I just got my blood work results--no chance to talk to my doctor about hem or get much of an explanation so maybe some of you can help!

Total Cholesterol-196
LDL-136
HDL-46
Triglycerides-70

The nurse said allwa s normal--LDL was high but with everything else looking like it did that the doctor was not worried about it at all!

My potassium is normal--and taking my diuretic that is a concern-sodium was normal, CO2 was high--which is normal for me as I have asthma and trap air in the lungs regularly! I remember everyone talking aobut ratios and stuff a while back. . .explain how that is figured please!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Hi Lori,
Do you have your pre-lc numbers? That would tell a better story - to see if you've improved or not.

Here's a few ratios my dr. told me to look out for:

Coronory Risk Ratio = total/HDL. Avg risk is 3.4 to 4.2. Yours is 4.26 which is a little on the high side. But not as high as people with "bad" cholesterol.

Triglycerides/HDL should be <2.0. Yours is 1.52. Good.

LDL/HDL should be <3. Yours is 2.96. Approaching the high side. Optimal LDL is less than 100, and near optimal is 100 to 129, so your dr may be right that yours is a little high.

Your HDL should be >40, which yours is.

My bet would be that your numers are much better than when you started, based on your lc success so far.

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Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

The only one I nkow from before is total cholesterol which was 226 before--well, last summer! I never got the other numbers--no one gave them to me and I didn't know to ask about them--told me Cholesterol was a little high and that was all--suggested I lose weight!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

For more information about reading your bloodwork results, take a look at this.

Here's my two cents about your bloodwork:

Your total/HDL ratio is 4.26. Divide your total cholesterol by your HDL to obtain a ratio of your good cholesterol. In this case, the ratio should be below 3.5. Anything below 5 is acceptable, however.

Your LDL/HDL ratio is 2.96. That ratio is more important than the total cholesterol/HDL because LDL is a measure of bad cholesterol. LDL/HDL is a better accurate measure of heart disease. Low risk is considered 3.3 ? 4.4, and yours is 2.96.

Triglycerides should be less than 150, and yours are 70.

I?d think you?d feel pretty dang good about those numbers!

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April

The face of a child can say a lot -- especially the mouth part of the face.

My Blog

Thank you--I have been reading this morning about all the numbers and trying to come to an understanding of the whole mess!!! I have dropped form 226 total to 196 total which all other things being the same and I know they aren't--but that being the case--I am certain all of my numbers are much better--I like the 196 a heck of a lot better than 226! I have lost weight--I have been exercising--the LDL should come down eventually too--I do carry most of my weight in the belly/abdomen which is a risk I carry from family genetics--though I get it from both sides--my maternal grandfater who had 5 bypass surgery in November has high cholesterol and my paternal grandmother who died of a massive haarta ttack at aobut 55 had cholesterol inexcess of 300 and was on medication to lower it. I don't want to go there--so yeah--I am happy with the results now that I better understand what the numbers mean--I was extremely happy with my chem panel too--I am far more familiar with those numbers though--since I am on a diuretic and we have been doing them every 3-4 months since 1998. Y

April--you go with the weight loss again!!! a pound a day is wonderful--if I don't get it in gear again you will catch me!!!!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Looks good to me as well. I would guess that the LDL would go down a bit with the excercise and long term low carbing.

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Started Atkins on 9/20/03
235-->190; 150 goal

... and, perhaps, a bit more fiber on the menu if that should that be on the low side. That's often helpful in raising HDL and lowering LDL.

All in all, I get the impression that you're doing great!

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I am working on the fiber thing--the exercise is about whre it needs to be but has only been there a few weeks--so those two along with long term low carbing should drop that number back in line with the others! I am not sure I want to know what it was just before starting this Winter!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130