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09-20-2014 03:21 PM
I am so worried/concerned about about my heart health and heart disease risk, I am trying not to make myself crazy.
I have heart disease on both sides of my family.
--I am at ideal weight for my height
--Physically fit
--Have low blood pressure
--Low cholesterol
--Low stress
--Eat a very healthy diet, high in fiber, lots of fish and produce. No fast food or processed food.
--Do not drink or smoke
BUT so does my Mother, and she was just found to have a 90% blockage in one artery and 80% in another (both required stents) and a 50% block in another that they are going to watch.
My mother (65 y.o.) who I take after (in size, build, looks, allergies, etc) went to MD recently after complaining of "feeling tired" when they found all of this during a cardiac cath. All other traditional tests/labs said she 'was of low risk of heart disease'. Lucky for her she went to several doctors and specialists in search of an answer.....
I found a Cardiac Specialist who specializes in lipid profiles. Based on my family history I will need a lot of specific labs that are better indicators of cardiac risks -- of course insurances will not pay for them but it will be worth it to pay out of pocket.
In the meantime I am trying not to stress
09-20-2014 04:32 PM
You sound like you are in good health. I have all good points except maybe stress, I worry about everything. I have no heart disease or cancer on either side. Relax and enjoy life.
09-20-2014 04:48 PM
09-20-2014 05:20 PM
09-20-2014 05:23 PM
You are "enjoying" all the miseries of poor health when you don't even have it! It sounds to me as if you're doing a great job of managing your lifestyle and maximizing your health. I'd keep doing what you're doing, discuss your concerns with your doctor at your next physical, and get on with life! NONE of us will live forever; that's a reality to come to terms with and accept. But it's foolish to waste active, healthy years being anxious about health problems that may never develop. You may need to find ways to deal with anxiety rather than spending your energy obsessing over the possibility of heart disease. Moderate exercise, yoga, meditation, counseling......look into some of these approaches.
I hope your Mom will do well. Doctors can do a lot now to help manage heart disease. Glad they caught your mom's problem in time, and she should be able to enjoy many more years of active health.
09-20-2014 05:32 PM
Like you, I too am healthy, but both of my parents died of heart disease (no heart attacks, just heart disease). However, they did live to 87 and 88. I wonder if I'm destined to get it too because of my genetics or if my diet/lifestyle will make a difference. I try not to stress out about it, but I am concerned.
09-20-2014 05:58 PM
I never worried about heart issues at your age and did have a heart attack nearly 20 yrs. ago. I now have 3 stents. It's amazing what they can do to treat problems should they arise.
Neither of my parents had heart problems but it does run in my family on both sides. I'm afraid you can only do what you've obviously been doing. Other contributing factors are genetics and your body's production of cholesterol, neither of which we can control. I take comfort in the fact that I still do everything I always did (in my 70s) and that one family member w/heart disease and a pacemaker is now 94 yrs. old. She has always been active and still exercises daily, is a healthy weight and lived a life fairly free of stress. Guess it's best not to stress over things we can't control.
09-22-2014 10:23 PM
I am trying not to stress thank you for the words of advice.
But as I age I am approaching to age that several of my 'healthy' relatives died of heart attacks. I am noticing the subtle symptoms my mother spoke of (that could be 100 things other than heart problems)
Unfortunately, it is an up-hill battle with doctors and insurance companies as 'one the surface' I (my family) have NONE of the traditional risk factors for CAD.
My traditional chol, HDL, LDL, VLDL levels and ratios are spot on, just like my mom's and other relatives. Unfort all our chol is lying in our arteries and not in our blood values.
So private pay is the only way to go.
09-22-2014 10:47 PM
09-22-2014 10:50 PM
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