Any medical professionals out there? Question on LDL calculations

[MindyKay]

My company is instituting a new "Wellness" program, where we have to go in and take a personal health assessment.  We have to provide our Blood Pressures, Glucose levels, HDL and LDL Cholesterol Levels, Triglycerides and total Cholesterol, along with information about whether we smoke, how much we drink alcohol, and how much we exercise.  We can refuse to do the survey, but we will have to write a check to the Company for $125.00.  The Company will never know our individual results (wink, wink, nod), but will be provided with "aggregate" numbers.

Anyway, I can provide all numbers except the LDL.  Because of my Type 2 Diabetes, my triglycerides are higher than normal, and my doctor says that is may never get back to normal range.  My last lab report gives my HDL and total Cholesterol levels, but says that, because my triglycerides are higher than normal, LDL level cannot be calculated, because it may be inaccurate.

My question:  Is there a way to "calculate" my own LDL using the HDL and total Cholesterol numbers?

The "Wellness" web site has an "Ask A Nurse" section, but as usual, it is not working right now.

Thanks!

[MimisMomma]

I work at a hospital, we also have the wellness plan but it is against the law for your company to require you to pay them if you choose not to take the survey. I would let them know that up front. Also if your test results were inaccurate due to your condition then let them know that. Unless they choose to pay for your test so they can see for themselves that comes out that way they will have to take it for face value.

I haven't posted in a long time, but this one truly made me want to scream out at the injustice that they are pushing on you. I hope that I could be some help to you. Let me know how it turns out.

Mel
Mimi and Tuttle

[MindyKay]

I read the materials provided to us more closely, and the $125.00 fee is really a $125.00 increase in one's insurance premium.  In our situation, if I chose not to participate and my spouse (who is covered under my plan) chose not to participate, we get socked with a $250.00 increase in our premium.  That is what probably makes things legal in this case.

Since we have nothing to hide, both of us plan to participate in the wellness plan, although we've been doing something like this all along, and they are preaching to the choir in our case.

I don't believe for one minute that my information will be kept confidential from the Company.  What scares me is a potential for a reduction in coverage, especially for those employees who do live with a chronic condition.  Also, if there is a downturn in our business and layoffs are necessary, who are they going to keep and who are they going to lay off?  A "healthy" person?  Or one who has a chronic condition?

[Roberta]

LDL=T Cholesterol-HDLchol-( Trig/2.2) The Trig result has to be below 4.5mmol/l. Had to find the calc as most instruments do it for us now.
If you are not sure send me the results.
30 years in Clinical Chemistry.
Remember you can have lipid inherited problems, that no diet can fix.
Roberta