Just looking for some help, as I really know nothing about these numbers and what they mean, except for what my dr. told me.
I went for my annual OB/GYN appt. in January and my cholesterol came back at 313. LDL was 235 and HDL was 56. Triglycerides were normal; blood sugar normal. Went for a follow-up appt. last week at a different dr. and my numbers came back: Total: 254; LDL 187; HDL 52; They also ran Homosysten (sp?) and it came back at 7, which he told me was normal. The Lipoprotein A came back at 65 (told me normal was below 30) and the High Sensitive c-reactive protein came back at 9.4 (told me normal was below 3). I eat sensibly and excercise and he recommended Zocor. Thoughts? Oh, I am a 37 year old mom of 2.

my annual OB/GYN appt. in January and my cholesterol came back at 313. LDL was 235 and HDL was 56. Triglycerides were normal; blood sugar normal. Went for a follow-up appt. last week at a different dr. and my numbers came back: Total: 254; LDL 187; HDL 52; They also ran Homosysten (sp?) and it came back at 7, which he told me was normal.

The Lipoprotein A came back at 65 (told me normal was below 30) and the High Sensitive c-reactive protein came back at 9.4 (told me normal was below 3). I eat sensibly and excercise and he recommended Zocor.

Hi Sara,
I think SOMEBODY screwed up those results somewhere. Readings of LDL=235 and LDL=187 show too much of a swing for one month without some kind of DRASTIC intervention between the two.
In either case, though, the results are terrible, and coupled with a high Lp(a) and a high C-Reactive protein, intervention of some kind is MANDATORY; your risks are just too high without.
I think the Zocor and excercise is a very good start. Encourage a high dose Zocor tablet from your doctor; you can save a FORTUNE with a pill splitter. Cost is almost the same and you can get 4- 20mg doses out of an 80 mg tablet (with GREAT CARE!) ;)
Perhaps a third lipid test is advisable to see which of the two former readings was bonkers! :bouncing:

Just looking for some help, as I really know nothing about these numbers and what they mean, except for what my dr. told me.
I went for my annual OB/GYN appt. in January and my cholesterol came back at 313. LDL was 235 and HDL was 56. Triglycerides were normal; blood sugar normal. Went for a follow-up appt. last week at a different dr. and my numbers came back: Total: 254; LDL 187; HDL 52; They also ran Homosysten (sp?) and it came back at 7, which he told me was normal. The Lipoprotein A came back at 65 (told me normal was below 30) and the High Sensitive c-reactive protein came back at 9.4 (told me normal was below 3). I eat sensibly and excercise and he recommended Zocor. Thoughts? Oh, I am a 37 year old mom of 2.

Before throwing yourself at the mercy of drugs why not do some research on how others have reduced there cholesterol using natural means. Spend a few hours reviewing messages and responses on this board. There are lots of supplements that help to reduce cholesterol including a new product called Policosanol Cholesterol Complex by Source Naturals, Inc. It contains 19 ingredients such as guggul gum, policosanol, garlic, hawthorne, dandellion and 14 others. Let drugs be your last resort if nothing else works. I consider 254 to be high normal. That's what it use to be until drug companies lowered the number (to 200). They would lower it again if they could.

Hi Sara,
I think SOMEBODY screwed up those results somewhere. Readings of LDL=235 and LDL=187 show too much of a swing for one month without some kind of DRASTIC intervention between the two.
In either case, though, the results are terrible, and coupled with a high Lp(a) and a high C-Reactive protein, intervention of some kind is MANDATORY; your risks are just too high without.
I think the Zocor and excercise is a very good start. Encourage a high dose Zocor tablet from your doctor; you can save a FORTUNE with a pill splitter. Cost is almost the same and you can get 4- 20mg doses out of an 80 mg tablet (with GREAT CARE!) ;)
Perhaps a third lipid test is advisable to see which of the two former readings was bonkers! :bouncing:

What exactly do the high Lp(a) and high C-reactive protein readings mean? My dr. explained that they help to determine the inflammation on the arteries and from what I have read, the readings, if high, mean a high risk for heart disease. Am I correct? My paternal side of the family has tons of heart disease running through it, which is why I am concerned and frightened. I have thought about trying some natural ways to reduce the numbers, but they're so high that I almost feel like I should take the medication and get them down ASAP.

Before throwing yourself at the mercy of drugs why not do some research on how others have reduced there cholesterol using natural means. Spend a few hours reviewing messages and responses on this board. There are lots of supplements that help to reduce cholesterol including a new product called Policosanol Cholesterol Complex by Source Naturals, Inc. It contains 19 ingredients such as guggul gum, policosanol, garlic, hawthorne, dandellion and 14 others. Let drugs be your last resort if nothing else works. I consider 254 to be high normal. That's what it use to be until drug companies lowered the number (to 200). They would lower it again if they could.

Thanks! I am waffling between doing something naturally and taking medication. I do plan on reading up throughout these boards to see what other information I can find.

Since you're concerned about heart disease you may want to consider a CT Heart Scan. I had one two years ago. It measures the calcification in the arteries. The test takes about 5 minutes and a doctors prescription is not necessary. The test gives you a score. A score 400+ indicates a serious problem. A score below 400 is matched to your age. Example: A score of 325 would be considered high for a 37 year old but normal for someone 67. I had the test at a non profit medical center for $250. At private diagnostic clinics is about $425. It's not reimbursable so doctors don't recommend it. If you test above 400, additional tests are needed. I tested slightly above average (332) which requires dietary and lifestyle changes. I plan to have another one late this year. To find a diagnostic clinic near you type in the words CT Heart Scan your your city. Ex: CT Heart Scan Dallas or visit your yellow pages.

sara,

Lp(a)[lipoprotein-A] is a particularly damaging form of LDL cholesterol that is highly correlated with heart disease. Lp(a) has also shown to "highly heritable."

C-Reactive protein is a measure of the inflammation response pretty much anywhere in the body but often in the arterial walls. This inflammation is thought to form the initiation of heart disease by causing plaque deposition and arterial wall scarring. (Omega-3 oils (fish and flax) seem to lower CRP .)

sara,

Lp(a)[lipoprotein-A] is a particularly damaging form of LDL cholesterol that is highly correlated with heart disease. Lp(a) has also shown to "highly heritable."

C-Reactive protein is a measure of the inflammation response pretty much anywhere in the body but often in the arterial walls. This inflammation is thought to form the initiation of heart disease by causing plaque deposition and arterial wall scarring. (Omega-3 oils (fish and flax) seem to lower CRP .)

thanks for the information. I went ahead and filled my prescription for Zocor and started it last night. I am going to see how it affects my cholesterol levels and go from there.