Extremely High LDL - High Cholesterol Message Board

kar4242 · 07-24-2007, 05:07 AM

Hi -

I just go my latest test results as follows:

Total cholesterol = 299
HDL 59 (59 in 3/07, 59 in 10/06, 50 in 5/06)
triglycerides = 78 (55 in 3/07, 74 in 10/06, 64 in 5/06)
LDL = 224.4 (155 in 3/07, 157 in 10/06, 133 in 5/06)

This test was not fasting and I ate a bunch of walnuts and pistachios about 1-2 hours before the test. The 3/07 test was fasting, the 10/06 test was not fasting and had a pear 1-2 hours before test. The 5/06 was fasting. I'm shocked that my numbers have gone up so incredibly high since March. I'm 47years old and in perimenopause. I was diagnosed with Impaired Glucose Tolerance in June of 2006. My A1c was 5.4 last June; March of 2007 A1c was 5.7; this test just done my A1c was 5.4 again. I totally modified my diet. Took out all the bad carbs like bread, pasta, muffins, etc., for the most part. I did increase my egg consumption but cut back again this past March after 5.7 A1c. I've been on an exercise program and I'm not overweight. The doctor feels it must be heridetary. The doc. wants to put me on Vytorin. I asked if he would do a LipoProfile to see if they are the small or large particles and he hasn't responded back to the fax I sent to him requesting this yesterday. I don't want to go on statins - they frighten me. I'd like to try niacin, Omega 3 and Cod Liver Oil. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I don't understand how my LDL went up almost 100 pts in 14 months. How is this possible?????

Thanks.
Karen

Lenin · 07-24-2007, 08:37 AM

Have a retest with a fully fasted sample before you make a judgement about going on statins. Comparing fasted samples with unfasted ones is like comparing apples and oranges.

Guy1_USA · 07-24-2007, 01:01 PM

I agree with Lenin. You need a 14 hour fast (not just 12 hours but 14 hours) to get an accurate reading of your lipids.

If you have insurance, I'd ask your Doctor to give you a script for Niaspan. It's extended release niacin, but pricey.

I went from Tot-C of 328 in 17 months. Never for that kind of response from statins. You need to tri Niaspan to see if you tollerate it. Some folks don't.

Imacarbuff · 07-24-2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VentureMan

I agree with Lenin. You need a 14 hour fast (not just 12 hours but 14 hours) to get an accurate reading of your lipids.

If you have insurance, I'd ask your Doctor to give you a script for Niaspan. It's extended release niacin, but pricey.

I went from Tot-C of 328 in 17 months. Never for that kind of response from statins. You need to tri Niaspan to see if you tollerate it. Some folks don't.

14 hours???? I've always been told 12 hours by my Dr. Can 2 more hours make that much difference? If so, maybe my LDL is not as high as I was told after my last bloodwork

kar4242 · 07-24-2007, 07:15 PM

Lenin & Venture Man,

Thanks for your responses.

Lenin - I saw my gp today and she told me if it wasn't a fasting test then it's not worth discussing. Although, she does feel that my numbers still will be high but perhaps not as high. I told her I was eating a lot of eggs and she said my numbers could have jumped this high because of eating eggs which I started eating a lot of 6 months ago as I was diagnosed with IGT and thought that eggs would be okay - there was a lot of issues with cholesterol not being affected by eggs but perhaps in my case it is. I will have a fasting done in 3 months as insurance company will probably not allow me to do another test in a week. We will take it from there.

Karen