How's your cholesterol........??

Posted by: arf005 on 15 November 2006

A bit of history first....

Working off-shore we are subject to a 3 yearly on-shore medical, for the under 45's, I think - I'm not quite there yet but I believe it's annual after that.It consists of the usual stuff, weight/height/body mass index/eye and hearing test, etc etc, but they also take bloods for cholesterol/blood sugar checks.

I got a letter a few months ago stating that my cholesterol was high at 6.6 mmol/ltr and I should consult my GP to discuss diet/exercise requirements etc. I looked back through my records and back in July 2004 it had been 4.65......
Now I know that I've not exactly been looking after myself over the past few years, and had already started to make an effort to get back into the gym off-shore and cut out the excesses at home, diet has always been pretty healthy, but beer/wine/port and stinky cheese are a favourite, plus there's a history of high colesterol and hypertension in my mum's family......which doesn't help.....

Anyhoo, I got the medic to check my cholesterol when I first arrived off-shore last trip and it was already down to 5.16, good news I thought but it could still be better..... Well, after a trip of going to the gym before the start of shift - easy seeing as I was on nights and waking early anyway, for all but three days, and only having soup for lunch (at midnight) and a bowl of cereal in the morning - instead of a bacon roll or fry up (which you could have every day if you could stomach it) I had my cholesterol checked again at the end of the trip......it was 4.1

I didn't think it could be controlled/changed so quickly and it's given me a bit of a boost - I've already cracked open a bottle of 1985 Delaforce vintage port since getting home.... Winker

But what struck me today is that I'm quite lucky to have the ability to check these things on a regular basis.....

Do you know what yours is......???

If you did know, would you do something about it if required.....???

Ignorance is bliss no........

I plan to keep an eye on mine and continue the healthy eating/exercise......as well as the port.....

Cheers,
Ali
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by Bruce Woodhouse
Good for you.

Whilst I think it is sensible advice to suggest that most should know their cholesterol it is worth pointing out that cardio-vascular risk assessment depends on a 'portfolio' of factors. I like to think of it as a hand of cards, some of which you cannot change, others you can.

These factors include blood pressure (very important), total cholesterol and HDL/LDL ratio (that is 'good' v 'bad' cholesterol) smoking status, presence of diabetes, gender, obesity, cardiovascular fitness, family history and others. It is also worth pointing out that cholesterol is not an 'illness', just a risk factor for the development of some. Additional factors tend to multiply the relative risk rather than be additive too, so if you have no other risk factors then a moderately raised cholesterol is a weak predictor of future illness. Finally it is approximately true that 85% of your cholesterol level is genetic, and 15% dietary so don't beat yourself up too much if yours never seems to drop!

My point; get your blood pressure checked regularly too and discuss your overall risk profile with a health care professional if you want to really get a good check up.

The NHS Direct and British Heart Foundation websites are good places for more information if you are interested.

Bruce
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by arf005
Well there you go! Thanks Bruce!!

I discussed my results (from the iv bloods taken back in June) with my mother - a retired nures (maternity) and she couldn't elaborate as much as you have....no fault of hers, she was just used to delivering babies and such like.....

My results back in June were as follows....
Cholesterol 6.6 mmol/L (recommended) below 5.2
HDLP (whatever that is) 1.3 mmol/L (recommended) 0.77 - 2.20
CHOL/HDLP Ratio (now makes sense thanks to Bruce) 5.1 ratio (recommended) up to 6.9
Low Density Lipoprotein (huh?) 4.16 mmol/L (recommended) up to 4.9
Triglyceride (blood sugar level I think...??) 2.5 mmol/L (recommended) 0 - 2.2

So I'm hoping my CHOL/HDLP ratio has tracked down with my good cholesterol....
I say good because the bloods taken off-shore are via an IR tester using a drop of blood which, I believe from what the medics tell me, are only an indication of your good chol not your bad, but it generally follows your good chol level....

So am I right in thinking the Triglyceride level is blood/sugar, and is this as easy to control, via diet and exercise, as good cholesterol....???

Thanks again Bruce,
Ali
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by arf005
ps. just enjoyed a coupleof these......



Bruge Zot's - the only locally brewed beer from Bruge in Belgium, bought on-line from www.specialitybeermerchants.com after trying it over there a few months ago....oh, and a couple of glasses of Rioja too during me dinner, apricot stuffed rolled shoulder of cumin lamb wrapped in parma ham.......yum!
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by Ian G.
Bloody hell, life on the rigs is not what it used to be Winker
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by arf005
...that's for sure!!

- how's your 250.2 bedding in Ian....???
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by Bruce Woodhouse
Ali

quote:
So am I right in thinking the Triglyceride level is blood/sugar, and is this as easy to control, via diet and exercise, as good cholesterol....???


Triglycerides are also blood fats, levels will fluctuate with diet and also other factors including alcohol consumption incidentally! Tests for TG's really ought to be done fasted. Blood sugar levels are about testing for diabetes, they may show on your results as RBG/FBG (random blood glucose/fasted blood glucose). This may also be done from a fingerprick.

Bruce
Posted on: 17 November 2006 by arf005
Morning Bruce,

the iv bloods were taken during the day and I'd not fasted, but the fingerprick chol tests off-shore were done after a 12 hr fast - I'd been in me bed all day after a nightshift....

Cheers,
Ali


So, are you all living in blissfull ignorance, or do you know what your cholesterol is.....???

....or maybe you've more important things to be worrying about.....