cholesterol ratio

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Jenny65

Jenny65

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi

I am just looking at my test results from September, the ratio of HDL/LDL is 6.3. I noticed on google the ration should be 6 or lower. But I also noticed my HDL is 1.11 and needs to be higher than 1.20. Overall cholesterol is 7 which I know is too high, just wondering how bad if the ratio is just 0.3 over 6
 
I imagine being 6.3 would be in the same ball park as being 6. Above 6 is classed as High, but I doubt it matters whether someone is 6, 6.1 or 6.3. Have you got a follow-up to discuss your results? Are you on any medication like statins?
 
Inka said:
I imagine being 6.3 would be in the same ball park as being 6. Above 6 is classed as High, but I doubt it matters whether someone is 6, 6.1 or 6.3. Have you got a follow-up to discuss your results? Are you on any medication like statins?
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I have an appointment to discuss on Tuesday, but this is the first proper glimpse of all the results on the app, i am not on statins, I have reduced it from 9.2 in July, so want to see if diet alone can reduce further first. My triglycerides are lower now, within the acceptable range.
 
Jenny65 said:
Hi

I am just looking at my test results from September, the ratio of HDL/LDL is 6.3. I noticed on google the ration should be 6 or lower. But I also noticed my HDL is 1.11 and needs to be higher than 1.20. Overall cholesterol is 7 which I know is too high, just wondering how bad if the ratio is just 0.3 over 6
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I never look at the ratio.
I view that as a good cop/villain thing.
If the street is full of villains, and full of cops, it's still full, and a full street means nothing is going to get through either way, and a few windows may still get broken.
A couple of villains, and enough cops to sort them out, it's good to go for me.

So I just look at the numbers.
 
travellor said:
I never look at the ratio.
I view that as a good cop/villain thing.
If the street is full of villains, and full of cops, it's still full, and a full street means nothing is going to get through either way, and a few windows may still get broken.
A couple of villains, and enough cops to sort them out, it's good to go for me.

So I just look at the numbers.
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Love this, although a little depressing in my case, but it did make me laugh. I am clutching at straws. You can never find a cop when you need one too so I should be wary
 
Jenny65 said:
Love this, although a little depressing in my case, but it did make me laugh. I am clutching at straws. You can never find a cop when you need one too so I should be wary
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You've reducing your cholesterol by a third in 3 months!!
How can that be depressing?
Take the win on that one!
 
travellor said:
You've reducing your cholesterol by a third in 3 months!!
How can that be depressing?
Take the win on that one!
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true, I will do, looks like it is just me and you posting today 🙂
 
Jenny65 said:
Hi

I am just looking at my test results from September, the ratio of HDL/LDL is 6.3. I noticed on google the ration should be 6 or lower. But I also noticed my HDL is 1.11 and needs to be higher than 1.20. Overall cholesterol is 7 which I know is too high, just wondering how bad if the ratio is just 0.3 over 6
Click to expand...
Good luck. I have a feeling it depends on who you talk to. My TC is 6.4 but all the components are in green zone the nurse told me to try and reduce saturates and see what happens at next year's blood test She added the optimum number for diabetics is 4. However, spoke to a different nurse who said all my cholestrol numbers are fine. A minefield.
 
Sharron1 said:
Good luck. I have a feeling it depends on who you talk to. My TC is 6.4 but all the components are in green zone the nurse told me to try and reduce saturates and see what happens at next year's blood test She added the optimum number for diabetics is 4. However, spoke to a different nurse who said all my cholestrol numbers are fine. A minefield.
Click to expand...

That comes from the fact diabetics are inherently broken.
And this site doesn't have "normal" diabetics generally either.
We all come here to learn, because we want to.
We also want to fix it, and we are dedicated to that.
So, the NHS has guidance for diabetics, and it is excellent guidance.
But it is general.
Certainly 4 is always going to be good, as it's very hard to be out of target on anything at 4.
But it's possible to get good numbers, and be over 4, with all numbers still good, as you have found out.
(I would agree with reduce saturated fats, but simple carbs raise bad cholesterol as well)
 
Hope you can make some reductions to your total cholesterol levels, and possibly boost the HDL part of the mix as part of that.

That’s a great reduction you’ve made already, but you may find you are running out of room with menu changes.

It might be worth considering a statin for a while? Have you taken statins before?
 
I am really confused by cholesterol ratios. TC is 4.6 and ratio 4:2. I know the total is ok but what does the ratio mean. I get very anxious and keep looking at this.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Hope you can make some reductions to your total cholesterol levels, and possibly boost the HDL part of the mix as part of that.

That’s a great reduction you’ve made already, but you may find you are running out of room with menu changes.

It might be worth considering a statin for a while? Have you taken statins before?
Click to expand...
Just butting in a bit here. I'm so confused still by what my cholesterol result actually means. I wrote things down when I was speaking to the doctor and have started statins (20mg atorvastatin) but when I look at it now I don't really know what it means. I always thought I had a good HDL (I eat a lot of smoked salmon & almond butter) but she didn't seem that impressed! My scribbles say: 7.0 total. HDL 1.7 (4.2), LDL & Triglycerides (5.4). Does any of that make sense to anyone?

The thing I was quite interested in was when you just mentioned taking statins for a while. I did ask my doctor if I could do that and she said that once you start them you tend to stay on them - I suppose I shouldn't worry about that if when I have my blood test in January I find that my cholesterol has come down with just 20mg, we shall just have to wait and see 🙂
 
Sweetenough said:
I am really confused by cholesterol ratios. TC is 4.6 and ratio 4:2. I know the total is ok but what does the ratio mean. I get very anxious and keep looking at this.
Click to expand...

www.nhs.uk

High cholesterol - Cholesterol levels

Find out what cholesterol tests measure and what a healthy cholesterol level should be.
www.nhs.uk www.nhs.uk

I follow the numbers.
If the numbers are ok, the ratio drops into line.

Looks good from what you said.
 
Thanks. I have high triglycerides so do still worry but overall perhaps cholesterol is ok.
Waiting for hb1ac result. Dreading it. Last year was 8.2
 
zippyjojo said:
Just butting in a bit here. I'm so confused still by what my cholesterol result actually means. I wrote things down when I was speaking to the doctor and have started statins (20mg atorvastatin) but when I look at it now I don't really know what it means. I always thought I had a good HDL (I eat a lot of smoked salmon & almond butter) but she didn't seem that impressed! My scribbles say: 7.0 total. HDL 1.7 (4.2), LDL & Triglycerides (5.4). Does any of that make sense to anyone?

The thing I was quite interested in was when you just mentioned taking statins for a while. I did ask my doctor if I could do that and she said that once you start them you tend to stay on them - I suppose I shouldn't worry about that if when I have my blood test in January I find that my cholesterol has come down with just 20mg, we shall just have to wait and see 🙂
Click to expand...
I agree it is so confusing. I take a statin 20mg and don’t have any side effects. I consider that many people take them so must be ok - hopefully.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Hope you can make some reductions to your total cholesterol levels, and possibly boost the HDL part of the mix as part of that.

That’s a great reduction you’ve made already, but you may find you are running out of room with menu changes.

It might be worth considering a statin for a while? Have you taken statins before?
Click to expand...
I am considering them, will see what the doctor says on Tuesday, I just like to have a go at seeing if I can do a bit more by diet. I have another 2 stone to lose so when that's off, hopefully my cholesterol will be lower. The doctor says reducing by diet can take a while and didn't want me to retest too soon after the first one in case I became despondent. I am assuming the reduction is accumulative and gradually on a downwards trend if I continue to eat the way I am forever. I would rather eat healthy and avoid medication but appreciate we sometimes need a helping hand so won't rule it out either.
 
Sweetenough said:
Thanks. I have high triglycerides so do still worry but overall perhaps cholesterol is ok.
Waiting for hb1ac result. Dreading it. Last year was 8.2
Click to expand...
Do you have a fasting test?
Hba1c is what it is.
Many things can affect it.
Can I ask what was it historically?
 
Jenny65 said:
I am considering them, will see what the doctor says on Tuesday, I just like to have a go at seeing if I can do a bit more by diet. I have another 2 stone to lose so when that's off, hopefully my cholesterol will be lower. The doctor says reducing by diet can take a while and didn't want me to retest too soon after the first one in case I became despondent. I am assuming the reduction is accumulative and gradually on a downwards trend if I continue to eat the way I am forever. I would rather eat healthy and avoid medication but appreciate we sometimes need a helping hand so won't rule it out either.
Click to expand...

I just took the meds, then tried to wean myself off them.
Actually, that's not entirely true.
I'm on statins, as they seem to work well.
I have no idea about life without them.
I was prescribed several drugs when I was diagnosed.
Which I happily took.
But out of them all, I did try to stay on Metformin, until my doctor refused to prescribe it anymore.
It seems it may be helpful for other possible conditions, but I guess I'll find out.
 
The relevance of ratios (or lack thereof) seems to be changing. It seems they are seen as less important than they once were

Many of the sources @Eddy Edson references don’t seem to put much if any emphasis on ratios these days, but several Drs and Nurses still seem to refer to them as a way of understanding the total cholesterol figure.

Trigs do still seem to be generally acknowleged as not a good thing though.

@zippyjojo - It looks like TC 7.0 ( target for people with diabetes 4.0 or lower). HDL 1.7 this looks pretty good? ( according to British Heart Foundation). TC/HDL ratio 4.2 (lower the better). Non HDL I think would ideally be below 2.5?

These aren’t levels specifically designed for Type 3c though, but yours do look a bit higher than are generally recommended for people with diabetes?
 
this is the nutritional report from nutracheck for the last 3 days,find it hard to have enough protein but not sure ideally what I should be aiming for

friday.jpgyesterday.jpgtodays.jpg
 
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