Attention-seeking me.

My triglycerides were up to 270, and the first thing my doctor said, without ever addressing life style issues, was that I needed to go on a statin. I said, No, I want to at least try changing things (I'd spent a depressed winter sitting on my butt and eating sweets) through diet and exercise. Four months later my triglycerides had gone down to 126. Pills should be a last resort, not the first suggestion that pops out of the doctor's mouth..

I know I'm lucky, and that many people's numbers won't budge with the same life style changes, but doctors really ought to mention them, The "pharmaceuticals first" mentality is unhelpful.

I'm not talking about Sue, but only the generalized tendency of doctors to push pills.

Agreed. But I had total cholesterol of 376 when I was riding 5000 miles per year on my bike and was in peak physical condition. The only time I got it significantly down was when I went on a high fat, high protein, low carb diet for about a year, but it was still very very high, just lower than it had been. With some people, it's just heredity... I've had doctors basically tell me that any changes I make through diet and exercise are just background noise. I still try to eat a healthy diet (mainly just by avoiding junk and processed food) and exercise as much as I can anymore (NOT 5000 miles a year on my bike, I'm afraid), but just because it's better for my overall health, not because it's gonna bring my cholesterol down notably... Of course, there's plenty of controversy about statins regardless, but that's a whole other thread for a whole other forum.

-Ray
 
My triglycerides were up to 270, and the first thing my doctor said, without ever addressing life style issues, was that I needed to go on a statin. I said, No, I want to at least try changing things (I'd spent a depressed winter sitting on my butt and eating sweets) through diet and exercise. Four months later my triglycerides had gone down to 126. Pills should be a last resort, not the first suggestion that pops out of the doctor's mouth..

I know I'm lucky, and that many people's numbers won't budge with the same life style changes, but doctors really ought to mention them, The "pharmaceuticals first" mentality is unhelpful.

I'm not talking about Sue, but only the generalized tendency of doctors to push pills.

totally agree, Lawrence...I've been lucky, all my doctors (generalist/cardiologist/acupuncture) never push pills on me...but I've got very high natural cholesterol and tri numbers, no matter how drastic i make my diet the numbers don't change...a little fish has helped over the years but nothing much...only statins have brought the numbers down to what is considered 'normal' these days, but I can't stay on 'em for more than a couple months...not only severe leg/muscle pain, but it screws with my memory...i can't function normally on a normal statin dose...

I'm giving the 10mg of crestor a week a shot for a while, see how I feel...the slightest problems and i'll stop...
 
Agreed. But I had total cholesterol of 376 when I was riding 5000 miles per year on my bike and was in peak physical condition. The only time I got it significantly down was when I went on a high fat, high protein, low carb diet for about a year, but it was still very very high, just lower than it had been. With some people, it's just heredity... I've had doctors basically tell me that any changes I make through diet and exercise are just background noise. I still try to eat a healthy diet (mainly just by avoiding junk and processed food) and exercise as much as I can anymore (NOT 5000 miles a year on my bike, I'm afraid), but just because it's better for my overall health, not because it's gonna bring my cholesterol down notably... Of course, there's plenty of controversy about statins regardless, but that's a whole other thread for a whole other forum.

-Ray

jeez, Ray, my history sounds like yours...when i had my first stent put in I was 46 and cycling 100 to 150 miles a week...and with a club here in the south of france pushing the limits...this also made my heart muscle nice and strong, my first cardiologist mistakenly put me on beta blockers, i visited my current doctor and she immediately took me off them, no need 'cause my heart muscle was strong...

but i also had numbers in the upper 300 hundred range...now it floats around 280 and with my history, and family history (my uncle and grandfather both died of heart attacks, ages 40 and 42) my docs want to keep me safe as possible...that's why the statins...even if i have problems...but mostly i don't take them...

man, the beta blockers were terrible for me...totally screwed my brain...and they can affect us all differently, that's why i wished sue good luck, and to take care...i have a good friend who was given beta blockers in the hospital years ago, he's big and powerful, and he went nuts, they had to strap him down...

anyway, me too, mostly just eating healthy, a little cycling and running these days, and that's about it...my fears, just a stroke or aneurism that might not kill but make me a vegetable...i don't want my family to have to deal with that, i don't want it for myself, why i'm trying the crestor again...my doc says this small amount of crestor probably won't lower the numbers on a blood test, but it might help keep my arteries supple and clear...enough so my risk of these things is reduced...
 
I know I'm not alone in this. I guess many of us in the forum are at *that* age where things start going wrong. Crestor twice a week... yep, been there, never remembered to take it. They added ezetrol (which I dont mind) which stops absorption of fat, to a degree. My total cholesterol was never that high, its the LDL they get hysterical about.

Re beta blockers... I think I wouldn't mind taking some permanently, it was nice to have a good BP for a change, for a while.

I'd agree with you Sue, you have to try these things and do what feels right for you...

I've tried ezetrol and a few other statin substitutes (i think there is a statin in ezetrol) and they didn't work for me...i recall terrible arm pain with the ezetrol...

it's all weird stuff, but the statins can wake me from sleep with pain in my legs...and once, damn, I was running along a river and bam, felt like someone whacked the backs of my legs, the calves, with a baseball bat...i could hardly walk home...

anyway, I hope you get good results, results you can live with off the tests...
 
I stick to red white with my pills, they go down a treat

my (French) doctor said that wine is OK as it's not alcohol - (he said puffing on his Gauloises)

his words were when I asked him the question "should I cut down of alcohol as we drink quite a lot of wine"

"Don't be silly, wine's not alcohol"
 
I stick to red white with my pills, they go down a treat

my (French) doctor said that wine is OK as it's not alcohol - (he said puffing on his Gauloises)

his words were when I asked him the question "should I cut down of alcohol as we drink quite a lot of wine"

"Don't be silly, wine's not alcohol"

yes, yes, my doctor suggested drinking a glass of red wine a day :)
 
Update: abnormal ECG, and angiogram. Have to have the full thing now, with the cardiac catheter. ...

Been there, done that, 5 1/5 years ago, after congestive heart failure. I eat about 1/2 way right, take the meds and other supplements. We also juice lots of veggies, to get as much fresh nutrients as possible. I also try to stay active outside as much as possible. It's still ticking, and I feel pretty good most of the time. BUT, the hardest part, was the dramatic lifestyle change. I was into real physical labor, type work and play. Took a while, but you do eventually adjust. And life is good!
 
Been there, done that, 5 1/5 years ago, after congestive heart failure. I eat about 1/2 way right, take the meds and other supplements. We also juice lots of veggies, to get as much fresh nutrients as possible. I also try to stay active outside as much as possible. It's still ticking, and I feel pretty good most of the time. BUT, the hardest part, was the dramatic lifestyle change. I was into real physical labor, type work and play. Took a while, but you do eventually adjust. And life is good!

Thanks for your words, Steve. Good to see its survivable. I have been having CCF symptoms for a number of years but tried to avoid the whole issue. Been eating pretty healthily since my diabetes diagnosis some years ago. I have a big genetic loading (thanks, parents!) and like the cardio guy said, as far as risk factors for heart disease go, I have the lot. I don't think theres anything missing.

I wonder if this is a good excuse to buy another camera rather than a new fridge. I don't actually need either but space gets tight in the fridge after all the meds go in!!

Hmmmm *thinks*...
 
This doesn't sound good, Sue. It's good they've caught it and are dealing with it before anything serious happens.
Two arteries partly blocked. Maybe they can do something with the catheter. I believe thats an option, albeit a dangerous one. Because its being done on the public purse (thank god for Medicare) I'm on a waiting list. He says its not long though. I guess he thought it fairly urgent, he only got back from hols today, and rang me at 9.30am.
 
When we reach that "certain age" time it comes hard to suddenly realize that life is not necessarily a given. Having had a serious tussle with cancer some 15 years ago I tend to try and ignore anything else that might put me back in the clutches of the doctor and the dreaded Tests and accompanying Wait. I have lymphodaema in my right arm and a tremor from where some nodes were removed from my underarm, my hearing is naff and my heart jumps out of my throat from time to time, side effects of chemo and radiotherapy I believe. My view is that dropping dead suddenly is not the worst thing that could happen to me in the end. Meanwhile I try to do the things I enjoy, like dancing three times a week and walking the dog and of course picture taking. I wish you well Sue and will be keeping everything crossed for a good outcome :friends:
 
Sue, once you get to a "certain" age things start to happen - I'm at that stage, in fact it gets quite embarrassing as my son's Girl friend/Partner or whatever they are called these days, is a doctor and I seems to get examined every time we see them. I now have my recurring problem with my left knee, (I've started walking with a stick!!!), so she reckons I need a 30 min MRI to identify the exact problem.

One positive thing, about walking with a stick that is, is that when we were queuing for the flight out to SA we were the last, but as soon as the girl on the check in saw me hobbling with the stick, it was "si vous s'il vous plaît monsieur" and she opened her little gate and let my wife and I on first.

Good luck with all your stuff ......... and you are in our thoughts

Just to add an amusing image to the thread ........ children, children - my 27 year old son decided to scuba dive around some rocks in very rough sea, he is a good diver and does lots of stuff underwater, he has just bought one of those Hero white video cameras that tsp to your head and wanted to take some shots, needless to say he was pushed into some coral by the waves. His mother, my wife, was there, so you can imagine the reaction. The local South Africa life guards just washed him down with detol, (well that's what he said!!).

PS - he got back before the sharks tasted his blood!!!

james.jpg
 
That is very sad news, Sue. You must feel terrible now. It must also be a relief to know that the meds are working on it and that the prospect of feeling better one day will be sooner rather than later. Sometimes I think that heart surgeries/treatments are SOP these days (my brother-in-law went through a process recently). So please keep hanging in and enjoy photography!! My thoughts are with you.
Peter
 
hi Sue, it's never fun to hear you need an angioplasty, stents, changes in lifestyle, diet, etc., but look at it this way if you will...they found it in time to help you...many die before they can receive any treatment (happened to my uncle, 40 years old, major heart attack on the tennis court)...with technology the way it is today placing stents is a very standard, painless, well oiled procedure...and if you're willing to make some changes in how you live this could be the beginning of the next part of your life...

no fear...i've got four stents in two arteries, been in for several angiograms, do echo and electro cardiograms each year, plus a stress test...life is good...and because of all the stents and my very bad family history my cardiologist said I should expect to do an angiogram once every five years or so, more often if i have any problems...

also, when i went in for my first stent I was 46 years old, was cycling for about 15 years, an average of 125 miles a week, and i was a vegetarian...genetics is something you just can't escape...

good luck, Sue, try and stay strong, positive,...

M
 
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