Lipid panels, are they valid?

[Ann]

I am curious how much affect meals have on lipid panel
results. My doc never warns me when he is going to do a
lipid panel and I usually get 'higher than I like' results.
Last time I got HD chol of 50 and trigs of 142 and the LDL
was estimated to be 232. Now I am wondering what the
numbers might have been if I had not had toast, 2 prunes,
cocoa and an egg 3 hours earlier in the day? I am not sure
my test results are valid, only ballpark. The numbers I
gave are actual, I just don't think they can be accurate
without an overnight fast. T2 for a few years, but
diagnosed a year ago. Plenty of neuropathy in the feet, but
no other bad health problems except the numerous side
effects of metformin 500mg 2x daily. Funny stuff metformin.
When I started on it I swore I would never need a laxative
again, but a few months later it's constipation every day
despite my daily prune intake and 2 daily stool softeners
and a bisacodyl laxative every other day. I suspect this is
more a side effect of fiber deficiency from low carbing,
the only control option I have with my meager meds. Oh
exercise in the evening is a must and the numbers still
stay stubbornly above a hundred even after a mile ride, but
a two mile ride will bring it down most days. Sometimes I
am riding my stationary bike at 3AM to get the numbers down
even when I have a no carb supper of meat and a few string
beans, OK a few carbs in the beans, but not much. The
glipizide doesn't do anything in the evening; a curious
phenomenon. I think a hit of humulin or novalog would be
the ticket at supper time. Too bad my doc won't prescribe
it. Any opinions on this please. Regards, Ann 1gm metformin
daily that's 1000 mg for the metrically challenged. 5mg
glipizide daily in 4 pieces, 3 meals and late night snack
25mg policosanol daily in two doses 5mg lisinopril/hctz
daily keeps the bp nice and low.

[Priscilla H Bal]

Ann <Ann@ixpres.com> quoth:
>I am curious how much affect meals have on lipid panel
>results. My doc never warns me when he is going to do a
>lipid panel and I usually get 'higher than I like' results.
>Last time I got HD chol of 50 and trigs of 142 and the LDL
>was estimated to be 232. Now I am wondering what the
>numbers might have been if I had not had toast, 2 prunes,
>cocoa and an egg 3 hours earlier in the day? I am not sure
>my test results are valid, only ballpark. The numbers I
>gave are actual, I just don't think they can be accurate
>without an overnight fast.

Lipid results won't be accurate unless they're done
fasting. I'm concerned about the competence of your MD. I
have it set up with my endo so that I go in fasting the
week before my appointment (this morning, AAMOF!) for blood
draw so we can go over the results when I see him. The only
thing in what they measure that a non-fasting draw would be
fine for is A1c.

>T2 for a few years, but diagnosed a year ago. Plenty of
>neuropathy in the feet, but no other bad health
>problems except the numerous side effects of metformin
>500mg 2x daily.

Did you MD tell you that's the barely minimum
therapeutic dose?

> Funny stuff metformin. When I started on it I swore I
> would never need a laxative again, but a few months later
> it's constipation every day despite my daily prune intake
> and 2 daily stool softeners and a bisacodyl laxative
> every other day. I suspect this is more a side effect of
> fiber deficiency from low carbing,

Why do you have a fiber deficiency from low carbing? Aren't
you eating your broccoli, cauliflour, salads, etc?

>the only control option I have with my meager meds. Oh
>exercise in the evening is a must and the numbers still
>stay stubbornly above a hundred even after a mile ride, but
>a two mile ride will bring it down most days. Sometimes I
>am riding my stationary bike at 3AM to get the numbers down
>even when I have a no carb supper of meat and a few string
>beans, OK a few carbs in the beans, but not much.

It sounds like you're eating way too few vegetables!

>The glipizide doesn't do anything in the evening; a curious
>phenomenon. I think a hit of humulin or novalog would be
>the ticket at supper time. Too bad my doc won't prescribe
>it. Any opinions on this please.

Talk to MD about fasting/blood work issue, and if he
doesn't get it about fasting before lipids check, find a
new MD. And add in a lot of vegies, plus a few berries to
what you're eating!

Priscilla
--
"Come to Planet Earth! Watch people with brains not use
them! Several shows daily! Free admittance!" Keera Ann Fox
in alt.support.menopause

[Herman Rubin]

In article <40e2733e_2@news.vic.com>, Ann <Ann@ixpres.com> wrote:
>I am curious how much affect meals have on lipid panel
>results. My doc never warns me when he is going to do a
>lipid panel and I usually get 'higher than I like' results.
>Last time I got HD chol of 50 and trigs of 142 and the LDL
>was estimated to be 232. Now I am wondering what the
>numbers might have been if I had not had toast, 2 prunes,
>cocoa and an egg 3 hours earlier in the day? I am not sure
>my test results are valid, only ballpark. The numbers I
>gave are actual, I just don't think they can be accurate
>without an overnight fast.

I have never had a lipid panel without an overnight fast.
From what I know of the biology, which is not enough, I
would expect non-fasting triglycerides to be elevated; I
have seen statements that a single meal could greatly
raise them. But I suspect that other effects could occur
from not fasting.
--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that
these views are those of the Statistics Department or of
Purdue University. Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics,
Purdue University hrubin@stat.purdue.edu Phone: (765)494-
6054 FAX: (765)494-0558