Just diagnosed with very high triglycerides and very scared!

Written by

Mon, January 07, 2008

I was just dianosed with having high cholesterol. It was the actual triglyceride level that was INCREDIBLY high at 1211, yes you read that right. My doctor put me on Antara and just told me to change my diet and exercise more. I am a 31 yr old, non smoking, 5'2" female and weight 203 lbs. I was at 240lbs last year. He also told me the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes and what to watch out for. So does this mean that odds are I am just going to die soon and why he spent more time on the signs and symptoms of these two things that scare the heck out of me. I know I need to get my triglyceride level down, I have started my medicine, am changing my diet and have started walking 45 mins a day at a brisk pace. I am just so scared. I spend 65% of my day just thinking that any moment I am gonna die and when I do have numbness or pain I freak out. Are there others out there who have had levels like mine and gotten it down in time? Thanks

Comments (12) | Add comment

Notify me when there are new comments

ladyisis

1/11/08 1:28pm

Hello kathy76, I can't image how you felt when you came out of your doctor's office with this news. My triglyceride levels are not as high as yours. I do have a combo which is high cholesterol and high blood pressure and that was a turning point to make healthy changes to my lifestyle and diet. I think also that the doctor wanted to scare you into realiziation that you "must make changes NOW" and not later. Your doctor giving you the signs and symptoms is a precaution for you. It is good to hear that you are working on your diet and walking off the pounds.

If you find it difficult to lose weight maybe you should see a dietician in your area to help you. Also you can join a gym near home to get your own personal program to help you. Having a coach who will help and push you towards your goals is a plus I have found.

Try to center on the wonderful work you are doing to lose weight and becoming healthier. Having negative thoughts is not the best thing right now. You determination and will power will see you through.

I do hope this helps. Keep the faith. When I go for a walk I call it "spirit walking" as it is my time to think of good things and to let go of stress and other issues that are bothering me.

Take care and keep me posted. We have to take care of ourselves. Susan

Frances McLaughlin

1/12/08 1:36pm

I was diagnosed last year with high triglycerides and told my liver looked like marbled meat and I told my heart was beating too fast. I was also terrified. My medication was changed to Vytorin and I was told to take a 1200 mg of Omega 3 three times a day and given medication for the rapid heartbeat. Within 3 months, I had improved by half on the triglycerides and by 6 months, it was back in the normal range. My heart doctor was very pleased with my results. You might discuss this with your doctor and see if this would help you.

Frances

constantin74

1/25/08 5:54pm

Kathy, don't panic; it's not that easy to die, especially at your age.You can correct the situation. It is in your power to get rid of the extra weight, or at least a significant and helpful part of it. Your doctor obviously wanted to give you an alarm, understandably. If you don't take any action,logically, you would end up in trouble. But with a good diet regime - by a dietation - and a reasonable exercise plan, I believe, you could transform into OK status. I would recommend reading research results that appeared in health media recently that said: It's not about being "normal" weight, it's about being fit.. An overweight person that exercises carries less heart disease related risk than a normal weight or skinny person that does not exercise. So, make yourself a person that eats not too much, but eats correctly, and that exercises (45 minutes brisk walking a day is just perfect, in my personal view, and sufficient). Do not push too much.. That would be dangerous.. Lose weight slowly and in a long time. Panicking, or a mood like depression, might probably levy more immediate risks on your body than are caused by your existing extra weight and the triglycerides.. Good Luck.

nad

1/26/08 1:24am

I was told by my doctor that chol. drugs are very effective in lowering numbers so don`t be discouraged. I am sure you will be very pleased with yourself when you next test for chol.

Pat s

1/26/08 8:32pm

Yes, you have a problem but at 31 it is most likely just getting serious and can be controled. You need to get a good cardiologist and be on satins. They can do scans and have tests that will tell you if you have the beginning of heart blockages and can easily repair them with stents. I have 3 for the last 5 years. I went through what you are going through when I was 40 and it took me years to realize that thinking about dying is just a waste of your life which may end up being over 100 years.

Abhishek Kulshreshtha

2/18/08 6:43pm

Hi Kathy

In december 2007 o my routine checkup, i found my tryglycerides were abysmally high. I was at 1147 and my doctor panicked after getting these numbers. I was not ready to believe as i always considered myself as healthy (5' 11'', male, weighing 191lbs at tht time). I asked my doc to go for another test in a period of next 15 days.

I accept am not a very active person because of my computers job and no workouts.

For next 15 days, i was regular on my gym and tried to cut down on my food (Am indian so it was hard cuttin down those lovely delicacies).

After around 20 days i tested it again and now it stands at 720. High enough to get me goose bumps. My doc prescribed 400gms Omega fatty acid capsules as a daily regimen with all diet control and exercise. Its now around a month after my second test and i have lost 10lbs. Am planning my next visit soon and am scared too if it stays at same level. It will be great if anybody tells healthy vegeterian foods for keeping tryglycerides low.

Abhishek Kulshreshtha

Mahwah, NJ

Scott

2/23/08 5:33am

Abhishek, your situation sounds a lot like mine. I'm 24 years old, 6' and 190lbs, but during a routine checkup the other day my tricglycerides were found to be at 837 (not as severe as 1147 but scary nonetheless) Also my HDL was found to be at only 18. Yet all other tests came out normal. My doctor seemed very alarmed, and quite frankly didn't seem to have a clue as to the cause other than a possible hereditary condition that he said was quite rare.

I just started on medication and have been instructed to keep my fat intake very low, especially saturated fat. Trans-fats are basically off-limits so there go all my favorite foods =P I must admit my diet has been pretty bad (typical college bachelor diet of pizza, fast-food, etc. but not exclusively and I know many people with far worse diets than mine) but I never imagined it would have such an effect. I'm hoping that changing my diet will correct the problem in conjunction with the medication. If not I don't know what to expect as all the medical sites seem to talk about potential effects of "high triglycerides" of 400 or so, whereas mine is double that.

Anonymous

6/18/08 12:01pm

Well, I am replying after a long time but I do have a good news to share too.

After 3 months of my first test, i went for my check again and here are the figures.

Triglyceride: 115 :) WOW

Cholestrol: 175

Yes, I lost 20 pounds and stand at 172 lb now.

Thanks to selective food intake (Heavy cut diwn on oily stuff), regular exercise (30 mins treadmill, some light weights), Omega3

and here I am happy again

Thanks

Abhishek

Steve

5/ 1/08 10:53am

Hello

1211 is high but not then end of the world. My results came back at 2400 a year ago, I am diabetic, have HBP and high cholestorol. My doctor put me on lovasa 4 gms a day, niacine 2000 a day. after 6 months it was down to 1400. I read an article from a doctor that stated if you want your numbers to come down to a normal level, "stop" eating breads, cakes & cookies. I used to eat bread with every meal, 1 slice I thought was fine. I cut about 97% of it out altogether and my last check up 2 weeks ago came back with a tryglyceride reading of "116" my cholesterole was in the normal range and blood pressure is 130/85. Best it's ever been, the medicine helped but cutting out the bread did the most.

J Brown

5/ 9/08 10:14am

I am 49 years old and was just told by my GYN that my triglyceride level is 410. She wants me to go see a family doctor. I have to wonder if it would be better to see a specialist. Any suggestions?

Lisa Nelson, RD, LN

6/ 8/08 1:22pm

Hi Kathy,

Congratulations on the 37 pound weight loss! I am sure you have lost more by now. It is great that you took your appointment with your doctor seriously and started making changes ASAP. It has been almost 6 months since your post, but wanted to give you a little support to stick with it. You are young and there is no reason you cannot reverse your health outlook.

All the best,

Lisa Nelson, RD, LN

Lower Cholesterol, Control Blood Pressure, Lose Weight

dlandman

10/16/08 12:49pm

I was diagnosed with high cholestorol and very low good cholestorol (24) about two years ago. Since then I have been on 4 different meds, each causing severe muscle cramps. So every time I started a new one I had to go through all the test etc over and over again. The last medication the Dr put me on was Crestor. I found it to be the most tolerant of the previous. But.....when I went back for my 30 day test they found my tri levels to be extremely high (758) since then I had another test 30 days later and my tris went to 1750. If that was not alarming enough I just got my last test results today 2550. All the while taking Crestor as prescribed. I have another appt. tomorrow but I think Im in trouble. My cholestorol has improved somewhat but not much at all. Still no where near normal. My good has raised to 31 and my bad has went down to 358. Im 41 years old and weigh 240 pounds. I know what I need to do. Exercise more but this is difficult since I have had knee surgery (two on each side) and at one time both at once. I need to bite the bullet and get off my butt. I have a desk job. It is painfull on the knees to jog or do anything similar but I gotta do something or I think i will have serious complications very soon.

Just diagnosed with very high triglycerides and very scared!

Ask a Question

Health Centers