1. < Heart & Blood Health

Crazy high calcium score of 3,000+

Posted by heycal @heycal, Jun 17, 2024

61 male with COPD which doesn't keep me from exercising regularly. No symptoms of anything unusual lately. Diet is not great, but not overweight in the least. Had a Stent put in for carotid artery 18 months ago. Been on atorvastin and ramipril for BP and high cholesterol for a few years now. Cholesterol numbers now look pretty good I think.

Just had a CT ordered for calcium score after "severe coronary calcifications" noted on routine lung CT scan. My score was just over 4000, though with 'accuracy comprised by motion detection or something', though I'm guessing it's at least somewhat roughly accurate. I was stunned by this number when I saw it today in my health app (I was prepared to freak if I saw 400!), and haven't heard back from my doctor yet. Found this group in the meantime, which made me slow my catastrophic thoughts somewhat as I imagined myself undergoing emgergency heart surgery this evening....

As I await further word, perhaps you folks can tell me what these numbers mean in the report, and what I can expect going forward?

LM: 0 LAD: 658 LCx: 329 RCA: 3062

Thank you,

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aldo2 | @aldo2 | Feb 12 12:55am
In reply to @orionrex "5,250. Anyone else have a score this high? Wondering what to expect when the cardio doc..." + (show)
@orionrex

5,250. Anyone else have a score this high? Wondering what to expect when the cardio doc calls. Might want to respond quickly, by my calculations I probably have like an hour to live.

Jump to this post

Hmm, CT A (Angiogram) uses contrast dye to see how much of each artery is blocked. The calcium can be all over the place, so it might be easy to see each artery (you have the four coronary readings from the CAC right?).My calcium is in the LAD and the RCA (with only a bit in the other two) - but my total is 'only' 1,000. Still it seems that the CTA would be better than sticking a catheter with a balloon up your crotch as the first order of business!

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Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Feb 12 10:18am
In reply to @orionrex "5,250. Anyone else have a score this high? Wondering what to expect when the cardio doc..." + (show)
@orionrex

5,250. Anyone else have a score this high? Wondering what to expect when the cardio doc calls. Might want to respond quickly, by my calculations I probably have like an hour to live.

Jump to this post

Hello @orionrex,

I moved your discussion and combined it with @heycal's discussion:

"Crazy high calcium score of 4,000+"
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/crazy-high-calcium-score/

@heycal may have some experiences they would like to come back and share based on getting shocking calcium scores as well. @cianci also shared their experience with a score of 3,500.

@orionrex - it sounds like you were able to discuss your score with your PCP and make some lifestyle changes that have helped ease some of the short-term concerns. If you don't mind sharing, what sort of changes have you already made?

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1 reply
heycal | @heycal | Feb 12 1:40pm
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "Hello @orionrex, I moved your discussion and combined it with @heycal's discussion: "Crazy high calcium score..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

Hello @orionrex,

I moved your discussion and combined it with @heycal's discussion:

"Crazy high calcium score of 4,000+"
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/crazy-high-calcium-score/

@heycal may have some experiences they would like to come back and share based on getting shocking calcium scores as well. @cianci also shared their experience with a score of 3,500.

@orionrex - it sounds like you were able to discuss your score with your PCP and make some lifestyle changes that have helped ease some of the short-term concerns. If you don't mind sharing, what sort of changes have you already made?

Jump to this post

Nothing new to report on my end after my 4400 calcium score many months back prompted a nuclear stress test and echocardiogram and an increase in my statins. My doctor explained to me that one could have a score of 5000 and have no blockages, or a score of 50 with blockages. It all depends on where the calcium is located. Or something like that. In any case, I'm still alive. I suspect you will still be alive even if you walk slowly to the cardiologist's office instead of running @orionrex.

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1 reply
tlclimo | @tlclimo | 6 days ago
In reply to @heycal "Nothing new to report on my end after my 4400 calcium score many months back prompted..." + (show)
@heycal

Nothing new to report on my end after my 4400 calcium score many months back prompted a nuclear stress test and echocardiogram and an increase in my statins. My doctor explained to me that one could have a score of 5000 and have no blockages, or a score of 50 with blockages. It all depends on where the calcium is located. Or something like that. In any case, I'm still alive. I suspect you will still be alive even if you walk slowly to the cardiologist's office instead of running @orionrex.

Jump to this post

I thought I was shockingly high at 2300 score. I've never heard of anybody higher until now just stumbled upon this thread. My cardiologist seems to think exactly what you said it's just located in spots that has not caused much of a problem at the moment. I will keep checking this thread

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1 reply
heycal | @heycal | 6 days ago
In reply to @tlclimo "I thought I was shockingly high at 2300 score. I've never heard of anybody higher until..." + (show)
@tlclimo

I thought I was shockingly high at 2300 score. I've never heard of anybody higher until now just stumbled upon this thread. My cardiologist seems to think exactly what you said it's just located in spots that has not caused much of a problem at the moment. I will keep checking this thread

Jump to this post

When I was awaiting the test results, I remember thinking "please don't let it be over 300, or God forbid, 400!!" So you can imagine how I felt when I saw 4403...

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tuckie | @tuckie | 5 days ago

Hi
I was recalled as I have a calcification area deep for thyroid cells.
A ring measuring 77mm which includes 2 lymphs and something measuring 19mm x 9mm.
On last test PET surgeon guesses that could be my thymus which is supposed shrink after childhood.

Surgeon says these are macro calci... items.
Reading specls micro are more of a worry.
But there is nothing to say that out of 100 lymphs from thyroid, when he took 12 with 2 affected, he may have missed 12.. and would have been 4mm amd 3mm cancer papillary.
I refused RAI Treatment. I was low risk. The treatment can have lots of side effects including damaging other parts eg parathyroid, oesophagus, throat, voice box. It is better to remove lymphs by surgery.
ALSO RAI TREATMENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY KILL ALL CANCER which has not been removed.

Find out whether you have macro or micro deposits.

In 2005 I was recalled on a mammogram. 3 ops later, from investigating calcium streaks in my right breast, my surgeon with computer work found a carcinoma in situe (0 cancer) not broken out., in a milk duct. A FRIEND NOW AGED 95 had hers left in. SHE IS MONITORED EVERY YEAR.
So there is a chance of cancer. PROBABLY YOUR BODY IS TRYING TO FIGHT OFF THESE 'Foreign cells'.

ALL THE VERY BEST.
So I'm taking CCB Calcium Channel Blockers I ask 'keeping out calcium from heart' where does that calcium diverted go to?????

DOES ANYONE know why if I am taking Thyroxine for no thyroid making/converting T4 to T3 or visa versa to make TSH I cannot have more than 20mg of Avorstatin. A statin.
Also you cannot take the COVID diffuser (antigen) until you have stopped Statins. I cannot take it either as I am reliant on thyroxine.

How are all these connected.

Cheri JOY. (tuckie)

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