Ok bloodwork nerds....help me out

biguglynewf

biguglynewf

Well-known member
Staff member
I recently had some blood work done by a new practice we are transitioning to.

The NP that I met with sent me for baseline blood work and added a few extra things that I have never had checked before.

No true surprises....except one that sounds pretty ugly. Everything else was as expected and actually extremely great overall.

Liver values, lipids kidney function all in good order.

Here's the hook though.

It appears I have never had LpA tested before. It appears to be shockingly high. 281.

Triglycerides, ldl, hdl, ratio, ApoB - all excellent.

This seems to demonstrate terrible genes and there is little that can be done to improve these numbers as high LpA numbers coupled with good numbers otherwise leads to bad genes which makes my liver over produce this particle that sounds to be far worse than ldl for heart disease and stroke issues.

There are apparently a few drugs in trial that are showing promise but none have received fda approval. There is a process similar to dialysis that is apparently fda approved where these particles can be filtered from you blood.

So.....

What do you folks know about this apparent condition that I currently can do fuck all about other than keep other risk factors at bay? I do see niacin/q10 etc are suggested. However little to nothing else.

Not on anything aas wise, but not too long off 500mg/test cyp. 3-4 weeks. Haven't seen anything showing exo test would inflate this number, and all other lipids were well within reference ranges.

And how ugly is that number? It appears from my down the rabbit hole reading today....it ain't good!

If I croak before many responses are posted....fuck everyone...cause I'm going out miserably...lol!

Thanks for the ponders for those that share thoughts or feed me info.
 
Never heard of that marker lol... I'd be really interesting to hear what your dr says about it

Guessing just do all the things we know are good for preventing heart attacks, but I don't know anythign about that marker at all
 
I’ve heard of it but not overly familiar. I’ve done a lot of research in this area and talked to multiple doctors. from everything I learned high or “large” Apo B combined with high LDL is what cardiologists worry about today.

Both of yours you say are good, so unless a cardiologist says otherwise, I would treat it as interesting information, but not significant until someone can explain how this outweighs the non-risk factors of good Apo B and LDL
 
Oldguyjiujitsu said:
I’ve heard of it but not overly familiar. I’ve done a lot of research in this area and talked to multiple doctors. from everything I learned high or “large” Apo B combined with high LDL is what cardiologists worry about today.

Both of yours you say are good, so unless a cardiologist says otherwise, I would treat it as interesting information, but not significant until someone can explain how this outweighs the non-risk factors of good Apo B and LDL
Click to expand...
www.heart.org

Lipoprotein (a)

Lp(a) is a genetic independent risk factor for heart disease. Knowing your Lp(a) levels can help you reduce your risk of heart disease for you or someone you love.
www.heart.org www.heart.org

www.cdc.gov

About Lipoprotein (a)

High levels of lipoprotein (a) increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and aortic stenosis.
www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov

Just some quick bathroom reading for you sir.....and others, if interested.

Doesn't sound too rosey....fack.

Sounds the best to do is to keep the things you can control in check.

I expect once I see the doc next, I'll ne referred to a cardiologist or lipidologist?
 
Mfg Eng said:
Did they suggest a 3 or 4mth TRT (not cruise dosage) or nothing at all and see what changes?
Click to expand...
Bloods just posted today. Haven't met with the doc post draw yet.

Canvassing the troops. I do my work, but sone guys here are pretty meticulous with the bloodwork....so I'm just tossing it out there for comments.
 
animal-inside said:
Never heard of that marker lol... I'd be really interesting to hear what your dr says about it

Guessing just do all the things we know are good for preventing heart attacks, but I don't know anythign about that marker at all
Click to expand...
Thanks sir.

Stumped here too. I didn't know it was a thing either. First I'd seen it....saw it was really high....looked into it....and peed a little! Lol.
 
biguglynewf said:
www.heart.org

Lipoprotein (a)

Lp(a) is a genetic independent risk factor for heart disease. Knowing your Lp(a) levels can help you reduce your risk of heart disease for you or someone you love.
www.heart.org www.heart.org

www.cdc.gov

About Lipoprotein (a)

High levels of lipoprotein (a) increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and aortic stenosis.
www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov

Just some quick bathroom reading for you sir.....and others, if interested.

Doesn't sound too rosey....fack.

Sounds the best to do is to keep the things you can control in check.

I expect once I see the doc next, I'll ne referred to a cardiologist or lipidologist?
Click to expand...
Sorry but same-ish situation to what has already been mentioned, very vaguely familiar but what I remember about the lil bit of a look I had years ago was that not much could be done about it, so I dismissed it. Might be part of the reason I take niacin and Q10 I guess.
Funny enough it popped up on my social media today, some doc talking about bloods that should be done but are not commonly.
Will check out the links...
 
Interesting update.

My old doc called this morning about the bloodwork and was a little hot I saw someone else.

We got him calmed down. Lol. Seemed more concerned about being cut out rather than my health truly.....part of tge reason for the change....but that's another story.

I asked him about the ApoB and LpA numbers, what they meant and why he had never did the tests before.

His answer was this....

He only would ask for ApoB if I had significant family history with heart and stroke issues and my LDL numbers were bad.

My response was...well both of my grandfathers died in their early 60s from heart disease and I've had bad lipid numbers before.

Him - no real answer for not doing it, but he did note the number was in good order on this test. I knew that, I can read surprisingly.....but I digress...

He then went on to tell my that the college of medicine along with the ontario doctors association and family medicine has recently recommended that LpA not be tested for.

Why you may ask? I did....wait for it....

His explanation was this.....

Although that it has been proven that this is a significant health marker, possibly more so than LDL numbers, Ratio and ApoB.....there is no easy recognized treatment that has been approved in humans so its better not to test for it....since there isn't really a treatment.

Now, I understand the layers there....and even can apply a small amount of logic to his reasoning.....

But how backwards and fundamentally fucktarded is that thinking? Proof that it's significantly worse that high LDL, and LDL particles in the blood to form blockages....but let's not do anything about it. Yes...I understand that if there are no approved treatments, it creates panic over an issue they have no path to treat....but it seems short sighted and ridiculous. Especially when you think of the burden cardiovascular disease has on the Healthcare system.....but hey....we can fast track mRNA vaccines that don't do much, if anything, for a bad flu that really only kills already really sick people....but this? No.... let's not push this?

So...back to relevance in my situation....

Doc...ive done aone reading that speaks about doing a CAC scan now as having these numbers would seem to indicate that although we cant treat the LpA production, we could look to better determine if this shit is causing problematic blockages? That would be prudant would it not?

him - no, i dont see a reason for that at this time as your typical lipid numbers are good.

me.....hmmmmmm.

tell me, what am i missing from my layperson's understanding here? If this LpA atuff can actually be worse than high LDL and ApoB, could i not have blockages despure those numbers being well wirhin range?

him - im not sure if tgat would be the case.

Me - thanks for your time.

So noving forward....it will be interesting to see the position of tge new doc which ordered the test. One would think that their position/philosophy on the matter may be significantly different....since they ordered the test.

we shall see.

 
Obviously my bias is showing here...but hopefully you all can sense the message.

So with that....again.... fuck the establishment....

Hey China....since you're still on lockdown with aas production, can you start putting out some Pelacarsen, Olpasiran or Lepodisiran. I'll buy some! Lol!

Some other info if anyone is interested.

Just the abstract here:


Other niblets....

consultqd.clevelandclinic.org

Lipoprotein(a): Progress on One of the Last Untreatable Frontiers of Cardiovascular Risk

Promising new therapies for this important risk factor are far along in clinical testing. Wider measurement of Lp(a) levels is needed now.
consultqd.clevelandclinic.org consultqd.clevelandclinic.org


www.clinicaltrialsarena.com

Eli Lilly’s lepodisiran cuts lipoprotein(a) by 93.9% in Phase II trial

The Phase II study found that lepodisiran significantly reduced levels of genetically inherited cardiovascular risk factor.
www.clinicaltrialsarena.com www.clinicaltrialsarena.com
 
I would say if it was me I would be taking blood pressure meds and a good solid statin like crestor. Even though it wo t lower LpA it would still significantly reduce most major risk associated with LpA.
 
biguglynewf said:
Interesting update.

My old doc called this morning about the bloodwork and was a little hot I saw someone else.

We got him calmed down. Lol. Seemed more concerned about being cut out rather than my health truly.....part of tge reason for the change....but that's another story.

I asked him about the ApoB and LpA numbers, what they meant and why he had never did the tests before.

His answer was this....

He only would ask for ApoB if I had significant family history with heart and stroke issues and my LDL numbers were bad.

My response was...well both of my grandfathers died in their early 60s from heart disease and I've had bad lipid numbers before.

Him - no real answer for not doing it, but he did note the number was in good order on this test. I knew that, I can read surprisingly.....but I digress...

He then went on to tell my that the college of medicine along with the ontario doctors association and family medicine has recently recommended that LpA not be tested for.

Why you may ask? I did....wait for it....

His explanation was this.....

Although that it has been proven that this is a significant health marker, possibly more so than LDL numbers, Ratio and ApoB.....there is no easy recognized treatment that has been approved in humans so its better not to test for it....since there isn't really a treatment.

Now, I understand the layers there....and even can apply a small amount of logic to his reasoning.....

But how backwards and fundamentally fucktarded is that thinking? Proof that it's significantly worse that high LDL, and LDL particles in the blood to form blockages....but let's not do anything about it. Yes...I understand that if there are no approved treatments, it creates panic over an issue they have no path to treat....but it seems short sighted and ridiculous. Especially when you think of the burden cardiovascular disease has on the Healthcare system.....but hey....we can fast track mRNA vaccines that don't do much, if anything, for a bad flu that really only kills already really sick people....but this? No.... let's not push this?

So...back to relevance in my situation....

Doc...ive done aone reading that speaks about doing a CAC scan now as having these numbers would seem to indicate that although we cant treat the LpA production, we could look to better determine if this shit is causing problematic blockages? That would be prudant would it not?

him - no, i dont see a reason for that at this time as your typical lipid numbers are good.

me.....hmmmmmm.

tell me, what am i missing from my layperson's understanding here? If this LpA atuff can actually be worse than high LDL and ApoB, could i not have blockages despure those numbers being well wirhin range?

him - im not sure if tgat would be the case.

Me - thanks for your time.

So noving forward....it will be interesting to see the position of tge new doc which ordered the test. One would think that their position/philosophy on the matter may be significantly different....since they ordered the test.

we shall see.

 
Obviously my bias is showing here...but hopefully you all can sense the message.

So with that....again.... fuck the establishment....

Hey China....since you're still on lockdown with aas production, can you start putting out some Pelacarsen, Olpasiran or Lepodisiran. I'll buy some! Lol!

Some other info if anyone is interested.

Just the abstract here:


Other niblets....

consultqd.clevelandclinic.org

Lipoprotein(a): Progress on One of the Last Untreatable Frontiers of Cardiovascular Risk

Promising new therapies for this important risk factor are far along in clinical testing. Wider measurement of Lp(a) levels is needed now.
consultqd.clevelandclinic.org consultqd.clevelandclinic.org


www.clinicaltrialsarena.com

Eli Lilly’s lepodisiran cuts lipoprotein(a) by 93.9% in Phase II trial

The Phase II study found that lepodisiran significantly reduced levels of genetically inherited cardiovascular risk factor.
www.clinicaltrialsarena.com www.clinicaltrialsarena.com
Click to expand...
Ive had doctors tell me this before too, no tests if its for something they cant treat anyway. Thats rediculous and knowing you have the condition there's still lots of preventive stuff you can do:

If Lp(a) is high, doctors often:
Treat you as higher-risk than your LDL suggests
Push ApoB and LDL much lower
Consider PCSK9 inhibitors
Monitor for aortic valve disease over time
Quick risk framing
>125 nmol/L → meaningful lifetime risk
>180 nmol/L → risk similar to familial hypercholesterolemia

Why Crestor still matters (even if Lp(a) stays high)
Lp(a) particles still carry ApoB
Crestor:
🔻 Lowers LDL-C
🔻 Lowers ApoB (total atherogenic particles)
🔻 Reduces plaque inflammation
🔻 Stabilizes existing plaque (less rupture → fewer heart attacks)
So even if Lp(a) stays unchanged, your overall event risk drops substantially.
👉 In people with high Lp(a), aggressive LDL/ApoB lowering gives real, proven risk reduction.
Why blood-pressure meds are just as important
High BP + Lp(a) is a bad combo because:
BP damages the vessel wall
Lp(a) exploits that damage to build plaque and clots
Lowering BP:
🔻 Reduces endothelial injury
🔻 Slows plaque growth
🔻 Lowers stroke risk
🔻 Reduces risk of aortic valve stress
This benefit is independent of cholesterol.
How much benefit are we talking about?
Rough but realistic:
Statins → ~25–35% reduction in major CV events
Good BP control → ~20–30% reduction
Together → much larger combined risk reduction
That’s even when Lp(a) is high.

Sorry about the chat gbt but its all stuff I consider.
 
Bigbear said:
I would say if it was me I would be taking blood pressure meds and a good solid statin like crestor. Even though it wo t lower LpA it would still significantly reduce most major risk associated with LpA.
Click to expand...
I'm already on conversyl and crestor.

I suppose I could have shared that....lol.
 
biguglynewf said:
I recently had some blood work done by a new practice we are transitioning to.

The NP that I met with sent me for baseline blood work and added a few extra things that I have never had checked before.

No true surprises....except one that sounds pretty ugly. Everything else was as expected and actually extremely great overall.

Liver values, lipids kidney function all in good order.

Here's the hook though.

It appears I have never had LpA tested before. It appears to be shockingly high. 281.

Triglycerides, ldl, hdl, ratio, ApoB - all excellent.

This seems to demonstrate terrible genes and there is little that can be done to improve these numbers as high LpA numbers coupled with good numbers otherwise leads to bad genes which makes my liver over produce this particle that sounds to be far worse than ldl for heart disease and stroke issues.

There are apparently a few drugs in trial that are showing promise but none have received fda approval. There is a process similar to dialysis that is apparently fda approved where these particles can be filtered from you blood.

So.....

What do you folks know about this apparent condition that I currently can do fuck all about other than keep other risk factors at bay? I do see niacin/q10 etc are suggested. However little to nothing else.

Not on anything aas wise, but not too long off 500mg/test cyp. 3-4 weeks. Haven't seen anything showing exo test would inflate this number, and all other lipids were well within reference ranges.

And how ugly is that number? It appears from my down the rabbit hole reading today....it ain't good!

If I croak before many responses are posted....fuck everyone...cause I'm going out miserably...lol!

Thanks for the ponders for those that share thoughts or feed me info.
Click to expand...
Probably time to cut out the skreetch and darts.
 
I get why they don’t test for something they can’t treat. Look what happened to you right now. I get you are stressing over it, but stressing over something you really can’t do anything about. Wonder if this stress is helping your health?

First thing I would do is rule out the higher test dose. So stay trt for 3 months, get it tested again.

And just keep the diet clean (doesn’t have to be perfect, you gotta live life also), do your cardio.

Then see how it turns out before you keep freaking yourself out.

Btw, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who does this, lol. My wife thinks I’m a hypochondriac.
 
This makes me think of something.

If they could do a test and it would tell you within a month of when you would die, but there is nothing you can do to stop from dying, would you want to take the test?
Or just be happy and live life?
I don’t know if I’d really want to take it.
 
In a sensible world if they were to do tests for things they don't have a treatment for yet as the number of positives pile up it would direct more resources towards figuring out a treatment for said ailment.
 
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