My cholesterol has gone UP!

[Lady T]

I have been officially doing Atkins since May, and just recently had some blood work done. The last time I had labs was back in April, and I was informed THEN that my cholestorol was high. This was part of my reason for choosing to lose weight prior to this, and choosing a more regimented program like Atkins shortly after this decision (about two months or so).

I had bloodwork two weeks ago (end of July), and my doctor calls me as I'm driving to work today. She tells me my cholestorol is still high, and has in fact, gone UP since the last time blood was drawn!

Needless to say, I was shocked/outraged! On top of following Atkins by the book, no cheating, and much slower results than most who follow Atkins yet still sticking with it, Atkins is supposed to be the mammoth of cholesterol lowering diets/WOE. What gives?! I am very upset!

I want to be thin, but I do not want to die trying!

[MoreStylish]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

My brother-in-laws father recently had to have a quadruple bypass. He had a double bypass (I believe thats what it is called) two years ago, and had a check up on it about 1 year ago and the Doctor said that the arteries are still clean as a whistle. Well for the past year he has been on Atkins ... about a month ago he had a big heart attack, they checked his arteries and they were all plugged.

I don't really know what to say. Hearing stories like this scare me, especially when I'm on Atkins.

[liv]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

Did your doctor break down the numbers with you? Last I had my blood work down my total cholesterol was up but overall things were better because my bad cholesterol had gone down.

[Debie]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

You may want to query Cholesterol on this forum.

Here is a good one that has a lot of info in it from other members -

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/main-atkins-diet-forum/59322-so-i-reached-my-goal-weight-but.html

[mitzimarie]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

Did your doctor break down the numbers with you? Last I had my blood work down my total cholesterol was up but overall things were better because my bad cholesterol had gone down.

Liv is exactly right - the total cholesterol number on it's own is worthless. What is important is the individual numbers and the ratio between them. You need a breakdown of the numbers for LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

I cannot comment on the stories from others about relatives of relatives. I only know that my cholesterol has dropped every single year that I have been on Atkins. Last summer, my total cholesterol was 115. I go again next week for my annual CBC. I'm actually hoping that my total cholesterol is higher this time, reflecting an increase in my HDL, which I have been working on.

It is my particular doctor's opinion that cholesterol is mostly affected by genetics... it is affected by the food you eat to a much lesser degree. If you want to do a little reading about cholesterol numbers that is not riddled with "mainstream lowfat dogma", I would advise reading "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. It is pretty heavy scientific reading, which really isn't my preference, but it is such an eye-opener that I toughed it out. Although I was already 100% convinced that doing Atkins is healthy, and my doctor is an Atkins advocate, this book really did seal the deal for me.

Bottom line - it is best to get bloodwork done periodically and discuss the results with your own doctor.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

The book Nourishing Traditions is a good book to read as well.
Good luck.

[theredhead]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

It's very possible that your "good" cholesterol levels have climbed enough to drive the whole total up. It would be a good thing. Also, you've only been doing Atkins since May. It's not uncommon for the total to go up a bit at first. Check it again in six months. Also, keep in mind that despite what your Doctor may have been taught, there has never been definitive proof that high cholesterol levels cause heart problems. You don't need to be alarmed at all. Some good reading about this can be found in Dr. Michael Eades' blog. He's the co-author of Protein Power and is a very intelligent, literate man. Just google his name to find it. Hope this helps!

[TWS]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

Did your doctor break down the numbers with you? Last I had my blood work down my total cholesterol was up but overall things were better because my bad cholesterol had gone down.

Same thing happened in my most recent tests, too. My overall cholesterol was up but it was due to a big increase in my HDLs. Break down the numbers and divide the LDL by your overall triglycerides. The closer that number is to 1, the better.

TWS

[Razzle39]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

I agree with Mitzi, you should discuss with your doctor what your best option is. If your total cholesterol is high due to a high LDL you made need a statin medication to lower your numbers. As a nurse I have discussed with people thier options on several occasions and then medical science would change its mind!.

Here are a few facts about cholesterol that we do know:
HDL is the "good" cholesterol. I like to think about it as the good Guys. This is our Arteries police force. . These cops patrol our cardiovascular system and pick up loitering criminals called Triglycerides and LDL that are hanging out on our artery walls. We keep our HDL task force strong and increase its number with exercise. As women our Estrogen raises our HDL naturally...sorry guys. However menopause lowers our HDL as our Estrogen decreases

Triglycerides are produced by our own bodies and can be influenced by Obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol consumption and by consuming high amounts of Carbohydrates LDL and HDL Cholesterol: What's Bad and What's Good?

LDL's have been thought to be influenced by saturated fats found in cooking oils, red meat, poultry and dairy. However new studies have found that genetics plays a much bigger role in how much LDL our bodies produce .|| DukeMedNews || Study Shows Low-Carb Diet Improves Cholesterol

The above study also showed that numbers significantly decreased after 6 months on a low carb, high fat diet. One thing my experience has taught me after 20 years in the medical field is that NoOne's body is text book perfect. We are all different and when it comes to your health and treatment options should always be tailor made by your physician.

I pray that you get the right guidance and that we can celebrate your lower numbers in months to come

[Lady T]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

My doctor didn't break down the numbers specifically, but high cholesterol happens to be familial to me-- plus I am hypothyroid so that affects it as well.

However, my thyroid levels are not within perfect range (just had my meds adjusted again). But I am WAY too young to have to take cholesterol lowering medication-- I am only 24 and the thought is depressing. They are not that high yet. And they will not ever be that high.

Therefore, I will switch to a vegetarian version of Atkins.

I know I can do it. In fact, after I finish this post I will look through the forums for fellow vegetarian Atkin-ites (mouthful!). I have considered becoming a vegetarian over the past 5 years, but the thought of bread and pasta and potatoes being staples (when I know they make me hungry and pudgy) discouraged me. Now, my health is further incentive, and I know how to do without those things. I've got nothing left to lose but more weight, and cholesterol from my blood.

Thanks all, for the comments. I'll be sure to get the exact numbers too.

[Deanie]

Re: My cholesterol has gone UP!

My cholesterol went up, too, but it was driven by higher HDL (the good stuff) and not LDL (the bad stuff). Overall, my doctor was pleased with the change and so was I.

I don't necessarily think that you need to switch to the vegetarian version of Atkins, unless you want to, but do make sure you're eating foods with healthier fats, such as salmon (very high in omega 3s), avocado, olive oil and ground flax seed.

I think people run into problems with bad LDL cholesterol when they're eating too much food with unhealthy fat such as bacon, beef, cheese, and processed foods containing unhealthy trans fats.

You need lots of fat in the Atkins WOE, but just make sure it's the heart-healthy kind as much as possible and you should be fine.