Please help interpret blood test results

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Robin - 10 Jan 2004 23:55 GMT

I've been on Atkins since early Sept. 2003 and have lost 20 lbs, according
to my scale. I'm a 32 year old female, 5' 4" tall. My starting weight was
162 lbs, and I now weigh 142 lbs. I had a blood test done immediately
before starting Atkins (9/2/03), and this past week I had my blood levels
checked again. I expected to lower my cholesterol, but instead it went up!
Below are my cholesterol levels, along with some other stats over the past
few years. I would appreciate any comments as to whether or not this is
good or bad. Specifically, I'm wondering if there's really any problem
since my good (HDL) cholesterol also shot up for this last test. Yet the
lab paperwork says that a "normal" total cholestrol range is 100-199. For
the past few months I've been getting a good amount of exercise in the form
of walking and weight training.

Date Weight Trigly HDL Total Chol.
7/28/00 144 59 68 210
11/7/01 154 43 60 202
10/9/02 154 55 59 202
9/2/03 156 53 65 207
1/6/04 142 35 89 241

Obviously, all these tests were taking at fasting appointments. As far as I
know, they should be accurate.

My doctor mailed me the last set of results, and she wrote, "Thyroid is
normal. Good cholesterol is very high. Eat less red meat. More fish, less
fats. Continue weight loss and exercise."

In general I do eat fish frequently (usually once a week), but it is true
that I eat lots of red meat (mainly steak). I've also happily been eating
splenda-sweetened heavy whipping cream that I whip up in a cream dispenser I
bought a couple of months ago. I might have a cup full of it with berries a
couple of times a week. I don't think I'm over-doing it. I eat plenty of
salads/veggies as well.

Anyhow, is it really necessary that I cut back on steaks? I love those.
And what about the heavy cream and cheeses? These should be fine for
Atkins, as far as I can tell. Anyway, I would like to lose another 15 lbs.

Any comments specifically about the cholesterol results would be greatly
appreciated. Do my results look bad or unexpected for someone who has been
on Atkins for nearly 4 months?

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revek - 11 Jan 2004 00:19 GMT

> I've been on Atkins since early Sept. 2003 and have lost 20 lbs,
> according to my scale. I'm a 32 year old female, 5' 4" tall. My
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Obviously, all these tests were taking at fasting appointments. As
> far as I know, they should be accurate.

Do you know the ratio of your HDL/LDL? The ratio is more important than
the total cholesterol for predicting future trouble. 3 or lower is
considered normal. C-reactive protien test is also a better indicator
of heart trouble.

> My doctor mailed me the last set of results, and she wrote, "Thyroid
> is normal. Good cholesterol is very high. Eat less red meat. More
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> cup full of it with berries a couple of times a week. I don't think
> I'm over-doing it. I eat plenty of salads/veggies as well.

You sound fine to me.

> Anyhow, is it really necessary that I cut back on steaks? I love
> those. And what about the heavy cream and cheeses? These should be
> fine for Atkins, as far as I can tell. Anyway, I would like to lose
> another 15 lbs.

In my opinion, no.

> Any comments specifically about the cholesterol results would be
> greatly appreciated. Do my results look bad or unexpected for
> someone who has been on Atkins for nearly 4 months?

You can try adding more omega 3 to your diet, in the form of fish oil or
flax oil, or you can eat more fatty fish like salmon, or add some
flaxseed to your diet.

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Robin - 11 Jan 2004 00:26 GMT

> Do you know the ratio of your HDL/LDL? The ratio is more important than
> the total cholesterol for predicting future trouble. 3 or lower is
> considered normal. C-reactive protien test is also a better indicator
> of heart trouble.

I assume you mean the LDL/HDL ratio. Back on 9/2/03 that ratio was 2. This
past week it was 1.6.

If that ratio is good (and in fact, it has lowered), should I not be worried
that my total cholesterol went up? I know you all might not be experts (or
who knows, maybe you are), but I'm just curious to hear any opinions on
this.

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Robin - 11 Jan 2004 00:36 GMT

> You can try adding more omega 3 to your diet, in the form of fish oil or
> flax oil, or you can eat more fatty fish like salmon, or add some
> flaxseed to your diet.

I've actually been taking some of the Atkins supplements for at least two
months now -- the big fish oil pills and another supplement... I think it's
called "Basic 3." However, because these pills are a bit expenisve I don't
take several a day as recommended. I just take one of each. But maybe I'll
start taking two of the fish oil pills each day since that's what the
instructions suggest.

I'll check into the flaxseed. Thanks for the advice.

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Ignoramus14056 - 11 Jan 2004 01:47 GMT

> In general I do eat fish frequently (usually once a week), but it is
> true

that's not "frequently". that's "occasionally"

> that I eat lots of red meat (mainly steak). I've also happily been eating
> splenda-sweetened heavy whipping cream that I whip up in a cream dispenser I
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> And what about the heavy cream and cheeses? These should be fine for
> Atkins, as far as I can tell. Anyway, I would like to lose another 15 lbs.

you can be on atkins while eating no steaks and creams etc.

> Any comments specifically about the cholesterol results would be greatly
> appreciated. Do my results look bad or unexpected for someone who has been
> on Atkins for nearly 4 months?

Whatever they are, it seems like low carbing does cause an increase in
cholesterol that you may want to correct with changing what you eat
and exercising.

Also, it is important what is your HDL/LDL ratio is.

i

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Susan - 11 Jan 2004 01:55 GMT

>Any comments specifically about the cholesterol results would be greatly
>appreciated. Do my results look bad or unexpected for someone who has been
>on Atkins for nearly 4 months?

Your increase in the total is almost all accounted for by HDL, or good
cholesterol, and your ratios are very, very good. Between that and your
unbelievably low TGL, I think you'll have to find a way to die other than heart
disease. :-)

I wouldn't worry, unless your ratios worsen over time, as you near or reach
goal. That's when you may have to swap sat fat for leaner stuff. That's not
steak, though, sirloin has more mono and poly fat than sat, but dairy is loaded
with sats, so I disagree with your doc about where to cut it out.

Congrats!

Susan

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Martha Gallagher - 11 Jan 2004 17:24 GMT

> I've been on Atkins since early Sept. 2003 and have lost 20 lbs, according
> to my scale. I'm a 32 year old female, 5' 4" tall. My starting weight was
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> appreciated. Do my results look bad or unexpected for someone who has been
> on Atkins for nearly 4 months?

According to the calculator at the NIH site, your risk factors are low (I
assumed you're a non-smoker and that your BP is normal).

http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calculator.asp?usertype=pub

It looks like your totals are up 30 points, but 20 points of that is good
cholesterol. This, I think, highlights the problem with looking at total
cholesterol. Everything I've read that addressed this in detail said that
it's not what your numbers are so much as your ratios. Your ratio of HDL
to total is very good and your HDL is higher than your triglycerides,
which is also good.

If it were me, I wouldn't see any reason to change my diet based on these
results.

Martha

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