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Low Carb Hasn't Worked.

Ah - well the most annoying thing was that I don't need them - I have had normal BG levels and reduced cholesterol for some time now. At the time - just before Christmas 2016, there were no appointments available at the clinic until mid January.
 
Well, I'm back after talking to my GP. As suspected my lipid levels are running amok. Total cholesterol is increased from 7.1 in Feb to 8.8 . LDL 5.4, HDL 3, triglycerides 0.9. I'm now over the NICE guidelines threshold for referral to lipid specialist to investigate possible familial hypercholesterolaemia ( I have significant heart disease history in maternal side of my family)
Joy of Joys, yet another nasty life threatening condition hanging over me !!!!!
Atorvastatin prescribed . I discussed statins reputation for causing diabetes in those at risk but she felt it was going to be about balancing risks and I would have to work that one through with the specialist. Usual advice for FH is to eat " healthy" and cut down on sat fats. That could be tricky on low carb and could make my food choices pretty restricted. Very confused now as towhat is a healthy diet for me.
 
Amazing Trig/HDL ratio you want to be below 0.87 and yours is 0.3 .
I'm not convinced by the FH argument.. why has it suddenly come on in the last few months..?
So are you going to take the statins or wait until the specialist?
What was your HbA1c? I would still be looking at that in the short term rather than spurious cholesterol numbers.
 
My total cholesterol has been rising for years. Always told ratios were good in past so no worries. Last HbA1c 5.7 down from 6.1%. my lipids are potentially complicated by mythyroid control. Not sure low carb diet has helped my Level of LDL. My HDL also weirdly high which may not be good. Ldl Has definitely risen after starting low carb. I'm glad I've been referred to specialist. as it's all getting complicated. I'll have to have a good think about the statins but I may not see specialist for months on NHS. Spose I could go private for initial consult?
 
Quite a few report higher LDL on a Low Carb /Keto diet.. the question should be "is this a bad thing"? As I said with your Trig HDL ratio being so great (and that supposed to be a far better indicator of heart disease) then personally I wouldn't be worried with those numbers. As you can see my TC figs have also gone up eating this way but I have had a CAC scan which showed very little arterial plaque for someone who has been overweight and a heavy smoker and drinker for years so I'm not worried.
If you have a read of Dave Feldman's www.cholesterolcode.com which I have linked to in my cholesterol thread you will find that elevated LDL is pretty common. The great news is that your HbA1c has gone down which is after all what you want to get sorted first. So great on the HbA1c great Trig/HDL ratio.... you just have a few "inconvenient" numbers from your doctors perspective but I seriously doubt they are an expert on this stuff.
 

Yes, this is good news re the HBA1c lowering to 5.7. I would imagine if you get another test in another three months time it will be even lower. With your gorgeous trigs it looks marvellous!
 
AloeSvea said:
Yes, this is good news re the HBA1c lowering to 5.7. I would imagine if you get another test in another three months time it will be even lower. With your gorgeous trigs it looks marvellous!
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Well Im off to the lipid clinic to see the consultant tomorrow to get his view on things. If I have familial Hypercholesterolemia as my gp is suspecting then it could show in a genetic test. I think its good to get checked for it as if I am genetically prone to high cholesterol my sons and grand child can also get tested and treated. Im not prepared to just risk my very high levels without consulting a specialist. You may be right and this is a blip caused by the LCHF diet and my thyroid being a bit low but it seems sensible to seek advice beyond my gp etc. Will let you know how I get on
 
Ah! Just to throw a spanner in the works, @Chez31 - I would strongly advise you watch those youtubes on cholesterol! Read books on the topic. As much as you can - it is sooooooo controversial.

I too have high levels of LDL. (But my trigs too, are gorgeous. Not as gorgeous as yours though, but I am happy with mine.) (Because my trig/hdl ratio is so good the docs don't send me off to hospital - and that ratio is something that @bulkbiker talks about in the forum.) And when I get my blood lipid results they always have a little note about possible familial hypercholesterolemia. Trouble is - I am well middle-aged, and I have super ager parents and rellies, like most of my generation, so I know their blood lipids, health and disease profiles really well, the way that we do. (you will not be surprised to hear me say for us when it comes to health issues it's basically all about the carbs for us!) I read recently, as I read up a lot on this for the above reason, that the stats on folks with hypercholesterolemia, genuinely who have it, their risk of dying more of CVDs and strokes than those without is actually in real terms - a tiny increase. And when I say tiny I mean tiny. It's that ol' relative risk versus real risk again. (You can interpret statistics by doing an increase in a percentage when the real increase is absolutely tiny - the material you can read on this explains it way better than mathematically challenged me!)

What this means is, at a basic level, is the treatment you could get to lower your cholesterol level ends up being more dangerous to your good health than the high LDL! I know it's freaky to think of it, but in terms of deaths and stats - this is really why I suggest you find out as much as you can about it. As it is big-time important. Especially as you are talking about your children's health too.

But I can tell you with confidence that there is not evidence that statins decreases mortality for women. Even women with high LDL, or even ones who have had CVD or strokes if I remember correctly.

A really good question to ask your medical team, re the cholesterol, is, do any of the statin treatments they propose (and they WILL propose them) will they increase your life expectancy, and if so, by how much. If they answer you honestly, that is, if they actually know the stats on this (and the stats exist, absolutely) - you will probably be shocked. (I think, if you were a male and had a CVD or stroke - it is something like 3 weeks. Truly.) (If I have remembered correctly. But it is something like that.)

Sadly, conventional western medicine, the pharmaceutical companies, and our usually great medical professionals cannot be trusted on this subject! I hate to say it, but weighing up the evidence, it does seem to be the case. But because it is so important - this really is something you need to come to your own conclusions about. But get educated on it! Is my suggestion. (Poor you having to deal with all these health issues! you have my total sympathy.)
 
Well, thanks everyone . Good news is the consultant does not think my pattern fits Familial Hypercholesterlaemia. Phew. He notes it started increasing most after I had to stop hrt due to my cancer. He is delighted with my HDL and low blood pressure and not excessively worried by my ldl at this stage. I have begun atorvastatin on a low dose trial but he feels it is not crucial and if doesn't make mich difference to my ldl its prob not worth taking and certainly not at any higher dose considering the risk of it raising my blood sugars ( although this risk is small) . He seemed un fussed by my low carb diet, didn't pooh pooh it and said he didn't think I needed to change my diet much as id sorted out which carbs I could cope with without spiking my bloods. If my sugars got higher he would see me.for a.review. Pretty pleased really. Not often I get to see a Doc who doesn't patronise me .
 
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