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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mark430 | @mark430 | Jul 13, 2019
In reply to @bluesdoc "OK, some results here. I had a stress treadmill and perfusion study, and they were fine...." + (show)
@bluesdoc

OK, some results here. I had a stress treadmill and perfusion study, and they were fine. I did another CAC score and it is unchanged from a year ago at ~2600. I apparently wasted 3K on 20 chelation treatments. Oh well, I had to give it a try. I saw the article on minocycline possibly mitigating vascular calcium deposition. I assume most of you have come across it. I'll think about it. In the meantime, as I approach 73 years of age, I continue to take my statin and work out a lot. I'm otherwise going to do my best to not dwell on things I can't do anything about. None of us are gettin' out of here alive, so, carpe diem.
jon

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Bluesdoc, I am sorry that your CAC score did not go down. I wish you all the best and, if you come up with a way out of the mess that we all wade in, please let us know.

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bluesdoc | @bluesdoc | Jul 12, 2019
In reply to @pcspetpro "Yikes! That's a nasty reaction. The advantage of Livalo is that compared to Atorvastatin it doesn't..." + (show)
@pcspetpro

Yikes! That's a nasty reaction. The advantage of Livalo is that compared to Atorvastatin it doesn't change blood sugar levels. My Cardiologist wants me om 80mg of Atorvastatin, but I'm reluctant to take that high of a dose.

Jump to this post

My liver and muscle enzymes went up on 40 of lipitor. They're fine on pitavastatin. fwiw.....

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pcspetpro | @pcspetpro | Jul 12, 2019
In reply to @bluesdoc "2mg/d of pitavastatin (Livalo). I'd do an angio in a 'heartbeat' but I have a very..." + (show)
@bluesdoc

2mg/d of pitavastatin (Livalo). I'd do an angio in a 'heartbeat' but I have a very bad reaction to contrast (delayed systemic hypersensitivity reaction - like systemic poison oak - lobster red skin and unmitigated itching for a month - totally disabling and unresponsive to everything). I must work and cannot be disabled or it'll be economically disastrous. Plus, as chief of my hospitalist service, I have to do all that this entails. Obviously, should I have a coronary event, I'll have to have an angio, and I'll pre-treat with high dose steroids, having to accept the risks inherent with that. Story of my life - lots of rocks and hard places....

Also, I had a high CAC score before I started statins. I know about the statin - calcification effect. So it goes.

Jump to this post

Yikes! That's a nasty reaction. The advantage of Livalo is that compared to Atorvastatin it doesn't change blood sugar levels. My Cardiologist wants me om 80mg of Atorvastatin, but I'm reluctant to take that high of a dose.

REPLY
1 reply
tim1028 | @tim1028 | Jul 12, 2019

Thanks for posting your results. I'm sorry that the chelation treatments didn't lower your CAC score. All the best to you in managing the risk factors that are in your control.

REPLY
bluesdoc | @bluesdoc | Jul 12, 2019
In reply to @pcspetpro "What dosage of Statin are you taking? For many statins will actually increase the CAC score...." + (show)
@pcspetpro

What dosage of Statin are you taking? For many statins will actually increase the CAC score. Got a CAC Score of 979, passed a stress test but a CT Angiogram showed 4 mild 4 medium and 1 severe plaque.

Jump to this post

2mg/d of pitavastatin (Livalo). I'd do an angio in a 'heartbeat' but I have a very bad reaction to contrast (delayed systemic hypersensitivity reaction - like systemic poison oak - lobster red skin and unmitigated itching for a month - totally disabling and unresponsive to everything). I must work and cannot be disabled or it'll be economically disastrous. Plus, as chief of my hospitalist service, I have to do all that this entails. Obviously, should I have a coronary event, I'll have to have an angio, and I'll pre-treat with high dose steroids, having to accept the risks inherent with that. Story of my life - lots of rocks and hard places....

Also, I had a high CAC score before I started statins. I know about the statin - calcification effect. So it goes.

REPLY
1 reply
pcspetpro | @pcspetpro | Jul 12, 2019

What dosage of Statin are you taking? For many statins will actually increase the CAC score. Got a CAC Score of 979, passed a stress test but a CT Angiogram showed 4 mild 4 medium and 1 severe plaque.

REPLY
1 reply
bluesdoc | @bluesdoc | Jul 12, 2019

OK, some results here. I had a stress treadmill and perfusion study, and they were fine. I did another CAC score and it is unchanged from a year ago at ~2600. I apparently wasted 3K on 20 chelation treatments. Oh well, I had to give it a try. I saw the article on minocycline possibly mitigating vascular calcium deposition. I assume most of you have come across it. I'll think about it. In the meantime, as I approach 73 years of age, I continue to take my statin and work out a lot. I'm otherwise going to do my best to not dwell on things I can't do anything about. None of us are gettin' out of here alive, so, carpe diem.
jon

REPLY
4 replies
bluesdoc | @bluesdoc | Jun 25, 2019
In reply to @tim1028 "Bluesdoc--How was your repeat CAC score?" + (show)
@tim1028

Bluesdoc--How was your repeat CAC score?

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Not yet. Will be having a stress treadmill next week. I'll decide from then about getting the repeat study. Stay tuned.
jon

REPLY
tim1028 | @tim1028 | Jun 25, 2019
In reply to @bluesdoc "Yes Mark, I plan on a repeat CAC score somewhere close to half way through and..." + (show)
@bluesdoc

Yes Mark, I plan on a repeat CAC score somewhere close to half way through and I will share here. If there's no change or worse, I'll probably stop, at $155 a pop.

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Bluesdoc--How was your repeat CAC score?

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