High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

I've been an athlete all my life and have been exercising vigorously for over 55 years (I'm 74) my HDL has been very good, I always surpassed the benchmarks for my age in all the stress tests I've taken over the years, my diet is healthy and I have no other risk factors and am asymptomatic. So imagine my surprise and shock to find a calcium score of 2300! My cardiologist put me on 20 mg Lipitor and baby aspirin a week ago and I have been in touch with a reputable herbalist (the same herbalist my wife has used since her ovarian cancer diagnosis 4 years ago - and she's doing absolutely great). I'm going to start on his program of supplements to go along with the statin and aspirin. I've read conflicting facts. For example one states that anyone with a score of over 1000 has a 25% chance of having a major cardiac event within a year. I've also read that because the calcium has most likely been developing over many many years the score might not be a true indication of risk. What I would love to know and will ask my doc when I see her next week is how do we know how much blockage I have? They say stress tests results will show blockages if the blockages are over 70%. The score might not necessarily reflect the severity of narrowing. Maybe I oughta stop reading about all this and just get to the gym!

Hello @nyartist, I see that you just joined Connect and I'd like to welcome you! Connect is a great way to find support and encouragement for your concerns regarding your health. We are not medical professionals, but just patients like yourself.

As a suggestion, if you are posting to a specific Member's post use their username as it is on their post (like I did with yours, @nyartist) and then that Member will get a notification that you posted to them.

I wish you well and look forward to future posts. If you have any other questions, let me know.

Teresa

Hi - I found your post doing a Google search and our profiles are very similar. You posted back in 2016 so I wonder what you're up to now and how you're doing.

Everything in moderation, new research shows that sugar is the real culprit, in heart disease. You need to limit your red meat and eat chicken and cold water fish..more often, but certainly don't deprive yourself of a hamburger or a steak once in a while. But like I said everything in moderation. Sorry I'm not familiar with CAC score?

@keithl56 , I've been reading all these post about high calcium and that your
Dr.said red meat you can eat fats ? My triple by pass is now 23 yrs old at the time I had 85%,90%anda95% blockages ,my cardiologist told me to get of off red meat because of fat,for 23 yrs I have,vt ate red meat 2yrs ago had chemical stress test passed with flying colors so I am puzzled about all this talk .Dr.put me on Crestor for which was needed for cholesterol but I've always been proactive in my lifestyle ,eating correct foods and exercise.

I've been on 10mg Zetia and 20 mg statin, now they doubled the stain to 40mg and want another blood test in 6 weeks. I've kept my HDL in the 50's for years but they said they want it down to 20. I never heard of that even being possible. If the next blood work doesn't show further improvement they want me to start injections. The dietary part is really confusing. My one cardio told me that lean red meat was fine (no fat) and that I have to limit my carbs and sugar! I wonder just how much you can truly mitigate the risk when your genes are really the culprit.

Same boat Keith. 57 and I just had a CACS done yesterday. 1600. History of family heart disease. Doctor called me same day. Limit red meat and dairy. Double Rouvostatin to 20 mg. Consider my safe healthy, always worked out, pilot so I watch my health. Unfortunately, I'm in that gene pool. I'm now considering vegan approach to lower my CAC score. Time to educate myself.

Calcium is the most prevalent mineral in our bodies, however with different health issues it affects how well are bodies absorption and produce the Vitamins and minerals our bodies need. However with that being said...your doctor is completely wrong, over half of what we need comes from the food we eat....our bodies are very good at keeping balance, but when we have a condition, like kidney failure.

Thanks,not on calcium.

@botexas if your on calcium stop taking it but talk to you Dr. first . My blood count was starting to get higher then normal and the Dr. told me to not take anymore as our bodies make all the calcium we need plus other vit. and minerals.