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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gfmama | @gfmama | Nov 11, 2022
In reply to @botexas "Hello @gailfaith Thanks for sharing your experience. I have a post and had a 2450 calcium..." + (show)
@botexas

Hello @gailfaith Thanks for sharing your experience. I have a post and had a 2450 calcium score. Was wondering if after your surgery,have you had another CAT chest scan for a new calcium score. It is unclear to me the correlation between plaque in the arteries and a high calcium score. Have read enough about the surgery and I believe you picked the right Doctor. Thanks, Botexas

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The high calcium score IS calcified plaque in arteries.

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1 reply
tim1028 | @tim1028 | Nov 11, 2022
In reply to @gfmama "Went to Mayo for executive physical and learned first time in my life my cholesterol was..." + (show)
@gfmama

Went to Mayo for executive physical and learned first time in my life my cholesterol was high. 234 total. HDL 76 LDL 138 I was asked to take LPa test after a CAC score of 743. It was terrible at 179. I am devastated but now see this is heredity and I’ve had it my whole life. Who knew? I’m 30 lbs overweight. Blood pressure is good. Triglycerides 113. Echo good. Stress test good. Started baby aspirin every day and Lipitor 10 mg. Been eating Mediterranean diet. No sugar. Intermittent fasting and daily exercise. I’m scared to death and am doing everything I can do. Feel like a walking time bomb at age 63. Trusting God and my faith to get me through. Hoping Lipitor works. Read about taking K2 and CoQ10 but doc poo poos it…..🤷🏻‍♀️

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The first thought most of us had when getting a high CAC score is that we're a walking time bomb. After things settle down, there is still plenty of anxiety,but it is starting to ease. It's been 4 years since I got my high score and I now have under control what I can control. It sounds like you have your heart healthy anchors in place: diet, exercise, appropriate testing. You've done a lot of the right things, including going to Mayo. I think the evidence is promising but thin about K2, which I take, too. CoQ10 seems to have some solid evidence for taking if you're on statins. It's expensive but I get the Costco brand. Two other things that I've worked on in the past four years is good quality and quantity sleep, which I've achieved. The other is stress and anxiety reduction. I'm making good progress since I started meditating. Personal fact about Mayo: I was born at St Mary's hospital in Rochester, MN, right next to Mayo. I think Mayo now owns the hospital.
'

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maggiemarie | @maggiemarie | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @gfmama "The high calcium score IS calcified plaque in arteries." + (show)
@gfmama

The high calcium score IS calcified plaque in arteries.

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According to our heart Doc calcification can be buildup outside the arteries.

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mrossi | @mrossi | Nov 12, 2022

Hi there, since your original question was about emotional response, I would first say remember stress is a big killer, so try not to worry. I 'm 79, and have had high cholesterol at least since my mid-fifties, but was never advised, along with a choice between improving my diet and increasing exercise, or go on meds, to get my calcium score done (and why that information was so important.) Making lifestyle changes helped some, but not enough. Finally this year a new PCP told my she wanted me to get my calcium score (which Medicare did not cover) because she was very concerned about my high cholesterol, especially as my father had died of a heart attack when he was 37. I did, and it was way high, putting me in the 99% range for my age of a cardiac event within the next 2-5 years. The thing that astonishes me about the medical profession is that no one, up until this year, had ever mentioned this test to me, and I cannot for the life of me understand why it would not be universally considered one of the first lines of defense, and covered by insurance, since the eventual costs of treating heart disease can be so devastating. So I would very much like to hear from any Mayo cardiologist who happens to read this to address this question, since not just I but apparently many of us were never told to get a calcium score until we were into old age.
Anyway, as I said, try to let go of the ticking time bomb vision, and keep doing what you're doing, and you'll probably be fine. I figure I've lived through at least four 2-5 year prognoses of a heart attack within that period of time, and I'm still here and thriving.

REPLY
3 replies
jlharsh | @jlharsh | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @gfmama "Went to Mayo for executive physical and learned first time in my life my cholesterol was..." + (show)
@gfmama

Went to Mayo for executive physical and learned first time in my life my cholesterol was high. 234 total. HDL 76 LDL 138 I was asked to take LPa test after a CAC score of 743. It was terrible at 179. I am devastated but now see this is heredity and I’ve had it my whole life. Who knew? I’m 30 lbs overweight. Blood pressure is good. Triglycerides 113. Echo good. Stress test good. Started baby aspirin every day and Lipitor 10 mg. Been eating Mediterranean diet. No sugar. Intermittent fasting and daily exercise. I’m scared to death and am doing everything I can do. Feel like a walking time bomb at age 63. Trusting God and my faith to get me through. Hoping Lipitor works. Read about taking K2 and CoQ10 but doc poo poos it…..🤷🏻‍♀️

Jump to this post

I agree with @tim1028 about our conditions, and the more we know the better off we will be. This is a marathon and your doctor will be a valuable resource for you as you navigate. Each individual is unique in how they need to treat and there are quite a few options, more than there used to be. We are never in a better position than knowing what is happening and doing what we can to treat it. High cholesterol and LP(a) both run in my family. Mayo sent me to http://www.thefhfoundation.org to learn, and I am a trained Patient Advocate. I have been resistant to medication and go in every other week to get my blood cleaned out. I do understand your stress. 1 in 250 have FH (familial hypercholesterolemia) and 1 in 5 have elevated LP(a). I hope you find comfort knowing you are not alone and continue connecting for support. I, too trust God and He has been there every step of the way. I am the first in my family to be diagnosed and have also found comfort knowing others are finding out earlier because of me (example: one 21 year old niece has LDL over 350). You’ve got this.

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mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @mrossi "Hi there, since your original question was about emotional response, I would first say remember stress..." + (show)
@mrossi

Hi there, since your original question was about emotional response, I would first say remember stress is a big killer, so try not to worry. I 'm 79, and have had high cholesterol at least since my mid-fifties, but was never advised, along with a choice between improving my diet and increasing exercise, or go on meds, to get my calcium score done (and why that information was so important.) Making lifestyle changes helped some, but not enough. Finally this year a new PCP told my she wanted me to get my calcium score (which Medicare did not cover) because she was very concerned about my high cholesterol, especially as my father had died of a heart attack when he was 37. I did, and it was way high, putting me in the 99% range for my age of a cardiac event within the next 2-5 years. The thing that astonishes me about the medical profession is that no one, up until this year, had ever mentioned this test to me, and I cannot for the life of me understand why it would not be universally considered one of the first lines of defense, and covered by insurance, since the eventual costs of treating heart disease can be so devastating. So I would very much like to hear from any Mayo cardiologist who happens to read this to address this question, since not just I but apparently many of us were never told to get a calcium score until we were into old age.
Anyway, as I said, try to let go of the ticking time bomb vision, and keep doing what you're doing, and you'll probably be fine. I figure I've lived through at least four 2-5 year prognoses of a heart attack within that period of time, and I'm still here and thriving.

Jump to this post

I have recently taken a calcium score. The result was ok. It was just under 100. My neighbor had one and it was ZERO! I had hoped for a better score. Many many years ago, I had a PCP who told me not to take more than 500 mg in calcium supplements, no mention of k2. As a woman, I was always told to take over 1000mg. For the past few years, I have been taking k2. I have a family history of heart disease and high cholesterol. I had a stress test, echo. All ok. My cardiologist prescribe Crestor 5 mg every other day, my cholesterol was never high, just borderline. He also told me to take CO Q10. I agree that this is one test everyone should have as early as the 30s, and I'm surprised insurance don't cover it. I have a l ways try to eat right, exercise... Although my back and legs don't always cooperate. Sleep is another matter. I listen to guided meditations, there are some really good ones on YouTube. My question is, can calcium score be reduced?

REPLY
1 reply
jlharsh | @jlharsh | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @mrossi "Hi there, since your original question was about emotional response, I would first say remember stress..." + (show)
@mrossi

Hi there, since your original question was about emotional response, I would first say remember stress is a big killer, so try not to worry. I 'm 79, and have had high cholesterol at least since my mid-fifties, but was never advised, along with a choice between improving my diet and increasing exercise, or go on meds, to get my calcium score done (and why that information was so important.) Making lifestyle changes helped some, but not enough. Finally this year a new PCP told my she wanted me to get my calcium score (which Medicare did not cover) because she was very concerned about my high cholesterol, especially as my father had died of a heart attack when he was 37. I did, and it was way high, putting me in the 99% range for my age of a cardiac event within the next 2-5 years. The thing that astonishes me about the medical profession is that no one, up until this year, had ever mentioned this test to me, and I cannot for the life of me understand why it would not be universally considered one of the first lines of defense, and covered by insurance, since the eventual costs of treating heart disease can be so devastating. So I would very much like to hear from any Mayo cardiologist who happens to read this to address this question, since not just I but apparently many of us were never told to get a calcium score until we were into old age.
Anyway, as I said, try to let go of the ticking time bomb vision, and keep doing what you're doing, and you'll probably be fine. I figure I've lived through at least four 2-5 year prognoses of a heart attack within that period of time, and I'm still here and thriving.

Jump to this post

You are speaking to the choir to me about stress, @mrossi ! My mom’s doc urged her to get testing and she asked me to go with her. It was difficult to comprehend as we sat together hearing her score was 0 at age 80 and mine was at a concerning level (I’m not sure exactly what is was at this point). I have learned to remind myself when I leave appointments that I want to make it home safely. This realigns my thoughts towards the reality that I am doing all I can to be healthy and my real focus needs to be not to get hit by a bus or in a car accident on the way home. I don’t think I’d ever get in a vehicle if I focused on the possibilities. Buy a safe car, keep the oil changed & tires aired up, buckle up and practice good driving habits. All I can do.

One of my college roommates (I am 57) has spent her career as a cardio nurse administering the simple $50 calcium score tests. My understanding from her is now that they have been done for a period of time they are proven to offer value. We are also living in a time that there are significantly more options available for us to treat our conditions.mrossi One of my college roommates (I am 57) has spent her career as a cardio nurse administering the simple $50 calcium score tests. My understanding is now that they have been done for a period of time they are proven to offer value. We are also living in a time that there are significantly more options available for us to treat our conditions. For example, I don’t think LP(a) has been tested because there hasn’t been anything that could really be done about it.

It helps to understand sorting through all our feelings is natural and good to do. It is super difficult to consider the wait time to see specialists upon a diagnosis that seems urgent, what feels like providers are downplaying our conditions in riding the fence between keeping our stress down, like you said vs encouraging us to treat as aggressively as we can, and filtering through “dr. Google” & other conflicting information we hear so loudly.

REPLY
1 reply
mrossi | @mrossi | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @mayofeb2020 "I have recently taken a calcium score. The result was ok. It was just under 100...." + (show)
@mayofeb2020

I have recently taken a calcium score. The result was ok. It was just under 100. My neighbor had one and it was ZERO! I had hoped for a better score. Many many years ago, I had a PCP who told me not to take more than 500 mg in calcium supplements, no mention of k2. As a woman, I was always told to take over 1000mg. For the past few years, I have been taking k2. I have a family history of heart disease and high cholesterol. I had a stress test, echo. All ok. My cardiologist prescribe Crestor 5 mg every other day, my cholesterol was never high, just borderline. He also told me to take CO Q10. I agree that this is one test everyone should have as early as the 30s, and I'm surprised insurance don't cover it. I have a l ways try to eat right, exercise... Although my back and legs don't always cooperate. Sleep is another matter. I listen to guided meditations, there are some really good ones on YouTube. My question is, can calcium score be reduced?

Jump to this post

My understanding (just from consulting websites of reputable medical institutions when I googled that same question) is that calcium scores cannot be reduced.

REPLY
1 reply
tim1028 | @tim1028 | Nov 12, 2022
In reply to @jlharsh "You are speaking to the choir to me about stress, @mrossi ! My mom’s doc urged..." + (show)
@jlharsh

You are speaking to the choir to me about stress, @mrossi ! My mom’s doc urged her to get testing and she asked me to go with her. It was difficult to comprehend as we sat together hearing her score was 0 at age 80 and mine was at a concerning level (I’m not sure exactly what is was at this point). I have learned to remind myself when I leave appointments that I want to make it home safely. This realigns my thoughts towards the reality that I am doing all I can to be healthy and my real focus needs to be not to get hit by a bus or in a car accident on the way home. I don’t think I’d ever get in a vehicle if I focused on the possibilities. Buy a safe car, keep the oil changed & tires aired up, buckle up and practice good driving habits. All I can do.

One of my college roommates (I am 57) has spent her career as a cardio nurse administering the simple $50 calcium score tests. My understanding from her is now that they have been done for a period of time they are proven to offer value. We are also living in a time that there are significantly more options available for us to treat our conditions.mrossi One of my college roommates (I am 57) has spent her career as a cardio nurse administering the simple $50 calcium score tests. My understanding is now that they have been done for a period of time they are proven to offer value. We are also living in a time that there are significantly more options available for us to treat our conditions. For example, I don’t think LP(a) has been tested because there hasn’t been anything that could really be done about it.

It helps to understand sorting through all our feelings is natural and good to do. It is super difficult to consider the wait time to see specialists upon a diagnosis that seems urgent, what feels like providers are downplaying our conditions in riding the fence between keeping our stress down, like you said vs encouraging us to treat as aggressively as we can, and filtering through “dr. Google” & other conflicting information we hear so loudly.

Jump to this post

Managing stress is an important component in coping with heart issues, whether a high CAC score or something else. It is important, though difficult, to manage stress. I find it helpful to accept what is, for example, a high CAC score, then do what is in my power to control the outcome. In the extensive reading I have done about coronary artery disease, it IS something that can be managed by lifestyle changes. Genetics is not necessarily destiny. I've been helped by an excellent Special Report (about 80 pages) that the Cleveland Clinic publishes called 'Coronary Artery Disease' Here is a quote from the late tennis player Arthur Ashe that says a lot about how to address health problems: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."

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brawleyite | @brawleyite | Nov 14, 2022
In reply to @mrossi "My understanding (just from consulting websites of reputable medical institutions when I googled that same question)..." + (show)
@mrossi

My understanding (just from consulting websites of reputable medical institutions when I googled that same question) is that calcium scores cannot be reduced.

Jump to this post

That is also my understanding. That CAC cannot be reduced, but by taking a statin or by working on your diet, exercise, sleep, etc. (depending on your situation) the goal is to stop future calcium from building up.

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