Heart disease - Stents

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Teed said:
Oooooooooo look at me!!!! I've got good veins,, :rolleyes: f***ing pathetic it is lad.
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yes watched my insert on the TV astounding .It was 7pm at the Freeman i had been taken from the Sunderland Royal and within 24 hours there i was up and away home .Ok i had 2 or 3 panic attacks which is apparently normal ,but here i am fit as a fiddle 13 years later ,loving life .
 


RestlessNatives said:
Missed this earlier. You're spot on about cutting out the cause even if the consultant called it 'cholesterol and whatnot' yesterday.:lol:
My diet, weight, exercise habits etc had all changed before this happened but I suspect it is more of a legacy thing. Going to keep a closer eye on what I'm eating but if I can get back to where I was exercise wise etc, I don't expect a reoccurrence.
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The trouble with the system is that the various specialists are focused on their bit. Cardiologists are concerned with diagnosing & treating disease, surgeons are concerned with doing re-plumbing & stuff, drug companies are concerned with selling as many pills as possible. There is no specialism in the system aimed at preventing the fundamental causes of coronary artery disease. You could be cynical and say that there's no money in it - you can charge shit loads of cash for angiograms and operations but there's nee profit in encouraging people to eat properly, exercise a bit and chill out.
So it is a bit worrying to hear consultants say the problem is cholesterol or genetics etc. I really don't think many consultants in the system have even thought much about what really causes it all or how the process actually works - they did their general training years ago and they concentrate on their specialism. They intervene to stop you from dying then give you some pills - job done. When you start looking into it there are people trying to get to the bottom of how the biomechanics of the process works and not all of them agree (to say the least) but it's an interesting area, and I think it's worth trying to learn as much as reasonably possible and using your own common sense. Personally I have come to the conclusion that some of the "traditional" views on the causes of artherosclerosis are questionable to the degree that they don't make sense.
Like you I was fit, not overweight, non-smoker etc - not the typical candidate people imagine for heart disease. I spent years telling doctors that there was something wrong and they spent years telling me I was ridiculously healthy up until the point when they said I needed open heart surgery urgently. I now think essentially that I was probably a victim of decades of the typical modern western diet combined with the exacerbating effect of decades of workplace stress that I wasn't dealing with anything like as well as I thought I was. I am now trying to put that right, hopefully so the problem doesn't progress any further. But it's difficult to be clear on what is the best actions to take from now on - I wouldn't want to try to tell someone else what to do, but I have ended up being selective about which of the advice from various medical professionals I agree with.
 
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Al said:
The trouble with the system is that the various specialists are focused on their bit. Cardiologists are concerned with diagnosing & treating disease, surgeons are concerned with doing re-plumbing & stuff, drug companies are concerned with selling as many pills as possible. There is no specialism in the system aimed at preventing the fundamental causes of coronary artery disease. You could be cynical and say that there's no money in it - you can charge shit loads of cash for angiograms and operations but there's nee profit in encouraging people to eat properly, exercise a bit and chill out.
So it is a bit worrying to hear consultants say the problem is cholesterol or genetics etc. I really don't think many consultants in the system have even thought much about what really causes it all or how the process actually works - they did their general training years ago and they concentrate on their specialism. They intervene to stop you from dying then give you some pills - job done. When you start looking into it there are people trying to get to the bottom of how the biomechanics of the process works and not all of them agree (to say the least) but it's an interesting area, and I think it's worth trying to learn as much as reasonably possible and using your own common sense. Personally I have come to the conclusion that some of the "traditional" views on the causes of artherosclerosis are questionable to the degree that they don't make sense.
Like you I was fit, not overweight, non-smoker etc - not the typical candidate people imagine for heart disease. I spent years telling doctors that there was something wrong and they spent years telling me I was ridiculously healthy up until the point when they said I needed open heart surgery urgently. I now think essentially that I was probably a victim of decades of the typical modern western diet combined with the exacerbating effect of decades of workplace stress that I wasn't dealing with anything like as well as I thought I was. I am now trying to put that right, hopefully so the problem doesn't progress any further. But it's difficult to be clear on what is the best actions to take from now on - I wouldn't want to try to tell someone else what to do, but I have ended up being selective about which of the advice from various medical professionals I agree with.
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There seems to be a common theme of being fit means nowt - I know several people in their 90s who have never taken exercise seriously along with two super fit lads in their 30s who died of heart attacks whilst out on a run.
 
Wicksy said:
There seems to be a common theme of being fit means nowt - I know several people in their 90s who have never taken exercise seriously along with two super fit lads in their 30s who died of heart attacks whilst out on a run.
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Keeping fit is a really good thing, for various reasons, but it's not a magic antidote to every disease. I believe that what you eat has the biggest effect on bad things happening to the inside of your arteries.
 
Al said:
The trouble with the system is that the various specialists are focused on their bit. Cardiologists are concerned with diagnosing & treating disease, surgeons are concerned with doing re-plumbing & stuff, drug companies are concerned with selling as many pills as possible. There is no specialism in the system aimed at preventing the fundamental causes of coronary artery disease. You could be cynical and say that there's no money in it - you can charge shit loads of cash for angiograms and operations but there's nee profit in encouraging people to eat properly, exercise a bit and chill out.
So it is a bit worrying to hear consultants say the problem is cholesterol or genetics etc. I really don't think many consultants in the system have even thought much about what really causes it all or how the process actually works - they did their general training years ago and they concentrate on their specialism. They intervene to stop you from dying then give you some pills - job done. When you start looking into it there are people trying to get to the bottom of how the biomechanics of the process works and not all of them agree (to say the least) but it's an interesting area, and I think it's worth trying to learn as much as reasonably possible and using your own common sense. Personally I have come to the conclusion that some of the "traditional" views on the causes of artherosclerosis are questionable to the degree that they don't make sense.
Like you I was fit, not overweight, non-smoker etc - not the typical candidate people imagine for heart disease. I spent years telling doctors that there was something wrong and they spent years telling me I was ridiculously healthy up until the point when they said I needed open heart surgery urgently. I now think essentially that I was probably a victim of decades of the typical modern western diet combined with the exacerbating effect of decades of workplace stress that I wasn't dealing with anything like as well as I thought I was. I am now trying to put that right, hopefully so the problem doesn't progress any further. But it's difficult to be clear on what is the best actions to take from now on - I wouldn't want to try to tell someone else what to do, but I have ended up being selective about which of the advice from various medical professionals I agree with.
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I think the stress element is massively under estimated in the factors. I was by no means an athlete, but equally not a fat bastard. I had worked for myself for years, quite a challenging technical skill set and lots of travelling which I believe added considerably to the mix.
 
Al said:
Keeping fit is a really good thing, for various reasons, but it's not a magic antidote to every disease. I believe that what you eat has the biggest effect on bad things happening to the inside of your arteries.
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For me, it would appear that I genetically have a high cholesterol level as there was no other real contributory factor but it's difficult to know as I'd never had my cholesterol level checked prior to my heart attack.
 
Al said:
Keeping fit is a really good thing, for various reasons, but it's not a magic antidote to every disease. I believe that what you eat has the biggest effect on bad things happening to the inside of your arteries.
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Would tend to agree but I kid you not - my father in law consumed fried bacon cooked in lard every day for his breakfast- he died at 94 but only because of a fall
 
Wicksy said:
Would tend to agree but I kid you not - my father in law consumed fried bacon cooked in lard every day for his breakfast- he died at 94 but only because of a fall
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As far as I’m concerned there was nowt wrong with your Dad’s breakfast. The idea that if you eat saturated fats then your arteries will clog up with the resulting cholesterol in your blood is an outdated hypothesis. It was based on bad science in the first place and it does not make sense.
Old Prestonian said:
For me, it would appear that I genetically have a high cholesterol level as there was no other real contributory factor but it's difficult to know as I'd never had my cholesterol level checked prior to my heart attack.
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Do you actually have familial hypercholesteralemia or are you meaning that you just have a slightly higher level than what is regarded as ideal?
There is a view that the traditional focus on lowering cholesterol is nonsense anyway, and is supported by good science.
 
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Al said:
Do you actually have familial hypercholesteralemia or are you meaning that you just have a slightly higher level than what is regarded as ideal?
There is a view that the traditional focus on lowering cholesterol is nonsense anyway, and is supported by good science.
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More than likely the former but due to me being the last man standing it is difficult to ascertain. Despite having a decent diet and taking statins it's a struggle to get my 'bad cholesterol' down to 5ish. It was measured as above 8 in the immediate aftermath of my heart attack.
 
Old Prestonian said:
More than likely the former but due to me being the last man standing it is difficult to ascertain. Despite having a decent diet and taking statins it's a struggle to get my 'bad cholesterol' down to 5ish. It was measured as above 8 in the immediate aftermath of my heart attack.
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Have you ever read anything by Malcolm Kendrick?
drmalcolmkendrick.org

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

Scottish Doctor, author, speaker, sceptic
drmalcolmkendrick.org drmalcolmkendrick.org
 
I was a runner ,sensible diet ,4/5 glasses of wine weekends only ,heart attack straight after coming off a run .died 3 times on the table ,but still here ,stents fitted 13 years ago .My first comments to the ward sister " how ,why me so fit ".Her reply was just unlucky some people have high hiredatry cholestoral ,platelets break off hence heart attacks when the blood supply is blocked .13 years ago football ,cycling running up stairs no problem .Just be aware of the signs and early warnings .
 
RestlessNatives said:
I was training for half marathon, not drinking, non smoker and healthiest I’d been for years when I had first signs of it.
Put two clem on whilst waiting to get sorted.
They even describe me as a long distance runner on my notes.😂
Can happen at any time.
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What were the early symptoms?
sheddweller said:
I was a runner ,sensible diet ,4/5 glasses of wine weekends only ,heart attack straight after coming off a run .died 3 times on the table ,but still here ,stents fitted 13 years ago .My first comments to the ward sister " how ,why me so fit ".Her reply was just unlucky some people have high hiredatry cholestoral ,platelets break off hence heart attacks when the blood supply is blocked .13 years ago football ,cycling running up stairs no problem .Just be aware of the signs and early warnings .
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What were the signs?
 
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Left For Dead said:
What were the early symptoms?


What were the signs?
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Unexpectedly knackered when going for a run. Chest pains 10 minutes into easy cardio at gym along with tingling sensation in jaw.
Makes sense now but when you're reasonably fit, you make excuses as you don't expect it. The running thread on the D&E forum shows me thinking it was down to painkillers I was taking for an injured foot.
In hindsight it's obvious but it's easy to ignore and put down to being unfit or getting older.
I would say any pain in chest, arm or jaw or breathlessness when exercising or doing a brisk walk needs checking out.
 
RestlessNatives said:
Unexpectedly knackered when going for a run. Chest pains 10 minutes into easy cardio at gym along with tingling sensation in jaw.
Makes sense now but when you're reasonably fit, you make excuses as you don't expect it. The running thread on the D&E forum shows me thinking it was down to painkillers I was taking for an injured foot.
In hindsight it's obvious but it's easy to ignore and put down to being unfit or getting older.
I would say any pain in chest, arm or jaw or breathlessness when exercising or doing a brisk walk needs checking out.
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Noted- any palpitations?
 
RestlessNatives said:
Unexpectedly knackered when going for a run. Chest pains 10 minutes into easy cardio at gym along with tingling sensation in jaw.
Makes sense now but when you're reasonably fit, you make excuses as you don't expect it. The running thread on the D&E forum shows me thinking it was down to painkillers I was taking for an injured foot.
In hindsight it's obvious but it's easy to ignore and put down to being unfit or getting older.
I would say any pain in chest, arm or jaw or breathlessness when exercising or doing a brisk walk needs checking out.
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Any family history?
 
Bit of an update. In short, I'm not fully fixed and had a couple of hospital visits, one including some blue lights.
Not really much further forward other than taking more drugs. I'm pretty bored of the whole thing now as I imagine most other people are.
wp.me

Achy Breaky Heart (Part two)

You may remember that in November I had a spot of bother with my heart. My symptoms started appearing whilst in London for the Checkatrade Cup Final in March 2019. After months of tests, a coronary…
wp.me wp.me
 
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