High triglycerides. HELP!

ali59oc

I am completely bummed. Went to the doctor on Tuesday, got my test results this morning. They were not nearly as good as when I went in March. I was taking Lipofen for high triglycerides then. Here are the numbers, March then June:
HDL: 60>54
LDL: 43>108
Triglycerides: 291>352(!!!)
Doc is putting me back on Lipofen to get the triglycerides back down. She is not happy with the low carb diet and this result. I have always had trouble with my triglycerides. They have never been lower than 250.

My other panels were great, blood sugar perfect, and my blood pressure is so low she halved my remaining bp med and said in three months I'll probably be off that completely. I have been hospitalized in the past for high blood pressure so this is a major accomplishment for me.

I've been in ketosis for over four months solid and I feel so good, I don't want to give this up. Any suggestions? Comments?

Leonidas_meets_Spartacus

May be get a second opinion from a Dr who is more open minded.

ali59oc

She was stunned at my weight loss and how good I looked. She just won't let go of the high fat thing. Otherwise, I really like her and she had been open-minded at my March check up.

59gi

She was stunned at my weight loss and how good I looked. She just won't let go of the high fat thing. Otherwise, I really like her and she had been open-minded at my March check up.

Doctor A suggested decreasing cheese and cream for this problem.

Leonidas_meets_Spartacus

She was stunned at my weight loss and how good I looked. She just won't let go of the high fat thing. Otherwise, I really like her and she had been open-minded at my March check up.

May be its a temporary increase? Try to get a test again in 3 months.

mabug01

You're doing well in so many other ways. There is a possibility this may be something you cannot control. If you're satisfied with your macros then you've done all you can do, right?

Dragonwolf

Are those old numbers before you started keto. If not, do you have that information? Even better, do you have numbers from before your were on Lipofen?

I don't think comparing keto plus Lipofen to keto without Lipofen is a fair comparison if the Lipofen is actually working to lower and keep down your triglycerides. I won't be surprised if your keto alone numbers are lower than your not doing anything numbers.

You may also want to get your thyroid, liver enzymes, and estrogen levels checked (especially if you're on any kind of HRT for estrogen). Additionally, it might be worth further investigation to see if there's not something more serious going on, especially since you appear to be at a reasonably healthy weight and have been struggling with this your whole life, and neither weight loss nor a keto diet seem to have helped much (if at all). That indicates (to me, at least) that something deeper may be going on, and some of the deeper stuff is nothing to take lightly (Lupus, glycogen storage disease type 1, lipase deficiencies, hypothyroid, etc).

That said, you might want to try playing with your fat sources and perhaps increasing your carbs a little bit to fit more vegetables and berries in. Ditch the canola oil in favor of pure butter or the olive oil blend (or olive/avocado oil for salad dressings). Canola is high in Omega-6 fats, too much of which can damage the body. Eat more fatty fish and/or supplement with a good fish oil to get more Omega-3 fats in. Get more monounsaturated fats, such as avocados/avocado oil. Eating more fish can provide the added bonus of getting more niacin (vitamin B3), especially tuna and salmon. Niacin has pretty potent effects on serum cholesterol.

Also, try to get some more grapes and blueberries in. They have a number of compounds that can help lower triglycerides.

Go easy on the processed foods, too. You seem to be heavily dependent on processed cheeses and meats. They tend to have a number of additives that can screw with your system. Trade the Kraft American cheese for a good quality cheddar or feta, and the Oscar Meyer hot dogs for butcher-sourced hamburgers or franks that are either homemade or made by someone who uses high-quality ingredients and minimal additives.

sljohnson1207

It may just be hereditary, but you should get your sex hormones checked asap. Are you in menopause? That is often a cause of spiking triglycerides and cholesterol. Can even happen in peri-menopause.

ali59oc

Thank you all!
Dragonwolf -- I had thyroid done at the same times and it has always come back normal.
The old numbers were me ON Keto, in Ketosis for less than a month. BUT I was taking the Lipofen. So like you said, numbers on keto with the lipofen are much better than without the lipofen.
The canola oil/butter was a one time thing, it was on the table and I didn't get up to get my real butter. Just lazy.
The processed meats are a phase I'm afraid. I'll go back to more "pure" meats. Jeez that bratwurst really fills you up though!
The cheese is actually locally made but (again) my laziness has won out and I just use the Kraft number.
I'll try the berries too.

sljohnson -- I am in menopause and taking HRT (PremPro animal hormone). But I had worse triglycerides when I was in peri-menopause. My trigs were so high (in the 700s) that they couldn't actually measure them! I am thinking that this maybe hereditary or maybe just the above foods spiked it. I don't think it will ever be down to a "normal" number. It never has been.
Leonidis -- I am going back in three months to recheck. See what the Lipofen can do plus staying in ketosis.

Everything else is going so well and I feel fantastic! My asthma has not been an issue since I started this WOE which has been such a blessing. In December I was on three different asthma inhalers, now I only carry my rescue inhaler for emergencies.

I think I will wait and see in three months. If they are all still worrisome, I will ask for more tests.

Thanks! You guys are the BEST!

sljohnson1207

Well, consider this...your numbers have dropped significantly over time. Could this just have been a lab error? Do you have your own copy of the final lab report? If it doesn't say at the bottom that they verified the results "x" number of times, then if you can afford it, I'd have them run again.

ali59oc

My numbers have dropped, you are right about that. I know how touchy these tests are and I did have a whole lot of hot dogs and processed meats the weekend before. I might have done myself in! I'll just go back on the Lipofen and then see in 3 months what's happening. I'm going to concentrate in the pluses: my bp going down, my asthma gone, my aches and pains have disappeared. I'll get the triglycerides eventually.