Do I have one foot in the grave??! - High Cholesterol Message Board

Naomi101 · 10-16-2003, 09:37 PM

Hello!

I rarely ever go to the doctor but I had a blood test recently and got the results, which I don't understand. (A paper comes with it to explain but it's not clear enough for me.) It says my total cholesterol is 269mg/dl, HDL is 58, and LDL is 191. Triglycerides 100mg/dl. I am 38 years old. Is this bad???

Whoever can answer this, thank you so much!!

AngelaNRichard · 10-17-2003, 07:06 AM

The only thing that is bad is your LDL... It needs to be under 130. Other than that, everything looks good. Your total cholesterol may be a little high.... not sure. I am sure our expert, Arizona, will answer your post

------------------
Angela(24) and Richard(30)
November 2001 Blood Test Results:

Total- 222
HDL- 80
LDL- 136
Triglyerides- 32
Blood Sugar- 73

Next Check-up on Oct 14th, 2003

[This message has been edited by AngelaNRichard (edited 10-17-2003).]

zip2play · 10-17-2003, 07:36 AM

Naomi,

Results aren't good but hardly one foot in grave material.

Total is high and LDL is high and your ratio: 269/58= 4.6 is also higher than the 4.0 that is considered a desirable maximum. (HDL on it's own is fine)

You'll want to take some kind of action to lower those LDLs quite a bit. Usually first recommendations: cut your total fats especially saturated fats (replace them with monosaturates like canola and olive). ELIMINATE trans-fats (hydrogenated oils). Excercise and get weight to normal. Eat fish and chicken preferentially to beef and pork. Lower dairy consumption.

If that doesn't work after several months, then some drug intervention might be necessary.

pcovers · 10-17-2003, 10:34 AM

The only way you will get your LDL down is to either lower your Total colesterol or substantially increase your HDL. You will not likely substantially increase your HDL, so the point of focus is your total. If you reduce your total, your LDL will come down accordingly.

One other way of reducing ones LDL is to raise your trigs, which is an absurd correlation. Keep your trigs where they are. Keep up your HDL up, higher is always better. Lower that total as has been recommended through diet change, exercise, and weight loss, possibly supplements such as niacin.

Drug intervention would be your last resort but is always an option.

Naomi101 · 10-17-2003, 12:20 PM

You guys have no idea how much I appreciate your help. This is my first time with this doctor and she did not even write a note on my results, nor did anyone contact me about the results being poor. I had to call them myself and speak to an advice nurse this morning who wasn't very helpful at all and told me very little. I got more info from you guys than from her! Again, thanks ever so much.

What I'd like to ask you guy now is, I just lost weight - went from 140 last December to about 110 a month ago (still aorund there, though 109 this morning). I am 5' 1". Since it's only been a month since I've had my weight lowered, is it too soon to see results on my cholesterol? I used to eat a poor diet but it's much improved during this year, though still not perfect. I walk about 3 times a week for about 30 minutes or so. I eat plenty of chicken and tuna and rarely eat stuff like hamburgers anymore and have given up chocolate since December (I used to eat it just about every day). Why are my numbers still crappy?? (Though I never knew what the numbers were while I was overweight!)

My mother's overall cholesterol is about 430 (her body way overproduces it) so I'm worried that I have inherited this from her. If I do have to take meds, does anyone have any recommendationd for which is best (one with the fewest side effects)?

Thanks again ever so much. I'm so frustrated with my doctor right now and having to go online to get the answers SHE should be giving me!!