quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:

Oatmeal <snip> with a load pile of cinnamon in it. Should help the cholesterol

I have a question about the cinnamon: does that do anything for cholesterol, or is it mainly for the flavor?

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quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Glad that it was resolved as well as it could have been, but FWIW, at 6'1" and 190 pounds my doctor said I was “obese.”

Your BMI is 25.1, ideal range (whatever that is) is considered 18.5-25. 30+ is obese. Unless you are "skinny fat" your doctor is off or you misunderstood.

Skinny fat=high body fat percentage on otherwise lean looking frame.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Hi dewhorse. To answer your questions:

Atorvastatin: lifelong; not only reduces cholesterol but has other benefits such as reducing inflammation; watch for muscle cramps, otherwise side effects unlikely.

Lisinopril: for BP and shown to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke for those at increased risk; watch for chronic cough, in which case can be switched to losartan; unlikely to be causing your fogginess.

Metoprolol: proven benefit in reducing risk of death after MI; but can cause fatigue, mental fog; if continues to be problematic your cardiologist may reduce dose or switch, but many patients get used to it

Brilinta: generic names is ticagrelor; equivalent to prasugrel (Effient) or clopidogrel (Plavix). Needs to be continued usually for 12 months unless switched to one of the others in this class (your cardiologist will tell you when you can quit). Watch for bleeding, severe bruising. Think of it as a super-aspirin. It's extremely important in keeping your stent open; without it there can be clots that form inside the stent, which you do NOT want.

quote:

Originally posted by Scooter123:
Dewhorse, I am currently going through my own Heart Issues. BTW, I am currently 63, smoked about 1 1/2 packs a day for 37 years and finally quit in 2012.

Back in 1976 I tried to signed up for the Marine Platoon Leader Command program and got bounced because at my induction Physical the Doctor stated I had a Heart Murmur. They ended up placing me on the Inactive Reserve list and since there weren't any shooting wars during the late 70's and the 80's I was never called up.

After being off cigarettes for 3 years in May, 2015 I was parked on the couch flipping through channels on the TV and had an Epiphany. That was if I didn't get my backside off that couch I wouldn't live to see retirement. So, I put the dog on a leash and we went for a 1 mile walk that had my legs on the verge of cramping up as I walked up my driveway. That summer I worked up to 6 miles a day and my weight went from 203 to 157 lbs. When the weather turned I signed up at a gym and started going daily. For the past two years I average about 90 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every single day. I also use a Garmin Chest Monitor to keep a record of my heart rate during exercise. BTW, the laser based wrist monitors are USELESS for anything more strenuous than sitting, so if you want to get accurate results get a chest monitor that uses electric signals. You can now even get a Kardiamobile electronic wrist monitor that will actually record an Electrocardiogram as you exercise.

Last March I had an attack of Tachycaria AFTER returning home from the gym and having a bowl of cereal. As I was washing the dishes I felt a fluttering in my chest and since I was still wearing my chest monitor I kicked my Garmin 235 into Indoor Cycle mode to get a solid reading on my heart rate and a record I could show my Primary Care Doctor. That attack had my heart rate ranging between 150 and 175 while I was sitting on my couch hoping it would pass. It did finally, after an hour I decided I needed to get to the ER and about 5 minutes from the house my heart rate dropped back to normal. That led to consult with a Cardiologist and wearing an Event monitor for 2 weeks, a Nuclear Stress Test with Echocardiograms before and after the test, a Heart Catheterization, a Trans Esophageal Echocardiogram, a CAT Scan, and a PET Scan. At this point I feel like some medical students experiment or one of the victims on the TV Show House.

End results. First the good. That "spot" on my left lung is most likely scar tissue, it is not Cancer and the PET Scan didn't pick up any Cancer from my head to my knees.

Think about this, 37 years of 1 1/2 packs a day had me sweating bullets about Lung Cancer. Any time you are wavering about quitting tobacco just think about how you would feel if a Doctor had to tell you that you have Cancer. I can tell you that in my experience all those "quit aids" are nothing but a disguised scheme to keep you hooked on Nicotine. The easiest way to quit smoking is to go Cold Turkey. You get over the physical symptoms of withdrawal in about 5 days. After that it's all in your head. Now, I am a cheapskate in many respects and what worked for me was to think about the cost, I was spending 10 dollars a day for Nicotine. The effect of quitting for me was an extra 300 dollars a month cash money. Now anytime I get the urge for a smoke all I have to do is say to myself "10 dollars a day".

The bad news is that I need Open Heart Surgery to repair my Mitral Valve and bypass 3 blockages. BTW, due to my steady exercise my heart has opened up peripherals to act as a bypasses so I have not had any diagnosable Heart Attacks. However one area of my heart doesn't contract "quite right" so my Cardio thinks it's about 50/50 I've had a "silent" heart attack or it's a birth defect. Fortunately my Ejection Fraction is normal or a bit above normal so I am pretty much asymptomatic. However due to the Mitral Valve Regurgitation I do have Pulmonary Hypertension which does cause a dry cough rather frequently and it can lead to permanent damage to the lungs and heart. So it's got to be fixed.

Now for something that may blow your mind a bit. Both my Primary, Cardiologist, and Cardiac Surgeon have told my to Continue to Exercise. My only instructions are to NOT push hard enough that I start to feel discomfort in either Chest, Breathing, or Legs. So, I have stopped trying to break the 10 minute per mile barrier, doing that will have to wait until after the surgery and total recovery. I would suggest you have a long talk with your Cardiologist about taking up exercising. Quite simply there may be no reason at all for you to take it easy right now. If so, and with the approval of your cardiologist, get off your backside and start walking. In 3 months you should be able to get down to about a 14:10 pace with a HR in the range of 115 which is darned near perfect for someone your age. BTW, every year more studies indicate that the BEST exercise for the Heart isn't Running, it is Walking.

I know, I've been talking about breaking 10 minutes per mile and that is running, however 90% of what I do is walking or using an Elliptical trainer. This mornings exercise was walking the dog for 2.6 miles at an average HR of 88 bpm and then 40 minutes on an Elliptical at an average HR of 116 bpm. Odd as it seems almost every exercise physiologist will tell you that the fastest path to good running times is lots and lots of time spent doing much milder Aerobic exercise.

Bottomline is this, we have both hit a "bump in the road". Best thing to do in response is to take a positive position and be mindful of what our body tells us and make moderate daily exercise a lifelong habit.

quote:

Originally posted by dewhorse:

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Hi dewhorse. To answer your questions:

Atorvastatin: lifelong; not only reduces cholesterol but has other benefits such as reducing inflammation; watch for muscle cramps, otherwise side effects unlikely.

Lisinopril: for BP and shown to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke for those at increased risk; watch for chronic cough, in which case can be switched to losartan; unlikely to be causing your fogginess.

Metoprolol: proven benefit in reducing risk of death after MI; but can cause fatigue, mental fog; if continues to be problematic your cardiologist may reduce dose or switch, but many patients get used to it

Brilinta: generic names is ticagrelor; equivalent to prasugrel (Effient) or clopidogrel (Plavix). Needs to be continued usually for 12 months unless switched to one of the others in this class (your cardiologist will tell you when you can quit). Watch for bleeding, severe bruising. Think of it as a super-aspirin. It's extremely important in keeping your stent open; without it there can be clots that form inside the stent, which you do NOT want.

Thanks again Doc!