The letter from my dr. came yesterday. There was a sense of anticipation and dread all at the same time while opening it. Would the numbers be down? Well, here's a breakdown:
Type Start Current Should Be
Total 280 252 Under 200
LDL 197 169 Under 130
HDL 46 49 Over 40
Trig 208 172 Under 150
The numbers are dropping! It was enough of an improvement for him to tell me to just keep doing what I'm doing, and recheck again in another six months. Besides exercise and losing weight, his recommendation was to eat 200mg or less of cholesterol per day. I've also been taking Schiff MegaRed Krill Oil. I'd read krill oil is supposed to be better than typical the omega fish oil for lowering cholesterol. IDK how much it has helped in my lowering, but its 1 simple little (yes! little, not horsepill) pill a day.
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Cholesterol Story
Five months ago I had my annual decade physical. One of the things I knew I need tested is my cholesterol. See, I have a history. When I was 17, my total was 197 (200 is considered high for a child). I weighed 115 pounds, skinny a twig. A decade goes by and I have it rechecked, total was approximately 220 (going off memory for this one.) At this point I get the "Exercise more and eat less to lose weight" from my doctor, my weight being about 170. Understandable.
Fast forward to July 2010. Yep, it's been about 10 years. My immense hope was that since I'd been exercising regularly and eating better that my cholesterol would be about the same. I was crushed on reading the letter from my doctor.
Total: 280
LDL: 197
HDL: 46
Triglicerides: 208
Another over 240 total is considered high. LDL is your 'bad' level, they'd like it under 100. HDL is your 'good' level and they like that to be over 40 (so I barely cut it, which made me sad becuz exercise is what raises it and if I'm already active where does that leave me?) Triglicerides should be under 150.
The doctor recommended I get 200 mg or less of cholesterol in my diet per day. Most days I don't even make 100 mg. Sometime next month I will go get a recheck. I fear if the numbers don't change enough he will recommend statins. Do I risk the bad side effects of statins, or risk a possible heart attack or stroke down the road?
Fast forward to July 2010. Yep, it's been about 10 years. My immense hope was that since I'd been exercising regularly and eating better that my cholesterol would be about the same. I was crushed on reading the letter from my doctor.
Total: 280
LDL: 197
HDL: 46
Triglicerides: 208
Another over 240 total is considered high. LDL is your 'bad' level, they'd like it under 100. HDL is your 'good' level and they like that to be over 40 (so I barely cut it, which made me sad becuz exercise is what raises it and if I'm already active where does that leave me?) Triglicerides should be under 150.
The doctor recommended I get 200 mg or less of cholesterol in my diet per day. Most days I don't even make 100 mg. Sometime next month I will go get a recheck. I fear if the numbers don't change enough he will recommend statins. Do I risk the bad side effects of statins, or risk a possible heart attack or stroke down the road?
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