Help with this question? 2002 numbers Thanks for helping me so much! - High Cholesterol Message Board

drummer1 · 08-17-2004, 02:05 PM

I am sorry to keep bothering everyone here but...

In september of 2002 my numbers were:

TC-179
LDL-107
HDL-31
TRIG-203

Now as I said in another post my numbers are:

august 2004
TC-167
LDL-75
HDL-24
TRIG-339

After the blood work in 2002 my doctor put me on zocor 20mg.Seems to me all this did was lower my HDL And increase my trigs? Even though my LDL was higher in 2002 It seems to me overall those were better numbers?

Now he ups me to 40mg of zocor, what do those two sets of numbers tell you? Before the 02 test my diet was the same as it is now no different at all, I have tried to make changes over the past week but still what I ate in o2 I ate in 04?why on medication did the level of trig.rise? very confusing to me.In that time frame I only gained 4 pounds so my weight has been consitant.

Once I fully understand all this I will back off,for now I am totally confused??

Should I get off this zocor crap and try niacin? I was never on meds before 2002 and now the numbers are worse??? Explain what gives here!!

Thanks...

tatum46 · 08-17-2004, 03:12 PM

Totally stupid question... what does TC stan for?

NineLives · 08-17-2004, 03:17 PM

I certainly don't claim to know more than a doctor but I think Zocor is the wrong med for you. Tricor just makes way more sense because it works on the trigs. As far as niacin goes I've been on it since April and have been on Zocor 40 mg for close to 3 years.

My numbers as of July 2004
total chol. 136
LDL 67
HDL 46
Trigs 113

My numbers when my blockage was discovered and these are approx. #'s from memory

total chol 193
LDL 136
HDL 32
trigs 183

As you can see my numbers have improved greatly while on Zocor. The niacin raised my HDL 6 points but my total cholesterol came up along with it so I don't know that it will pay off to stay on the niacin. I've accomplished this with a fairly sensible diet, exercise and medication. I believe also working at relieving stressors in my life have also made a difference.
And don't ever worry about bothering anyone here with questions. It's healing for me to try to help someone else not have to face what I did in 2001 and 2002 with a stent and bypass surgery at age 41. Ask those questions and just keep on asking because knowledge is power!

ARIZONA73 · 08-17-2004, 03:52 PM

Drummer1,

Wow, you mean that in 2002 your total cholesterol was only 179, and your LDL was just 107, and you were still put on Zocor? It seems to me that it's not the TC and LDL that needs fixing, but the HDL and triglycerides. Zocor isn't going to do very much for HDL or triglycerides. Yeah, I think niacin would have made much more sense. It is far more effective at raising HDL levels and promoting a favorable shift towards large LDL particle size. Combine niacin with a low-carb diet and exercise and I predict that you will begin to see significant changes for the better. Why not discuss this with your doctor? Remember, your doctor is working for you. You do not work for your doctor. Niaspan, a prescription form of niacin, is out there. He can very easily prescribe that. Personally, from the numbers you've posted, I really don't see how you're much better off.

sunbird_owner · 08-17-2004, 03:52 PM

Your TC to HDL ratio was 179 / 31 = 5.77

Your new TC to HDL ratio is 167 / 24 = 6.96

This ratio should be 4.5 or less so you are going downhill a bit.

Since you have been taking the Zocor, the LDL has been reduced from 107 to 75 = 33 percent reduction. So this has worked.

The two things that will make your numbers better are:

Higher HDL - Raised with niacin and Fish Oil and exercise.

Lower Trig. - The low carb diets do this.

note:

TC = HDL + LDL + VLDL

a good estimate for VLDL is Trig / 5