I really think the only way you will feel comfortable is the develop at least a basic understanding of cholesterol in general. So that you can ask for the test results and it won't look like a foreign language to you.
I was in this same boat just a couple of months ago when my 21 year old Type 1 Diabetic daughter was told that her cholesterol was a bit high and needed to eat lower fat (which would obviously result in higher carbs and makes no sense to me for a T1D). Anyway, I spent some time reading Peter Attia's website and listening to pod casts by Jimmy Moore on the subject and also asked questions here and I now have a basic understanding and feel confident that lowering carbs and avoiding fake fats will be the better choice for her.
I don't think anyone can really "tell you" not to worry and all will be fine, but if you read up on the information from those two sources, I think you will find the peace of mind you are looking for.
And don't forget, your doctor works for you. It's ok to say you don't quite understand the test and would feel more comfortable if you understood cholesterol better. That all you basically know is that there are different sizes of the "bad" and that part of that total number is from the "good". It doesn't make sense to hold a decent "good" count against someone. And eating healthy fats (animal, coconut, olive oil) can help make more of the good.
Taking those meds lowers both the good and the bad and of course comes with other possible negative side effects. If he doesn't understand your apprehension about taking it, he's not trying to.

I'd go back in 6mths and get another blood test done to compare. By this time you would have learned a lot and be better able to read the results

FIN--listen to this new Podcast by ketoevangilast..

the FIRST time a medical Dr. talks about Saturated fats, and why they DO NOT cause cholesterol issues OR Heart Disease …and she gives good info, easy to understand…listen to it 2-3 times and take notes.. also MOST medical staff STILL BELIEVE and BLAME saturated fats-- the KEEP connecting fats to heart disease and cholesterol…

My experienced Urology Nurse Practitioner went on and on about it..I was SHOCKED she had not read ANY NEW info available for a decade??? NOPE..she and MOST traditional medical pros still buy into the LOW FAT diet, and fats are not safe to eat….

they will push veggie oil- Canola, corn, safflower..which ALL PROMOTE INFLAMMATION, makes it worse for us.

I had to walk out of my urology appt. and just say nothing as I did NOT agree to eat corn oil, or carbs or the rest of the nonsense she believes and TEACHES to her vulnerable patients..that really torques me..giving bad info to sick patients!!! who trust her!!!

https://www.ketovangelist.com/episode-34-dr-trudi-deakin-talks-about-the-importance-of-saturated-fat/


Good luck..from what I learned your LDL may go up a small amount, but the good HDL will too with fats…. they HAVE to test for the 'right' ldl..(good big & fluffy, vs small dense) components to know if there is any issue.

you also have the right NOT to take these,,and as long as you dont eat processed carbs and veggie oils your number should improve over time..ASK your Doc for 4-6 months of diet change time.

Keep in mind, no general practice measures LDL or HDL subtypes...that's only done in research settings, hence most physicians can't distinguish atherogenic LDL-C from non-atherogenic LDL-C ("fluffy"...lol cholesterol protein transporter)

I would do more testing and not worry about cholesterol levels while losing weight. Cholesterol being linked to heart disease is a really really weak link. I wouldn't be concerned unless your triglycerides were super high and you were not trying to lose weight. JMO

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

Read the book Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Westman, I think it is. It explains a lot of how we've been mislead to believe that cholesterol and fats are the causes of heart attacks and such. It explains it plainly.

Yes, there are always other options, but your body needs saturated fats. If you don't feed it to your body, it converts them, etc. Trying to trick your body doesn't work. It will make what it needs or convert it, even if medical science does not agree.

Hugs and be patient. LDL and total cholesterol levels are not accurate on tests until your weight has been steady 6 plus months. Anything else, and your burned fat is going to release and process a whole lot of mess...skewing the results.

Ditto this ^^^^^^^. Once you read a few "easy to read" chapters OR read the summaries at the end of the chapters, your mind will be settled.

I will stress this though, DO NOT GO ON STATINS!!!!!! I was on them for years, and have had some permanent memory loss!!!! After you read that book, you would NEVER go on that drug. It has terrible side effects. A low carb hi fat diet is the best thing for your heart and arteries.

Also note, that during the pendency of losing weight on the LCHF diet, your cholesterol will look WORSE before it gets better. This is a normal response. READ the BOOK. When you finish it, give it to your doctor.

Keep calm and Keto on!

I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
Keto / The Recipe Water Fasting / E.A.S.Y. Exercise Program

Fin1965 wrote: »

my iron levels which are very low even with taking iron tablets which he prescribed

Do you eat grains? Try dropping them if you are. I was very anemic for a long time (like, on the verge of getting iron injections when my doctor first found it), despite something like 400% iron intake some days (I tracked it once). Since dropping grains, even before going full LCHF, my iron levels bounced back without supplementation. It takes a couple of months for them to fully come back, and if you don't eat a lot of red meat (or high-iron non-meat sources with a lot of vitamin C) it's still good to supplement for a while.

Also, are you supplementing calcium? If so, that might be contributing to your anemia. Calcium inhibits iron absorption. If you're doing it to prevent osteoporosis, you're probably better off ensuring your vitamin D levels are good, and your K2 intake is adequate, and that you're partaking in weight-bearing exercises (even just stuff like dumbbell lunges or single-legged squats are sufficient), as these things are at least as important as calcium for preventing osteoporosis. K2 is a big one, too, as it makes sure calcium goes where it's supposed to. If you really still want to intake a bunch of calcium, make sure it's not at the same time as the iron.

when he'll ask me if I am taking the statins he prescribed and when I say no he'll not be very happy as I've kind of 'gone against his knowledge' (as he sees it) or advice. I haven't told him about this woe as he'll just think I'm stupid and making matters worse with the high fat intake. I live in a little village and finding a doctor who is open minded in these matters is near impossible, soooooo I'm not going to bother with the high levels that had me so worried and just continue, fool hardy maybe but from what you, others and my limited reading on the subject so far, I'm going to pop my clogs with worry rather than high cholesterol levels!! Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Most doctors don't keep up with modern research. They stick to what they learned in med school, and because of the nature of medical training, that was likely 30+ years ago for your doctor. He's indoctrinated into the low fat mindset (and the one where he thinks you should blindly follow his every word).

If you're afraid of going against his knowledge, then take him the knowledge that says he's wrong. No, he probably won't like it right away, but if he's worth a grain of salt, he'll look at what you've presented him and mull it over. It's hard to argue with PubMed and NIH studies, of which there are many. Again, peruse the Launch Pad and archives for ones to get you started. Reading them, or reading about them, will also help you feel more confident about your decision and about standing up to your doctor.

Since the other things I've linked are rather heavy and in-depth, here's a quicker read that may ring more pertinent to your particular situation. Don't be afraid to read the comments, too, since they provide a bunch more insight into the details of it all -- http://www.docsopinion.com/2013/07/24/low-carb-and-cholesterol/

It's a scary thing to go against conventional medical advice, especially when (it seems like) you have to turn all of it on its head. Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll feel more confident in your decision, overall.