questions about my lab results

[mindy0121]

hi everyone.

I recently got some lab work done and finally got the results back this morning. I pretty much know nothing about this kind of stuff and my doc really wasnt much help either. The only thing he did point out was my cholesterol level.

Cholesterol total 198
Triglycerides 53
HDL Cholesterol 52
LDL Cholesterol Calc. 135

As per my doctor, I was told to stop eating low carb and to begin following a low fat diet with exercise. This confused me and I really dont know what to do. I don't want to quit what I'm doing and throw away 6 months of hard work and almost 30 lbs out the window. Because I think that if I follow a regular low fat diet, I will gain weight back.. . . But I also want to listen and do whats right for my health first.

As of now I'm still on Atkins going strong but I am unsure of what to do! If I should even change anything at all.
Please if any of you know more about this or had this same dilemma, suggestions would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Slapshot]

Re: questions about my lab results

Read up on cholesterol ratios. You'll be pleasantly surprised with your number 3.73. Them read about large fluffy LDL particles.

[mission to lose]

Re: questions about my lab results

Mindy,

Of course, this is not to give you advice, that is between you and your doctor, but I got my test results from 1 month ago (Started Atkins 8-10-09)....

My numbers are pretty close to yours, but yours are all a little better than mine. My doctor told me I was ok. He didn't tell me to change anything. (Actually I personally was not 100% happy with the results.) I hope to see an improvement after my next 6 month tests.

Slapshot, What are are cholesterol ratios? What does that number 3.73 mean? I guess I will have to hit the Google after lunch!

[mission to lose]

Re: questions about my lab results

Found the calculator...I am on the lowest end (better end) of the scale in the borderline range.

But good news is my numbers were all better than 6 months ago. Maybe that's why my Doctor didn't complain???

[Georgiana]

Re: questions about my lab results

Are you exercising?

[liv]

Re: questions about my lab results

We have a different number system in Canada but my doctor is very pleased when the HDL is up like that and always tells me that that fact and the fact that Triglyc is so low outweighs the fact that the LDL is a tad higher than with people who high carb.

[brandywine1241]

Re: questions about my lab results

Dr. Michael Eades, author of Protein Power, has done several posts on his blog about cholesterol. Here is one that seems to pertain to your situation:

Low-carbohydrate diets increase LDL: debunking the myth | The Blog of Michael R. Eades, M.D.

Note the following excerpt.

This paper is basically a case presentation of a 63-year-old man with a total cholesterol level of 263 (all results in mg/dl), an HDL of 85, a triglyceride level of 42, and an LDL level of 170. The LDL level was, of course, calculated using the Friedewald equation.
For some unexplained reason the authors of this paper decided to repeat the lab results and got the same readings. They then wondered if his very low triglyceride readings might be having an effect, so they measured his LDL levels directly and found that instead of the 170 predicted by the Freidewald equation, his actual LDL levels were only 126.


The moral of this story is that if you have been following a low-carb diet and your triglycerides are low (or if your triglycerides are just low) and your LDL reading comes out a little high – or even a lot high, don’t let anyone mule you into going on a statin or undergoing any therapy for an elevated LDL. Demand to have a direct measurement of your LDL done. Or if you get an insurance physical and your triglycerides are low and your LDL up a little, fight to get a direct measurement so they don’t stick you with higher premiums because they think you’ve got an increased risk for heart disease.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: questions about my lab results

>>I think that if I follow a regular low fat diet, I will gain weight back.. . . But I also want to listen and do whats right for my health first.>>

If you've read DANDR, why do you think that "low fat" will improve your cholesterol?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: questions about my lab results

>>my doc really wasnt much help either.>>

Why not? Isn't he the doctor?

And if he doesn't know ... are you sure you want to be taking his advice ... about anything?

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=183

[LageNomAi]

Re: questions about my lab results

Read up on cholesterol ratios. You'll be pleasantly surprised with your number 3.73. Them read about large fluffy LDL particles.

Ditto. My numbers were not what my doctor wanted to see, and she said that statins are a possibility, despite good HDL and excellent triglycerides. This scared me so I started reading up on cholesterol and learned that the science on this is not settled at all.

I plan to ask for a full lipid panel to have my LDL actually measured, as opposed to calculated because according to the online calculators that calculate ratios, my numbers are actually quite good. If my LDL turns out to be the small particle kind (as opposed to the big fluffy kind that Slapshot mentions), then I'll consider that I might have a cholesterol issue.

Good luck, I know how scary it can be to hear that you might have high cholesterol.

[LageNomAi]

Re: questions about my lab results

atkinsgal, presuming you aren't firing random questions for the sake of being provocative, I hope you are capable of grasping the inconsistency between your two posts.

[mindy0121]

Re: questions about my lab results

>>I think that if I follow a regular low fat diet, I will gain weight back.. . . But I also want to listen and do whats right for my health first.>>

If you've read DANDR, why do you think that "low fat" will improve your cholesterol?

Actually, I never said that I thought following a low fat diet would improve my cholesterol. I just mentioned that it was suggested to me by the doctor. I was coming here for help or opinions from people who have had this same issue or who know more about it. Not to be questioned and criticized with pointless remarks.

Sometimes alot of these posts from some people on here are just more about picking at people more than actually helping them. Its really iritating.

Anyways. thank you to all of you who actually responded to this thread with actual information. I actually read alot of the articles submitted and they were very helpful. So thanks for your support!