gertielongbum
09-30-2003, 04:59 AM
Hi everyone
I was wondering if you could tell me just how bad these figures are. My HDL was .78, LDL was 4.76 and triglycerides was 2.23. I recently spent the night at the hospital because of dizziness and chest pain. My resting heart rate was 102 and I guess it is supposed to be between 60 & 70. My blood pressure was 200/100 in left arm and 190/80 in right arm. Any comments would be welcome. Thanks!! Don't know what exactly these cholesterol figures mean except my doctor put me on Crestor.
I was wondering if you could tell me just how bad these figures are. My HDL was .78, LDL was 4.76 and triglycerides was 2.23. I recently spent the night at the hospital because of dizziness and chest pain. My resting heart rate was 102 and I guess it is supposed to be between 60 & 70. My blood pressure was 200/100 in left arm and 190/80 in right arm. Any comments would be welcome. Thanks!! Don't know what exactly these cholesterol figures mean except my doctor put me on Crestor.
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gertielongbum
09-30-2003, 05:06 AM
I just realized that the figures I gave you are in Canadian measurements. So I checked a conversion chart and this is what they are HDL 4.78 mm/l(Canadian) or 185 mg/dl(US), LDL .78 mm/l or 30 mg/dl, trig 2.23mm/l or 90 mg/dl.
Nigelr
09-30-2003, 05:31 AM
I think you have switiched values.. in your first post your hdl was lower than ldl in second post visa versa :)
pcovers
09-30-2003, 09:45 AM
Originally posted by gertielongbum:
I just realized that the figures I gave you are in Canadian measurements. So I checked a conversion chart and this is what they are HDL 4.78 mm/l(Canadian) or 185 mg/dl(US), LDL .78 mm/l or 30 mg/dl, trig 2.23mm/l or 90 mg/dl.
If your numbers are the following:
LDL 185
HDL 30
Trig 90
They are indeed not good. According to these numbers your total is 233. This may not seem so bad except that your HDL is only 30. An important risk indicator is the TC/HDL ration. You want this as low as you can. Above 5.0 is considered high risk. Your ratio is 7.7
Your effort should be focused on lowering your total cholesterol, which the medication would presumably help, but probably more important is to raise your HDL. Fish oil, high dose niacin, weight loss, and regular exercise seem to be among the most effective means of raising HDL.
I just realized that the figures I gave you are in Canadian measurements. So I checked a conversion chart and this is what they are HDL 4.78 mm/l(Canadian) or 185 mg/dl(US), LDL .78 mm/l or 30 mg/dl, trig 2.23mm/l or 90 mg/dl.
If your numbers are the following:
LDL 185
HDL 30
Trig 90
They are indeed not good. According to these numbers your total is 233. This may not seem so bad except that your HDL is only 30. An important risk indicator is the TC/HDL ration. You want this as low as you can. Above 5.0 is considered high risk. Your ratio is 7.7
Your effort should be focused on lowering your total cholesterol, which the medication would presumably help, but probably more important is to raise your HDL. Fish oil, high dose niacin, weight loss, and regular exercise seem to be among the most effective means of raising HDL.
zip2play
09-30-2003, 10:09 AM
I agree with pcovers. Your very low HDL levels make your results dangerous: near the top of the class in heart disease risk.
First, RETEST to make sure HDL is really that low.
Second, Add a tsp. fish oil and a Tbsp. lecithin to your daily diet.
How is that Crestor(rosuvastiatin) treating you? Make sure you test your liver functions (bloodtest) regularly and tell doc if you suffer any severe muscle pains.
First, RETEST to make sure HDL is really that low.
Second, Add a tsp. fish oil and a Tbsp. lecithin to your daily diet.
How is that Crestor(rosuvastiatin) treating you? Make sure you test your liver functions (bloodtest) regularly and tell doc if you suffer any severe muscle pains.
gertielongbum
10-01-2003, 03:33 AM
Thank you so much for your replies. Yes I did reverse the numbers accidently in my 2nd post. Sorry. The first figures were correct.
Pcovers I did have another test and they are indeed the correct figures. I am 41 and only found my real dad 10 years ago. I learnt his parents died at the age of 50 and 51. And his only sibling died at 48. All from massive heart attacks. I guess I really should be concerned and also thankful that I have found all this out now.
Can you take fish oil in capsules(yuck)! How do I take high doses of Niacin? Exactly what is that. I'm new to all this. I am not over weight but I still smoke and am having problems quitting.
Zip2play it is funny that you mention that fact about Crestor. I am suffering severely with leg pains. I just went to the doc today and he put me on clonazepam, tylenol 3 and told me I had restless leg syndrome. But you see I also have fibromyalgia and suffered 2 years ago from very severe pains in the legs. They even tested me for MS. Anyway I was put on 100 mg of elavil and my pains disappeared for the last 2 years. I wonder if this medication has brought it all back? Do you think this is possible? He wants to see me back in 2 weeks to see how all the meds are working.
Oh I almost forgot about the exercise thing. Twice I tried doing some hiking and my face was on fire. I mean it was beat red and so were my ears. I was sweating and had a little shortness of breath. I felt nauseaus. I told the doc and all he had to say was I was just vasodialating. I really need help quitting smoking.I live in a town of only 20,000. Maybe I should ask to be sent to Vancouver to see some sort of specialist. Thank you all so much for your replies.
:wave:
Pcovers I did have another test and they are indeed the correct figures. I am 41 and only found my real dad 10 years ago. I learnt his parents died at the age of 50 and 51. And his only sibling died at 48. All from massive heart attacks. I guess I really should be concerned and also thankful that I have found all this out now.
Can you take fish oil in capsules(yuck)! How do I take high doses of Niacin? Exactly what is that. I'm new to all this. I am not over weight but I still smoke and am having problems quitting.
Zip2play it is funny that you mention that fact about Crestor. I am suffering severely with leg pains. I just went to the doc today and he put me on clonazepam, tylenol 3 and told me I had restless leg syndrome. But you see I also have fibromyalgia and suffered 2 years ago from very severe pains in the legs. They even tested me for MS. Anyway I was put on 100 mg of elavil and my pains disappeared for the last 2 years. I wonder if this medication has brought it all back? Do you think this is possible? He wants to see me back in 2 weeks to see how all the meds are working.
Oh I almost forgot about the exercise thing. Twice I tried doing some hiking and my face was on fire. I mean it was beat red and so were my ears. I was sweating and had a little shortness of breath. I felt nauseaus. I told the doc and all he had to say was I was just vasodialating. I really need help quitting smoking.I live in a town of only 20,000. Maybe I should ask to be sent to Vancouver to see some sort of specialist. Thank you all so much for your replies.
:wave:
zip2play
10-01-2003, 10:03 AM
Gertie,
That's one heck of a pile of drugs. Do you really mean Elavil...perhaps Flexeril?? Using Elavil (a major antipsychotic) for restless leg syndrome is like using cannons to kill mosquitoes.
Get a good workup from a different doctor; the current one is too too ready with the prescription pad.
The statins can cause the leg pains all on their own- perhaps the most common side effect (and the reason people discontinue them.)
An alternative is to stop ALL the drugs for a couple weeks and see if the untoward symptoms go away...better tell your MD you're doing it though.
That's one heck of a pile of drugs. Do you really mean Elavil...perhaps Flexeril?? Using Elavil (a major antipsychotic) for restless leg syndrome is like using cannons to kill mosquitoes.
Get a good workup from a different doctor; the current one is too too ready with the prescription pad.
The statins can cause the leg pains all on their own- perhaps the most common side effect (and the reason people discontinue them.)
An alternative is to stop ALL the drugs for a couple weeks and see if the untoward symptoms go away...better tell your MD you're doing it though.