High cholesterol?

I had some blood work done to check all my panels and everything was good except my cholesterol was higher than it was a year ago. She said to cut out fatty foods, but I have nothing to cut. I don't eat fatty anything, and opt for no fat and low fat dairy and very lean cuts of meat like 97% lean beef and chicken breast. What could have caused the elevation?

Rapid weight loss often causes a transient increase in total cholesterol. I personally wouldn't change anything or worry about it if I were you.

I had the same issue. At my 1 year appointment, my lipid panel, which was perfect pre-surgery, was: total Cholesterol - 368, Triglycerides - 60, HDL - 59, LDL, 297.

My medical team had no problem with my fat macros, since fat, or cholesterol in food doesn't really raise blood cholesterol. My numbers are back down to where they should be now.

Mine went up before they went down.

Mine was already elevated, and my family has a history of high cholesterol. As others have said, it's not uncommon for it to go up a bit with significant weight loss, and it should come back down. Several recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol actually has very little impact on serum cholesterol. Unless it jumped up into a ridiculous range, I would personally wait and see what happens with your next annual check. Also, many doctors don't know this, but if yours does convince you to use statins or take Red Yeast Rice, you need to take CoQ10 to protect your muscles, especially your heart muscle.

She prescribed me something after I told her I eat very little fat, but I don't know about taking something. I might just wait until the next work up 6 months from now.

Those drugs can be dangerous.

If I were you, I would try to increase the "good" type - HDL. Avocado, olives, policies oil are great for that. And exercise.

Mine also has gone up. Beyond rapid weight loss, too much vitamin A intake can lend to elevated levels. Do you take extra A supplements?

Nope. It may just be the weightloss. She wants me to start taking something for it, but I may wait and see what the next panels say

If you take the medicine and bring it down, then you will probably be taken off of the medicine next time. If you don't take the medicine and it goes higher, then you will need more medicine later to try to control it. I listen to my doctors.

There were times when my cholesterol was high and the doctor took the wait and see approach and other times when I took statins for a while until it came back down.

It is not true that doctors want you on medicines for life. They just want to do their best to keep you as healthy as possible.

Years ago, there were no medicines and many more young people had heart attacks and strokes.

It is your decision, but I would talk to the doctor about how often testing will be done once on the medicine and what the long term plan is.