Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.
Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
HDL can be affected by weight, diet, exercise, smoking, aging process (hormonal effects), etc. I do not know why the drop in your HDL based on the information you provided. Many medications used for treating high cholesterol can increase the HDL. I would suggest you follow up with your PCP and discuss. You should also look at the LDL for stroke prevention.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
Thank you for your response. It is pretty much what I have heard from my stroke team and my PCP and what I have learned online...weight, age, diet, beta blockers, etc. The problem remains that, according to my research, each of these affects HDL by only a few points...five to ten percent, not 54%...and except for the fact that I am six months older, none of the above factors has changed. The good news is that my HDL appears to be increasing on its own. Eleven days after my stroke it was back up to 35. It still has a way to go, but perhaps the decrease is not permanent. Sequestration, maybe?
Again, my thanks for your response.