mccoll67
09-11-2006, 09:36 PM
could not distinguish between HDL and LDL because sample was "grossly lipemic"
what does that mean? It doesn't sound good!
what does that mean? It doesn't sound good!
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NHone
09-12-2006, 02:19 AM
It sounds like u need a retest.
plasva
09-12-2006, 02:40 AM
How long did you fast before having the blood drawn? You didn't happen to eat fast-food beforehand, did you? :)
If your blood was lipemic, that means after they spun it down, instead of clear plasma, yours was visibly cloudy (from lipids). If it's very lipemic, it could mean the test won't be accurate. This means either you need to fast (nothing to eat/drink besides water) for a longer period of time before having your blood drawn again or, due to genetics, etc., it's normal for YOU to have lipemic blood. But that doesn't mean a diet/lifestyle or medication change can't help....
If your blood was lipemic, that means after they spun it down, instead of clear plasma, yours was visibly cloudy (from lipids). If it's very lipemic, it could mean the test won't be accurate. This means either you need to fast (nothing to eat/drink besides water) for a longer period of time before having your blood drawn again or, due to genetics, etc., it's normal for YOU to have lipemic blood. But that doesn't mean a diet/lifestyle or medication change can't help....
Lenin
09-12-2006, 10:21 AM
mcoll,
It means you have a HUGE overabundance of triglycerides in your blood.
Sometimes after a very fatty meal, a blood draw can be almost milky looking from the gross amounts of fat that it is carrying. This "gross lipemia" is often in the triglyceride range well over 1,000 or even 2,000 mg/dL. Were they able to measure your triglycerides? THey SHOULD have been able to.
Have a retest with a strict 14 hour fast. If you get the same numbers you will need intervention, probably drug intervention.
It MIGHT have meant something more common though: "triglycerides over 400 do not allow for the testing of LDL." If so, then the lab was somewhat overstating the case with the word "grossly."
It means you have a HUGE overabundance of triglycerides in your blood.
Sometimes after a very fatty meal, a blood draw can be almost milky looking from the gross amounts of fat that it is carrying. This "gross lipemia" is often in the triglyceride range well over 1,000 or even 2,000 mg/dL. Were they able to measure your triglycerides? THey SHOULD have been able to.
Have a retest with a strict 14 hour fast. If you get the same numbers you will need intervention, probably drug intervention.
It MIGHT have meant something more common though: "triglycerides over 400 do not allow for the testing of LDL." If so, then the lab was somewhat overstating the case with the word "grossly."
mccoll67
09-12-2006, 12:06 PM
Thanks, you guys!
I had 1 pint of Dreyer's ice cream at 10pm-10:20, then had the blood draw at 11:30 a.m. the next morning.
I think that will be the last ice cream I eat in a long while.
My triglycerides were 2800. I just got the results on Saturday from a blood test Friday. I see the GP today at 2:00 pm.
This wasn't the first time I got the 'grossly lipemic' message from the lab. I had some other test a few months back and they said 'grossly lipemic.' I emailed my doctor asking what that meant and she didn't reply so I figured it was not important.
I have been eating a high fat and high sugar diet. I have pretty much eaten whatever I wanted with no consideration as to its impact on me. I had gained 70 pounds in 3-4 years. I used to be in Overeaters Anonymous but gave it up for a variety of reasons. This is a huge wakeup call.....
Thanks for your input!
I had 1 pint of Dreyer's ice cream at 10pm-10:20, then had the blood draw at 11:30 a.m. the next morning.
I think that will be the last ice cream I eat in a long while.
My triglycerides were 2800. I just got the results on Saturday from a blood test Friday. I see the GP today at 2:00 pm.
This wasn't the first time I got the 'grossly lipemic' message from the lab. I had some other test a few months back and they said 'grossly lipemic.' I emailed my doctor asking what that meant and she didn't reply so I figured it was not important.
I have been eating a high fat and high sugar diet. I have pretty much eaten whatever I wanted with no consideration as to its impact on me. I had gained 70 pounds in 3-4 years. I used to be in Overeaters Anonymous but gave it up for a variety of reasons. This is a huge wakeup call.....
Thanks for your input!
Lenin
09-12-2006, 05:14 PM
mcoll,
Yes, that 2800 is very properly called "grossly lipemic"...it means that in a deciliter of blood (100 cc's) you have 2.8 grams of fat or almost 3% fat. That is the most dire of situations.
Your doctor will almost certainly put you on one of the fibrates like Lopid or Tricor and recommend a VERY low fat diet along with sugar restriction.
Make sure you have another test after about 18 hours of absolutely NO fat just to eliminate the effect of dietary fat from the reading. (Snack on pretzels the night before! :D)
Don't let your doctor brush you off...you need intervention til you get to the bottom of this.
Are you still very much overweight?
Yes, that 2800 is very properly called "grossly lipemic"...it means that in a deciliter of blood (100 cc's) you have 2.8 grams of fat or almost 3% fat. That is the most dire of situations.
Your doctor will almost certainly put you on one of the fibrates like Lopid or Tricor and recommend a VERY low fat diet along with sugar restriction.
Make sure you have another test after about 18 hours of absolutely NO fat just to eliminate the effect of dietary fat from the reading. (Snack on pretzels the night before! :D)
Don't let your doctor brush you off...you need intervention til you get to the bottom of this.
Are you still very much overweight?
mccoll67
09-12-2006, 05:59 PM
Hi Lenin -- Thanks so much for your message. It is very timely as I see the doctor in 1 hour. Yes, I am approximately 70 pounds overweight -- I have been overeating steadily the last 3-4 years and have given up my normal exercise. I am the highest weight I have ever been in my life. I would normally weigh between 155 and 170 (I am a muscular build 5 foot 8) and I am 238 right now.
I have had issues with Overeaters Anonymous (religious wise) and yet it has been the only thing that even comes close to helping me deal with the overeating (but it never really helped me stop). I was in OA for 10 years before quitting 3.5 years ago (it just got ridiculous to me to wait for God to tell me what my food plan should be). I had so many objections to following it.
According to OA, I have a disease of compulsive overeating which continues to get worse until I turn my life and will over to God. While I have done that -- I have been a Christian the last 4 years, I have not had relief or the power to stay away from sugar/fats. My dad is an alcoholic (still using at age 60), so is his dad, and was his dad (and I have many serious alcoholics on my mom's side too...)and I believe that my food problems are identical to their alcoholism.
I was never a huge drinker--I didn't like being out of control, but the only thing that relieved my compulsion to eat sugar was alcohol. Literally the only time I did not want a candy bar was when I had several beers or margaritas. When I stopped drinking 4 years ago, my need for sugar increased.
When I have sugar, there is a moment in time when I believe that everything in my life is fine. I am complete. Whole. Everything is right in the world.
And then there is the need for more, and more. My life has narrowed while my need for and reliance on food has increased. Everything OA has said was true but yet I stubbornly refuse to trust the program.
I keep thinking the problem will go away and it doesn't. I wish I didn't fight OA so much. I need help, for sure.
The Chinese character for crisis also means opportunity. This is an opportunity and I am praying for help very loudly!!!!!
I have had issues with Overeaters Anonymous (religious wise) and yet it has been the only thing that even comes close to helping me deal with the overeating (but it never really helped me stop). I was in OA for 10 years before quitting 3.5 years ago (it just got ridiculous to me to wait for God to tell me what my food plan should be). I had so many objections to following it.
According to OA, I have a disease of compulsive overeating which continues to get worse until I turn my life and will over to God. While I have done that -- I have been a Christian the last 4 years, I have not had relief or the power to stay away from sugar/fats. My dad is an alcoholic (still using at age 60), so is his dad, and was his dad (and I have many serious alcoholics on my mom's side too...)and I believe that my food problems are identical to their alcoholism.
I was never a huge drinker--I didn't like being out of control, but the only thing that relieved my compulsion to eat sugar was alcohol. Literally the only time I did not want a candy bar was when I had several beers or margaritas. When I stopped drinking 4 years ago, my need for sugar increased.
When I have sugar, there is a moment in time when I believe that everything in my life is fine. I am complete. Whole. Everything is right in the world.
And then there is the need for more, and more. My life has narrowed while my need for and reliance on food has increased. Everything OA has said was true but yet I stubbornly refuse to trust the program.
I keep thinking the problem will go away and it doesn't. I wish I didn't fight OA so much. I need help, for sure.
The Chinese character for crisis also means opportunity. This is an opportunity and I am praying for help very loudly!!!!!
mccoll67
09-12-2006, 08:32 PM
You were right, Lenin! The doc put me on Lopid and I will retest tomorrow morning just to see if the labs were off -- she doubts that they would be so far off that I would actually be normal, however!
She said that high triglycerides were particularly troublesome for women re: heart disease.
I found out yesterday that my mom had cholesterol of 600+ and triglycerides of 1500 when she was diagnosed with high cholesterol around age 48.
My grandmother died of stroke at 62 but no one knew about her cholesterol because she was a Christian Scientist and did not see doctors.
Time for a change!
Now...I see a nutritionist next week and will start working on the diet. Doc says she will retest me in 1 month.
Amazing stuff, this! Thanks for your help!
She said that high triglycerides were particularly troublesome for women re: heart disease.
I found out yesterday that my mom had cholesterol of 600+ and triglycerides of 1500 when she was diagnosed with high cholesterol around age 48.
My grandmother died of stroke at 62 but no one knew about her cholesterol because she was a Christian Scientist and did not see doctors.
Time for a change!
Now...I see a nutritionist next week and will start working on the diet. Doc says she will retest me in 1 month.
Amazing stuff, this! Thanks for your help!
Lenin
09-13-2006, 10:46 AM
I hope you can take the Lopid without too much gastric "kickback." :D
I feel the same way about any 'XXXXX Anonymous." Overeating or overdrinking is between me and food or alcohol. I prefer to leave God and my "weakness in the face of blah-blah" out of the equation.
Look into Weight Watchers. Their plan has good, though not free support. Otherwise try diligent calorie counting and find some on-line free diet support. After all, Weight Watchers is really just calorie counting "with hand holding."
I feel the same way about any 'XXXXX Anonymous." Overeating or overdrinking is between me and food or alcohol. I prefer to leave God and my "weakness in the face of blah-blah" out of the equation.
Look into Weight Watchers. Their plan has good, though not free support. Otherwise try diligent calorie counting and find some on-line free diet support. After all, Weight Watchers is really just calorie counting "with hand holding."
MaureenE
09-29-2006, 03:58 PM
Hi I'm new as well and looking for clarity/answers.
A little background on me:
I'm 42 yo female
5'1"
118 lbs
busy working mom with 3 kids (age 11-15)
little time for exercise
I think I eat healthy (fish, rice, soybeans, vegetbles, chicken, pork..and not too much red meat (occasional burger), chips and salsa, occasional glass of red wine)
I'm not an over-eater, but I do eat what I want.
...my latest blood test says "lipemic" and my doctor has shocked me with these results:
Choleterol: 292 (in 2004 = 181)
Triglycerides: 1410 !!!
I'm re-testing in about 3 weeks...any wise words to help me put this into perspective would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
A little background on me:
I'm 42 yo female
5'1"
118 lbs
busy working mom with 3 kids (age 11-15)
little time for exercise
I think I eat healthy (fish, rice, soybeans, vegetbles, chicken, pork..and not too much red meat (occasional burger), chips and salsa, occasional glass of red wine)
I'm not an over-eater, but I do eat what I want.
...my latest blood test says "lipemic" and my doctor has shocked me with these results:
Choleterol: 292 (in 2004 = 181)
Triglycerides: 1410 !!!
I'm re-testing in about 3 weeks...any wise words to help me put this into perspective would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Uff-Da!
09-29-2006, 06:42 PM
Maureen - Did you fast for 12-14 hours before the test? Recent food consumption can cause triglycerides to show as exceptionally high. Be sure next time not only to fast the required time, but make sure you don't eat a high carbohydrate meal as the last meal before the test, nor consume any alcohol within 24 hours.
High triglycerides are often the result of too much consumption of carbohydrates. If you did fast before the last test, I'd suggest that you cut out all low-quality sugars like those found in sodas and sweets and keep consumption of natural sugars like those in fruit fairly low, too. Also avoid white bread, white rice, white potatoes. Whole grains and legumes are okay, but the quantities someone with a triglyceride problem should include would be considerably lower than for someone without the problem. I'm trying to avoid saying "low-carb" here, as some people interpret that to be almost no carb. But definitely go for a LOWER carb diet if you don't think it was just a result of eating too close to your test.
High triglycerides are often the result of too much consumption of carbohydrates. If you did fast before the last test, I'd suggest that you cut out all low-quality sugars like those found in sodas and sweets and keep consumption of natural sugars like those in fruit fairly low, too. Also avoid white bread, white rice, white potatoes. Whole grains and legumes are okay, but the quantities someone with a triglyceride problem should include would be considerably lower than for someone without the problem. I'm trying to avoid saying "low-carb" here, as some people interpret that to be almost no carb. But definitely go for a LOWER carb diet if you don't think it was just a result of eating too close to your test.