The results are in for my 5th annual physical. Pretty much what I expected. Image courtesy of freedigitalphoto.net and Kromkrathog.

I got the results back from my annual physical. I’m still healthy. The news from my physical came about two weeks after my oncologist’s office let me know my test came back negative for cancer. So while I was happy with the results, my oncology report stole my physical’s thunder.

Other than my menopausal weight gain, I expected results similar to last year’s physical.

My doctor was giddy with my A1c results. I’m up slightly at 4.9 (vs. 4.6 last year). Why the giddiness? I’m the only patient my doctor has seen with an A1c below 5. And I did it two years in a row to boot!

He was also excited about my HDL — the “good” cholesterol. Last year he thought the lab results were off since my HDL jumped up to 80, up about 40 points from the previous year. He questioned the results because HDL levels are mostly hereditary. While eating right and exercise can help but he never saw a jump like mine.

Well it turns out that my mom has high HDL. And my HDL wasn’t done climbing as it rose again to 96. So it wasn’t a lab screw up after all. Maybe the combo of low carb diet and exercise can’t make the “good” cholesterol rise dramatically, but a poor diet and no exercise can sure as heck suppress HDL!

By the way I started this journey in 2012 with a HDL of 38 (YIKES!!!) and an A1c of 5.8 (holy cow!).

My Next Big Health Challenge
The big issue for me right now is getting a handle on menopause symptoms and dropping the additional weight I’ve put on as a result. I’m setting my sights on hormonal testing. That should give me a direction for tweaking my diet and exercise routine.

But first up, my colonoscopy. Ugh!