# High Cholesterol



## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

So, I'm waiting for the results for my last cholesterol test. The first was one was very high.
LDL: 202 (very high)
HDL: 73 ( very good)
Triglycerides: 102 ( very good)

My doctor does not believe it is my diet which is good because that would be impossible. He has suggested it could be genetic hypercholestemia but that doesn't seem right to me. My mom and dad told me that their cholesterol has crept up with age but because they eat terrible and chain smoke. Neither have numbers as bad as mine and both have low good cholesterol, high triglycerides. 
I feel this proof that there is a problem and am desperate to convince my doctor to try to control it with thyroid meds instead of statins, especially since statins come with side effects and won't fix my swollen tongue or hair loss. Thoughts?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> So, I'm waiting for the results for my last cholesterol test. The first was one was very high.
> LDL: 202 (very high)
> HDL: 73 ( very good)
> Triglycerides: 102 ( very good)
> ...


You don't want to mess with Statins if you can help it. They have been known to cause ruptured tendons and tendonitis.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=a71d1511eff270c99802f1636c7430db

If you can be treated for hypo, I believe the total cholesterol will come down. That happens to be one of the many symptoms of hypo as you already know.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

I'm frustrated because I know that people with subclinical hypothyroid are being successfully treated with thyroid meds. I know I would benefit. My Free T3 is 19 points from being considered low and qualifying me for treatment. Doesn't that seem so arbitrary? What would be the harm in trying me on a low does of meds for 6 weeks, seeing how I feel and what it does to my cholesterol. Thryroxine therapy was what was used before they developed statins. Is there a danger in giving people with normal tsh but other clinical signs of hypothyroid low doses of hormone? This is one area I need help with most, I can not let my doctor fluff me off and put me on statins. The fatigue and all the rest sucks (the kidney stones and all that too) but I have to figure this cholesterol thing out for my health.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> I'm frustrated because I know that people with subclinical hypothyroid are being successfully treated with thyroid meds. I know I would benefit. My Free T3 is 19 points from being considered low and qualifying me for treatment. Doesn't that seem so arbitrary? What would be the harm in trying me on a low does of meds for 6 weeks, seeing how I feel and what it does to my cholesterol. Thryroxine therapy was what was used before they developed statins. Is there a danger in giving people with normal tsh but other clinical signs of hypothyroid low doses of hormone? This is one area I need help with most, I can not let my doctor fluff me off and put me on statins. The fatigue and all the rest sucks (the kidney stones and all that too) but I have to figure this cholesterol thing out for my health.


Let me see your TSH, FT3 and FT4 labs again w/ the ranges if you will?

This is ridiculous. For you, I mean!

Have you thought about changing doctors?


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

1/22/10

TSH-1.67 (0.358-3.8)
Thyroxine free-.93 (.76-1.46)
T3 free-240 (210-440)
T3-120

3/11/10

TSH-1.274 (0.358-3.8)
Thyroxine free-1.00 (.76-1.46)
T3 free-231 (210-440)
T3-105

Endo did a TPO, still waiting for results.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> 1/22/10
> 
> TSH-1.67 (0.358-3.8)
> Thyroxine free-.93 (.76-1.46)
> ...


Thank you so much for providing those. Yes indeed. Mid-range is 325 and w/ FT3, we do like to see it about half-way above mid-range for best results provided the patient feels well. Even your Free T4 is below mid-range which is 1.11. Gawd!! You must be exhausted and feeling really really unwell.

What a sin!

Can't wait to see TPO.

Once again, thank you for providing your labs.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

Thanks you Andros! I don't feel terrible but not great. Not as well as I should for someone who eats well and is active you know? I am very open to a non thyroid explanation but nothing else explains all my symptoms, I mentioned that I even recently developed kidney stones. How can that all be a coincidence.

I really like my doctor, he called me after my awful endo appt. and insisted I come in for another round of labs. I think he believes I have a thyroid problem and wants to help me or find someone who can. I have never actually asked him to try me on a low does of thyroid meds. Would that be a good idea you think, is there any reason not to?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> Thanks you Andros! I don't feel terrible but not great. Not as well as I should for someone who eats well and is active you know? I am very open to a non thyroid explanation but nothing else explains all my symptoms, I mentioned that I even recently developed kidney stones. How can that all be a coincidence.
> 
> I really like my doctor, he called me after my awful endo appt. and insisted I come in for another round of labs. I think he believes I have a thyroid problem and wants to help me or find someone who can. I have never actually asked him to try me on a low does of thyroid meds. Would that be a good idea you think, is there any reason not to?


There actually would be a reason. One must determine if you are hypo or hyper. It is not a good thing to assume. Symptoms cross over all the time. It gets confusing.

If your doc is so anxious to help you; ask him to run these antibodies' tests, please?

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies),TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/thyroid.html


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

My cholesterol is down to a slightly less scary 265. This is without any changes to my diet or drugs. My TSH went up a little (2.3) but I'm still waiting to hear on my Free T3. The good news is that my GP (who is great) thinks something is amiss and is sending me to an integrative medicine doctor. Let's hope he has some answers for me.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> My cholesterol is down to a slightly less scary 265. This is without any changes to my diet or drugs. My TSH went up a little (2.3) but I'm still waiting to hear on my Free T3. The good news is that my GP (who is great) thinks something is amiss and is sending me to an integrative medicine doctor. Let's hope he has some answers for me.


What was your Total Cholesterol to begin with? I couldn't find it.

And a big hug to your GP! Hey............you are getting somewhere. Can't wait to see the FREE T3 and I hope you can get the range also.

To what would you attribute the decrease in your total cholesterol? Any clues?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Andros said:


> What was your Total Cholesterol to begin with? I couldn't find it.
> 
> And a big hug to your GP! Hey............you are getting somewhere. Can't wait to see the FREE T3 and I hope you can get the range also.
> 
> To what would you attribute the decrease in your total cholesterol? Any clues?


Do you take Omega III or any other GLA? This can raise the lipids in the Total Cholesterol test.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

Nope, weird huh?


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

Oops, sorry. My total cholesterol was 295 in January. I am convinced that I am hypothyroid. I have the hair loss, the pale enlarged tongue, the fatigue, sores on my scalp, kidney stones, a history of postpartum hyperhtyroid. My doctor wants them to test me for Lupus and celiacs too. I think my weird results are a clue that something is not working right. It's not genetic and it's not diet.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> Oops, sorry. My total cholesterol was 295 in January. I am convinced that I am hypothyroid. I have the hair loss, the pale enlarged tongue, the fatigue, sores on my scalp, kidney stones, a history of postpartum hyperhtyroid. My doctor wants them to test me for Lupus and celiacs too. I think my weird results are a clue that something is not working right. It's not genetic and it's not diet.


I am also convinced. Why is it so hard to get a doctor to see this when even in cyber-space,having never met you, we all agree.....................yes; you do have thyroid disease!

What's up w/ that? It was that way for me as well over 30 years ago. You would think the medical community would be more enlightened and astute by now? Is that asking too much?


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## GingerCMusick (Nov 17, 2010)

My cholsterol results were 223 Cholesterol, 23 HDL and 494 Triglycerides. My family doc told me to eat better and lose weight! Ok, I went to college for Nutrition so I eat very healthy, and as for my weight, I'm 5'5 and I weigh 140. I really don't think his advice will help much. Neither of my parents EVER have had a cholesterol problem that I know of. My mom died in 2006 and my dad said his results have always been good. 
Cholesterol problem linked to thyroid, oh yes, I believe so but we'll see what the numbers come out to on the next lab work.....


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

GingerCMusick said:


> My cholsterol results were 223 Cholesterol, 23 HDL and 494 Triglycerides. My family doc told me to eat better and lose weight! Ok, I went to college for Nutrition so I eat very healthy, and as for my weight, I'm 5'5 and I weigh 140. I really don't think his advice will help much. Neither of my parents EVER have had a cholesterol problem that I know of. My mom died in 2006 and my dad said his results have always been good.
> Cholesterol problem linked to thyroid, oh yes, I believe so but we'll see what the numbers come out to on the next lab work.....


Very definitely linked to thyroid. That was my experience anyway. I absolutely do not eat junk food or any pre-prepared food, exercise like you would not believe. Incorporating a very healthy life-style here.

NOW, my T cholesterol is around 160, tryglicerides 46,I forget the HDL but it is good. All this is holding steady too. Been pretty much this way for many years.

NOT so when I was so sick w/Graves'! I was a walking time-bomb cholesterol-wise in spite of a very good diet etc..

Hang in there, you will get things working right again. If it happened for me, it will for you also.


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