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Raised cholesterol level

C

coco4

Well-Known Member
Messages
751
Hi everyone and best wishes. Advice and or opinions please. Last November I had a 12 hour fasting blood test for cholesterol. The nurse said if you don't hear anything then everything is fine. I always ring for the result just in case. When I rang for the result I was told the Doctor had recorded in my file "Normal, no action required" I am quite new to all this as I was only diagnosed Type 1 in June 2011 at 55 years old. Like an idiot I forgot to ask for the actual reading. I went for a diabetic review at the beginning of December my usual diabetes nurse did all the usual checks everything spot on. So I was very happy. BP good, kidney function good, my own BG meter readings were discussed and we were both pleased with them. Everything was going well. A routine HbA1C was arranged that subsequently came back at 7% down from 7.1%. Today I went to see the nurse as I had had a reminder that my medication review date had not been updated on my last visit. After having a brief chat and encouraging noises made re last HbA1C test she then told me that my last cholesterol test had shown a rise from 4.2 to 5.6. this has really worried me as she said that "they" like it to be under 5. I mentioned that I had rung for the result and was told no action etc and she even showed me the doctor's comment on screen. I have no explanation as to why there has been a rise and no expanation as to why in December at my review the rise in cholesterol had not been pointed out to me. My nurse said not to worry and at this stage would not arrange for tablets as I have no other underlying risk factors apart from type 1 diabetes of course. Should I be unduly worried? I do not really eat very much dairy products and can make a pint of skimmed milk last a week or more so I do not see that that can be the problem. Help please and thanks, Carole
 
Not 100% on this but there is good cholesterol and bad. The figure you have said is the overall cholesterol level. That figure is then broken down further for which you should be allowed a print out, which I have had done. The important thing is the ratio between good and bad, think the bad is known as LDL. although higher than they like your overall level is only slightly higher. If your LDL was also high that is of concern, but yours should of been ok which is why the doc has said all ok. Would be worth confirming and next time getting a print out of the individual levels.

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Hi Brett, thanks for your reply and info. I will certainly check that out and get some confirmation for some added peace of mind. Night.
 
Ok, just checked worse case to have its high LDL and high triglyceride with low levels of HDL. all of these and maybe more make up total cholesterol. High HDL with low LDL and low triglyceride is ok . Very confusing :-o:!::!:

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Brett, you meant "high LDL and high triclycerides" (your first sentence).

Coco4, here are the figures I go by. I think these are for non-diabetics. "They" do like us to be under 5 for Total Cholesterol, but it's the full lipid profile that counts. Ask for a print-out - you are entitled to it, and don't let them charge you! :shock:

Total cholesterol - below 5.2
HDL - above 1.2, and the higher the better
LDL - below 3
Triglycerides - below 1.7, and the lower the better

Also important is the Total:HDL ratio, which should be below 5:1, and preferably c. 3.5:1. My doctor goes by this figure rather than the Total Cholesterol. My Total was 4.9 last time, but he doesn't comment even if it's in the mid-5s, as long as the TC:HDL ratio is okay.

You don't need to be afraid of dietary fat, by the way . Only about 20% of our cholesterol comes from our diet; the rest is made in our liver. I eat a low-carb/fairly-high-fat diet and my lipid profile is fine. If I eat too much carbohydrate the triclycerides, which are the real baddies, go up.

Hope this helps.

Viv 8)
 
Yeah viv did mean that lol amended, thanks

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i was told that in diabetics the production of 'good' cholesterol was suppressed and could lead to a high overall cholesterol ratio, so its not that you have a diet full of food containing 'bad' cholesterol.

unfortunately mine is curently at 6.7 and at 24 really dont fancy the prospect of statins so have cut back on red meat and other high cholesterol foods almost completely - at the moment it is only really alchohol which is a contributing factor...
 
Hi Carole,

As you had a fasting blood check back in December you can ask the gp practise for a full lipid breakdown, here are the recommended target levels for people with diabetes:

Your total cholesterol level should be below 4.0mmol/l.

LDL levels should be less than 2.0mmol/l.

HDL levels should be 1.0mmol/l or above in men and 1.2mmol/l or above in women.

Triglyceride levels should be 1.7mmol/l or less.
 
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