Upset by blood test results

Fluellablue · 2025-05-12T18:10:54+00:00

I have posted this on general health too, sorry, but I'm feeling so disappointed and realised I should have posted to other MJ users. I've just had my annual blood tests done and, having lost five stone, thought that they might be quite a lot better. I've read lots of threads where people have drastically reduced their cholesterol since losing weight etc. My cholesterol has gone up 😞. It's now only just below 5, and because the HDL has reduced to 1, the ratio is rubbish too. It was lower when my diet was terrible before! The GP tells me every year that it should be lower, so I'm worried what they will suggest now. I just feel so deflated. I'm so happy to have lost the weight, but I was hoping that the health improvements might follow like I've seen for others. Sorry to post a miserable thread, but I wonder if anyone can relate or offer any reassurance please? Thank you.

Mumconnect · 12/05/2025 19:14

It's completely normal for your cholesterol to go up after weight loss, it's only temporary. It's because it's been released from all the fat cells.

Don't worry, I'm sure it'll look normal again soon ❤️

Gigi936 · 12/05/2025 19:21

Hi, amazing weight loss 👏
With regards to cholesterol, although weight loss can help some people, there is a significant genetic factor going on. Many people who eat healthy and are slim have cholesterol that's out of range. And no amount of diet control will make a difference. It's old fashioned to be told to go away and diet for high cholesterol. Having received training from a specialist endocrinologist on the matter, his take was never send anyone away with just diet advice. A "perfect diet" will only bring levels down by 10% at best and for many this ain't good enough! And just giving diet advice sets people up to feel like a failure. We all probably know people who are "healthy" but might have had a stroke or heart attack, or be on statins. It's a complex area. Upshot-dont let this dishearten you from your journey.

Mumconnect · 12/05/2025 19:39

Gigi936 · 12/05/2025 19:21

Hi, amazing weight loss 👏
With regards to cholesterol, although weight loss can help some people, there is a significant genetic factor going on. Many people who eat healthy and are slim have cholesterol that's out of range. And no amount of diet control will make a difference. It's old fashioned to be told to go away and diet for high cholesterol. Having received training from a specialist endocrinologist on the matter, his take was never send anyone away with just diet advice. A "perfect diet" will only bring levels down by 10% at best and for many this ain't good enough! And just giving diet advice sets people up to feel like a failure. We all probably know people who are "healthy" but might have had a stroke or heart attack, or be on statins. It's a complex area. Upshot-dont let this dishearten you from your journey.

Edited

I agree there's familial hypercholesterolemia but there's also increased cholesterol as a result of losing weight. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2035468/

OP's bloods might settle in a few months. 🤷‍♀️

Wowserme · 12/05/2025 19:46

Have you been using Wegovy or MJ?
I chose Wegovy as it was deemed better at reducing high cholesterol.
My cholesterol was very high and I had it rechecked 4 months into my journey and it had very slightly increased. I then read you had to be on it for 6 months before it had any effect.
i then had it rechecked 10 months later and it had dropped by a third having lost just over 6 stone.

Original poster

Fluellablue · 12/05/2025 20:22

Mumconnect · 12/05/2025 19:14

It's completely normal for your cholesterol to go up after weight loss, it's only temporary. It's because it's been released from all the fat cells.

Don't worry, I'm sure it'll look normal again soon ❤️

I didn't know that was a thing, but have read the link and really hope that's the case, thank you! I really couldn't believe it when I saw the results, so it would make sense. I just hope the GP doesn't want to put me on statins before I've had chance to see.

OP posts:

Original poster

Fluellablue · 12/05/2025 20:25

Gigi936 · 12/05/2025 19:21

Hi, amazing weight loss 👏
With regards to cholesterol, although weight loss can help some people, there is a significant genetic factor going on. Many people who eat healthy and are slim have cholesterol that's out of range. And no amount of diet control will make a difference. It's old fashioned to be told to go away and diet for high cholesterol. Having received training from a specialist endocrinologist on the matter, his take was never send anyone away with just diet advice. A "perfect diet" will only bring levels down by 10% at best and for many this ain't good enough! And just giving diet advice sets people up to feel like a failure. We all probably know people who are "healthy" but might have had a stroke or heart attack, or be on statins. It's a complex area. Upshot-dont let this dishearten you from your journey.

Edited

Thank you for this, and thank you for the congratulations! I feel so much better for the weight loss anyway, but just wanted to see the health improvement too. You're right about the diet and exercise advice - I have been feeling like a failure now, even though I'm sure my diet hasn't been bad as I've been eating so much less. It's actually reassuring to think that some of the time, it's not actually our fault.

OP posts: