbers had come down a little from the previous year so that was a positive - probably the result of not worrying so much about them

I've got my A1c coming up, either in June or July depending when I get the text message- so it will be interesting to see what this year's results will be.. I feel they will certainly be higher than last year, just because I have had a bad year mentally which has affected my management of my diabetes. I hope I am still in remission but I will just have to wait and see. You never know my cholesterol results may be better this year because other things aren't but I won't bother to hold my breath. ;)
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Thank you. I think I'm in for my first statin conversation this Thursday.
 
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