General Medical issues thread

[RooFlyer]

Total is at 6.0, with HDL at 1.7 and LDL at 4.0.

Did you get HbA1C done? I believe that's a better 'one off' figure, as it reflects past ?4 months lipids.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Did you get HbA1C done? I believe that's a better 'one off' figure, as it reflects past ?4 months lipids.

Believe that measures blood glucose over the last 3-4 months, rather than cholesterol. That was was bang on the mid-point

 

[andye]

Did you get HbA1C done? I believe that's a better 'one off' figure, as it reflects past ?4 months lipids.

Hba1c is for diabetes and looks at the sugars over last couple of months

For @CaptainCurtis you can put your numbers into the Australian risk calculator www.cvdcheck.org.au (you'll need to know your blood pressure) to get an idea of where you stand.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hba1c is for diabetes and looks at the sugars over last couple of months

D'oh!

 

[prozac]

I had some routine bloods done last week before my move to the US. I never heard anything from the GP so assumed all was fine, but just received the results by email and looking like I have some cholesterol issues. Total is at 6.0, with HDL at 1.7 and LDL at 4.0. I've left a message for the GP to email me their thoughts, but not the news anyone wants to receive a few hours before relocating or at the tender age of 30. Oh well. Diet and exercise has admittedly deteriorated with all the travel over the last 9 months, so will try get those back on track promptly. Also some family history to consider. Will need to wait for the GP to understand if there's anything else I should be doing.

Wow, you need to get those numbers in check. Hope the move goes well and you achieve everything you set out to do.

 

[drcam]

Well, your HDL is quite high, so your LDL/nonLDL ratio isn't too bad, although your total cholesterol is obviously high. Statins don't really reduce your cardiovascular risk that much at your age because everyone's cardiovascular risk is so low. Anyway rethinking your diet and exercise will probably bring your LDL down a bit. I wouldn't fret over these numbers unless you were about 10-15 years older.

**Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for injury, illness or death after offering my opinion. Despite my medical training if I post here this is not intended to be professional advice.

 

[lakeman]

Hba1c is for diabetes and looks at the sugars over last couple of months

For @CaptainCurtis you can put your numbers into the Australian risk calculator www.cvdcheck.org.au (you'll need to know your blood pressure) to get an idea of where you stand.

It’s been a while since I have used this tool.
Looks much better with more explanation of risk factors and how to modify them.
CAC now included .

 

[drcam]

The risk factor tool was originally best designed to work for people between the ages of 40 and 75. Above this age, everyone is considered "high risk". Below this age, I believe the numbers aren't that accurate because in my memory the original pool of people they did the work on (in the US) were 40-75 year olds.

 

[Pushka]

The cholesterol issue is confusing for lay people. Mine was quite high in my thirties but lower now, but don't think I changed anything between then and now. I use the apparently cholesterol lowering spread but don't actually use that much of it anyway. Are there other factors at play that influence cholesterol? Weight has always been just below average BMI so not a factor. Statins is one drug group Im not going to touch.

 

[kookaburra75]

I had some routine bloods done last week before my move to the US. I never heard anything from the GP so assumed all was fine, but just received the results by email and looking like I have some cholesterol issues. Total is at 6.0, with HDL at 1.7 and LDL at 4.0. I've left a message for the GP to email me their thoughts, but not the news anyone wants to receive a few hours before relocating or at the tender age of 30. Oh well. Diet and exercise has admittedly deteriorated with all the travel over the last 9 months, so will try get those back on track promptly. Also some family history to consider. Will need to wait for the GP to understand if there's anything else I should be doing.

Unfortunately it may be your family history at play. As there is history of heart disease on my father's side, going back 3+ generations, heart attacks at 55 etc, from the age of 30 I had a big annual check. At 36 my cholesterol suddenly shot up to 6 like yours and I've been on
Lipitor the past 30 years. I've always been relatively fit and active, eat well, and at times carrying about 5% more weight than I should. When I got the news I asked my GP, who was originally from Scotland so well versed in heart disease, what could I do to fix it, his answer was simply nothing, it's in your genes. After seeing my father (now fixed he's 90) and grandfather (nothing could be done) go through heart problems, I'm grateful there are medications that can help, along with maintaining a healthy life style.

 

[andye]

The cholesterol issue is confusing for lay people. Mine was quite high in my thirties but lower now, but don't think I changed anything between then and now. I use the apparently cholesterol lowering spread but don't actually use that much of it anyway. Are there other factors at play that influence cholesterol? Weight has always been just below average BMI so not a factor. Statins is one drug group Im not going to touch.

Statins are amazing drugs if you have moderate or high vascular risk (which includes all with coronary artery disease and nearly all with stroke). So I wouldn't say never

As a rule of thumb they reduce risk of further events by about 20%.

If your vascular risk is low (i.e otherwise healthy, only moderately raised cholesterol, normal BP, no diabetes, no strokg family history) this risk reduction is not too far off the (very small) risk of side-effects so the benefit is less strong.

If in doubt about your personal risk a coronary artery calcium score can help refine the decision.

Statins are the most widely prescribed drug worldwide so it is inevitable that some will report problems. Their bad name on the internet is way overblown.

Most doctors (including myself) who have a raised vascular risk are very happy to take them

 

[Pushka]

Statins are amazing drugs if you have moderate or high vascular risk (which included all with coronary artery disease and nearly all with stroke). So I wouldn't say never

As a rule of thumb they reduce risk of further events by about 20%.

If your vascular risk is low (i.e otherwise healthy, only moderately raised cholesterol, normal BP, no diabetes, no strokg family history) this risk reduction is not too far off the (very small) risk of side-effects so the benefit is less strong.

If in doubt about your personal risk a coronary artery calcium score can help refine the decision.

Statins are the most widely prescribed drug worldwide so it is inevitable that some will report problems. Their bad name on the internet is way overblown.

Most doctors (including myself) who have a raised vascular risk are very happy to take them

Yes. My mum had low cholesterol but did have a coronary event that led to stroke. She was put on statins but went a little strange. SIL asked to stop them and she came back to normal. For her. But then had a stroke anyway.

 

[Quickstatus]

Statins is one drug group Im not going to touch.

Yes, its not neccesary in some people with elevated cholesterol

a coronary artery calcium score

A good friend has has elevated cholesterol for years but his coronary calcium score is zero, so his cardiologist said no need to take Statins
This test is basically a CT scan of the coronary arteries

 

[love_the_life]

Yes. My mum had low cholesterol but did have a coronary event that led to stroke. She was put on statins but went a little strange. SIL asked to stop them and she came back to normal. For her. But then had a stroke anyway.

There was a former member here who was prescribed statins and had quite serious side effects. Doctors weren't sure what was causing her symptoms but eventually she stopped the statins and was fine. I would approach them with caution if ever prescribed.

 

[andye]

There was a former member here who was prescribed statins and had quite serious side effects. Doctors weren't sure what was causing her symptoms but eventually she stopped the statins and was fine. I would approach them with caution if ever prescribed.

The two major side-effects are to muscle and liver both around the 1% mark. I would.suggest (and have myself) getting a CK (creatine kinase) and LFT (liver function test) bloods a month or two after starting.

Muscle cramps without damage does seem to be more common and is probably the main reason that people stop. Interestingly muscle cramps are not nearly as common/increased in trials where the statin is blindly compared with placebo.

If someone with cramps has a strong reason to take statins (eg coronary disease) I usually try a different statin which often does the trick

There is a new injectable medication called incliseran which is even more potent than statins for people with high risk who aren't able to take them or still have elevated lipids despite taking

 

[Pushka]

The two major side-effects are to muscle and liver both around the 1% mark. I would.suggest (and have myself) getting a CK (creatine kinase) and LFT (liver function test) bloods a month or two after starting.

Muscle cramps without damage does seem to be more common and is probably the main reason that people stop. Interestingly muscle cramps are not nearly as common/increased in trials where the statin is blindly compared with placebo.

If someone with cramps has a strong reason to take statins (eg coronary disease) I usually try a different statin which often does the trick

There is a new injectable medication called incliseran which is even more potent than statins for people with high risk who aren't able to take them or still have elevated lipids despite taking

@love_the_life just reminded me. When I had to go to ER last year for an eye injury, I heard the man in the cubicle next to me give his history. He was just three weeks from a cardiovascular accident at the same hospital (RAH). His symptoms were collapse of his legs. He came in by ambulance. I heard his cardiologist say he was likely having a bad reaction to the statins he'd been prescribed a month ago. He was also the man who gave me RSV as he was also coughing his lungs out. Had tested negative for Covid by the ambos.