My dr wants me to get a calcium score study, should I?

I think this is a tough call. If you are genuinely doing everything right and not having symptoms, then you could argue that there's little benefit. I thought I was doing everything right, got a CT scan because some calcifications in my iliac arteries showed up on an x-ray, and my CAC score was in the 98th percentile for my age and gender. I have a family history of heart disease. This was frightening. I tried to pin-down exactly what kind of diet I should be on. Honestly, I've made a few tweaks, but I was genuinely doing almost everything right. I did go on statins.

It does weigh on my mind. I think it's a real stressor. Sometimes I complete some job or whatever, and see that the stress of the job was more than I realized. I'm lighter and don't do stress-related things like drink coffee or eat a sweet or wake up stressed out at night. But before I complete the job, I wouldn't have said I was under stress. I think it's like that, but it will never go away. It has gotten better over time.

That said, for me, I think it's been better to know. I've made some modifications to try to improve my chance of survival. I carry aspirin around now. I make sure I have a phone or Apple Watch with me on runs. (I live in a rural area and I got a new iPhone for its ability to make satellite emergency calls. I'd probably still die, but I think I'd at least have hope in my final moments and that seems big.) As I mentioned, I made some tweaks to my diet and went on statins. I always have exercised and enjoy it, but I recognize now I have to be more serious about my consistency.

So you have to decide for yourself whether you believe you can live with the stress of knowing (or now not knowing) and whether you could make positive changes based on the results. If you trust your PCP, then that's a mark in favor of listening to him/her. It's a personal decision.

Good luck!!! Stay positive whatever decision you make!! If you decide to do it and you get a high score, come back and get the great experience and support of the folks on this forum.

Thanks so much @bitsygirl ! I appreciate your honesty and advice. Im already an anxious person and have GAD. I dont want to take statins forever but also a friend of mine, much younger than me, had a stroke a few years ago and her life has completely changed because of the side effects of that stroke. :(( The drs say she is lucky to be alive. It weighs on my mind constantly my health and whether knowing about something ahead is better or worse. I am struggling currently with repeated cases of acute diverticulitis:( There is no cure or meds for this. I just have to live with it for now. I lost my daughter in December of 2022 at the age of 21 and for the sake of my remaining children I want to be proactive with my health and try to take care of myself. Im almost 55 but there is also a family history of heart disease on my mothers side and my grandmothers side. :(( Thanks so much and Ill keep you posted if I get this done:))

Listen to your doctor. I, too, thought i was doing all the right things __ yet had a stroke 6 weeks ago. Now taking Atorvastatin daily, plus blood thinners and pain pills. Having therapists 4 times a week. Still in wheelchair.
Have aides 24/7. It's a real pain. Calcium scoring test might have prevented all this. Only takes a few minutes.

My approach is that I want as much information as possible. Hoping for the best is not a strategy. Not being aware of a problem doesn't mean you don't have a problem!

Imagine if, in a few years, you have the test and the doctor says "we should have started treating this years ago." How will you feel? You'll be kicking yourself forever. You could literally shorten your lifespan by not getting the test now.

It is best to get the test and face it head-on. Your doctor can only treat what he knows about.

I'll answer only for me, and you'll have to do you. I wanna know. Knowing is what improves my motivation. If I need/want to be motivated to do 'something'....anything...that might help me to live another ten years, I'm gonna do it. Except with a bit more focus, learning, and enthusiasm now that I know what's going on inside me.
A CAC score is like a selfie. In ten years, you won't look like the image in the selfie because a selfie is just a snapshot in time. An instant. A picture. That's all a CAC score is. It doesn't tell you your score is dropping (for some reason) or that it's rising (for another reason), or if it's static. It's just a score. True, the score might reflect an iffy lipid problem in recent years (it has nothing to do with dietary calcium !!!!), but it might be some inflammatory response about something as yet undetected, it might be too many carbs in your diet, too much stress (cortisol, you can google 'stress and cortisol')...several possible causes. They can mostly be changed for the better, but you gotta know....right?
I went on a statin as soon as I was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia. I ended up successfully treated for the arrhythmia, but meanwhile, all the workup diagnostics to see what the cause was only showed I have severe sleep apnea. All other chest x-rays, MRi, angiogram, radio-opaque dye treadmill stress test with CT scan (X2 over four years), not one of them showed more than 'minor deposits', the words of the gentleman who was moving the catheter inside my heart during the angiogram. A Doppler ultrasound of my carotid arteries showed I was clear (my dad was 100% blocked at 87 on one side, but his eldest son is clear at 70...go figure). So, my lipid panel had me on a statin right away, abut every subsequent test (no CAC done on me) have me with 'minor deposits.'
A CAC score will show you what is in place. It can sometimes be resolved by quite a bit with a change in lifestyle. I have read about some people getting horrid numbers, they do keto or carnivore for a year and their next score (according to them, not me) has them at 30 or something.

I don't believe that anyone lowered their CAC score, and I certainly don't believe that a high-fat diet lowered it. ( I know you didn't claim that.)

If you are having questions about it you need to sit down with your doctor. Before you go write your questions so you don’t forget important questions.
Also, read up on it.
Do your own research.
Good studying

CAC scores never decrease.

You don't mention your lipid numbers - without these any discussion is difficult and somewhat uninformed. We can assume they are not good as your doc is concerned enough to recommend CAC scoring.

You don't mention your weight and sugars - glucose and A1C - ie, whether you are pre-diabetic or diabetic - also essential to understanding your circumstances.

At a minimum CAC testing, and stress test with echo. These first steps (in addition to treating lipid issues) - and, for goodness sakes, unless you are having some bad side effects, take your statin - if you have high calcium it could save your life. If you are having side effects, get on an injectable statin.

The internet can be your friend by providing access to extraordinary information you can discuss with your doc to get you on the right track - or, the internet can provide nonsensical unscientific, conspiracy junk.

Post your numbers and you'll get more useful feedback.

I like you am healthy, active but bc of family history I went for calcium score test. It saved my life. I had 2 stents put in my LAD due to a blockage. I had absolutely no symptoms. I say go for it.

@mayoconnectuser1 - my LDL is 226, my HDL is 67 my total is 321 which is way over the 200 limit so I suppose its not great. Yes Im currently taking 20 mg of lipitor daily and have cut out egg yolks, cheese, and watching my intake daily. I weigh 115 lbs and am 5 ft so not overweight. My glucose is normal, not pre diabetic or diabetic although my mother and son both have diabetes. Ive had stress tests done. Both types including the one with ECHO which showed my heart to be fine and beating without any arrythmias or anything. I am not unhealthy I dont believe. I dont smoke, dont drink alcohol hardly ever except maybe wine on special occasions. I try to get 8,000 -10,000 steps or more in daily. I didnt realize how much feedback i would get on this post. Im almost 55 and no prior history of heart disease. My heart dr is concerned about my high cholesterol so that is why he recommended this test. Hope this helps.