Help with Blood Test Levels Printout ...

[T2#Me]

I finally got a printout of the 2nd blood test (17/9/2018) which pronounced me T2. All new stuff to me, would appreciate any guidance/comments ... thank you in advance.

"HbA1c level - IFCC standardised" 48.0 mmol/mol (23.6 - 43.2) "High" Note: [This is the second reading of 48]

Liver Profile
"Serum total cholesterol level" 3.1 mmol/L (under 5)
"Serum triglycerides" 1.09 mmol/L (under 1.7)
"Serum HDL cholesterol level" 1.3 mmol/L (up to 1)
"Serum LDL level" 1.3 mmol/L (under 3)
"Non HDL cholesterol level" 1.8 mmol/L
"Total cholesterol:HDL ratio" 2.38 Ratio

I'm a week or so into lchf diet, lost 2 pounds 2 oz, which is nice but a long long way to go (height 65 inches weight 187 lbs) ... at age 73 with heart disease (my excuse for current decrepitude) I am taking it very slow and easy ... already feeling better due to more walking the dog and gentle stretching and weights exercises.
Hindered by horrendous insomnia, counter attacking by rereading PG Wodehouse canon (almost worth it)

Cheers.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It shows your HbA1c is 48, which is the first rung in the T2 range.

It shows your cholesterol is within the NHS standard range. Do you take statins? I assume you must be as your levels are all at the lower end. Also, this is not your liver profile - this is your cholesterol profile.

Can you check what the HDL actually says? You have put "up to 1" It should be "over 1"

The total is the total of the HDL, LDL, and 46% of the triglycerides.
Triglycerides are the baddies
HDL is the good cholesterol and should be as high as possible
LDL is known as the bad cholesterol, but not all of it is bad. Some of it is good.
The non-HDL ratio should be under 4
The Total/HDL ratio should be under 5

The most important ratio is not shown. It is the trigs/HDL ratio and should ideally be under 0.87. Yours is 0.84.

 

[T2#Me]

It shows your HbA1c is 48, which is the first rung in the T2 range.

It shows your cholesterol is within the NHS standard range. Do you take statins? I assume you must be as your levels are all at the lower end. Also, this is not your liver profile - this is your cholesterol profile.

Can you check what the HDL actually says? You have put "up to 1" It should be "over 1"

The total is the total of the HDL, LDL, and 46% of the triglycerides.
Triglycerides are the baddies
HDL is the good cholesterol and should be as high as possible
LDL is known as the bad cholesterol, but not all of it is bad. Some of it is good.
The non-HDL ratio should be under 4
The Total/HDL ratio should be under 5

The most important ratio is not shown. It is the trigs/HDL ratio and should ideally be under 0.87. Yours is 0.84.

Thank you for helpful info ...

......Can you check what the HDL actually says? You have put "up to 1" It should be "over 1"
Yes, sorry, my mistake ... the little arrow is pointing right ie over 1 ... which it is, hurrah! (I blame the brain fog).

.....Do I take statins?
Yes, for years now. However, I just watched a YouTube video called Statins Drugs Are Poison, and it disgusted me so much I have stopped taking statins until I can see my doctor ... especially as I am suffering leg pains and brain fog, the which is not nice.

....The most important ratio is not shown. It is the trigs/HDL ratio and should ideally be under 0.87
Why, I wonder? Is this a measurement the NHS does not recognise, or something? I'll ask them.

....Liver profile
Yes, I misread a comment. Thanks for that. (Brain fog).

I think I shall put Brain Fog in my signature

Thanks again, I shall be able to discuss with my doctor much easier now at the next Diabetes Clinic, in December.
Regards'

 

[bulkbiker]

....The most important ratio is not shown. It is the trigs/HDL ratio and should ideally be under 0.87
Why, I wonder? Is this a measurement the NHS does not recognise, or something? I'll ask them.

Your GP unless they are very well informed about current cholesterol thought will likely never have heard of this ratio. It is however being proposed as a far better indicator of possible heart disease. High triglycerides seem to be a major component in that condition. There are at the moment some amazing discoveries being made about the function of cholesterol and what we should be monitoring. There is a lot of information out there but no definitive answers (there way well never be).
Some of the more up to date thoughts on statins and cholesterol are on this thread
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/

 

[Bluetit1802]

....The most important ratio is not shown. It is the trigs/HDL ratio and should ideally be under 0.87
Why, I wonder? Is this a measurement the NHS does not recognise, or something? I'll ask them.

As @bulkbiker said, the ratio isn't shown because it isn't recognised as being important by the NHS at the current time. They are very slow to catch up with the latest thinking in a lot of areas.

As your HbA1c is only 48 and you have been taking statins for years, I strongly suggest it is the statins that may have caused your diabetes. It is common knowledge that statins raise levels. Even Big Pharma has recognised this as warnings are now put on the patient information leaflets.

 

[T2#Me]

Your GP unless they are very well informed about current cholesterol thought will likely never have heard of this ratio. It is however being proposed as a far better indicator of possible heart disease. High triglycerides seem to be a major component in that condition. There are at the moment some amazing discoveries being made about the function of cholesterol and what we should be monitoring. There is a lot of information out there but no definitive answers (there way well never be).
Some of the more up to date thoughts on statins and cholesterol are on this thread
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/

Super helpful ... lots to study ... thank you so much.

 

[T2#Me]

As @bulkbiker said, the ratio isn't shown because it isn't recognised as being important by the NHS at the current time. They are very slow to catch up with the latest thinking in a lot of areas.

As your HbA1c is only 48 and you have been taking statins for years, I strongly suggest it is the statins that may have caused your diabetes. It is common knowledge that statins raise levels. Even Big Pharma has recognised this as warnings are now put on the patient information leaflets.

my own thoughts also ... didn't know about the warning ... thanks ... now debating whether to bring it up at the next Diabetes Clinic
eg [my mini stroke was brought on by another medication I had been taking for years ... when I expressed discontent at this event, after I got them to admit it, I was told "Well it is on the list of side effects" (shrug) ... clearly, then it was all my own fault!)