I have just heard from my doctor's nurse. They have just received the test results. I have to go in for a flu shot on Thursday, and I asked her give me a copy of the test results. Off of the top of my head, here is what she said: My LDL level has gone down from 182 to 104. My total cholesterol has gone down from 260 to, I think she said, 174. All of the other tests came back negative.

I am allowed to eat cheese again - I was just told not to overindulge. I can even eat fast food, but I was told to choose grilled meat over fried. I am allowed to drink 2% milk products - but I think I will stick with fat free milk.

So...what was my diet over the last month? Oats, twice a day; Heart Wise orange juice, twice a day; lean meat; no cheese; no fast food; plenty of exercise - which I always get from my job. It has taught me to not eat everything I feel like eating. I may be able to eat everything, but I have to do it in moderation - or suffer the consequences.

I'll post the results when I get them. I am going to be sensible with my diet for three months, and then get tested again.

Thanks for listening - or reading, I should say,

Steve

I have just heard from my doctor's nurse. They have just received the test results. I have to go in for a flu shot on Thursday, and I asked her give me a copy of the test results. Off of the top of my head, here is what she said: My LDL level has gone down from 182 to 104. My total cholesterol has gone down from 260 to, I think she said, 174. All of the other tests came back negative.

I am allowed to eat cheese again - I was just told not to overindulge. I can even eat fast food, but I was told to choose grilled meat over fried. I am allowed to drink 2% milk products - but I think I will stick with fat free milk.

So...what was my diet over the last month? Oats, twice a day; Heart Wise orange juice, twice a day; lean meat; no cheese; no fast food; plenty of exercise - which I always get from my job. It has taught me to not eat everything I feel like eating. I may be able to eat everything, but I have to do it in moderation - or suffer the consequences.

I'll post the results when I get them. I am going to be sensible with my diet for three months, and then get tested again.

Thanks for listening - or reading, I should say,

Steve


Well that is definitely great news. Did U do it all with diet and exercise? Seeing U did so well, I would keep on doing the same thing. Even though they said U could eat some things U stopped, go REAL easy on them.

Congrats., great to hear good news...... :wave:

WOOHOO! That is very good news. I don't think I've heard of anyone who made that much progress from diet alone. I'm assuming here that your exercise didn't change much, if you get most of your exercise from work.

WOOHOO! That is very good news. I don't think I've heard of anyone who made that much progress from diet alone. I'm assuming here that your exercise didn't change much, if you get most of your exercise from work.
It surprised me, too. I was expecting it to be genetic. However, I did really watch my diet very closely...and I avoided fat completely for a month. I didn't touch anything that said "saturated fat" at all. It worked. As for exercise, I get plenty of exercise from my work. It keeps my weight low. It is a very cardio-vascular job. I guess it is the perfect job for weight control.

Looking back, it doesn't surprise me that my fat level dropped - my diet was appalling before. It was a lesson to me.

Steve

Well that is definitely great news. Did U do it all with diet and exercise? Seeing U did so well, I would keep on doing the same thing. Even though they said U could eat some things U stopped, go REAL easy on them.

Congrats., great to hear good news...... :wave:
Well...I've always been physically active, so it has to be exclusively diet that made the difference. My diet was very extreme, though. I looked upon this as a danger sign, and took immediate steps to correct it. I've had people telling me that one month of dieting would not make any difference to my LDL levels. Well...it did. You just have to serious about it. This is life and death we are talking about, after all.

Steve

Well...I've always been physically active, so it has to be exclusively diet that made the difference. My diet was very extreme, though. I looked upon this as a danger sign, and took immediate steps to correct it. I've had people telling me that one month of dieting would not make any difference to my LDL levels. Well...it did. You just have to serious about it. This is life and death we are talking about, after all.

Steve

That sure proves people wrong huh.... :D Sounds like your job is great for exercise, so improving your diet so well really paid off. Always happy to hear someone downing those numbers naturally.

Congrats. again......... :wave:

WOW That is really great!! Big Congratulations! :bouncing:

I have been trying to lower mine by diet and exercise for about 9 months now, without much luck :confused:
I eat no red meat, no dairy except for fat free, no cheese at all. Lots of fruits and vegetables, no fried food, and haven't had Fast Food in years! I also run daily and do weight training. But have not had any luck in lowering my Cholesteral numbers. Mine was always low, except for this year, for some reason it went up (235), the only thing it does now is bounce around a lot, and the Doctor doesn't know why there is so much fluctuation in it. He doesn't think there is reason to start medication at this time. BTW no one in my family has high cholesteral or heart disease.

What kind of oats did you eat?

I have heard that it is really hard to lower the cholesteral with diet alone.
Congrats again! Well done! :)

Abby

That sure proves people wrong huh.... :D Sounds like your job is great for exercise, so improving your diet so well really paid off. Always happy to hear someone downing those numbers naturally.

Congrats. again......... :wave:
I believe that it was exclusively diet that altered my numbers. And I realise how lucky I am to get such a fast reduction. I am a little hyperactive by nature, so exercise has never been in the equation for me as far as cholesterol is concerned. I am glad that I didn't need to resort to medication. I am lucky. I realise that people who have a genetic problem have no option but to use medicine.

Steve

WOW That is really great!! Big Congratulations! :bouncing:

I have been trying to lower mine by diet and exercise for about 9 months now, without much luck :confused:
I eat no red meat, no dairy except for fat free, no cheese at all. Lots of fruits and vegetables, no fried food, and haven't had Fast Food in years! I also run daily and do weight training. But have not had any luck in lowering my Cholesteral numbers. Mine was always low, except for this year, for some reason it went up (235), the only thing it does now is bounce around a lot, and the Doctor doesn't know why there is so much fluctuation in it. He doesn't think there is reason to start medication at this time. BTW no one in my family has high cholesteral or heart disease.
I was going to say that that sounds like a genetic problem to me, but I am no expert. I do know from my own research that cholesterol can increase around about the age of 45 in men - it is older in women, around 55. If it is genetic, it can kick in at any age, I guess - but that is something I know very little about. With me, I was lucky - it was dietary, pure and simple. I have never had a weight problem to go along with it.

I was eating red meat during this last month - but it was lean. My wife has been supporting my diet and buying only lean cuts. I was using Smart Balance on my sandwiches, and she did advise me on what not to eat. I did miss peanut butter - my favourite food. I don't miss it now, though.

What kind of oats did you eat?

I have heard that it is really hard to lower the cholesteral with diet alone.
Congrats again! Well done! :)

Abby
Just the one minute kind - cooked in the microwave. I was actually cooking them for two minutes, as I burnt the saucepan after the first day.

Steve,

You willl be my inspiration. I am going to see if I can get my saturated fats down another notch (below 5% of my calories) and my first sworn off food will be CHEESE! I'm already on the 2% milk and fat free half and half and SMART BEAT (no trans-no saturated fats) replacing all my butter. The eggs are my big stumbling block...I love them so, I will try to do morning oats instead...fingers crossed.
Will you continue with the plant sterols (Heart-Wise OJ?)

You've made it pretty clear that a LOW FAT DIET WORKS!

Steve,

You willl be my inspiration. I am going to see if I can get my saturated fats down another notch (below 5% of my calories) and my first sworn off food will be CHEESE! I'm already on the 2% milk and fat free half and half and SMART BEAT (no trans-no saturated fats) replacing all my butter. The eggs are my big stumbling block...I love them so, I will try to do morning oats instead...fingers crossed.
Will you continue with the plant sterols (Heart-Wise OJ?)

You've made it pretty clear that a LOW FAT DIET WORKS!
I am going to continue using Heart Wise - but just probably once a day now. I am going to eat oats during the winter months - so, another six months at least. I would advise using 1% or fat-free, as opposed to 2%. My nurse advised no 2%. Cheerios is good to reduce cholesterol, too.

I am leaving for work in about half-an-hour. I will be picking up my test results on the way. Around about January, I will get re-tested. In about ten days I have to start fasting for a colonoscopy - so that is the next big event in my life. I did find out this morning that my wife had sneaked some butter into my broccolli the other night. She was worried about my weight. I had sunk down to 139lbs. It didn't do me any harm. I'm sure that the fast food was the real culprit.

The only other medical problem I need checking out is my ADD. I should have no problem with insurance, because it is a pre-existing condition. That will have to wait awhile, though. For now, medical treatment can wait. I have already found out that routine examinations are not covered by my insurance company - the blood tests were, though.

Steve

WAY TO GO, STEVE!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:

Like Lenin, you are my inspiration, too. I'm so happy to see your positive results. Wow...cheese...I'm jealous. This is real cheese you can have now, right? Not the low-fat or fat-free stuff that sorta, kinda, might resemble cheese if you squint your eyes and wash it down quickly with a drink?

Another question: How was your HDL to start with? If it was too low, did you include a daily alcoholic beverage to increase this? If so, what kind, i.e., wine (red, white or both) or distilled spirits?

I ate a lot of fast food, too. I'm hoping cutting out that garbage will help me with my numbers.

Again, fantastic news & congrats!!!

Lysne

WAY TO GO, STEVE!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:

Like Lenin, you are my inspiration, too. I'm so happy to see your positive results. Wow...cheese...I'm jealous. This is real cheese you can have now, right? Not the low-fat or fat-free stuff that sorta, kinda, might resemble cheese if you squint your eyes and wash it down quickly with a drink?

Another question: How was your HDL to start with? If it was too low, did you include a daily alcoholic beverage to increase this? If so, what kind, i.e., wine (red, white or both) or distilled spirits?

I ate a lot of fast food, too. I'm hoping cutting out that garbage will help me with my numbers.

Again, fantastic news & congrats!!!

Lysne
I can eat real cheese, but I'm not going to. I'm going to stick with low-fat cheese. I haven't eaten cheese of any kind in over five weeks now. My HDL was stable, it was the LDL that was high. I don't drink much - hardly at all, actually.

My orignial results are here:
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=323145&page=1

Steve

Here are my results:

Total Cholesterol: 173
Triglycerides: 96
HDL-Cholesterol: 50
LDL-Cholesterol: 104
CHOL/HDLC Ratio: 3.46

Cardio CRP: 0.5
Total Homocysteine: 8.8

Maybe someone can give me some feedback about the CRP level, as I was not given a reference range on my readout.

Many thanks,

Steve

Maybe someone can give me some feedback about the CRP level, as I was not given a reference range on my readout.

Many thanks,

Steve

Well Steve, I think your CRP level is also quite favorable. I only had my CRP checked once, but fortunately I saved the lab report. It says that the lowest risk range is <0.7 mg/L. So I think you fall into the lowest risk range. Congratulations!

I was just looking back over the thread I posted last September. I didn't keep to any of this. :eek:

I said I was going to get tested 3 months later, and I didn't - in fact, I forgot I had even promised myself that. I did agree to get tested after one year, though - my doctor and I agreed on that several months back. I got tested last Wednesday. The results should have been back at the doctors today. I haven't heard anything yet, so it will probably be Monday now. I have asked for another bloodtest printout.

I was going to continue eating oats throughout the winter. I didn't. I stopped eating Healthy Heart orange juice, too. I was going to go on low-fat cheese, and started eating full-fat again. I have, however, stayed off of fast food for the whole year. I've eaten ice cream, though...but for the most part I have eaten healthier.

I'll post the results of my test when I get them.

Best wishes,

Steve

We eagerly await the results of your "slippage."

Saintly eating IS tough though, isn't it? Seems ANYTHING can be done for a week but it's harder after a month and YOI, after a year it is SO easy to slip back :dizzy: :dizzy: !

It's bad news...

Cholesterol: 227
Triglyceride: 340
HDL: 41
LDL-Calculated: 118
Non HDL Cholesterol: 185.73
CHOL/HDL: 5.5
VLDL: 68
TG/HDL: 8.24

I got it down last year, but it is way up again. Some of the readings that were lower last year are actually higher now. Total is down a little over last year's reading, but it is far too high.

My doctor has given me 12 weeks of Crestor samples...and wants me to be tested every three months. We have not spoken about diet at all yet. He agreed with me that no one can stay on low fat forever. It is just not possible. I took my first dose tonight. I have had no side effects - which is good, and unusual for me.

Steve

Steve,

So MUCH of the difference is due to that triglyceride catastrophe (from 96 to 340???) It sounds almost like your fast was kebolluxed or the lab did something wrong.
Did you go on a bender the night before? Something like alternating SHOTS and BUTTER pats.:cool: :jester:

Consider having a retest before you start the Crestor and see if a GOOD 14 hour fast and no alcohol the day before might give you a much better triglyceride number.

Although...the total cholesterol change does seem to reinforce the whole gloomy picture.

At least your LDL's didn't go off the wall.

Why not do a MONTH of non-fat eating and test again...that would be REALLY interesting.

(And people wonder WHY so many of us are on statins...:D:D:D)

After doing a little research, it is probably yoghurt that has caused my tryglyceride level to escalate - I am going on lite or plain. I eat about two cartons a day for my stomach. I am using caprylic acid, too - but that seems to lower the triglyceride level.

Thank you for your advice, but I did the fast to the letter - it was probably a 15-hour fast with nothing but water...so it was dead accurate. I never touch alcohol at all, so that was not a consideration. I don't watch my diet as closely as I did last year, but it was still better in some regards. I've already started on the Crestor, and I will be taking it every evening from now on...and I am not altering my diet at all until my doctor tells me to do so. In three months I will see what my levels are like, and I will worry about it then.

Steve