Community Chat

[Lisa Y]

Yes, I had the stress test and echocardiogram last year at age 54.

I was having heart palpitations for no reason, even while I was sleeping. Scared me enough to see a cardiologist. Nothing physically wrong me, but in the course of conversation with the doctor, I mentioned that both my father and father in law passed away within 3 months of each other. Then, add on top of that, teaching virtually to third graders during a pandemic (which by the way, does not come with a training manual 😉). Apparently, I was not dealing with the stress in my life well. As the year went on, I was feeling better and got a clean bill of health.

We have to take care of ourselves because no one else will.

[mousiegirl]

@nana59   I refused the test, but it took three months of emailing and finding another test that the doctor finally agreed to, an echocardiogram, I believe, have one every third year.

[hckynut]

Hi @Kalli 

Starting in the early 1980's I had Maximal Stress Tests(with Pulmonary Cart included) done every other year. At that time my insurance picked up the tab because of my genetic predisposition.

For me it was more for my fitness level than my heart health. With the Pulmonary Cart you wear a helmet/your nose is clipped shut/all your inhaling and exhaling is done via the tube in your mouth. This measures your Max Vo2 level(1 of best indicators of your physical fitness).

There was/is no time/age factor in Maximal Treadmill Stress Tests. You tell them when to stop via a hand signal. They use a different type of Protocol for these tests, as you are running much more than walking.

I am guessing I have probably had at least 25+ Treadmill Stress Tests done over the years, very few of which were not for Maximal Heart Rate purposes.

I was in my early 40's when I had my 1st one. Each test as I got older my fitness and Treadmill times got longer. When they changed from a Modified Balke Protocol to a Modified Bruce Protocol, they adjusted the time/speed/ Max Vo2 numbers to coincide with the different Protocols.

The last one I had before my 1st heart attack, I was 61 years old. My Max Vo2 had dropped a little, but my time using the same Protocol was almost exactly the same as my best, which was at age 59.

I have had a Maximal Treadmill Stress Tests since my 2 heart attacks. With these there was no Pulmonary Cart. It was strictly based on my time spent, which still was primarily running. All of these tests also included the Echocardiogram before, and the Contrast Echocardiogram immediately after.

Every one of my tests there was a Cardiologist monitoring the tests. Most of them were my own personal Cardiologist, or his partner. 

The last one I took I was 79 years old. It was with a different Maximal Sports Med Modified Protocol, which was all walking, but with more elevation. Was a good one for me as I was in top physical fitness by that time. Fell in the upper 1% of 70-80 year old, and top 8% of the 50-60 year old groups.

At that point is when I decided I was ready to ice skate once again, after 14 years of my "in and out" of the hospital sagas. I was ready, but my balance was not. Thus my broken rib any other assortment of injuries.

After 12 weeks of balance Physical Therapy, and 4 months of parked ice skates, I went back and tried skating again. Broken nose and sprained wrist, along with a beat up left hip and leg, I gradually got to be more upright than lying on the ice. But I am still sporting 4 broken ribs from about 6 weeks ago. Will take at least a year to completely heal.

So, how did your Echo turn out, and are you still "riding"? 

hckynut 

[Kalli]

@hckynut That's very interesting. I never heard of a Pulmonary Cart test.  I was really scared to do the treadmill test.   Don't think I'd've been able to do anything like you described.  Probaby would have fainted if they'd brought out a helmet and nose clip!  For now, everything came back normal on my test.

Aging is challenging for sure.  As I mentioned, there was a definite difference in my ability between the test 7 yrs ago and the one I did last week.  I'm not an athlete like you.  I try to walk almost every day and do my light weights for bone density.  But I never really paid attention to what my heart rate goal should be when exercising.  Yes, that sounds awful I admit.

It's amusing to me that just because I'm not overweight people have a tendency to think I'm healthy.  But what we see on the outside is not always a good indication of how healthy we are on the inside.  No one would ever look at my older brother and think he's had quad bypass.  We fight our genes as best as we can but the older we get, the more we understand how important it is to pay attention to them. I always knew this was coming for me.  But when it does, it's still a sobering moment. I'd like to deny it but I can't.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your info.  I'm not surprised at all that you are continuing to skate even with the challenges you've mentioned.  As I've gotten to know you on here, I'd be shocked if you weren't and good for you!!

Yes, I'm still riding.  I have a gem of a horse who keeps me safe on the trails and makes me laugh with his antics in the pasture.  I think he was a clown in his previous life!   

[Renata22]

@Trinity11
So was it blockages that caused the heart attack?

[Trinity11]

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@Renata22 wrote:
@Trinity11
So was it blockages that caused the heart attack?

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Yes and they weren't seen until my angioplasty during a heart attack @Renata22 .I am slim and was told I looked too healthy to be having a coronary. 5 stents and a balloon in an off shoot of my left anterior descending artery later, I am lucky to still be here 5 years later. In fact, I was in heart failure after the first heart attack but better now.

I did have echos and my ejection fraction was always normal before them. 

[hckynut]

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@Trinity11 wrote:

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@Renata22 wrote:
@Trinity11
So was it blockages that caused the heart attack?

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I am slim and was told I looked too healthy to be having a coronary. 5 stents and a balloon in an off shoot of my left anterior descending artery later, I am lucky to still be here 5 years later. 

Hi @Trinity11,

As I have mentioned here many times. During my 72 Cardiac Rehab Classes, so many asked whomever was conducting certain classes this question about me.

"John here is slim/very physically fit and a vegetarian, how could he have a heart attack"? I usually spoke up since my name was mentioned. "I didn't get to pick my mother".Changed the risk factors I could, but some cannot be changed, thus!

Too many see being thin as being in good health. While it certainly has it's benefits, it is no panacea when it comes to one's other risks factors.

Like you, I feel lucky to have survived meeting death 8 times now. While I see luck as a factor, my physical conditioning, was what saved me during my 1st heart attack.

With the Aspiration Pneumonia coupled with the 100% blocked artery, had it not been for my enlarged lung capacity, I would have not made it, way back on July 5th, 2003.

Both my attacks were 100% blockage of my Right Coronary Artery. Not the danger associated with the LDA(Widow Maker) for sure, but time is always a factor in any Coronary Infarction. The Golden Hour as it's called by many Cardiologists.

Also like you, my EF were always very good prior to heart attack #2. That is when I was diagnosed with CHF. Mine was down to 37%. Was on the CHF program for close to 4 months. For me the food was not a problem. But only 64oz of fluid per day? For me that's like half the morning for my normal fluid intake.

With that and working hard to regain my physical conditioning, my next Echo came back with 43%, which moved me out of the CHF category. Since much of the bottom of my heart muscle is gone, I doubt I will ever get those EF numbers much higher.

Glad you are still here and from your last post to me, doing so much better. We will just keep at what we are doing and stay optimistic for our futures.

My best to you, 

hckynut(john) 🥅🏒

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[Renata22]

@Trinity11  Wow that is scary. Amazing they could've missed all that with other testing. So glad it was caught and you are still here. 

[Renata22]

@hckynut  More amazing stuff. So you drink that much water? I probably don't drink that much of anything on any day ever. Are you able to drink as much as you want now? 

Glad you made it through!

[hckynut]

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@Renata22 wrote:

@hckynut  More amazing stuff. So you drink that much water? I probably don't drink that much of anything on any day ever. Are you able to drink as much as you want now? 

Glad you made it through!

@Renata22 

I worked in a factory that was over 90° on a cool day. Had to read a thermometer to check quality of the wire made. They only went up to 120°, and this was not even close to the hottest places on my machines. Over 25 years of all shifts.

Then I would go home and do my running, outside for many years. Usually ran about 30 miles a week. Thus the need to drink lots of water, and electrolyte replacement drinks.

Probably drank over a gallon of water while working my 8 hour shifts. If I ran at the track I always took at least a quart of water with me. Still carry water everyplace I go.

My 2nd heart attack was on September 12th 2007, that is when my diagnosis was Congestive Heart Failure(CHF). The program was based on foods, but primarily fluid intake. Was a vegetarian so didn't have to change the way I ate.

A little over 4 months later I had another Echocardiogram, and my Ejection Fraction(EF) number, rose high enough to remove me from the CHF Program. Been drinking as much as I want, except before my umpteen Colonoscopies /Endoscopies, and other invasive procedures.

I appreciate your concern,

hckynut 🏒

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