Cholesterol help please

[Loobyloo]

Interesting video @AndBreathe. Will wait for the ratios and hope i am not one of the 5% Hyper responders that on a Lchf diet gets high Cholesterol. Will also give a while longer as some people with weight loss can temporarily have raised Cholesterol levels until weight stabilises which may be while with me as still losing. Lets hope the problem is the latter.

 

[DaveB]

I have emailed surgery for breakdown and ratio. I will see what that reveals.
Thanks i will watch this video @AndBreathe.

BTW do ask the surgery to give you access to your online test results which they have to allow you to have. That way you can peruse your results and at the next review you can look at them before your appointment and not waste the time of you and the nurse conveying them - just discuss actions etc.

 

[Loobyloo]

BTW do ask the surgery to give you access to your online test results which they have to allow you to have. That way you can peruse your results and at the next review you can look at them before your appointment and not waste the time of you and the nurse conveying them - just discuss actions etc.

I am sorting this but receptionist said form to fill in online..seems she was incorrect and there isn't one so i will have to go in and pick up a form when i can Thanks @DaveB .

 

[AndBreathe]

I am sorting this but receptionist said form to fill in online..seems she was incorrect and there isn't one so i will have to go in and pick up a form when i can Thanks @DaveB .

Could someone email the form to you, for you to return?

When I did mine, I had to provide 2 forms of ID. I used my passport and a utility bill, if I recall.

 

[Loobyloo]

Could someone email the form to you, for you to return?

When I did mine, I had to provide 2 forms of ID. I used my passport and a utility bill, if I recall.

They have told me to collect and said at the moment they wont ask for 2 forms of id. Will just ring me and ask me some questions that only i will know.

 

[AndBreathe]

They have told me to collect and said at the moment they wont ask for 2 forms of id. Will just ring me and ask me some questions that only i will know.

When you ask for access, there are a number of levels available, depending on what your surgery offers.

I started out with just online appointment making, and the ability to order repeat prescriptions (which wasn't useful to me, at that stage). Then the surgery expanded their options to include test results and coded record. The coded record is a bit like a summary of the highlights and decisions (i.e. was a diagnosis made or anything prescribed, for example). That was it, for a long time, and it was very useful.

Eventually, the surgery opened the option to view my full medical record (included referrals to others, emails, letters, full pathology reports and so on).

if you want the whole shebang, I suggest you are quite specific about it, as initially, they just opened up my full record for a couple of years back (irritating). In that case, I had to write again, asking to have access to me full medical record, in all aspects, for my whole of life.

I love that. I can see if my GP has done as they said they would (for example, generated a referral, or spoken to someone with specialist knowledge).

It's worth the effort, but not for everyone. For some, the language and terminology used can be confusing, and maybe stressful.

 

[Loobyloo]

A couple of years back would be fine for me as haven't been to the Docs in last 10 years or so and not really been much in my life except with pregnancies etc. All i need is all my blood results and breakdowns as on the phone all they say is normal or ok or needs attention and don't explain and figures. Thanks for the info.

 

[grovesy]

When you ask for access, there are a number of levels available, depending on what your surgery offers.

I started out with just online appointment making, and the ability to order repeat prescriptions (which wasn't useful to me, at that stage). Then the surgery expanded their options to include test results and coded record. The coded record is a bit like a summary of the highlights and decisions (i.e. was a diagnosis made or anything prescribed, for example). That was it, for a long time, and it was very useful.

Eventually, the surgery opened the option to view my full medical record (included referrals to others, emails, letters, full pathology reports and so on).

if you want the whole shebang, I suggest you are quite specific about it, as initially, they just opened up my full record for a couple of years back (irritating). In that case, I had to write again, asking to have access to me full medical record, in all aspects, for my whole of life.

I love that. I can see if my GP has done as they said they would (for example, generated a referral, or spoken to someone with specialist knowledge).

It's worth the effort, but not for everyone. For some, the language and terminology used can be confusing, and maybe stressful.

Mine still don't allow test result access.

 

[Drummer]

I am sorting this but receptionist said form to fill in online..seems she was incorrect and there isn't one so i will have to go in and pick up a form when i can Thanks @DaveB .

I really do not think that you need to get into a tizzy about cholesterol - there seems to be no evidence that a person with a level below five is healthier than one with an average level - in fact, artificially lowering cholesterol seems to be detrimental to some, in that they are more likely to die.
It is only a small number, in a large sample, but if what we are told were true they should all be leaping about like spring lambs whilst the average ones sink into misery and gloom - I am still waiting to find any evidence.

 

[DaveB]

Mine still don't allow test result access.

I suggest you complain to the Practice Manager and your PPG representative. The NHS told surgeries over 2 years ago that they MUST provide access to at least the 2nd level of the three unless there was a good reason e.g. someone with mental health issues etc. I'm on my surgery PPG and our Practice Manager confirmed this.

 

[grovesy]

I suggest you complain to the Practice Manager and your PPG representative. The NHS told surgeries over 2 years ago that they MUST provide access to at least the 2nd level of the three unless there was a good reason e.g. someone with mental health issues etc. I'm on my surgery PPG and our Practice Manager confirmed this.

I haven't a clue what you mean by level 2, I have access to Medication and Ordering. The limited appointments they have online.

 

[nonethewiser]

I suggest you complain to the Practice Manager and your PPG representative. The NHS told surgeries over 2 years ago that they MUST provide access to at least the 2nd level of the three unless there was a good reason e.g. someone with mental health issues etc. I'm on my surgery PPG and our Practice Manager confirmed this.

Spoke with our PM, they asked to put request in writing for full access, did so still no joy & was told my request was denied with no explanation, this was 18 months ago. Don't have mental health issues so don't get it, would like to access results as like to keep eye on important results like cholesterol & kidney function to name few.

 

[grovesy]

Spoke with our PM, they asked to put request in writing for full access, did so still no joy & was told my request was denied with no explanation, this was 18 months ago. Don't have mental health issues so don't get it, would like to access results as like to keep eye on important results like cholesterol & kidney function to name few.

I have been given differnt answers when I asked various members of staff over the last couple of years about when test results will be available online.

 

[nonethewiser]

I have been given differnt answers when I asked various members of staff over the last couple of years about when test results will be available online.

Share your frustration mate, not lot to ask for is it.

 

[grovesy]

Share your frustration mate, not lot to ask for is it.

No it ain't.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

No it ain't.

Really hope you manage to get this sorted @grovesy. Getting access to my test strips, along with online prescription ordering has been a huge help to me over the last few years.

It removed a lot of faffing about (and occasional frustration!) in getting basic things sorted, and has meant a lot less time bothering the receptionists.

 

[Loobyloo]

Well i have had my Cholesterol breakdown back and although i'm no expert it does't look too bad or bad enough to need statins. My ratios are coming up as good when i input into a calculator. Total 6.6. HDL 1.48, Ratio 4.3. Triglycerides 1.8 and Ldl 4.3. Everything is coming up good or normal except Ldl is a lttle high but Total comes up as High risk which is probably what Doctor was looking at when recommending statins.
I will add these figures are all up since i have been on Lchf diet and lost 3.5 stone since last July and i understand weight loss can sometimes put these figures up temporarily. It is the Ldl which has gone up a little and TG.
If there is anyone who understands these figures more i would appreciate your input.

RATIOS:​

Your Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio is: 4.46 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 3.5) GOOD​

Your HDL/LDL ratio is: 0.345 - (preferably over 0.3, ideally over 0.4) GOOD​

Your triglycerides/HDL ratio is: 1.216 - (preferably under 1.74, ideally under 0.87) NORMAL​

 

[AndBreathe]

Well i have had my Cholesterol breakdown back and although i'm no expert it does't look too bad or bad enough to need statins. My ratios are coming up as good when i input into a calculator. Total 6.6. HDL 1.48, Ratio 4.3. Triglycerides 1.8 and Ldl 4.3. Everything is coming up good or normal except Ldl is a lttle high but Total comes up as High risk which is probably what Doctor was looking at when recommending statins.
I will add these figures are all up since i have been on Lchf diet and lost 3.5 stone since last July and i understand weight loss can sometimes put these figures up temporarily. It is the Ldl which has gone up a little and TG.
If there is anyone who understands these figures more i would appreciate your input.

RATIOS:​

Your Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio is: 4.46 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 3.5) GOOD​

Your HDL/LDL ratio is: 0.345 - (preferably over 0.3, ideally over 0.4) GOOD​

Your triglycerides/HDL ratio is: 1.216 - (preferably under 1.74, ideally under 0.87) NORMAL​

I think your numbers look fine. Again, I would be interested to see them in another few months - especially if you are at a weight you want to be at.

For me, the big thing I always look at first is the Triglyceride score.

The thing about statins is, sure they can push the numbers down, but they push everything down. I don't subscribe to good and bad cholesterol, but if I did, I sure as heck would want to be preserving the good stuff.

Have you watched any more of Professor Sikaris? He does some good stuff on LDL, and particle size, which could be useful to you. Dr Aseem Malhotra is another good watch. He is a UK Cardiologist with strong views on statins.

To be clear, I'm not a fan of statins, but this really is an area it could be helpful to tool-up in.