Latest blood test results in

Had my annual review with nursie today 

A1c up slightly 6.1 to 6.2 (43 to 44)

Big drop in total cholesterol 5.91 to 4.75   HDL down   2.26 to 2.04 but small improvement in TC/HDL ratio 2.6 to 2.3.  I don't get LDL or Trigs  tested anymore which is a pity going by my results it would suggest my LDL could have gone down, not to bothered about trigs as historically they have always been low.

All other results are good GFR >90 and liver function fine, just one fly in the ointment serum sodium level a bit low at 129 mmol/l lab range 133 - 146 got to go for a retest 

All in all I'm happy and my DSN was chuffed with overall results

Retest bollocks! Maybe you were slightly overhydrated? One of my tests came back with some slightly odd results but this was put down to being slightly dehydrated at the time. I really wouldn't have thought that was worth bothering with, but I suppose since you aced everything else they had to find fault somewhere. If all your other electrolytes were a tad low (mine were all slightly high by about the same amount) that might explain it. 

Congratulations anyway, proof that your highly dangerous diet hasn't offed you yet!

Graham said " All in all I'm happy and my DSN was chuffed with overall results"  

Well done Graham, thanks for sharing ...  

All the best Jan

chris c wrote:Retest bollocks! Maybe you were slightly overhydrated? One of my tests came back with some slightly odd results but this was put down to being slightly dehydrated at the time. I really wouldn't have thought that was worth bothering with, but I suppose since you aced everything else they had to find fault somewhere. If all your other electrolytes were a tad low (mine were all slightly high by about the same amount) that might explain it. 

Congratulations anyway, proof that your highly dangerous diet hasn't offed you yet!

Funny you should mention overhydrated that's something I mentioned to Eddie when I was discussing my results with him yesterday, could be my tea addiction is the culprit the kettle's always on the boil  never counted just  how many cups a day I drink but especially in winter when I'm at home more it can add up to a lot of fluid

Just had a look at all my previous sodium scores from the last eight years and they are just outside the bottom of the lab ranges or just within, potassium always middle of the lab ranges though, as for magnesium that's not tested but have recently started supplementing after reading a few reports pertaining to diabetics on deficiencies.

My highly dangerous diet consumed for over seven years has had the opposite effect the naysayers predicted still unlike the anti's I'm prepared to publish and discuss my annual review online warts and all.

Remember when Jay Wortman was lynched for suggesting low carb may increase excretion of sodium? Michael Eades has also made the same point, you could try adding more salt, especially if you make it sea salt or iodised salt for the other mineral content. I alternate between sea salt for the flavour and lo-salt for the potassium.

Magnesium is a good plan, it's often low in modern food, probably because it's low in the soil, depending where your food comes from, though it may be in the water in some regions. Too much will give you the squits, if that happens back the dose down a bit.

chris c wrote:Remember when Jay Wortman was lynched for suggesting low carb may increase excretion of sodium? Michael Eades has also made the same point, you could try adding more salt, especially if you make it sea salt or iodised salt for the other mineral content. I alternate between sea salt for the flavour and lo-salt for the potassium.

Magnesium is a good plan, it's often low in modern food, probably because it's low in the soil, depending where your food comes from, though it may be in the water in some regions. Too much will give you the squits, if that happens back the dose down a bit.

Thanks Chris   I do use quite a bit of sea salt in my cooking and after, never thought of lo-salt I always avoided it, that said my potassium score was ok at 4.50  lab range 3.50 - 5.50 mmol/L

I use the lo-salt because my potassium came back a bit low once or twice and I don't eat much fruit or other potassium-containing things. I use it pretty much belt and braces, like the magnesium. With your potassium number I wouldn't bother. It was also pointed out that low potassium may only mean the blood was poorly stored before being analysed. Labs DO make errors, probably more often than doctors would admit, most of it is done by machines which may go out of calibration or glitch occasionally. Long term patterns are worth noting though, sometimes a result is actually the result of something entirely different being off. Mother used to become anemic as a result of poor B12 absorbtion which resulted from the operations for her Crohn's disease, without B12 shots iron supplements and even shots did nothing.

Potassium is problematical.
The way the blood is taken can give a high result. At 4700mg intake per day we cannot usually get enough on lchf.I would be concerned if mine was below 4.5.
Sodium and potassium are a seesaw in tissue. If one goes in the other comes out and is lost. I think you need your bloods done again.
See taking potassium bloods on net.

Derek

graham64 wrote:

chris c wrote:Remember when Jay Wortman was lynched for suggesting low carb may increase excretion of sodium? Michael Eades has also made the same point, you could try adding more salt, especially if you make it sea salt or iodised salt for the other mineral content. I alternate between sea salt for the flavour and lo-salt for the potassium.

Magnesium is a good plan, it's often low in modern food, probably because it's low in the soil, depending where your food comes from, though it may be in the water in some regions. Too much will give you the squits, if that happens back the dose down a bit.

Thanks Chris   I do use quite a bit of sea salt in my cooking and after, never thought of lo-salt I always avoided it, that said my potassium score was ok at 4.50  lab range 3.50 - 5.50 mmol/L

Derek wrote:Potassium is problematical.
The way the blood is taken can give a high result. At 4700mg intake per day we cannot usually get enough on lchf.I would be concerned if mine was below 4.5.
Sodium and potassium are a seesaw in tissue. If one goes in the other comes out and is lost. I think you need your bloods done again.
See taking potassium bloods on net.

To be honest I'm not overly concerned by my potassium levels, having checked my results over the past eight years apart from one instance were I had a score of 4.1 mmol/L  all the rest have been >4.5

I am due for a retest of sodium in a couple of weeks time followed with a consultation with my GP

Hi Graham,
I guess your bp is ok.
I may mentioned I have Conn's and restrict my sodium to less than 500 mg/day. The body should regulate sodium normally
I have to have my u&es done monthly getting enough potassium is a problem with Conn's.
I think the focus on the need for sodium is over emphasized
Ancient man had very little sodium .
Derek

graham64 wrote:

Derek wrote:Potassium is problematical.
The way the blood is taken can give a high result. At 4700mg intake per day we cannot usually get enough on lchf.I would be concerned if mine was below 4.5.
Sodium and potassium are a seesaw in tissue. If one goes in the other comes out and is lost. I think you need your bloods done again.
See taking potassium bloods on net.

To be honest I'm not overly concerned by my potassium levels, having checked my results over the past eight years apart from one instance were I had a score of 4.1 mmol/L  all the rest have been >4.5

I am due for a retest of sodium in a couple of weeks time followed with a consultation with my GP

Magnesium and calcium are the other "matched pair" of electrolytes where one can adversely affect the other. 

Worth pointing out that care should be taken with potassium in respect to some BP meds and diuretics.

I just had to look up Conn's Syndrome again because I forgot what I read last time I looked it up. Yeah from what I recall poorly handled blood samples may show high potassium if the cells are damaged in transit, which would presumably make it harder to diagnose. I knew someone with a somewhat bizarre collection of symptoms, caused I think by a pituitary tumour which only fired up occasionally. It was important to take her bloods when she was symptomatic. Then they sent the sample to the lab. Unrefrigerated. In Texas. . .

Conn's is initially diagnosed by checking the ARR ..the aldosterone renin ratio by taking bloods.
D.

graham64 wrote:Had my annual review with nursie today 

A1c up slightly 6.1 to 6.2 (43 to 44)

Big drop in total cholesterol 5.91 to 4.75   HDL down   2.26 to 2.04 but small improvement in TC/HDL ratio 2.6 to 2.3.  I don't get LDL or Trigs  tested anymore which is a pity going by my results it would suggest my LDL could have gone down, not to bothered about trigs as historically they have always been low.

All other results are good GFR >90 and liver function fine, just one fly in the ointment serum sodium level a bit low at 129 mmol/l lab range 133 - 146 got to go for a retest 

All in all I'm happy and my DSN was chuffed with overall results

Had my latest review today A1c no change ditto liver and kidney function, total cholesterol gone back up to 5.97 HDL up to 2.35 and TC/HDL ratio 2.8. Serum sodium level was ok just inside the lab range at 133

Had an interesting chat with my DSN about my retinal screening due on Friday, in the past I've always been given a choice between a few approved opticians and the diabetes clinic at my local hospital I've always chosen the latter to keep the scan within the NHS, this year however I don't have that option just the one inconveniently sited NHS clinic and according to my DSN is being run by Specsavers if this is true it's just another example privatisation by stealth of NHS services, as an aside specsavers were never on the previous list of NHS approved opticians.

My lovely DSN put my test strips which were due for review back on repeat script, I don't really test that much these days but I do like to have an occasional check to see how things are going I might use around  200 per year, I count myself lucky in that respect many are denied the opportunity to discover how to get control of blood glucose

graham64 wrote:

graham64 wrote:Had my annual review with nursie today 

A1c up slightly 6.1 to 6.2 (43 to 44)

Big drop in total cholesterol 5.91 to 4.75   HDL down   2.26 to 2.04 but small improvement in TC/HDL ratio 2.6 to 2.3.  I don't get LDL or Trigs  tested anymore which is a pity going by my results it would suggest my LDL could have gone down, not to bothered about trigs as historically they have always been low.

All other results are good GFR >90 and liver function fine, just one fly in the ointment serum sodium level a bit low at 129 mmol/l lab range 133 - 146 got to go for a retest 

All in all I'm happy and my DSN was chuffed with overall results

Had my latest review today A1c no change ditto liver and kidney function, total cholesterol gone back up to 5.97 HDL up to 2.35 and TC/HDL ratio 2.8. Serum sodium level was ok just inside the lab range at 133

Had an interesting chat with my DSN about my retinal screening due on Friday, in the past I've always been given a choice between a few approved opticians and the diabetes clinic at my local hospital I've always chosen the latter to keep the scan within the NHS, this year however I don't have that option just the one inconveniently sited NHS clinic and according to my DSN is being run by Specsavers if this is true it's just another example privatisation by stealth of NHS services, as an aside specsavers were never on the previous list of NHS approved opticians.

My lovely DSN put my test strips which were due for review back on repeat script, I don't really test that much these days but I do like to have an occasional check to see how things are going I might use around  200 per year, I count myself lucky in that respect many are denied the opportunity to discover how to get control of blood glucose

Glad all went well Graham ...

All the best Jan

Thanks Jan 

Update just found this article which confirms what my DSN about specsavers

A mixed screening model where appointments will be offered at a variety of community clinics across the region with the option to attend a local Specsavers store and selected independent Optometrists

https://www.greaterprestonccg.nhs.uk/latest-news/lancashire-diabetic-eye-screening-programme-1081

Seeing I didn't get any option but the one clinic I shall look into this further

Just don't use Vision Express

https://i.servimg.com/u/f37/19/28/97/19/ccvqvb10.jpg

Congratulations on beating the reaper for another year.

I use a local private optician because the owner actually used to be a hospital opthalmologist before quitting to take over the family firm, so he knows what's what and who's who.

I actually haven't tested for a long time now, I got bored with seeing my numbers always between 4 and 7 and at my age I think that's adequate. Mainly I use the Mk 1 Nose - if my pee whiffs of ketones first thing in the morning but not so much the rest of the day then I'm probably OK

chris c wrote:Just don't use Vision Express

https://i.servimg.com/u/f37/19/28/97/19/ccvqvb10.jpg

Congratulations on beating the reaper for another year.

I use a local private optician because the owner actually used to be a hospital opthalmologist before quitting to take over the family firm, so he knows what's what and who's who.

I actually haven't tested for a long time now, I got bored with seeing my numbers always between 4 and 7 and at my age I think that's adequate. Mainly I use the Mk 1 Nose - if my pee whiffs of ketones first thing in the morning but not so much the rest of the day then I'm probably OK

The reaper   is he member of the BDA for they predict dire consequences of following a LC diet with no holygrains 

Had my annual retinal scan today and definitely not impressed with specsavers, the normal procedure with NHS was for the images to be enlarged and and the results explained which were subject to a final review by specialists. This did not happen with specsavers guy he just said I'd get the results through the post I wonder if he was fully qualified to do the procedure.

graham64 wrote:

The reaper   is he member of the BDA for they predict dire consequences of following a LC diet with no holygrains 

Yes I'm still waiting for the onset of the inevitable scurvy and halitosis. Much worse for you than the amputations, blindness and kidney failure after all.

I annoint myself daily with saturated fat which seems to be keeping the bugger away.

graham64 wrote:Had my annual retinal scan today and definitely not impressed with specsavers, the normal procedure with NHS was for the images to be enlarged and and the results explained which were subject to a final review by specialists. This did not happen with specsavers guy he just said I'd get the results through the post I wonder if he was fully qualified to do the procedure.

Probably he is just barely qualified to press the button.

My guy doesn't bother with the drops unless he absolutely has to, his machine has an extra bright flash instead. He always looks at the scan, and lets me do so too when I've stopped seeing the moons of Jupiter circling round the room. Once he wasn't satisfied with the quality - probably I flinched - so he immediately did a second one which was perfect.

chris c wrote:

graham64 wrote:Had my annual retinal scan today and definitely not impressed with specsavers, the normal procedure with NHS was for the images to be enlarged and and the results explained which were subject to a final review by specialists. This did not happen with specsavers guy he just said I'd get the results through the post I wonder if he was fully qualified to do the procedure.

Probably he is just barely qualified to press the button.

My guy doesn't bother with the drops unless he absolutely has to, his machine has an extra bright flash instead. He always looks at the scan, and lets me do so too when I've stopped seeing the moons of Jupiter circling round the room. Once he wasn't satisfied with the quality - probably I flinched - so he immediately did a second one which was perfect.

Agreed, I was talking to a lady who had just has the drops in and was waiting to have the scan she said the specsavers bloke had been drafted in from another location also she said my local hospital would not let them use a room there

graham64 wrote:
Agreed, I was talking to a lady who had just has the drops in and was waiting to have the scan she said the specsavers bloke had been drafted in from another location also she said my local hospital would not let them use a room there

Are they using the space for dieticians? Or do they rent space from the local mortuary?

Retinal scan result arrived in the post today result appeared normal my annual MOT now complete 

Also in the post today Lancs CC inviting me for a free NHS health check  the letter goes into more detail including a routine blood test 

The company running the scheme under the NHS banner are Wellness International yet another sign of privatisation

graham64 wrote:Retinal scan result arrived in the post today result appeared normal my annual MOT now complete 

Glad to hear all was well.
Here's to more of the LCHF lifestyle

All the best Jan

Jan1 wrote:

graham64 wrote:Retinal scan result arrived in the post today result appeared normal my annual MOT now complete 

Glad to hear all was well.
Here's to more of the LCHF lifestyle

All the best Jan

Thanks Jan, but of course you will be aware LCHF is unsustainable in the long term  and I've only been on the fad diet for eight + years