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elle

18th April 2019, 15:54
Good afternoon, Rusty!
I am home again, having had a delicious lunch of Sicilian crepes and French fries!
My friend has just dropped me home, and is now driving back to Benfleet.
Yes, it could well be the statins that are causing the slight rise in your ALT result.
I'm assuming that your AST is normal, as you haven't mentioned that?
A raised ALT can be indicative of a liver problem...but would need to be about three times the upper normal, before there is any need for serious concern.
(Your result sounded fine, from what you said previously)
A raised AST could indicate a heart problem.
Now statins...…
Is your Cholesterol LDL within its normal limits?
It is this that is important ...and not the Total Cholesterol level .
(There is a special formula for working out the LDL...... using Total Cholesterol, HDL, and Triglyceride levels)
Some GPs are unaware of this...but a "good" laboratory should give all (parts of) results, and clearly state the accepted "normals" used for that particular lab.
One can ask the GP for a printout of all one's results.
It is a regrettable fact though that many patients are on statins, when they do not need to be.
in most cases, if the patient's LDL is normal, they do not need to be taking statins.
But hopefully, this all is academic, as your own practice sounds to be very efficient and "on the ball".
And I am sure is looking after you very well!
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chrise

18th April 2019, 16:09
In the news (yesterday? day before?) was that statins are completely ineffective in 50% of those treated.
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rusty

18th April 2019, 16:09
Good afternoon, Rosalind!
I only know that one of my liver levels was slightly elevated and all the other measurements for my other organs were "very good", my nurse said.
So, that'll do for me!
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rusty

18th April 2019, 16:24
Good afternoon, Elle!
It's a great day here!
I have been busy copying my photos and it has been enjoyable!
Sent some across the water, too!
I know what French fries are, but you have me with the Sicilian crepes?
I have heard of the Sicilian Vespers, though.
Now, In all the multitude of the tests they give me every year, I pass with flying colours, except this year on liver ALT.
It is slightly elevated and Doc says it is to do with a statin, and nothing to worry about, and we retested today.
My nurse mentioned my several cholesterol readings were "excellent".
She told me the readings, but I have not remembered them, as she was very pleased with overall picture.
And I have no idea about LDL or things like that.
I trust my practice to keep me right.
Amen!
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elle

18th April 2019, 18:37
Hi, Rusty!
We have been doing a bit of gardening!
The lawn is somewhat sparse after the winter.......
It is not helped by the trees overshadowing some of the grass....... and the dog digging holes!
And the local soil is terrible! Nothing much will grow.........
We have bought some lawn thickening something or other......child and pet friendly !
And some huge bags of top soil, in the hope of improving the flower beds.
Let us hope for a good effect!
My fuchsia in the pots on the patio are coming into bud....maybe a little early?
I hope no frost will kill them off.
I am in now, though, for the remainder of the evening ....enough labour!
Oops! I have just noticed the time...and realised that it is Thursday......
Probably you have you son visiting you at the moment......
I hope you both enjoy a good chat!
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rusty

18th April 2019, 21:02
Good evening, Elle!
You have been busy in the garden.
Well done!
Hope you get a good downpour to help things along.
Hopefully we are past the frost!
Yes, my son was here.
Had a grand time.
We had a salmon fishing programme on television, on BBC Alba, in Gaelic.
It was very good.
My son knows the lady who presented the programme.
Good puzzle today.
I had a guess at 5d, and it turned out to be a word, right enough!
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elle

18th April 2019, 21:43
Hi, Rusty!
The warmer weather and the sunshine made us want to do some gardening!
But the soil problem in our area does make it difficult.
That is why I like to have so many pot plants on my patio!
I am very successful with my fuchsias...I had twenty-seven pots/ hanging baskets last year!
They were beautiful.
Now the crossword.....
I had "innit" for 5a?
Not a word I had come across - read or heard - before....
But easy enough to get from the parsing?
Do people really say that?!
Good Friday tomorrow........

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chrise

18th April 2019, 21:53
Course they do, elle, innit?

You might be interested in this Guardian clue, which irritated me:
24 Girl going up and down (4)

Obviously it was going to be a palindrome. I immediately thought of ANNA and ELLE, so couldn't enter either without crossers. It turned out to be ANNA. The point, though, is that I thought that there must be lots of 4-letter palindromic girls' names, so I Googled. Various sites found ANNA......but not ELLE!
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rusty

18th April 2019, 22:54
Hello, Elle!
I think that was a good idea your husband and you had, to improve the soil.
Can only tilt things in your favour?
5d, was an easy solve, but then whatever did it mean!
It is on my Chambers Dictionary app.
They say it is a contraction of "isn't it" and "mere oral punctuation" and I am no wiser!
It is a new word to me too, Elle, and not a word I have heard used.
I do not think our schools are off tomorrow, are yours?
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rusty

18th April 2019, 23:07
Update, Elle!
Here's what Collins makes of "innit"!
If you click on the wee red speaker you can hear the pronunciation of the word.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/innit

I am going to concentrate in ASDA tomorrow to see if I hear anyone say it!
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