High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

Do you talk to your patients about making lifestyle changes?

Oh yes. That’s what I do all the time:)
Early dinner, home made food, vegan whole food plant based diet, avoiding sugar, dairy and wheat, avoiding anger and criticising, good sleep hygiene, regular physical activities, pranayam, loud laughters,some form of meditation, good simple companies, self help book reading, some passion in life and avoiding over thinking/ judgements.. these my key recommendations. I try to do these as well.

Lastly, One should also consider why should one live longer & at what cost to nature? 😊

And now we know that marathon exercise increases CAC. Yeah, I'm done checking mine. At >2600, nl stress treadmill and perfusion studies (can't do angio unless my life depends on it 2/2 bad contrast reaction) and age nearly 77, and NO carotid plaque, I'm just going to carry on using pitavastatin, ezetimibe, and optimism (still working MD, play lead guitar in a rock band, gym rat).
jon

I've looked into this and statins make your calcium harden, thus making your score go up. I'm assuming you're on statins. If you're not, then never mind but if you are and your score has gone up, that's probably due to statins but here's the thing--that's what statins are designed to do, at least in part. The theory is that hard calcium is much safer than soft calcium which can cause a heart attack. I hope this helps put your mind at east somewhat. I've never read anything anywhere from a person who said his/her calcium score went down.

Hi @ stanimal

May I ask what age you were at the time of your first scan? Did you have the 2nd scan exactly two years after?

Stressing never helps…everyday you’re alive is a gift.

Hi jasper1072

Age at first scan was 57 Had a scan two years later at 59.
Last scan was at age 68.

I'm over the shock now and just trying to live my best life

Hi @stanimal

I agree with some of the other comments, if your on statins, it is probably due to the statins---which in the long run may be a good thing! I work in the Radiological and Oncology field--I am NOT dispensing medical advice, but my own opinion is I personally will not repeat Calcium scoring. I don't require authorizations for CT angiograms or any other diagnostic imaging testing--I get them free from my employer, I just need a script.
I personally believe that if you have no symptoms and are following a good diet and exercise plan...and taking your meds you are doing good as long as you are symptom free. Stress tests are also great to give people pience of mind---and it is not invasive. Ultimatatly everyone needs to make the decison of what is right for them, but don't be discouraged....a decade went by and it sounds like your doing well.
I am not a proponent of doing unnecessary testing including heart caths---many people want to do it to see if their are blockages, BUT these are not risk free and have actually seen people have complications (rare but they do happen) where they tear a vessel which requires emergency surgery. Also...you hear people advocating for CCTA...again, often unnecessary radiation exposure and can open a can of worms for incidental findings that should not be touched. IMHO (and that is all it is) if you trust your Cardiologist and PCP and you have meaningful dialogue with them about options...that is the best course of action. Too many Dr. Googles out their and site so many studies how this works and this doesn't work...go with your gut. Best of luck. BTW, I am about 51 with a CAC of 170 with no other abnormalities and no symptoms---I have friends who have it in the 1000's and are symptom free for years--it is one test of many.

I really appreciated and find your first paragraph helpful, but your concluding sentence: "One should also consider why should one live longer & at what cost to nature?" feels ageist and not helpful. I wouldn't want a cardiologist suggesting to my husband that with high CAC because he is approaching 70 he should consider himself a potential detriment to "nature." We are nature lovers and both of us work hard to make the environment a better place. Being kind to nature isn't age based. Ageism is rampant here in the US and can be a major source of psychological stress on older people and thusly not heart healthy.

Just something for you to consider, thank you.

@stanimal
I forgot to ask, in the time you chose to go Vegan, did you go onto any meds? Statins? Wondering if that what caused the increase CAC score.

My understanding is that it's normal for your CAC to go up as the plaque calcifies. It's the soft plaque that is dangerous and can rupture. By changing to a whole food plant based diet with no oils you are not injuring the endothelium lining any longer creating more plaque.