My bad cholesterol is also higher, not signifcantly, but still higher. However, changing to more dairy based protein, chicken, turkey and pork rather than the higher protein beef has helped bring it down some. So three years out and I am still not to the point of needing cholesterol meds (yay!). I think, and you should check with your doctor, but once we go into maintennance, I think we can lower our protein intake, eat more fruits and veggies than we can in the losing phase, so it will drop more at that point if I'm right.

For me it's a trade off. I had high blood pressure, was boarderline diabetic and to the point of needing cholesterol meds when I had my sleeve done. Now the only thing left is a slightly higher bad cholesterol number. Everything else is gone or within normal levels and my health has improved dramatically, so it's a huge improvement despite the slightly higher cholesterol numbers.

I am surprised that the MD would blame "bad cholesterol" on protein intake. Lean protein, like chicken, fish, etc., is not the usual culprit. Typically, this is an issue caused by taking in a too much carbohydrate and unhealthy fats. I'm not sure what your macros look like, but maybe consult with a RD and a cardiologist/lipidologist if you are very concerned.