Wellness

[SeaMaiden]

@Sweet Caroline 1  Thank you for your share.  Hugs to you for stopping smoking!💓💓💓💓💓

I quit 30 years ago cold turkey....I was a two pack a day smoker.....and I knew it was going to kill me as I was very addicted to the menthol cigs....

Best thing I ever did! I wish I had not smoked for those 11 years as it is SO TOXIC....but all I can do now is move forward ....best to you! 👍👍👍👍👍👍🙂

[Sweet Caroline 1]

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@Nightowlz wrote:

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@Sweet Caroline 1 wrote:

Yes, SeaMaiden, I think it's a very good thing to do for your health.  They can find blockage in arteries.  Blockage was found in my carotid artery in my neck.  I needed a dye test after that to find out the extent of the blockage.  It was 80% and had to have surgery to remove the blockage.  I was a stroke waiting to happen.  

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@Sweet Caroline 1

That's how one of my brothers is. He kept getting dizzy & fainting.

They won't do surgery because he does not have any Insurance. He's a stroke waiting to happen.

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Nightowlz, I'm very sorry to hear this.  Taking an aspirin a day helps the blood flow better through the veins.  I take an adult aspirin instead of a low dose aspirin every day.  The blockage keeps the brain from getting enough oxygen.  His doctor should help him find a way to receive his surgery and give him some instructions on things that he can do to help himself during this time.  I'll be praying for your brother, love SC 

[Sweet Caroline 1]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

@Sweet Caroline 1  Thank you for your share.  Hugs to you for stopping smoking!💓💓💓💓💓

I quit 30 years ago cold turkey....I was a two pack a day smoker.....and I knew it was going to kill me as I was very addicted to the menthol cigs....

Best thing I ever did! I wish I had not smoked for those 11 years as it is SO TOXIC....but all I can do now is move forward ....best to you! 👍👍👍👍👍👍🙂

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I smoked menthol light cigarettes for years.  Most of the time I don't think about smoking.  But every now and then, I want to smoke after I eat.  I have gained weight and am very sad about it.  I'm trying to get some pounds off now.  I work with a lady that has had two heart attacks and still smokes.  It is very addictive isn't it.  I send my very best to you too, love SC

[Ruby Laine]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@Ruby Laine wrote:

For some reason, many docs don’t do this very simple check. It should be done every time he or she sees you. It’s so easy and takes seconds to do—just a stethoscope placed over the carotid. 

If your doc doesn’t do it, ask him to. I’m glad you mentioned it, @SeaMaiden. 

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@Ruby Laine  My Husband just had his physical yesterday. I asked DH   to ask his NP  who he uses now about having a vascular screening.  She checked his carotid artery with the stethoscope and told him his sounded clear, and that he could if he wanted to go have the screening done as well.   This NP was the one that caught his Aortic abdominal  aneurism  last year  when doing her "pat down"and saved his life. 

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Wow, how fortunate she was so thorough. And knowledgeable!

[SeaMaiden]

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@Sweet Caroline 1 wrote:

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

@Sweet Caroline 1  Thank you for your share.  Hugs to you for stopping smoking!💓💓💓💓💓

I quit 30 years ago cold turkey....I was a two pack a day smoker.....and I knew it was going to kill me as I was very addicted to the menthol cigs....

Best thing I ever did! I wish I had not smoked for those 11 years as it is SO TOXIC....but all I can do now is move forward ....best to you! 👍👍👍👍👍👍🙂

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I smoked menthol light cigarettes for years.  Most of the time I don't think about smoking.  But every now and then, I want to smoke after I eat.  I have gained weight and am very sad about it.  I'm trying to get some pounds off now.  I work with a lady that has had two heart attacks and still smokes.  It is very addictive isn't it.  I send my very best to you too, love SC

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@Sweet Caroline 1  Do not feel bad about putting on a few pounds. I put on 20 pounds the first year I quit.... and after I got  the cigs out of my life and thoughts. THEN  I focused on ME and I lost the weight.  

You will lose the pounds...do not beat yourself up over them for now....work  on the goal of being healthy....breath deep  and invision  pink health lungs!.....and when you are ready to work on the pounds then do.  Not before.

[HLP]

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@Trinity11 wrote:

Most insurance companies will cover screenings if a patient is symptomatic or has risk factors.

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Indeed your insurance should pay for this. I have a screening every 6 months. My first was because of a dizzy spell. I was 90 % blocked. I was operated on and it was opened up. That was 9 years ago, since then it has clogged again, this past July 30th, I had a stent put in, I'm prone to this I guess. I am 84 years old, and it was a "piece of cake".  The sc reening is nothing,just lay there. There is a commercial on my tv, YOUR FIRST INDICATION OF A STROKE IS A STROKE, unless you have a screening. By all means even if you have to pay, this is a very important test.My Mom had her's operated on when she was 82, she lived to be 98.

[SeaMaiden]

Thankyou  HLP. I am going to set up testing for both myself and DH.

[Bibione]

I need to get a screening myself.Last year I had some kind of pressure on my chest for 6 hours on a airplane.Once we landed,it stopped immediately..At that time I was experiencing severe anxiety due to my mom having the housekeeper from hell.The night before I flew back from Italy she texted me that she quit.

So I thought I just had agitation about my mom.Had a check up at my doctor and I seemed to be fine.

Then when I flew back from Italy last August, ( it takes me a total of 20 hours between my 2 houses),during the last half an hour I had pain in my chest.I knew I would be home soon so I just waited.Again, the pain stopped when we landed.

I feel somethng is wrong because I didn't have anything to worry about in August.

I heard some hospitals offer screenings for 60 to 150 dollars.

[SeaMaiden]

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@Bibione wrote:

I need to get a screening myself.Last year I had some kind of pressure on my chest for 6 hours on a airplane.Once we landed,it stopped immediately..At that time I was experiencing severe anxiety due to my mom having the housekeeper from hell.The night before I flew back from Italy she texted me that she quit.

So I thought I just had agitation about my mom.Had a check up at my doctor and I seemed to be fine.

Then when I flew back from Italy last August, ( it takes me a total of 20 hours between my 2 houses),during the last half an hour I had pain in my chest.I knew I would be home soon so I just waited.Again, the pain stopped when we landed.

I feel somethng is wrong because I didn't have anything to worry about in August.

I heard some hospitals offer screenings for 60 to 150 dollars.

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@Bibione.  We are getting ours done through Life Line.  They offer several packages to chose from based  on your health history.  Our package is $149.00 each.   They make it convenient by having the screenings  locally in different locations with several  dates and times.

[Yahooey]

My nephew looked fit, muscular, exercises - age 39 in 2015. He was biking while wearing a heart monitor and something didn't feel right. Called someone to pick him and the bike up and straight to the hospital. He had stents put in then and there.

Freaked my brother out since we both thought my nephew looked the epitome of good health. DB was 54, not overweight but didn't exercise with a poor diet. He told me the stress test was really hard and he needed stents put a short time after.

My mom and dad both had stents put in years ago (they are now in their 90s). Now, I'm freaking out - I was healing after  my meniscus tore a few months ago and no way in heck can I do the stress test. I could lose some pounds but do exercise and try to eat right but not always succeeding. I was 55 and went to see the cardiologist. 

Doc told me that I can lie down and breath when prompted and this test is not covered by insurance but it is more accurate than the stress test. You have to be blocked a very high percentage for iit to register. My test shows a smaller percentage of blockage which allows the patient to change their diet etc. Happy to say that my heart was fine and it was the best $200 I ever spent.

If my nephew didn't have heart problems, my brother probably woudn't have gotten tested and a heart attack waiting to happen. My nephew had another stent put in last year which prompted my brother to get tested again, he had an angiogram but no stent was necessary.

I encourage everyone to get tested especially women. They say women go for their yearly mammograms but neglects their heart. 

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