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bearcat998 avatar

First Visit to Cardiologist

Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 4 hours ago | Replies (19)

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Profile picture for Janell, Volunteer Mentor @jlharsh

@bearcat998 Thank you for coming back with an update. It sounds like you’re approaching this thoughtfully. Getting your PCP’s perspective on whether a stress test would add useful information seems very reasonable, especially since she was the one who initially suggested it if needed.

One thing that has helped me when thinking about additional testing is asking, “What question are we hoping this test will answer?” You might ask your PCP, “If the stress test is normal, what would that tell us? If it’s abnormal, how would it change my treatment plan?” Understanding how the results might influence next steps can make it easier to decide whether the test would be helpful.

I also think it’s encouraging that both your cardiologist and oncologist are looking at the bigger picture—not just your calcium score, but your weight, prediabetes, and overall cardiovascular and cancer health. It will be interesting to hear what your PCP recommends regarding Zepbound and whether it’s a good fit for you.

And congratulations on the negative PSMA scan. That’s wonderful news after everything you’ve been through.

😊 I had to smile at the Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts. Sometimes the best strategy really is making sure they never make it into the shopping cart in the first place!

When will you check how well ezetimibe is working?

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Replies to "@bearcat998 Thank you for coming back with an update. It sounds like you’re approaching this thoughtfully...."

@jlharsh
I think some of it is that I hate “incomplete information “, if that makes sense. I’m getting to an age where a couple of friends have had heart attacks and heard how blocked their arteries are.
While I do exercise in the sense that I walk my dogs about 2 miles each night, I haven’t really pushed myself a lot to get in higher heart rate zones. So if I am going to do that I would like to find out if there is a big problem during a test.
Although today I hit 30 minutes on the treadmill at 3.3 mph for 30 minutes and that is definitely not pace my dogs set.
I did speak with my PCP and she was comfortable with a 2nd opinion. She is also fine with Zepbound, but not comfortable with a compounded version.
I have not treated my body well over the years and I am paying for it now.
I took my first dose of ezetimibe last night. I think we are checking in 3 months.