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Cholesterol Levels Increasing After Surgery?



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I have never had problems with my cholesterol levels, even at my highest weight. They were always normal, never even near boarderline. So imagine my surprise when me recent blood work shows my levels are high and my dr wants to start me on medication. I've lost 70 pounds, and probably are healthier than I have ever been. The only thing I can think is that since surgery I've been eating more Protein in the form of eggs and cheese. Would that cause an increase in me cholesterol levels? Has anyone else had this happen? I really don't want to add a medication. I go in monday to talk to my dr about what I should do.

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Yes, I have heard of this happening and you hit the nail right on the head! Besides our age, weight, and hormones naturally cholesterol levels would spike. Now, since sugery you mentioned you have been eating more Protein, more eggs, and cheese.

Are you eating 'lean' meats? Reduced fat cheese? Egg whites only? If you said no, you might want to reduce this just to see on your next blood work if your levels lowered. I never had a problem with cholestrol at all, even at my huge weight. However, I am eating reduced fats, eating only lean meats, and egg whites only. I also get in an adequate amount of Fiber, green tea, garlic, and nuts to help in the future.

These are very good in helping to lower cholesterol: Garlic, oats, flaxseed, green tea, Fiber, fish, and nuts.

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Interesting situation please lets us know what doctor says about this. The eggs and cheese are good in limitation so you might be on to something there. cut them down or out for 3 mo and see what happens

line dancer

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Definately cut out whole eggs! I have genetically bad cholesterol. I had to go on a Statin even after loosing 150 pounds and exercising at least an hour a day 7 days a week. I never eat full fat cheese, whole eggs, red meat or pork.

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When you lose weight, you are mobilizing energy stored as fat, and that fat is mobilized as fatty acids and triglycerides into the bloodstream. This flood of fatty acids, which interact with other elements in the bloodstream can block insulin, increase triglycerides, decrease HDL (good cholesterol), and can make LDL levels fluctuate. Many doctors recognize this as a normal part of weight loss (the inevitable mobilization of fatty acids) and feel that decisions regarding this should not be made immediately as usually these values are transient and won't last forever. Although as we know, every doc is different, so obviously discuss with your doctor, but this is what I've learned through nursing and research. Hope this helps.

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This happens to some people on a high Protein, low carb diet. Definitely talk to your doctor and see if possibly your food guidelines need to be changed for your specific needs.

This is actually one of the reason I don't limit carbs. I did Atkins years ago, which is almost no carbs, and my cholesterol went through the roof and I ended up with a very bad kidney infection from a build up of Proteins.

Best wishes to you.

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Thanks for all the advice. This is my primary care dr, the one who hasn't even acknowledge that I've lost 70 pounds in the last 5 months, so I'm not exactly thrilled with her. I think I'm going to she what she says and then also talk to my surgeon and nutritionist at the surgery center.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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