stress test tomorrow

[txdon]

Don, can you elaborate on the association of your calcium score to a heart problem? Thanks

I may be a little off it's been a while but my heart scan score that shows calcium buildup was close to 400 (out of 700). It showed buildup of about 40% in my right coronary artery. The statistics on the score card said people with this score will probably experience an event within 5 years.

I had a stress test everything OK. Never any chest pains, or shortness of breath. I watch my diet and ate according to the American Heart Association diet and started running more consistently.

Two years after the heart scan while running, the plaque in my right coronary artery broke loose and formed a clot shutting off the blood supply to the right side of my heart. At first no chest pains only shortness of breath and I walked a mile back to my car, then the chest pains gradually started, I still did not realize I was having a heart attack (or could not mentally acknowledge it).

Running group friends called an ambulance and 2 1/2 hours after the start of the heart attack I had a stent open up my right coronary artery relieving the pain that was now up to an 8 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst. However 2 1/2 hours of very limited/no blood to a part of the heart results in part of the heart dying. But the body is amazing and I started the plant based very low fat diet along with exercise and the pumping capacity returned to normal after 6 months. Heart rhythm is stabilize and medications are being eliminated or reduced. Now after a year everything seems to be back to normal.

I've talked to several cardiologist, nutritionist, doctors and all agree that the very strict diet along with exercise is the "silver bullet" against heart disease. The American Heart Association diet might slow down the progression but I've learned the hard way that the only way to stop or reverse the disease is not to consume certain products and foods. This is absolutely the hardest thing for people to realize that the food you eat will affect you years from now. With no immediate benefit or detriments of eating healthy and non-healthy food people return back to their old habits of eating what taste good.

I'll let you know in 20 years if it works for me. I know the SAD - Standard American Diet - does not work for me and thousands of others.

(Oh, by the way, after not eating any animal products for over a year my blood protein level is perfect.)

Remember, when you get your cholesterol tested it is a "fasting test" that means it is a measurement of only the cholesterol your body is producing, not what you are consuming. All animal products have extra cholesterol that will stay in your bloodstream for 8 hours and is not measured in the test (if you fasted).

Another thing I learned is that you are at the greatest risk of a heart attack when the plaque is 30-40% and newer plaque (also when you are exerting). It is less stable than older plaque. I had my heart attack at age 56.

Another grim statistic - less than 15% of people with a heart episode or procedure change their diet significantly.

 

[arrow]

I may be a little off it's been a while but my heart scan score that shows calcium buildup was close to 400 (out of 700). It showed buildup of about 40% in my right coronary artery. The statistics on the score card said people with this score will probably experience an event within 5 years.
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Thanks Don for that info. I never had a plaque (calcium?) score done on my heart. Is this administered like an ultrasound? Had my carotids done this way. Last time I was in the hospital, I asked about it. Unbelievably the attending doctor told me I was confused and there was no such test. Needless to say I simply nodded my head to everything this doc said after that because I knew he was a piece of work. I do not think they make very good doctors at Brown University in this state as this was far from the first time being involved with Dr. Blunders.

That's the trouble with plaque. It can break off at any time and our former diets certainly made enough of that stuff. I was just reading about this ultra runner out west whose body they found near a stream when he didn't show up back at the hotel. This guy did 12 miles like I go up and down the cellar stairs. Ran hundreds of miles per week. Dead at 56 years of age. Never found out what killed this guy but a heart attack would not surprise me.

 

[txdon]

Here's a link to the one I took that proved to be very accurate for me.

HeartSaver CT

The pictures taken inside my arteries during my heart attack and stent placement showed me the shocking accuracy of my ct test 2 years prior.

I had no symptoms just one grandfather that died from heart disease. All other grandparents lived to 80s and my parents are still alive with no heart disease. My older brother's score is zero. I've done hundreds of fun runs, many triathlons, and 13 marathons. Exercise alone does not prevent a heart attack, what you ingest, and your genes are just as important. (If you have bad genes don't feed the fire inside!) Even though running initiated the heart attack (if it would not have happened during the run it would have probably happen during another exertion on the farm) I feel like my past running did help me during recovery because I started with a strong heart muscle.:thumbsup:


I don't understand those with a risk factor who decide not to take the scan because they do not want to radically change their lifestyle. My fore warning was utilized by adjusting my diet stricter and stricter and I was just starting to get to be able to eliminate animal products - but I was a little too slow, I didn't realize the urgency of compete and total compliance.... but once out of the hospital .....not a problem, I'm 100% on board now.:thumbsup:

 

[dmccarty]

...
Just remember all, many or even most of the best docs in the world are not in universities. Some of the smartest, most compassionate docs and staff work in rural areas because that's where they want their families to be. These are the guys that see the routine stuff over and over and over, and have the most experience. The university guys see run of the mill stuff only some of the time because they get sent the most complex, unusual, or rare cases to deal with. But yes, if you find someone who's a good fit, stick with him/her!
...

Marcus

Agreed. One of the best Docs I we have had treated our kids when we were on vacation. He saved on of their lives. Unlike the idiot doctor at home. I think the Doc was Haiti from his accent. His bed side manners and skills were top notch.

Our situation is such we have have needs of specialists. The vacation Doc being an an exception.

Find a good Doc and don't let go!

Later,
Dan