I am planning to ask my doctor tomorrow at my appointment, if I can have one. As some of you may know, it's a test that shows any Calcium build-up in arteries. Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC test). I know I don't know a lot about this, and I could be literally, dead wrong ok? But I follow the information that tells me that cholesterol, even high numbers, do not cause strokes or heart-attacks. I think I had a partial or mini stroke 3 months ago, so I feel that having this test and having the results as close to zero as possible, could eliminate my fear of being wrong about cholesterol. My Triglycerides are excellent, along with other labs, but my cholesterol was high on my last lab. My doc has continuously wanted me on statins and I keep declining. It is hard when the "popular" info says cholesterol "bad". Real curious about this CAC test though, and wondering if I can even get/afford one. I have insurance but don't know that it covers.
i don't know what it does or how they do it.. i haven't seen a Dr for over 20 years.. i hope all shows good
I don't know if the Calcium Score will give you useful info or not. I have read some data that said calcium in the plaque was actually stabilizing the plaque, and lowering it will cause the plaque to de-stabilize and flake off, causing infarction. I don't believe it. The cholesterol "normal" range used to go up to 240 mg/dl, but was reduced to 200 under pressure by Big Pharma once the statins were found to lower the value. Cholesterol is an essential substance and the body, especially the brain, can suffer from the lack of it. The current "fad" in medicine is to lower the total cholesterol level in the mistaken belief that it reduces heart attacks. I believe that has been disproven, (search the data for yourself and decide) but the belief persists in the medical community just as removing eggs from the diet was supposed to cure heart disease. Statins are anti-inflammatories, so there are some advantages to that aspect of the drug, but there are safer and cheaper anti-inflammatories, like turmeric and fish oil, that can accomplish similar things. The tests that have the most science behind them are the lipoprotein types (alpha and beta lipoproteins. Again, that is too complicated to discuss here, but you can search those too if you wish to know about them.
I've read a lot of the studies, and found them by listening mainly to Dr. Ben Bickman. I find him brilliant and easy to understand (sometimes you don't find both in the same person). I haven't read his book, mainly because I've listened to so many of his talks I figure why buy the book, but it might still be worth it to me. Thanks for all your info Don
Have you had any vascular screening tests done? I had what they believe to be a TIA (small stroke) in Jan of 2020, and they did a Doppler Screening on my carotid arteries in the hospital. The summer before that I got a "Community Vascular Screening" done, where they look for buildup in your circulatory system. It cost me $100...I believe it's a subsidized thing to gather information. If nothing else, it's another data point for you. The heart doctor I saw then doubled my Lipitor because at 40mg, it's the only statin that's supposedly stops your platelets from sticking together.
Hi @John Brunner I don't think I've had either of those things done, pretty sure no. I know they did MRI, 2 CAT scans, and an xray is all, in the emergency visit same day my "thingy" happened but they said they found nothing to indicate a stroke or heart attack. My left arm and some of the leftside of my head remains numb. I can add your info to me list to talk to my doc tomorrow. He's a really good doc, but mostly conventional medicine ya know.
My cardiologist made the offhand comment once that he thought my event had been neurological, but did not recommend seeing a neurologist. I probably should have done that myself, but I'm not certain what the benefit would be. These screenings are very common things to have done. These are the screenings: ABI Screening—A quick, painless and accurate test that will provide early detection of symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). It compares the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm, which produces an ankle brachial index (ABI). Carotid Screening—Provides ultrasound images of the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck. Checks for plaque build-up (narrowing) in the arteries which could eventually lead to a stroke. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening—Provides ultrasound images of the aorta in the abdomen. Checks for weakened and bulging areas in the lower part of the aorta, the major blood vessel that supplies blood to the body. I randomly found the above from a facility in Indiana. Their pricing is identical with what I had here in Virginia: $66 per test or all 3 for $99. It's a very basic thing done outpatient. You stay dressed, lay on a table, they put blood pressure cuffs on both arms and both ankles, check bloodflow in all extremities with ultrasound, do the same along your abdomen, do the same on both sides of your neck. Took less than half an hour as I recall. You call up and make the appointment directly, then you share the results with your doctor. When I was in the hospital with the supposed stroke, they did the carotid screening again using a more advanced technology. They all came back clean.
I'm copying and pasting this into my notepad John. I was told by my cardio in or around 2014 that everything, including my AV Node block was to do with nerves, meaning neurological. My MD told me at last visit, you got me to remember this, that we would talk about him referring me to a neurologist. The reason was that I have an essential tremor, that has become worse since the vaccines I got, and also after the "stroke/tia" thing, whatever it was. I've always had issues with my nerves, like if I got really stressed I'd shake more, but then it would stop. Now it's ongoing, whether I'm stressed or not but I am used to it and just live with it. Mine looks much like, if not exactly life the one Kathryn Hepburn had. Sometimes I find myself completely still so I've always thought my mind/thinking or thoughts kind of control how much shaking I do. I'm grateful for the list and descriptions. Thanks John, and I see you are in Virginia and I am glad you guys have Youngkin in there. I felt when I saw all that, other States just might follow suit, I hope so, and I did see some others with good news as well that day PS I don't remember if I told you I have a doc appt. tomorrow at 1:40 pm so we'll see what he says about the tests above, and I made a note of the CAC thing too
Not to wander too far afield, but I would have felt better with a resounding victory versus one that we squeaked out. But Youngkin was an unknown, and McAuliffe is known nationwide. The slander has already started. Good luck with that Dr appointment. I should check to see if I need to see a neurologist, but that TIA was nearly 2 years ago with no recurrence.
I hear that John, it was a close one. We need a miracle, and I don't think I've actually seen one in my lifetime. I mean a real miracle, something downright biblical I think I'll actually pray tonight. I hear you, about getting checked out, I seem to wait til something bad happens before I actually make an appt. The only reason I have this one is I do need to have a new cardio, and didn't know it, but need a referral first from my MD Take care, maybe see you round tomorrow. I'm kickin back with a Hallmark movie. Paid for the Channel mainly for the holidays, especially Christmas, my fave time of the year, and fave movies, chic flics, lol!!
Plavix would prevent platelet adhesion better than any statin I know. Perhaps he just wants to give you more statin. Just be careful of muscle pain. Rhabdomyolysis can cause real problems and you may end up hospitalized.
Man, I can't trust any of these fools. When the cardiologist offhandedly said "I'm not sure you even had a stroke," I said "Then let's cut my Lipitor back to 20mg." He told me that the damage caused by statins was kind of a binary thing: when you take them at any dose, you incur the risk of damage...higher doses only bring incremental harm, not pro-rata harm (meaning 40mg does not do double the damage of 20mg.) Or so he said. And as I mentioned, there was nothing in the various screenings I've had done that indicate I have a sticky platelet issue. Another doctor once tried to switch me to Crestor even though I had been responding favorably to Lipitor with no ill effects. I immediately got muscle pain in my shoulders and made him switch me back. Of course, I take CoQ10. Maybe I should get in to see a neurologist, even though the event was 2 years ago. Since aspirin now seems to be giving me trouble and I'm on this mega dose of statin, maybe a different doctor will agree that I can cut this stuff back (although I already stopped the aspirin on my own and I can always split that Lipitor tablet.)
thanks for the info Don, as you know, I'm seeing my MD today and we will be talking about referrals to a neurologist, and a new Cardiologist. Mine I have seen only once, lives too far, and the one I want comes up to my, small town. I need (for my own peace of mind if that's even to be had) a diagnosis, not just a "guess" and a bottle of pills.
Rediscovered some old notes I'd taken on ALA @Don Alaska now I'm going through all my notes as I've taken 3 journals full