High Cholesterol - why?: Hi please can members... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

140,281 members164,998 posts

High Cholesterol - why?

laraline profile image
9 Replies

Hi please can members advise me what to do! I have just had my blood results back and don't know how to interpret them. I am presently on Levothyroxine 50. I especially dont know what to do next about my high Cholesterol result as I eat so healthily I dont know what to do to bring it down? How is it related to my Thyroid results? Any advice please?

TSH 3.670 (range 0.270-4.200)

Free T4 23.14 (12.00-22)

Free T3 4.3 ( 3.1-6.8)

Cholesterol 6.67 (less than 5.2)

LDL 4.4 (Below 2.5)

HDL 2.02 (female 1.2)

Chol/HDL ratio 3.302 (5 or lower)

TPO - Negative

Written by
laraline profile image
laraline
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
9 Replies
Clutter profile image
Clutter

Laraline,

You are undermedicated to have TSH 3.67 and that is probably why your cholesterol has become high. It will probably drop once you are optimally dosed.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.27 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

High cholesterol is nothing to get in a panic about. It's a hypo symptom, but won't do you any harm. It will not - absolutely not - give you a heart attack or a stroke, I don't care what your doctor says! Resist his urgings to put you on statins.

The body needs cholesterol for many reasons - including the brain! You can't make sex hormones or vit d without cholesterol. And, those with a higher cholesterol tend to live longer than those with high cholesterol.

It has very little to do with your diet. Cholesterol is made in the liver - and it's made in the liver because it's an essential nutrient. The more you eat, the less the liver makes. The less you eat, the more the liver makes. But, you would have your work cut out to eat enough to raise your cholesterol above the limits! So, stop worrying and enjoy your food! :)

dina7 profile image
dina7 in reply to greygoose

It may not give you a heart attach or stroke, but my husband was warned by his optician that his eyes would be damaged by such high cholesterol. Once he was diagnosed as hypo and on T4/T3 his cholesterol levels were normal.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to dina7

Well, I don't know how high your husbands cholesterol was, so I can't comment. I was commenting on the OP's results. And, as I said, high cholesterol is a symptom of low T3, so not surprising his levels went down when he was on T4/T3 - unless I've completely missed the point you're making?

maxart profile image
maxart in reply to greygoose

So much this!! 100% agree. Brilliant book: The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick. And yes, it's a hypo symptom :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to maxart

:)

laraline profile image
laraline

Thank you just got to convince my Doctor now!

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to laraline

Your doctor can't twist your arm and force feed you statins. This is also true of any other tests or treatment your doctor ( or any doctor) wants to give you. It is up to you whether you agree.

I've been offered statins twice. I've refused both times. My doctor no longer tests my cholesterol. What would be the point? I won't do what she suggests when the result comes back high, as it always does.

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7

Yes the tests above are important as these help conversion do please post results when to get them as they need to be optimal, not just in range and also doctors aren't that good at telling you how to increase.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

High cholesterol?

I had my 3 monthly Thyroid test with Thriva and added a Lipid profile to the test as I have never...

Thyroid patent requiring cholesterol readings

I haveunder active thyroid on 50mg Levo 5 days and 75 2 days .had decided to stop statins and just...

High Cholesterol

Any advice please on my lipid results taken from a finger prick sample when attending an...

New blood results: High TPOAb, High CRP (high sensitivity)Result and High trend cholesterol.

I decided to have my blood tested through Thriva after my GP said I did not need to have my blood...

Help with understanding thyroid and cholesterol blood results please!

Hello, I'm new here and was hoping you could please help with understanding my recent blood test...