Cholesterol

shamrock88 · 10-19-2012, 06:41 PM

I'm 47 years old, high level quadriplegic (c4) been injured 27 years. For the last year I've had dizzy spells, shortness of breath, especially during and after eating. I'm constantly dealing with serious chronic UTI, and chronic wounds, so I tend not to get the normal stuff done as frequently as I should. Recently, I had my blood work done. Results are as follows.

Overall cholesterol 178.
LDL 120
triglycerides 120
HDL 32

from these numbers. I gather my good cholesterol is extremely low which through my research I have found that can be as dangerous as high cholesterol, especially for sedentary people like myself.

The first ways elevating HDL are listed as increased exercise, stop smoking limit trans fats, etc. all of these are not applicable.

Is there anything to do other than eat more good fats (Mono/poly)? I'm pretty fanatical about what I eat limiting carbohydrates and sugar. I'm not overweight. But I probably could use to eat more salmon, seeds and nuts, peanut butter, etc.

additionally, my vitamin D is very low 25

thank you in advance

SCI-Nurse · 10-19-2012, 07:00 PM

dear shamrock88
Any personal or family history of diabetes? any other labwork completed like electrolytes, creatinine, TSH, CBC, albumin, prealbumin? These labs will look at your nutrition, infection rate, thyroid,etc. If you are at risk for diabetes add a fasting glucose and a hemoglobin A1C. The symptoms you described require additional labs or history for how long those issues have been present. Chronic wounds and UTIs are serious conditions.

The labwork results you presented cholesterol and triglycerides are okay. HDL (good chol) is low. Taking a fish oil cap would help that. Your LDL (bad chol) is okay as long as you don't have any other medical problems such as diabetes. If you have diabetes that number needs to be at 100 or lower.

Vitamin D= 25, it would be good to have a calcium level with that also. Otherwise to treat that level of Vit D take 2000 IU daily of cholecalciferol=Vit D3.

Only pieces of you entire health picture are presented today. Run this information by your primary care provider for the rest of your story.

pbr

shamrock88 · 10-19-2012, 07:59 PM

Thank you for your response nurse, greatly appreciative to your timely effort. Constant and reoccurring resistant Pseudomonas infections have been an issue for some time. I go to the wound care Center regularly. Diabetes has not been an issue with me or in my family. I recently got a new doctor, so although bloodwork has just done. My thyroid and glucose and all those things were okay. What concerns me is my father & younger brother. Both had to have angioplasties for blockages.

As I said over the last six months, I have had these dizzy spells, along with difficulty breathing periodically. Also, weakness and malaise. Generally, around the time I'm eating or shortly after. I have had a echocardiogram and EKG recently, and was told they were both good. The rate? On my echocardiogram was 60, the radiologist told me that was good.
I've recently discovered low good cholesterol is just as dangerous as elevated high cholesterol. Especially when you get no physical exercise.

I also have a problem with constipation, does vitamin D further complicate that? Another issue was extremely low testosterone… 275, from what I gather the low end would be 350. Is that a problem also? I'm hesitant to address that as my dad recently passed from prostate cancer. Eliminating testosterone in him was one of the treatments (Lupron shots). Thank you again for your assistance is greatly appreciated. This is a great resource!

SCI-Nurse · 10-20-2012, 09:53 AM

Having low testosterone and low vitamin d levels can cause the problems you have mentioned of malaise, fatigue even depression. The treatment for low vitamin d is as I mentioned above. Testosterone can be addressed in one injection or several depending on your pharmacy distributes it (the several and subsequent injections I hear are cheaper). If you are concerned about your prostate then get it checked with a PSA and exam especially since your father has prostate CA. Testosterone is recommended if you have low levels, not recommended if your levels are normal.

What is your blood pressure? is it too low because that can cause dizziness.

It would be a good idea to have an entire medication review and see if any of those contribute to dizziness especially if they are new additions to you list.

The shortness of breath issue, need more information as to when it occurs, with certain activity? all the time?

pbr

10-19-2012, 06:41 PM	#1
shamrock88 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 171	Cholesterol I'm 47 years old, high level quadriplegic (c4) been injured 27 years. For the last year I've had dizzy spells, shortness of breath, especially during and after eating. I'm constantly dealing with serious chronic UTI, and chronic wounds, so I tend not to get the normal stuff done as frequently as I should. Recently, I had my blood work done. Results are as follows. Overall cholesterol 178. LDL 120 triglycerides 120 HDL 32 from these numbers. I gather my good cholesterol is extremely low which through my research I have found that can be as dangerous as high cholesterol, especially for sedentary people like myself. The first ways elevating HDL are listed as increased exercise, stop smoking limit trans fats, etc. all of these are not applicable. Is there anything to do other than eat more good fats (Mono/poly)? I'm pretty fanatical about what I eat limiting carbohydrates and sugar. I'm not overweight. But I probably could use to eat more salmon, seeds and nuts, peanut butter, etc. additionally, my vitamin D is very low 25 thank you in advance

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10-19-2012, 07:00 PM	#2
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,515	dear shamrock88 Any personal or family history of diabetes? any other labwork completed like electrolytes, creatinine, TSH, CBC, albumin, prealbumin? These labs will look at your nutrition, infection rate, thyroid,etc. If you are at risk for diabetes add a fasting glucose and a hemoglobin A1C. The symptoms you described require additional labs or history for how long those issues have been present. Chronic wounds and UTIs are serious conditions. The labwork results you presented cholesterol and triglycerides are okay. HDL (good chol) is low. Taking a fish oil cap would help that. Your LDL (bad chol) is okay as long as you don't have any other medical problems such as diabetes. If you have diabetes that number needs to be at 100 or lower. Vitamin D= 25, it would be good to have a calcium level with that also. Otherwise to treat that level of Vit D take 2000 IU daily of cholecalciferol=Vit D3. Only pieces of you entire health picture are presented today. Run this information by your primary care provider for the rest of your story. pbr

10-19-2012, 07:59 PM	#3
shamrock88 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 171	Thank you for your response nurse, greatly appreciative to your timely effort. Constant and reoccurring resistant Pseudomonas infections have been an issue for some time. I go to the wound care Center regularly. Diabetes has not been an issue with me or in my family. I recently got a new doctor, so although bloodwork has just done. My thyroid and glucose and all those things were okay. What concerns me is my father & younger brother. Both had to have angioplasties for blockages. As I said over the last six months, I have had these dizzy spells, along with difficulty breathing periodically. Also, weakness and malaise. Generally, around the time I'm eating or shortly after. I have had a echocardiogram and EKG recently, and was told they were both good. The rate? On my echocardiogram was 60, the radiologist told me that was good. I've recently discovered low good cholesterol is just as dangerous as elevated high cholesterol. Especially when you get no physical exercise. I also have a problem with constipation, does vitamin D further complicate that? Another issue was extremely low testosterone… 275, from what I gather the low end would be 350. Is that a problem also? I'm hesitant to address that as my dad recently passed from prostate cancer. Eliminating testosterone in him was one of the treatments (Lupron shots). Thank you again for your assistance is greatly appreciated. This is a great resource!

10-20-2012, 09:53 AM	#4
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,515	Having low testosterone and low vitamin d levels can cause the problems you have mentioned of malaise, fatigue even depression. The treatment for low vitamin d is as I mentioned above. Testosterone can be addressed in one injection or several depending on your pharmacy distributes it (the several and subsequent injections I hear are cheaper). If you are concerned about your prostate then get it checked with a PSA and exam especially since your father has prostate CA. Testosterone is recommended if you have low levels, not recommended if your levels are normal. What is your blood pressure? is it too low because that can cause dizziness. It would be a good idea to have an entire medication review and see if any of those contribute to dizziness especially if they are new additions to you list. The shortness of breath issue, need more information as to when it occurs, with certain activity? all the time? pbr