You don't just need to know your total number.

You need to know your LDL, HDL, Trigs, Total, and whether the LDL is calculated or measured (calculated is default if doesn't say). Preferable would be to have the last set of numbers.

Most docs flip out over the total number, and it is more or less irrelevant to true cholesterol concerns. The most important ratio is HDL/trigs.

This is another group I'm in that has some absolutely fabulous information that explains why medical science is 30 years or so behind the truth about cholesterol.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

elevated trigs is a huge sign of thyroid disorder, which can take 15 years before it shows on the TSH only test. www.stopthethyroidmadness.com can help you understand this better.

The EPA/DHA ratio needs to be with EPA higher than DHA, preferably 2:1 or higher, if I remember right.

I can almost guarantee that's what they will tell you, based on old, outdated science. Read the book "Cholesterol Clarity" by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Eric Westman. Jimmy Moore also does podcasts. If you do drop dairy and eggs, you will damage your health further. Triglycerides are created as vehicles to move glucose (carbs) to your brain and other areas as fuel. If you eat more carbs, it will go up.

Be sure to get your doctor to check all the factors on stopthethyroidmadness.com especially the more detailed numbers, as trigs that high are a huge waving red flag of thyroid dysfunction or low-functioning...

It was recommended to me by @Dragonwolf, who herself has done extensive research on the subject. Mostly, it's just a cohesive site that has the info in one place. Every single bit of info I've found on that site I have been able to find/corroborate elsewhere. I have never bought a single product from that site, nor do I intend to. I have used the information suggested for testing to have my own doctors do independent tests - as well as to modify my medications accordingly, as well. Without them as an information source, my endocrinologist and I would likely not have made as much progress treating me as we have... He also indicated that that site has very good information on it. Whenever I google stuff to research my thyroid issues, that site nearly always comes up...

Here are some other resources on high trigs, for your reference.

paleoforwomen.com/cholesterol-clarity-by-jimmy-moore-lessons-in-womens-health-and-easy-to-read-heart-smarts-whether-youre-into-the-low-carb-thing-or-not/

thoughtworthy.info/BlogPost/124/Cholesterol-Clarity-by-Jimmy-Moore-with-Dr-Eric-Westman

livestrong.com/article/511914-high-triglycerides-for-hypothyroid/ This one uses some old science and some new science, so I don't like it as much...

healthmonitor.com/high-triglycerides/written-article/surprising-causes-high-triglycerides Some info, not all confirmed.

No problem at all, @perilousbard! I'm a HUGE HUGE fan of research... I strongly recommend folks pick a starting place and don't stop until their own research lets them feel good about what they've found.

I forgot to add that getting on thyroid meds helped me, with minimal dietary changes drop my trigs from over 200 (highest tested on my current lab history was 203 in January of 2009) to 112 just with thyroid meds. Adding in dietary and activity changes I've brought it down further to between 76-95, depending on timing... my HDL went from 29 to 41 to 52 over the same time range...

@curleyq102 - TSH and sometimes Total T4 and such are about all that most docs test. If you're interested, you can post your numbers, and I'll share mine (I just put them together in another post in another group, and you can see how they relate and/or what to look for/have tested...

Here's my other post:

In October last year, before I took some time off low carbing, I'd stopped losing weight, and in 6 months, my TSH had gone from 2.699 uIU/mL to 3.979 uIU/mL... (before that it was at 1.640 uIU/mL in October 2014. For reference, I went low carb in January of 2015, but I hit a full on wall with my weight loss stopping suddenly at the end of March/beginning of April 2015. Some podcasts and such I've seen indicated that strict keto might have hit on an underlying adrenal issue that was "holding steady" but not really allowing anything to work well. I'm working on a new plan right now...). Here are my numbers in that time frame.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
15-Apr-16 / 2.04 uIU/ML -- 0.36-3.740 -- none
13-Oct-15 / 3.979 uIU/ML -- 0.358-3.740 -- H
20-Apr-15 / 2.699 uIU/ML -- 0.358-3.740 -- none
27-Oct-14 / 1.640 uIU/ML -- 0.358-3.740 -- none


Free Thyroxine (T4)
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
15-Apr-16 -- 1.28 ng/DL -- 0.76-1.46 ng/DL -- none
13-Oct-15 -- 1.27 ng/dl -- 0.76-1.46 -- none
20-Apr-15 -- 1.16 ng/dl -- 0.76-1.46 -- none
27-Oct-14 -- 1.48 ng/dl -- 0.76-1.46 -- H

Free Thyroxine (T4) Index
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
21-Apr-14 -- 5.2 -- 1.5-4.4 -- H

Total Thyroxine (T4)
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
16-May-14 -- 16.8 UG/ML -- 4.8-13.9 -- H
21-Apr-14 -- 17.3 UG/ML -- 4.8-13.9 -- H


Triiodothyronine (T3) Uptake
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
21-Apr-14 -- 30% -- 30-39 -- none

Free Triiodothyronine (T3)
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
31-May-16 -- 2.9 pg/mL -- 2.3-4.2 pg/mL -- none
15-Apr-16 -- 2.67 pg/DL -- 2.18 -3.98 pg/DL -- none
21-Apr-15 -- 2.9 pg/mL -- 2.3-4.2 -- none
21-Apr-15 -- 2.7 pg/mL -- 2.3-4.2 -- none
28-Oct-14 -- 3.0 pg/mL -- 2.3-4.2 -- none
17-May-14 -- 3.2 pg/mL -- 2.3-4.2 -- none

Reverse Triiodothyronine (T3)
Date -- Result -- Reference Range -- Flag
31-May-16 -- 26 ng/dL -- 8-25 ng/dL -- H
25-Apr-15 -- 20 ng/dL -- 8-25 ng/dL -- none


Antibodies Tests
Date -- Test -- -- -- Result -- Range
31-May-16 -- Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibody -- <1 IU/mL -- < or = 1 IU/mL
31-May-16 -- Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies -- 1 IU/mL -- <9 IU/mL


Basically, my end said with my T3 being lowish and my T4 being high, it seemed like I wasn't converting (which low stomach acid/no gallbladder is a HUGE part of it, other stuff contributes), which is what our body is supposed to do. Both my thyroid antibodies tests came back negative, so that was a good thing for me, but definitely something for me to watch. Also, he said that my TSH coming down, but my T4 still being high told him I wasn't converting either. My T3 levels still being low. Me feeling like crap, all of it was part of deciding to add the T3 in. As far as I know, I won't retest until October at my next appt. Just wanted to share my numbers during the same timeframe for reference.