Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

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Sherpurvis
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Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Sherpurvis »

To say the least I was discouraged by my recent True Health Diagnostics test results (below). I had gone off statins and instead had been taking pharmaceutical Bergamot based on the positive effects in reducing cholesterol levels that it had in a recent study. I had also lost 20 lbs which I was certain would improve my results. Per my doctor, almost all of my test results were worse. When I compare my results to that of others on the results spreadsheet, I'm not looking too good. I'm wondering if I should chuck it and go back to statins? My doctor wants me on a vegan diet and the bergamot for 3 mths and then perform a retest. She told me to only have 20% of fat a day (no oils including olive oil whereas Gundry is saying to drink a liter of olive oil a week) and to stop eating all meat with the exception of flaky fish. No fatty fish. She tests all her patients for APOE's, but I am only 1 of 5 - 4/4's she has out of thousands of patients. Not sure she is an expert on 4/4's having only (5) 4/4 patients. Not sure who to go to for help?

Total Cholesterol: 343
LDL-C Direct (mg/dL): 272
HDL-C (mg/dL): 49
Non-HDL-C (mg/dL) 294
APO B (mg/dL) 243
LDL-P (nmol/L) by NMR >3500
Small LDL-P (nmol/L) 2150
sdLDL-C (mg/dL) 54
APO A-I (mg/dL) 115
HDL-P (umol/L) 40
HDL2-C (mg/dL) 9
APO B:APO A-I Ratio 2.11
Fibrinogen (mg/dL) 521
Lp-PLA (ng/mL) 482
Myeloperoxidase (pmol/L) 4093
Oxidized LDL (U/mL) >135
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Stavia
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Stavia »

Hi Sherpurvis and welcome.
It is very hard in the beginning to get to grips with the conflicting information and to cope emotionally with the cognitive dissonance
IMO the only way forward is to educate yourself and then assess which expert you wish to believe
I am saddened by seeing each new member focused on their lipids primarily. It is an indictment of the current USA milieu. No criticism of you intended, but on your medical system.
Firstly, what gender and age are you? BMI? Hba1c? Other bloods? Its vastly more important than your lipids.
Secondly please read my primer. It will take a while, but then you will understand the basics and can join our communities discussions which will help you chose a path forward.
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Julie G
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Julie G »

Welcome, Sherpurvis! I echo much of what Stavia said. Lipids certainly don't tell us much abut your total health picture. The fact that you recently lost 20 lbs (unless you're underweight) is terrific. How are you feeling? What's your energy level like? Do you know your fasting glucose and insulin? Vitamin D level? Can you describe your current diet that lead to these test results? Are you exercising? How's your stress level and quality of sleep? Most importantly, do you have a history of heart disease or dementia in your family? All of this info will help you zero in on your best path forward.
Sherpurvis
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Sherpurvis »

Thank you, I did read your primer, just having difficulty absorbing all the material. I'm 53, 5'2", BMI 27.4 , Hba1c % 5.0. My Platelet Genetics were fine, as well as Coagulation Genetics, Renal and Metabolic results. There's also a page for CBC with Automated Differential/Platelet that all appear in the normal range as well.
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Sherpurvis »

Thanks for the reply Juliegee, I had total knee replacement surgery March 14th, so my energy levels aren't where they should be quite yet. But I'm working fulltime and my PT progress has been above average. My fasting glucose is 87, Insulin 4, Vit D 1.78 and my diet at time of taking blood a near vegetarian diet. I'm thinking about trying the vegan (Mediterranean) diet, sticking with Bergamot but adding the EVOO and re-starting my fitness regimen by mid June. Then when I get tested end of August, re-assess. Just worried that my results require a more stringent, dire approach. My vascular markers for inflammation have me concerned.
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Julie G
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Julie G »

A "vegetarian" diet can mean so many different things. What are you primarily eating? Do you eat rice, beans, wheat, other grains, and processed foods, sugars? What do you estimate your macronutrient ratios to be? A vegan diet might be a good idea, but be sure to get adequate protein while you're recuperating from your surgery. Your body's requirements may be temporarily higher.

Your glycemic markers look good- kudos. I'm unfamiliar with the unit of measure you're using for Vitamin D. Age? BP? Family history of CVD or AD? Did you use general anesthesia for this surgery? FWIW, weight loss can temporarily increase lipids confounding your test results. Be kind to yourself. You're recovering from a fairly major surgery and still unable to freely exercise. I know how frustrating that can be. It might be a good idea to test again when you are more weight stable.
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by KatieS »

Sherpurvis, others have complained that undergoing knee replacement rehab is the most painful experience ever. I wonder if working and the knee rehab has increased your stress, possibly slightly the cholesterol levels. When did you discontinue which statin? If you are advised to re-start a statin because of other risk factors identified such as a coronary calcium score or hypertension, etc..., my advise (because I'm on a low-dose hydrophilic statin) would be a trial, observe and re-test. Other posters have had higher cholesterols during weight loss, or at the labs back at the pre-statin levels? Your A1c/IR markers are perfect. What is the range with the vitamin D result of 1.78?
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by DaveKeto »

Hi Sherpurvis -- if you haven't heard about me before, I'm a bit obsessed with cholesterol and lipidology, particularly with hyperresponders like myself (and I have very similar numbers to yours). A few things to note:

(1) injury can induce higher levels of cholesterol (or more specifically, LDL particles overall). Thus, your surgery and recover may be a major confounder depending on your previous cholesterol levels.

(2) Your small LDL-P does appear to be unusually high, but this may be because your remaining LDL-P to scale is actually around 4K-5k (it stops at 3500, of course).

(3) Both Lp-PLA and oxLDL are actually newer tests (with regard to modern medicine) and I can't speak to the degree I do or do not trust their ranges yet as I don't feel they've controlled enough for the confounders. That's a bit of a larger subject...

(4) Your inflammation markers are fantastic! For the personal uncertainty I too can struggle with on cholesterol, there's little doubt at all that inflammation is a powerful agent of heart disease -- and likely the *most* powerful.

You may want to check out my Simple Guide on Cholesterol series at my blog for more on how it all works. http://cholesterolcode.com/a-simple-gui ... -low-carb/

Hope this helps!


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Nancy
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Re: Test Results are In - Just how Bad is Bad?

Post by Nancy »

My lipids have always been terrible, too. But then I just took Stavia's advice and had a coronary calcium scan done. Got the results last week: zero plaque in my arteries. Risk of heart attack, very low. Yet my Boston labs said very high. I opted to avoid the prescribed statins and zetia and instead adhere to the Primer on this forum. It really did work for me.
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