Help! Cholesterol / triglycerides

[GardenDeLuxe]

I had my cholesterol tested yesterday as part of the Our Future Health appointment (so no feedback on the results or anything), and once I started to check what normal numbers are, I was taken aback.

Total cholesterol: 5.48 mmol/L
HDL: 1.73 mmol/L
Triglycerides: 6.66 mmol/L

Being fit and healthy, and taking a lot of care with my diet (vegetarian, mainly whole foods where possible), it was highly expected, to say the least.

I’m trying to get an appointment with the GP... in the meantime, I wondered if anyone can shed any light on what the numbers mean??

These were not fasted numbers, if that makes any difference.

Your total cholesterol is just marginally higher than normal range though which is under 5.2. Obviously make the appointment and see your GP who might order repeat bloods to make sure it's not a one-off.

I was diagnosed with high cholesterol in October and have reduced it dramatically with intermittent fasting, eating a daily bowl of oats, upping my intake of oily fish, decreasing intake hugely of cheese, butter, red meat and booze.

I would also advise a thyroid function test as it's a hugely underdiagnosed condition which can really affect your cholesterol levels too.

Hi op I have hypertryglicerideamia or something like that and my triglycerides were a little lower but my cholesterol was higher. So broadly similar

I too was healthy I was a half stone overweight though

I started taking a statin high dose and it worked with the cholesterol but not the triglycerides so now I take a fibrate as well low dose (fenofibrate 67mg)

my Lipid profile is now excellent so much so that I am trialling a lower dose statin and due a blood test soon to see if it has adversely affected my levels.

i saw a endocrinologist at the hospital and they said that I would have to take something or other for life

It's definitely the triglycerides that are an issue at high levels it's basically fat in your blood just Willy nilly sticking to things whilst it flows around. My levels were 'rides 5.3 and cholesterol 9.6

my hdl and ldl were always very good - although once your levels go up to a certain point they don't measure one of them (hdl or ldl can't remember) because they will be flawed apparently

As above they are on the top end of normal. There are a few things you can try though. Statins tend to be given when your risk of stroke/heart attack exceeds 10% in the next 10yrs. This risk is calculated from a number of factors. Your GP will have used the algorithm to calculate your risk. If it’s the first time you have had your cholesterol measured you have no way of knowing if it has gone up or reduced. If you are pre menopause then you have not much to worry about since oestrogen tends to have a protective effect.
My cholesterol is high, but due to meds I take. I had level done last year and without any changes it has gone down a little when it was retested this year. I did start taking magnesium supplements last year ( I take lansoprazole which interferes with absorption). Having done a little research I found out that magnesium reduces cholesterol. Vit D is also does the same.

So it’s possible that the supplements I took actually lowered the cholesterol levels.

I now take a low dose of statins because it is emerging from studies that it may be a useful drug for pts recovering from cancer. It suppresses the growth of cancer cells that need cholesterol for that growth ( simplified explanation). I am post breast cancer and happy to try anything to stop it returning.

Yes, I definitely want to make an appointment to check the results. Also, I've heard some people say that the Our future health finger prick tests can be off. I'm hoping that's my case.

I'm glad the changes in your diet have made a difference. I don't have much leeway on my diet as don't eat a lot of the problematic things... well, apart from cheese.

Good shout on the thyroid function test too, thanks.

I'm half wondering if I'm just genetically predisposed to something like this! This is why I try and eat healthily in the first place. Glad to hear you're managing your condition well. Have you personally experienced any side effects from the meds?

Oh hi @GardenDeLuxe , I've just posted something very similar!

My results with Our Future Health today were:

Total cholesterol: 4.79
HDL: 1.99
Triglycerides: 7.2
LDL: 0.0

I had mine retested at the GPs and they came back normal... the OFH results were miles off.

For me, it was stress for nothing in the end... Would recommend following up (either at GPs or privately with a company like Thriva x

Thank you, I'll do that. Glad it was nothing for you to worry about in the end!

GardenDeLuxe - was it easy to get an appointment? DD struggled to get an appointment for her GP (luckily after three phone calls, she was seen and immediately referred) and with all you hear in the news, wonder if they'd just test like that. Haven't seen a GP in years so no idea what the norm is for bloods.

I just did an e-consult and they sent me to have my bloods taken. All very straight forward. Ours is quite a big GP practice... not sure if that makes any difference.

My future health cholesterol results were also really high. I went to my GP and had another test which were much lower. I’m not sure how they were so different but I get annual cholesterol tests due to familial high cholesterol and the GP results were similar to last years so I’m going with them! Interesting to hear that others have found the same

Can someone help me understabd these readings?
Serum Chlor 4.78
Serum HDL 1.0
Se non HDL 3.8
Serum chloe 4.8
Serum trigyl 4.0
Serum LDL 2.3

They mean nothing to me, had them back after my recent blood test.
Thanks!

*Understand
Do i need to be worried about any of them? If so how to help lower them if i need to!

The Hdl/total cholesterol ratio should be 3.5 or under if that helps.

Your triglycerides are exceptionally high and this puts you at risk of heart attacks.

You need statins!!

It's likely familial being that raised. Any first degree relatives with young heart attacks ?

Things that can contribute to high triglycerides: alcohol excess and high sugar diet.

Have a think to see if any of these contribute.

Get blood pressure checked and hba1c for diabetes.