1. < Heart & Blood Health

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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markdeegan | @markdeegan | Mar 5, 2022
In reply to @bluesdoc "The odds? We'd all like to know that but we don't have enough data points. I..." + (show)
@bluesdoc

The odds? We'd all like to know that but we don't have enough data points. I have a colleague who has a high score, had an angiogram, and the calcium was all on the outside of the artery. While this doesn't represent atherosclerosis, we also don't know what, if any, are the long term consequences of external Ca++ build up. But we'd sure like it there rather than lining the pipes, huh..... "Doc hates vitamins"?.... sheesh....

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It generally means you have serious Atheroschlerosis. YOU Beed to get a CT-A. A quick east scan that will view your arteries themselves and give you a good idea.

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markdeegan | @markdeegan | Mar 5, 2022
In reply to @cscheffler12 "What are the odds that the score represents calcium on the outside of the artery. I’ve..." + (show)
@cscheffler12

What are the odds that the score represents calcium on the outside of the artery. I’ve heard this happens and hoping it happens a lot. I’m 58 with a 1150 score from 2 years ago so likely higher now. I feel great, walk 4 miles 5 times a week at fast pace and have no symptoms. All other tests show doing well including stress test. I take statin and BP pills now so all look good. Doc hates vitamins and just wants to wait for symptoms to look into it further.

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Don’t rely on the DOC. They only treat Symptoms. Get a CT-A.
It will tell you everything you need to know. Then go on Crestor 20 or 40 and 5 mg Zetia.

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whineboy | @whineboy | Mar 5, 2022
In reply to @cscheffler12 "What are the odds that the score represents calcium on the outside of the artery. I’ve..." + (show)
@cscheffler12

What are the odds that the score represents calcium on the outside of the artery. I’ve heard this happens and hoping it happens a lot. I’m 58 with a 1150 score from 2 years ago so likely higher now. I feel great, walk 4 miles 5 times a week at fast pace and have no symptoms. All other tests show doing well including stress test. I take statin and BP pills now so all look good. Doc hates vitamins and just wants to wait for symptoms to look into it further.

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I'm very much in your situation - 59, 1124 CAC a year ago, walk 3-4 miles daily and do tension band exercises every other day. Just consulted with a cardiologist and reduced my rosuvastatin from 20 mg/day to 10 due to muscle pain and concerns about cognitive issues. I only agreed to that because my LDL profile is pattern A, I have great lipids due to 3 years eating LCHF (TG/HDL ratio is 1.2 and has been that for years, LDL particle size is also great) and I'm highly insulin-sensitive - fasting insulin level is 3 and my Quest insulin sensitivity score is 5 - anything below 33 being insulin-sensitive. Your question about where the Ca is located is intriguing and I hope you are right it could be outside the arteries.

Edit - ultimately I'd like to drop the statin to 5 mg/d or even eliminate it - statins are far less effective than the medical orthodoxy leads one to believe (they like to use relative risk reduction, not absolute risk reduction, in their studies - rant over 🙂 ).

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1 reply
csage1010 (Sue) | @csage1010 | Mar 6, 2022
In reply to @whineboy "I'm very much in your situation - 59, 1124 CAC a year ago, walk 3-4 miles..." + (show)
@whineboy

I'm very much in your situation - 59, 1124 CAC a year ago, walk 3-4 miles daily and do tension band exercises every other day. Just consulted with a cardiologist and reduced my rosuvastatin from 20 mg/day to 10 due to muscle pain and concerns about cognitive issues. I only agreed to that because my LDL profile is pattern A, I have great lipids due to 3 years eating LCHF (TG/HDL ratio is 1.2 and has been that for years, LDL particle size is also great) and I'm highly insulin-sensitive - fasting insulin level is 3 and my Quest insulin sensitivity score is 5 - anything below 33 being insulin-sensitive. Your question about where the Ca is located is intriguing and I hope you are right it could be outside the arteries.

Edit - ultimately I'd like to drop the statin to 5 mg/d or even eliminate it - statins are far less effective than the medical orthodoxy leads one to believe (they like to use relative risk reduction, not absolute risk reduction, in their studies - rant over 🙂 ).

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What is LCHF? Thank you.

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1 reply
whineboy | @whineboy | Mar 6, 2022
In reply to @csage1010 "What is LCHF? Thank you." + (show)
@csage1010

What is LCHF? Thank you.

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Low Carbohydrare Healthy Fat

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1 reply
whineboy | @whineboy | Mar 6, 2022
In reply to @whineboy "Low Carbohydrare Healthy Fat" + (show)
@whineboy

Low Carbohydrare Healthy Fat

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Carbohydrate, that is. Oops.

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markdeegan | @markdeegan | Mar 7, 2022

Statins are what is needed. The confusion comes from inflammation being the cause of plaque build up. BUT once you have Build up started. It makes sense to slow down the build up, by eliminating a great % of the lipids. Yes statins have side effects, but it’s one or the other.

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wisconsin2267 | @wisconsin2267 | Mar 12, 2022
In reply to @joe22 "So you had your last CAC test done in 2019. Are you thinking of getting another..." + (show)
@joe22

So you had your last CAC test done in 2019. Are you thinking of getting another CAC in 2022 to see if there are improvements? Thank you

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I don’t know , as I remember all the stress the first test caused! I will talk to my Bale-Doneen Dr. About it.

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karengeri | @karengeri | Oct 15, 2022

Hello everyone. I would like some support from this group. My husband is having bypass, aortic valve replacement and a portion of his aorta due to enlargement. His muscle and his ejection fraction are just great and I believe we found a good surgeon.
With all of this I feel very emotional. I am worried and crying a lot. All comforting words and prayers will be most appreciated.Thank you and God Bless

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gfmama | @gfmama | Nov 11, 2022
In reply to @tim1028 "I did some additional tests that relate to heart disease risk, homocysteine, hsCRP and Lipoprotein A...." + (show)
@tim1028

I did some additional tests that relate to heart disease risk, homocysteine, hsCRP and Lipoprotein A. The first two are normal, but the LpA is high (117), which, according to the Lipoprotein Foundation puts one at a higher risk of heart disease. Anyone else have these tests performed?

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Went to Mayo for executive physical and learned first time in my life my cholesterol was high. 234 total. HDL 76 LDL 138 I was asked to take LPa test after a CAC score of 743. It was terrible at 179. I am devastated but now see this is heredity and I’ve had it my whole life. Who knew? I’m 30 lbs overweight. Blood pressure is good. Triglycerides 113. Echo good. Stress test good. Started baby aspirin every day and Lipitor 10 mg. Been eating Mediterranean diet. No sugar. Intermittent fasting and daily exercise. I’m scared to death and am doing everything I can do. Feel like a walking time bomb at age 63. Trusting God and my faith to get me through. Hoping Lipitor works. Read about taking K2 and CoQ10 but doc poo poos it…..🤷🏻‍♀️

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