My HDL-C has been a pretty steady 60 to 65 mg/dl over the last 5 years (10 Berkeley Heart Lab Tests) I did have one 50 mg/dl during that time. I exercise 6 days a week, 40 minutes a day on a treadmill 3.8 to 4.1 mph 1.0 to 2.5 % incline and if I have a good six-months, I get 65/66 mg/dl. However I have a Baker's cyst left leg and it took me off exercise in February and caused my knee to go south and then my left foot. Exercise was hit and miss and I stopped altogether in May. I got a cortisone shot in my knee and two cortisone shots in my ankle in mid-june and took my Berkeley July 13 and my HDL-C was 77. Will Cortisone shots bump HDL-C? My Total Cholesterol jumped from 125 to 144 and Triglycerides from 65 to 72 in the same six-month period, so are they the result of the shots? I am 69 years old in Oct., don't smoke and don't drink.