High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

Posted by mcphee @mcphee, Dec 14, 2016

I have a calcium score of 1,950 which is extremely high which means I am at a very high risk for a cardiac event,heart attack,stroke or sudden death.

I take a statin and baby aspirin. I have never been sick, have excellent cholesterol, low blood pressure and I am not overweight. I have no other health problems and I have never been sick. But I feel like a walking time bomb which has caused me a lot of stress. I am 70 yrs old.

I wonder how others with this condition feel emotionally?

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From my understanding there are ways to slow plaque progression through diet, supplements, exercise. Plaque can increase as much as 40% per year and keeping progression to a minimal will lower the chances of an event. The only way to do this is through a CAC retest, radiation exposure is minimal. Although high CAC Score means risk is increased, there are probably many other factors involved in having an actual event. Lowering stress, meditation, mindfulness are probably all beneficial. I want to monitor my plaque progression percentage, so I plan to retest after a two year period.

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@mcphee

My high calcium score if from the calcium heart scan.(scan of coronary arteries.)
I take a baby aspirin and Crestor 40 mg.
Dr wants me to do a lot of aerobic exercise and limit red meats to twice a month.

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Hey everyone. I had an EKG, Stress Test, Echo that were all fine, but I asked for additional test and my score came back at 1460. I feel fine and everything but of course now I feel like a ticking time bomb. I'm only 47 yrs old. My issue is came from Hypertrigliceridemia. At my age and having this I dont know what to do, my doctor has me taking natural supplements called Coratin, K-2 and Nattkinese with Crestor 5mg every other day. Plus working out, which has been tough to do. Is there anyone with any other suggestions?

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@snakebyte1

Hey everyone. I had an EKG, Stress Test, Echo that were all fine, but I asked for additional test and my score came back at 1460. I feel fine and everything but of course now I feel like a ticking time bomb. I'm only 47 yrs old. My issue is came from Hypertrigliceridemia. At my age and having this I dont know what to do, my doctor has me taking natural supplements called Coratin, K-2 and Nattkinese with Crestor 5mg every other day. Plus working out, which has been tough to do. Is there anyone with any other suggestions?

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Sounds like when you said’working out is tough to do’ that you won’t be doing it often enough or for long. You need to make the time to work out at least 4 days a week as if your life depends on it.

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Well, It's been almost a month since my test revealed my white knuckle inspiring 6451.12. I have seen the Cardo and in the morning I am going in for a CIMT, a heart ultrasound and a nuclear stress test tomorrow. I am on 20mg Rosuvastation and a baby aspirin. I am down 10 lbs solid and totally off carbs. I am hoping to get released to exercise so I can start building collateral circulation. I have ubiquinol on the way. It would be here but Costco put the wrong bottle in the envelope. I am attacking the disease on all fronts I can think of. Wish me luck and say a prayer if you are so inclined as I gather more information about where I'm at.
Thanks,
Bill

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@suchasmed1

Well, It's been almost a month since my test revealed my white knuckle inspiring 6451.12. I have seen the Cardo and in the morning I am going in for a CIMT, a heart ultrasound and a nuclear stress test tomorrow. I am on 20mg Rosuvastation and a baby aspirin. I am down 10 lbs solid and totally off carbs. I am hoping to get released to exercise so I can start building collateral circulation. I have ubiquinol on the way. It would be here but Costco put the wrong bottle in the envelope. I am attacking the disease on all fronts I can think of. Wish me luck and say a prayer if you are so inclined as I gather more information about where I'm at.
Thanks,
Bill

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Hi, I pray your tests go well! I just found out 5 weeks ago that my score was 2267. If you didn’t have anxiety before you sure do now and I can relate completely. I had a nuclear stress test a couple weeks ago and I passed with no blockages seen. Hopefully you will pass also then it comes down to slowing the progression. I have been watching a lot of Dr. Ford Brewer’s videos trying to educate myself more. Still don’t understand why they say if your score is over 400 you have a significant chance to have blockages, but most people who have these nuclear tests pass?? Anyway, just wanted to let you know you have someone pulling for you in Wisconsin. Good luck and keep us posted so that we can all learn from each other. Phillip

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I can certainly relate. My life has been turned upside down last two weeks. All my relatives had high cholesterol but all lived into late 80s and 90s. Now I find a CAC of 1800 at 62 and doctor is begging me to do pcsk9 inhibitor as I'm severely statin intolerant. Finally had to stop, take a deep breath, and remember God is in control of all things. Doesn't mean things will always work out like we hope, but He Will walk the path with us. My prayers are fot you and all struggling to find peace.

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Once again, our super high CAC scores are NOT understood by cardiologists. Clearly there's no linear relationship if folks in the low hundreds are considered at high risk and we are many multiples of that, we should all be 6' under. As as doc and owner of vessels turning to stone, I sure wish I knew the answer. I have excellent exercise tolerance but who knows where our tipping point is.... My cardiologist wants to do a treadmill this summer, taking me off my beta blocker to get my heart rate up there. I can't deny a level of anxiety about what might happen. I can burn 8 METS on an elliptical at the gym, but my heart rate never goes above 100 on the beta blocker. If I get it up to 150 or so, might a rigid vessel crack? I know, that's just anxiety talking (coming from a usually very low anxiety guy), but damn, we just don't know. If I weren't dreadfully allergic to contrast, I'd lean on my cardiologist to do an angio, but I am, so I can't. Should I have a coronary event requiring angiography, I'd have to have a very large loading dose of steroid, with its attendant risks. Rock and a hard place. Sucks - after living my life in a way to NOT become like my patients. sheesh...... jon

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@snakebyte1

Hey everyone. I had an EKG, Stress Test, Echo that were all fine, but I asked for additional test and my score came back at 1460. I feel fine and everything but of course now I feel like a ticking time bomb. I'm only 47 yrs old. My issue is came from Hypertrigliceridemia. At my age and having this I dont know what to do, my doctor has me taking natural supplements called Coratin, K-2 and Nattkinese with Crestor 5mg every other day. Plus working out, which has been tough to do. Is there anyone with any other suggestions?

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@snakebyte1 Welcome and a suggestion is stay of sugar hard to do but triglycerides love sugar I need to take my own advice

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@wilsopr

I can certainly relate. My life has been turned upside down last two weeks. All my relatives had high cholesterol but all lived into late 80s and 90s. Now I find a CAC of 1800 at 62 and doctor is begging me to do pcsk9 inhibitor as I'm severely statin intolerant. Finally had to stop, take a deep breath, and remember God is in control of all things. Doesn't mean things will always work out like we hope, but He Will walk the path with us. My prayers are fot you and all struggling to find peace.

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@wilsopr Hi I dont know if this will help All my life I let God take over In 1998 I had a triple by pass its been over20 yrs dealing with a high cholesterol problem Been on every statin you can think of .Drs arent happy I cant get it under control ,diet didnt make any difference so I just let God take care of me and go about living my life

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I cannot tolerate statins either. Have you tried PCSK(? My docs want me to try that but I am hesitant. Thanks for your info.

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