My Cholesterol Story

[shelley262]

Thank you all plus I was remiss should have put a special thank you to @Indy51 for posting all those useful video links to cholesterol topics Thank you couldn’t have done it without you

 

[Indy51]

Aw shucks! Your success by all metrics has been brilliant @shelley262. You deserve to feel very pleased and proud of yourself

 

[shelley262]

Aw shucks! Your success by all metrics has been brilliant @shelley262. You deserve to feel very pleased and proud of yourself

Ah but your link to academic lectures stopped the sleepless nights and also altered my perspective on cholesterol and if it was harmful or not so thank you - I’m sure all my family were grateful too - no not just the time I spent with headphones listening to the science but having less of me wittering on about it!

 

[KK123]

So pleased to read this as I too am being 'chastised' for high cholesterol (it has gone from 7.4 to 6.6 with hdl of around 2, and trigs of 0.5). My latest appointment with the Diabetes Consultant ended with him saying 'You likely have FH' even though NO members of my family have had ANY heart associated problems and all of the questions they ask you to determine whether it could be FH were negative. So, this statement of his is based solely on my cholesterol readings. (For the record I am not overweight, run every day, eat lowish carb and low fat - I mention this just to emphasise that the Consultant cannot write it off to anything else). He has referred me to a lipid clinic. I don't mind this because maybe it will show whether I do have any cholesterol related issues but the confirmation letter he sent me ended with 'Unfortunately you probably have FH as well as diabetes'!!! I am not a worrier (until I know whether something is wrong) but even so, and all this for an LDL reading of around 4.5???

 

[bulkbiker]

So pleased to read this as I too am being 'chastised' for high cholesterol (it has gone from 7.4 to 6.6 with hdl of around 2, and trigs of 0.5). My latest appointment with the Diabetes Consultant ended with him saying 'You likely have FH' even though NO members of my family have had ANY heart associated problems and all of the questions they ask you to determine whether it could be FH were negative. So, this statement of his is based solely on my cholesterol readings. (For the record I am not overweight, run every day, eat lowish carb and low fat - I mention this just to emphasise that the Consultant cannot write it off to anything else). He has referred me to a lipid clinic. I don't mind this because maybe it will show whether I do have any cholesterol related issues but the confirmation letter he sent me ended with 'Unfortunately you probably have FH as well as diabetes'!!! I am not a worrier (until I know whether something is wrong) but even so, and all this for an LDL reading of around 4.5???

FH seems to be the new excuse for "I really don't understand your cholesterol levels but there must be something wrong so I'll use that as an excuse". They just refuse to admit that there may be nothing wrong with higher cholesterol at all - that leap of logic seems beyond a lot of "specialists". Have you checked out Dave Feldman's work on cholesterol and how to "hack" your numbers www.cholesterolcode.com . If your doc is giving you lots of hassle see if it works for you before your next test. At least it will get them off your back or see if you can get a CAC scan so they can see if there is any arterial plaque present which will at least show if there is anything actually wrong rather than the DC just guessing by looking at a bad proxy. Dave has offered a cash prize for anyone that can come up with a reliable study that shows elevated LDL has any link to CVD. The challenge has been out there for 6 months with no winners so far...

 

[Indy51]

Ah, you must have read my mind, @bulkbiker - I've been preparing a little something on the results received today after my GP slipped cholesterol tests in among my yearly review. So, decided it was time to try out the Feldman Protocol.

Three days of sheer indulgence, eating about twice my usual calories and loading up on cheese, bacon, eggs, double cream, etc. to get my saturated fat as high as possible. Comparing today's results with my extremely high last test when I was eating my standard LCHF diet with 16:8 time restricted feeding.

While still high, it's a pretty amazing difference comparing the two tests, so thanks @DaveKeto

 

[bulkbiker]

Ah, you must have read my mind, @bulkbiker - I've been preparing a little something on the results received today after my GP slipped cholesterol tests in among my yearly review. So, decided it was time to try out the Feldman Protocol.

Three days of sheer indulgence, eating about twice my usual calories and loading up on cheese, bacon, eggs, double cream, etc. to get my saturated fat as high as possible. Comparing today's results with my extremely high last test when I was eating my standard LCHF diet with 16:8 time restricted feeding.

While still high, it's a pretty amazing difference comparing the two tests, so thanks @DaveKeto

View attachment 28176

Wow brilliant results.. that’s quite some change.. looks like diet can make a huge difference to cholesterol numbers.. just not quite the way we have been told...but then again are we surprised.. just as an aside.. did anything happen with weight?

 

[Indy51]

Wow brilliant results.. that’s quite some change.. looks like diet can make a huge difference to cholesterol numbers.. just not quite the way we have been told...but then again are we surprised.. just as an aside.. did anything happen with weight?

Don't think anything happened with weight, though hard to say as I haven't weighed myself in yonks. Dragged out my scales when I got back from the fasting blood tests. I haven't used them in so long they needed new batteries! Anyhoo, weighed about what I believe I always weigh - 64.6kgs.

 

[KK123]

FH seems to be the new excuse for "I really don't understand your cholesterol levels but there must be something wrong so I'll use that as an excuse". They just refuse to admit that there may be nothing wrong with higher cholesterol at all - that leap of logic seems beyond a lot of "specialists". Have you checked out Dave Feldman's work on cholesterol and how to "hack" your numbers www.cholesterolcode.com . If your doc is giving you lots of hassle see if it works for you before your next test. At least it will get them off your back or see if you can get a CAC scan so they can see if there is any arterial plaque present which will at least show if there is anything actually wrong rather than the DC just guessing by looking at a bad proxy. Dave has offered a cash prize for anyone that can come up with a reliable study that shows elevated LDL has any link to CVD. The challenge has been out there for 6 months with no winners so far...

Thanks Bulkbiker, I may just try that. In a way at least a referral should solve it once and for all!!!!

 

[KK123]

Ah, you must have read my mind, @bulkbiker - I've been preparing a little something on the results received today after my GP slipped cholesterol tests in among my yearly review. So, decided it was time to try out the Feldman Protocol.

Three days of sheer indulgence, eating about twice my usual calories and loading up on cheese, bacon, eggs, double cream, etc. to get my saturated fat as high as possible. Comparing today's results with my extremely high last test when I was eating my standard LCHF diet with 16:8 time restricted feeding.

While still high, it's a pretty amazing difference comparing the two tests, so thanks @DaveKeto

View attachment 28176

Wow!!!!

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks Bulkbiker, I may just try that. In a way at least a referral should solve it once and for all!!!!

I doubt it .. so far as I know there's no test for FH just "ooo look your TC is high you must have FH"..!

 

[shelley262]

So pleased to read this as I too am being 'chastised' for high cholesterol (it has gone from 7.4 to 6.6 with hdl of around 2, and trigs of 0.5). My latest appointment with the Diabetes Consultant ended with him saying 'You likely have FH' even though NO members of my family have had ANY heart associated problems and all of the questions they ask you to determine whether it could be FH were negative. So, this statement of his is based solely on my cholesterol readings. (For the record I am not overweight, run every day, eat lowish carb and low fat - I mention this just to emphasise that the Consultant cannot write it off to anything else). He has referred me to a lipid clinic. I don't mind this because maybe it will show whether I do have any cholesterol related issues but the confirmation letter he sent me ended with 'Unfortunately you probably have FH as well as diabetes'!!! I am not a worrier (until I know whether something is wrong) but even so, and all this for an LDL reading of around 4.5???

Sorry to hear you are getting hassle have you worked out your ratios using the cholesterol calculator? It may give you some reassurance- also maybe you could up the fats that are known to raise your HDL will fill you more and may help? Getting my HDL to 2.6 helps balance out my high LDL but your trigs are so low under your bonnet is likely to be healthy. Good luck

 

[Bluetit1802]

So pleased to read this as I too am being 'chastised' for high cholesterol (it has gone from 7.4 to 6.6 with hdl of around 2, and trigs of 0.5). My latest appointment with the Diabetes Consultant ended with him saying 'You likely have FH' even though NO members of my family have had ANY heart associated problems and all of the questions they ask you to determine whether it could be FH were negative. So, this statement of his is based solely on my cholesterol readings. (For the record I am not overweight, run every day, eat lowish carb and low fat - I mention this just to emphasise that the Consultant cannot write it off to anything else). He has referred me to a lipid clinic. I don't mind this because maybe it will show whether I do have any cholesterol related issues but the confirmation letter he sent me ended with 'Unfortunately you probably have FH as well as diabetes'!!! I am not a worrier (until I know whether something is wrong) but even so, and all this for an LDL reading of around 4.5???

You could ask the lipid clinic to do an LDL particle test to see the percentage of big fluffy particles and small dense nasty particles. Not all LDL is "bad" cholesterol. Big fluffy particles are good. Small dense ones are bad. The thinking is that the lower your trigs the more big fluffy particles there will be. Sadly, we don't get these particle tests on the NHS in normal circumstances, but it is possible a lipid clinic may do them. Point out how low your trigs are and how good your HDL is.

 

[KK123]

Sorry to hear you are getting hassle have you worked out your ratios using the cholesterol calculator? It may give you some reassurance- also maybe you could up the fats that are known to raise your HDL will fill you more and may help? Getting my HDL to 2.6 helps balance out my high LDL but your trigs are so low under your bonnet is likely to be healthy. Good luck

Hi Shelley, my ratios were all well within the parameters. I think my HDL is fine at 2.3 to be exact so wouldn't really want to raise my fats anymore, I eat loads of avocado/nuts/fish etc. x

 

[KK123]

You could ask the lipid clinic to do an LDL particle test to see the percentage of big fluffy particles and small dense nasty particles. Not all LDL is "bad" cholesterol. Big fluffy particles are good. Small dense ones are bad. The thinking is that the lower your trigs the more big fluffy particles there will be. Sadly, we don't get these particle tests on the NHS in normal circumstances, but it is possible a lipid clinic may do them. Point out how low your trigs are and how good your HDL is.

Thanks bluetit, I will for definite. I'm not really complaining about being referred because I do think we are well looked after in the NHS and better 'safe' than sorry. I'm not on statins yet anyway so that's good, each time they have um'd and ah'd.

 

[KK123]

I doubt it .. so far as I know there's no test for FH just "ooo look your TC is high you must have FH"..!

Hi bulkbiker, I don't know much about it myself but I think there is some sort of dna test they can do (something to do with some 'missing link' handed over by one or both parents). I really don't think I have it though as neither parent or close relatives had high cholesterol.

 

[shelley262]

You could ask the lipid clinic to do an LDL particle test to see the percentage of big fluffy particles and small dense nasty particles. Not all LDL is "bad" cholesterol. Big fluffy particles are

Hi Shelley, my ratios were all well within the parameters. I think my HDL is fine at 2.3 to be exact so wouldn't really want to raise my fats anymore, I eat loads of avocado/nuts/fish etc. x

brilliant pleased you are eating lots of the good fats and your HDL is a good number as are your ratios good luck

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi bulkbiker, I don't know much about it myself but I think there is some sort of dna test they can do (something to do with some 'missing link' handed over by one or both parents). I really don't think I have it though as neither parent or close relatives had high cholesterol.

Be interesting to find out.. good luck with it anyway..

 

[zand]

Ah, you must have read my mind, @bulkbiker - I've been preparing a little something on the results received today after my GP slipped cholesterol tests in among my yearly review. So, decided it was time to try out the Feldman Protocol.

Three days of sheer indulgence, eating about twice my usual calories and loading up on cheese, bacon, eggs, double cream, etc. to get my saturated fat as high as possible. Comparing today's results with my extremely high last test when I was eating my standard LCHF diet with 16:8 time restricted feeding.

While still high, it's a pretty amazing difference comparing the two tests, so thanks @DaveKeto

View attachment 28176

Love this experiment Indy! Brilliant!

 

[bulkbiker]

Just seen a tweet from Dr Jen Unwin @Southport GP 's better half!
Her total cholesterol is 11... and she doesn't care because she has high HDL and low Trigs so if anyone was worried...and the good news is she got a CAC scan on the NHS because of it and scored zero..