I have a lipid panel from Fall 2006 that I want to take to my new doc's appt. in a couple of days. I have no clue how the math works. Here it is:

Chol: 216 (H) Borderline High is 201-239 [Is this TC?]

Trig 47 (OK) Pref: <150

HDL 63 (H) Pref: 35-60 [Why is it considered high?!]

LDL 143.6 (H) Pref: <130

HDL Risk: 3.4 Pref: <5 [I don't get that one either!]

OK, so how do I calculate which items add up to the 216? I tried and can't figure out the numbers! I'm going back on 10 mg Zetia and 5 mg Lipitor and see what happens. HELP ME WITH THE MATH!!! :confused:

The formula is TC = LDL + HDL + Tri's/5 . So your total cholesterol works out as 143.6 + 63 + 47/5 = 216

My understanding is that the higher HDL, is the better. So an HDL of 63 is very good. Its just higher than "normal". And your risk ratio 3.4 is good too.

Mark :)

HDL Risk: 3.4 Pref: <5 [I don't get that one either!]
HELP ME WITH THE MATH!!! :confused:

TC/HDL = HDL Risk

216/63 = 3.43

This is a good number, of course lower is better.

If people keep believing that lower is always better on cholesterol, then i assume that lower is always better on weight also.

My GOD, I agree with you on something, NHONE...I think I might need to lie down!

trucky,
Your numbers are fine.

Thanks guys--The number 5 was what I was missing. A year earlier I had a LDL of 152, an HDL of 80, and Tri's of 46. Why did my HDL go down but not the LDL? And why the heck did the lab say that an HDL of 63 was high?? duh. Anyway, what changed the most that year was dietary eliminations--like red meat, most condiments, and no/low trans fat foods.

I had an HDL of 95 and an LDL of 117 when I was in my 40's. I'm 59 now. The neuro who dxed my MS in fall 2005 also found high homocysteine and CRP. I tried both Lipitor and Pravachol but couldn't walk much or drive due to contracted muscles, so I tried Zetia--had really bad abdominal cramps.

The other day I started back on Zetia with 5 mg Lipitor to see if that works. I read that the Lipitor reduces the CRP and homocysteine too. I also started Cerefolin (A prescription mega B-12, B-6 and Folic Acid). I take daily Copaxone injections for the MS--it's not an interferon, but glatimer-acetate that goes in the brain and acts like a decoy to get your killer cells off the nerve fibers to go after the decoy. I hope all these things I'm taking don't interact too much. If anyone has some more input on this post I'd appreciate it! T

Lenin sometimes I agree with you and it causes me much distress also!...lol I hate to admit it, but I have learned a few things from you.

please note that your body needs cholesterol, so like 0 is not a good number.
You just need high levels of HDL to compensate for the levels of bad cholesterol and you will be healthy.

Trucky , I hate that you have MS. As MS is a destruction of the myelin, and as myelin is especially cholesterol rich, I would NEVER mess with my cholesterol if I had MS. I would however, try things such as fish oil, watching my carbs, and sugars, and get as much exercise as you can tolerate. I would also do at minimun 300mg of COq10 per day. Just curious how did they find that you have MS??? Statin damage can sometimes be mistaken for MS..