Keep in mind, too, that the total is not nearly as important as the individual numbers and their ratios. If your total cholesterol stayed the same, but your LDL and triglycerides went down and your HDL went up, you would actually be much improved even if the total were no lower. Total cholesterol is a very poor predictor of future heart disease; triglycerides are what you want to watch.
You only gave the total number, but make sure you get the individual numbers from your doctor if you don't already have them. Those are what you want to compare at your next check. Also, Dr. Atkins doesn't recommend checking again any sooner than 6 weeks after you start the program, so you may want to ask your doctor if you can wait a few more weeks beyond a month for a recheck.