Abnormality in my blood work

CommuterMom

Hi,

I got back my blood work results and all looked to be within normal levels except 2 tests. 

I wanted to know if anyone has any knowledge on this stuff.

My HDL was 61 mg/dl.  Normal showed as <40 low >60 high.  I guess that isn't terrrible.

The one that concerns me is the C Reactive Protein.  Mine showed 0.44 mg/dl. Normal ranges were <0.3 mg/dl. I do have bad joints.  My knees are sore and sometimes swollen. I also tested inconclusively for Lyme Disease about 2 years ago and I took some of the antibiotics and felt a lot better but I couldn't finish them because they made me throw up so I stopped after I felt better.

 

-Diana

JoanneNH

I can't comment on the

I can't comment on the c-reactive protein level.

 

You should be pleased with the HDL result.   That is the good cholesterol and the higher the better.  Even higher than 61 would be fabulous.

 

This might make you feel better about the HDL result:      http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/hdl-cholesterol/art-20046388

DMike

C Reactive

I know Neil/NanoSecond was monitoring C Reactive Protein while he was on Sutent. He will be able to explain that to you. i believe it deals with inflammation in your body. If he doesn't chime in on the conversation, send him a PM

David

NanoSecond

HDL and CR-P

Hi Diana.  HDL is often misnomered as the "good cholesterol".  Regardless, the higher the number the better.  Higher HDL corresponds to a more robust immune system.

That said, the most important number to ascertain is the ratio between your Triglycerides and HDL.  It should be as close to 1:1 as possible.  That is, you want your Triglycerides to be as low as possible and your HDL level to be as high as possible.

The best way to insure that will happen is to cut back on eating carbohydrates.  They raise your Triglycerides.

The C-Reactive Protein blood test cannot determine what may be causing inflammation in your body.  Similarly, it cannot tell you where any inflammation in your body is actually originating from.

Your C-RP level is not too bad considering your history of bad joints, etc.  I would just continue to monitor it over time to see what your general trend turns out to be.

NanoSecond

DMike said:

C Reactive

I know Neil/NanoSecond was monitoring C Reactive Protein while he was on Sutent. He will be able to explain that to you. i believe it deals with inflammation in your body. If he doesn't chime in on the conversation, send him a PM

David

Using C Reactive Protein level as a tool

You are correct David. I have monitored my C-RP for well over a year now.  But in my case I have not had any other sources of internal inflammation except whenever my bone lesions would flare up.  That is the key to using this tool effectively because this marker cannot tell you what the source of inflammation is in the body.

dhs1963

NanoSecond said:

HDL and CR-P

Hi Diana.  HDL is often misnomered as the "good cholesterol".  Regardless, the higher the number the better.  Higher HDL corresponds to a more robust immune system.

That said, the most important number to ascertain is the ratio between your Triglycerides and HDL.  It should be as close to 1:1 as possible.  That is, you want your Triglycerides to be as low as possible and your HDL level to be as high as possible.

The best way to insure that will happen is to cut back on eating carbohydrates.  They raise your Triglycerides.

The C-Reactive Protein blood test cannot determine what may be causing inflammation in your body.  Similarly, it cannot tell you where any inflammation in your body is actually originating from.

Your C-RP level is not too bad considering your history of bad joints, etc.  I would just continue to monitor it over time to see what your general trend turns out to be.

Why is the HDL to triglicerides important?

I have genetically high cholsterol: High LDL and triglycerides, and low HDL.  I know about the LDL/HDL for heart disease, but I had not heard about tryglycerides.

FWIW, my HDL runs between 15 - 18, and my LDL is about 180.  My triglycerides are about 300.  Note that this is on max does of meds, and reasonable diet.

CommuterMom

NanoSecond said:

HDL and CR-P

Hi Diana.  HDL is often misnomered as the "good cholesterol".  Regardless, the higher the number the better.  Higher HDL corresponds to a more robust immune system.

That said, the most important number to ascertain is the ratio between your Triglycerides and HDL.  It should be as close to 1:1 as possible.  That is, you want your Triglycerides to be as low as possible and your HDL level to be as high as possible.

The best way to insure that will happen is to cut back on eating carbohydrates.  They raise your Triglycerides.

The C-Reactive Protein blood test cannot determine what may be causing inflammation in your body.  Similarly, it cannot tell you where any inflammation in your body is actually originating from.

Your C-RP level is not too bad considering your history of bad joints, etc.  I would just continue to monitor it over time to see what your general trend turns out to be.

HDL 61 Triglygerides were

HDL 61 Triglygerides were 73

 

NanoSecond

dhs1963 said:

Why is the HDL to triglicerides important?

I have genetically high cholsterol: High LDL and triglycerides, and low HDL.  I know about the LDL/HDL for heart disease, but I had not heard about tryglycerides.

FWIW, my HDL runs between 15 - 18, and my LDL is about 180.  My triglycerides are about 300.  Note that this is on max does of meds, and reasonable diet.

HDL and Trigs

It would be a very long dissertation to explain why the role of triglycerides are far, far more important than the common obsession with total cholesterol number.

So, instead, I will suggest that you might want to read the book, "The Great Cholesterol Con" by the Scottish physician Dr. Malcolm Kendrick.  If you don't want to pay for the book at least check out his blog:

http://drmalcolmkendrick.org/

As I mentioned, triglycerides are a function of the amount of sugar(s) and carbohydrates in your diet.  You may believe your diet is reasonable but your trigs should optimally be below 100, not around 300.  So something is not right.  In addition, your HDL is very low.  Your LDL is considered high but, contrary to what we have been told for decades, it is the HDL number that is far more important.  Meanwhile, the total cholesterol number tells you nothing.  I would not worry if you have geneticallly high total cholesterol (unless you are suffering from the FH).  But I would be very concerned about your HDL and trigs.

I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what the optimal diet might be for cancer sufferers.  Bottom line: it is too many carbs, not too much cholesterol that is a major problem and at the nexus of numerous "diseases of civilization" including: Type II Diabetes; Obesity; Cardiovascular Disease; Alzheimers; and Cancer.

 

NanoSecond

CommuterMom said:

HDL 61 Triglygerides were

HDL 61 Triglygerides were 73

 

That's great

Keep it up.

JoanneNH

CommuterMom said:

HDL 61 Triglygerides were

HDL 61 Triglygerides were 73

 

Those are very good numbers!

Those are very good numbers!

CommuterMom

JoanneNH said:

Those are very good numbers!

Those are very good numbers!

I'm glad I posted. I was

I'm glad I posted. I was concerned. I eat way too many carbs. I'm trying to cut down. I know I'm addicted to sugar and it is bad. I'm weaning myself. Im on the train snacking on Maple "sugary" cashews. It's a better choice than a cookie.

Eliezer2

HDL above "normal" is GOOD - not bad

This is your GOOD cholesterol!   WOuld love to take some of it off your hands!