Health Markers Success Stories

At some past point triglycerides hit 402, HDL 39, LDL 161. Varies from test to test now, but the last one (May 2019) was pretty typical of the last few years since weight loss, with tris 97, HDL 66, LDL 89.6. At one point, Chol/HDL ratio had hit 5.9; this last test was 2.65.

I got the tris and LDL down a little before weight loss with eating changes, but the difference was fairly small, and they were still in a too-high range. Everything bad started dropping like a rock with weight loss, and hit levels close to the current ones +/- in under a year. They'd dropped quite a bit even part way through weight loss, though I don't have the exact numbers in front of me. HDL went up a lot in that period too, but kept drifting up for a while after IIRC.

Blood pressure used to be borderline high to high, too: 140/80 and up. Now it tends to be low 120s to one-teens over 70-something most of the time.

I don't know what specific changes raised my HDL, other than weight loss. I don't feel like I changed what I ate dramatically with weight loss, though portions changed a lot and proportions also. I probably eat fewer carbs (but not at all low carb, usually around 200g-ish daily), probably lower sat fats (less cheese, but still some pretty much daily), possibly relatively more MUFAs/PUFAs (nuts, nut butter, seeds). Veggies and fruits may be a higher proportion of intake than formerly, but not sure about absolute amounts. (I've been vegetarian for decades, and mostly eating whole grains and such, not some standard American diet sort of thing.)

I've been active for a long time; exercise didn't change much from when I was obese to now. Resting heart rate also isn't dramatically different: High 40s to low 50s, generally, fat and thin (first thing in AM readings).

YellowD0gs wrote: »

In May, at the time of my heart attacks, my lipid panel was: Total Cholesterol 165, HDL 57, LDL 93, Triglycerides 74. Not horrible numbers on their own, and the highest they'd ever been, but the ratios were all wonky. Bad wonky. After six months of a prescribed statin, a strict low sodium diet (which also affects the amounts of other parameters), and 27 pound weight loss via diet and exercise, I asked my Doc to run another test. Don't hate me: Total Cholesterol 96, HDL 73, LDL 15, Triglycerides 37. My regular Doc is ecstatic! My Cardiologist..."LDL is still too high!". :noway:

Fantastic results! But I do think you need a new cardiologist.

I avoided doctors most of the time when I was at my heavier weights (100+ higher). I think when I did get testing done it was decent only because of genetics and youth, though. Now I'm 43 and most of my friends are getting horrible results from bloodwork and doctor visits while mine is "all normal, really good". I credit genetics and definitely weight loss.

I also believe weight loss is part of the reason I no longer have frequent & debilitating migraines. My doctor says it's probably just a hormone shift that caused them to end. I just don't think it's coincidence that they stopped abruptly when I got to a fairly healthy weight, though!