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48M w/High Calcium Score, Great Stress Test, and Family History
I'm 48, recent CAC score of 871, and have a family history of high blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides. The calcium score was my first one. Many years ago, and again about 6 months ago, I had echo stress tests, both of which I did really well on (13:30). I've always been a runner and have had good cardio fitness levels. My most recent labs were good for me (total cholesterol: 155, triglycerides: 141, HDL: 27, VLDL: 25, LDL: 103) after increasing my Lipitor from 10 > 20. Prior to that though, all of my numbers were more elevated.
I'm also a parent of three so other posts are: high CACs among parents with young kids resonate with me a lot - my initial reaction when I got my score was sad/fear/anxiety/anger. It's only been a few days for me so I still have a lot of those feelings but I've also decided to radically change my lifestyle. I exercised only a little in the year prior to this CAC, fooling myself into thinking I was ok because of my decent numbers and good stress test. I let work and other responsibilities serve as excuses for me to not exercise as much. Since my score, I've been exercising every day (walking, running, lifting weights, isometrics and I play ice hockey) and I've gone from an unhealthy pescatarian (lots of cheese and eggs) to a pescavegan diet (no cheese or eggs and only high O3 fish).
I'm definitely have hypochondria about the notion that I could have a heart attack or stroke any day but trying to get past that and do what I need to do to prevent this from getting worse.
Just discovered this Mayo resource and really helping it'll help me discover new ideas, connect with people in similar scenarios and give me whatever silver linings I can get.
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What I got out of reading your info is you need to lower your triglycerides! Get your triglycerides from 155 down to 55. Start by removing all refined carbohydrate from your diet. I have similar to you my dad had similar to you if you have familial coronary artery disease You have to not only get your common lipid numbers down, which you have-but you have to get your triglycerides down. That’s your problem. Over 40 years I did not eat refined carbohydrates and then I got IBS about six years ago and I changed my diet which included refined carbohydrates like potatoes, white rice, sugar, and other stuff I never ate. As soon as I did that, my triglycerides went from 90 to 165 so now I’m in a process of lowering my triglycerides, my cholesterol numbers are great. There’s a great book if you like to read, called outlive by Peter Attia it was recommended by my pain management doctor and it’s super intense and like 500 pages but it’s a great read and it will give you everything you need to know about heart disease right now. A lot has changed since my dad had it and now I have inherited it. I asked my doctor for the up-to-date latest lipid test and she gives them to me. Don’t let the numbers rule your life get pictures of your heart and arteries. That will tell you what you need to know most! Don’t rely on the statins either because my dad was on statins for 20 years and it didn’t stop him from having three heart bypass Surgeries major ones so the lipids bring numbers down but they don’t tell you what’s going on in the arteries where plaque is being deposited. The thing that saved me was eating great for 40 years and exercising but now it’s 68. I have to worry about plaque being deposited so I’m upping my game and taking Vespa VESCEPA to lower the triglycerides and cutting out refined carbs. All report back in June after I have my next triglyceride test. I also asked to see a cardiovascular doctor Since I have the familial disease.