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Cholesterol, lipids and blood tests

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DeusXM

DeusXM

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I'm due for a blood test soon and I've been sent a Pathology department form to bring with me so they know what to send off for.

In the Clinical Biochemistry tab they've checked the box for U&E, and also written HbA1C as well.

I'm also keen to get a full cholesterol work-up as well but frankly the prospect of having to explain this to a receptionist and then a nurse and then a doctor and then wait for them to end a new form doesn't really seem worth it when I can just tick the boxes myself!

But I've got a question - what's the difference between checking lipids and checking cholesterol? Will 'cholesterol' just give me a totally useless single figure (like 4.0) or will it include the HDL/LDL splits? Or do I need to check 'lipids' as well?
 
when I asked the nurse at the doctors what should be done she just said oh check the boxes yourself. I keep a copy of the last form they gave me and if stuff on the new one is not ticked I tick it, as long as it is the same colour ink they used no one is any the wiser...
 
No idea what the form is like (or how successful it might be to tick anything yourself 😱).

From memory my forms seem to say 'lipid panel' or something similar ratehr than Cholesterol or TC (total...)

But I can't honestly remember. I just always ask the phleb to make sure she has the right vials when my arm is being vampired.
 
From what I understand a cholesterol test will just give a pretty useless number, but it's cheap. A full lipid test gives you the breakdown of LDL/HDL Trigs but is a lot more expensive. My GP will just do the cholesterol unless pestered.
 
Vicsetter said:
From what I understand a cholesterol test will just give a pretty useless number, but it's cheap. A full lipid test gives you the breakdown of LDL/HDL Trigs but is a lot more expensive. My GP will just do the cholesterol unless pestered.
Click to expand...

Same here, I've only ever been told total chol and whether my HDL is OK. Only ever told my trigs when I was in hospital.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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