Just been told my cholesterol is bit high and it's got me worried.

[rayray119]

So I've just had my foot check at my gp surgery but the nurse doing it looked at my high blood tests I had done at the hospital in October and she said my cholesterol was bit high 5.8 and it's got me worrying all sorts. I am going to start trying to eat healther again(athough there's a something planed on Sunday not doing that).


I just wanted to come on here and say there's it's got me really worried(thanks to my anxiety) and I know others might be have been in the same positionm


I kind of assumed everything okay was as dsn at the hospital said if. There was a problem it would be flagged up and I'll be contacted and I didn't hear anything

 

[Martin.A]

So I've just had my foot check at my gp surgery but the nurse doing it looked at my high blood tests I had done at the hospital in October and she said my cholesterol was bit high 5.8 and it's got me worrying all sorts.

Were you not given a breakdown of total cholesterol, cholesterol ratio to HDL, total HDL and total non-HDL?

 

[rayray119]

Were you not given a breakdown of total cholesterol, cholesterol ratio to HDL, total HDL and total non-HDL?

No she just said "your cholesterol was slightly high it was 5.8 it should below 5 for diabetics really".

 

[Martin.A]

No she just said "your cholesterol was slightly high it was 5.8 it should below 5 for diabetics really".

Looks like she was referring to Total Cholesterol then, as the NHS website says a healthy level is 5 or below. Having said that, what's regarded as a healthy level for diabetics is usually set lower than this so I'm surprised she said that.

Worth having a read of this:-

High cholesterol

Find out what cholesterol is, what causes high cholesterol, why it's important to keep your cholesterol levels under control, and how to lower your cholesterol.

www.nhs.uk

 

[rayray119]

Looks like she was referring to Total Cholesterol then, as the NHS website says a healthy level is 5 or below. Having said that, what's regarded as a healthy level for diabetics is usually set lower than this so I'm surprised she said that.

Worth having a read of this:-

High cholesterol

Find out what cholesterol is, what causes high cholesterol, why it's important to keep your cholesterol levels under control, and how to lower your cholesterol.

www.nhs.uk

Well there going to check in it again in January.

 

[rebrascora]

They like people with diabetes to be below 4 total cholesterol but 5.8 isn't desperately high and you are still quite young, so worth looking at little things you can do to reduce it a bit but not cause for anxiety at this time I would say. They will likely offer you statins to help lower your cholesterol when you get to 40yrs old and if you were a lot higher now they would probably put you on them, but some lifestyle changes may help to reduce that now. Eating less processed foods and more vegetables can help. Soluble fibre is supposed to be helpful and I use a mixture of psyllium husk and chia seeds in a glass of whatever I fancy each day to help both with my gut health and my cholesterol. I was 5.2 at diagnosis and have brought it down to 4.5 through changing my diet but interestingly, it hasn't been through reducing fat, as I actually eat far more fat now that I ever did before. Reducing sugar and carbs and eating more whole foods and fibre has been the key for me and probably regular exercise. They would still like me to be on statins but I am happy with my cholesterol levels and do not feel I need medication at this time.

 

[rayray119]

and probably regular exercise. They would still like me to be on statins but I am happy with my cholesterol levels and do not feel I need medication at this time.

Well I'm probably going to get plenty of excise over the Christmas period with my elf job so there's a start

 

[Inka]

I’ve had a number of total cholesterol in the 5s over the years but my doctor says that the ratio and individual figures are excellent, so he’s made a note on my records that it’s ok and not abnormal. Don’t worry about it @rayray119 The 5s aren’t particularly high anyway. More than that, it’s the ratio that’s important.