Songwriter
10-30-2006, 03:36 PM
I hope I don't bore you with this. I'm about to pull my hair out. Which is a bad thing for a vain, performing musician. But I can't imagine anyone reading this dissertation.
In January, I got diagnosed with heart disease and had a stent put in. More later.
PP background... I got the book I guess in 1995. Up until that point, for the previous eight years, due to my family history of heart disease in the men, I was somewhat of a health nut. That's when low-fat, high carb was going full swing. Running marathons and such. I think my tot chol was 180 to 200. I even went vegetarian for six months. My cholesterol was 126 after that but I don't remember what other numbers were.
When I got the PP book, it made sense and I did it. I was shocked! Just like they said, weight loss was easy and my blood work was the best it had EVER been. And I had MANY blood work profiles done during the prior several years.
As I look back, why did I not stick with PP? I have no explanation other than the next year or two are kind of fuzzy. My dad died, the biggest shock of my life. We were super close, it was quite a blow. I guess I kind of lost direction. Well, yeah. In every way.
Since he died in 1996, I became less and less health-conscious. Even thought I looked to be the picture of health, (6'2" and appeared to be "slim") I went back to a lot of bad habits eating-wise. I guess I did retain some good healthy habits but PLENTY of the old ways crept back in. Including drinking way too much. I would only drink a couple of days a week but they would too much. Always centering around music, having a good time. The life of the party. I wouldn't have just two, I'd often have ten.
This past January, chest pain. Called 911, the next two days, tests. Cath confirmed suspected blockage in LAD and a smaller branch. They put a drug-coated stent in the LAD. The other one, two surgeons tried for two hours to put a stent in but due to the sharp branch-off angle, they could not insert the cath. Finally, they said "it shut down." Meaning it closed off during their attempts. They said it might open back up again.
These were my lipids:
TOT, 175
LDL, 80
HDL, 32
TRI, 308
TOT/HDL = 5.5
LDL/HDL = 2.5
TRI/HDL = 9.6
I told my doc I did not want to go cholesterol med as I thought I could take care of it with diet. I said I guarantee I can get Tri way down by cutting sugars and cutting alchohol. HDL... I didn't know, since best I had EVER had was 44. Running marathons. (Maybe running doesn't work so good?)
He disagreed and said go on the chol med (Trichor) and we'll talk about what you want in six months. I said okay. I went back for 90-day checkup. New numbers:
OLD, then NEW:
TOT, 175 -- New: 135
LDL, 80 -- New: 68
HDL, 32 -- New: 51
TRI, 308 -- New: 79
TOT/HDL = 5.5 -- New: 2.6
LDL/HDL = 2.5 -- New: 1.3
TRI/HDL = 9.6 -- New: 1.5
I took the Trichor for two more months and went off of it. As I look back, I'm thinking uh-oh, maybe I should have stayed on it, those numbers look fantastic.
Anyway, I quite taking it. In August I started having minor chest ache sensations and noted that my blood pressure was getting too high. Finally, after too many scary aches and pains and blood pressure fluctuating too much and going way too high (I had not ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure before this), I went to a good GP who works at a nearby hospital. He immediately did a stress test. While doing it, he said the EKG was looking very good. Then after ten minutes, the nurse called out the latest BP reading -- 240/110. He stopped the test.
He gave me a prescription for Avapro blood pressure med and recommended I have another cath. I finally got a letter from the hospital saying it's scheduled for Dec. 28. Heck, I'll be dead or fixed by then.
Okay, so, in general, I do not want another stent, I do not want bypass surgery. I do not want to take drugs or any sort unless I have to. But I got too much to do, I don't want to die. While awaiting the cath, which I do NOT want to do unless I have to, here's what's happened.
My blood pressure started going down. Taking the Avapro and eating well (what I thought). At one point, I thought I'd beat it. I was eating lower fat diet but I was not yet even remembering about the PP plan. I was eating chicken / fish / low-fat veggies. Not crazy overdoing carbs but having too many, I know. Eating oatmeal for breakfast. Sardines, tuna, salmon often. I started taking supplements. BP was 110/75 many times I would check it. I had hoped I could beat it and get rid of the pains and lower my blood pressure. Looking good.
But... blood pressure has been going back UP and pains have not gone away. I occasionally take a nitro. Sometimes it helps, sometimes, it doesn't. I have had no pain like the first time when I called 911.
It's kinda hard to figure out what to do about chest pains. I mean, heck, if you follow what some of these well-known gurus say... DO NOT HAVE STENTS OR DO BYPASS UNLESS THERE IS NO OTHER WAY... it's hard to figure out when it's "okay" pain or pain to be worried about.
Lately, the higher blood pressure was first, hovering around 135/80 and now for the past five days, it is generally 140/85. As I look back through my daily journal, I cannot figure out why. I could not tie it to diet or supplements. WHY is it going back up? I have no clue; maybe it is a function of this new blockage manifesting itself. Hence, the fluctuations.
DRUGS:
I went back on Trichor chol med about a month ago.
I started the Avapro blood pressure med about three weeks ago.
I have taken one baby aspirin daily for about a year.
Supplements began 3-4 weeks ago:
Multi vit/min
Vit C
Cal-Mag
Potassium
Fish oil
coQ10
Hawthorn
Policosanol
Vit E
Physillium
Grape seed
Garlique garlic
After much reading recently, I got worried about potassium and blood pressure med, so I quit it since the Multi has 90 mg.
I got worried about fish oil and arrhythmias or something and I quit taking it, then figured it likely didn't apply to me and I started taking it again. CONFUSING!
All supplements are what I figure are good or at least decent quality. Like d-alpha vit E, not dl-alpha, etc. Decent brands.
Policosanol... read where it must be from sugar cane, not rice. Mine is from rice.
What to do, what to do. What on earth am I asking you people? I really don't know why I even posted this. I guess I'm thinking someone might have an idea about some of this. I've read so much, it's hard to even remember what is good and bad. Of course, good and bad is debatable. Who do you trust? I dunno, the Eades seem to so trustworthy!
My internal doc is a very conscientious, hard-working doc. But all he knows is drugs and surgery and he is not very open. I do not know any doc I could go to. I was all excited, thinking maybe I could somehow visit Drs. Eades in Little Rock. I am only three hours from there. But then I see that they moved?
I guess I am thinking that the PP plan is what I should be doing. My goals are to lower BP, make these pains go away and live happily ever after. Well, gimme me 20 more years, I'd be satisfied. (I will be 53 in two weeks.)
I want to beat this. I have cut drinking in half and hope to beat it by totally quitting or, at most, not more than two light beers, that's it. It ain't worth dying over.
WEIGHT:
218 -- when stent put in
212 -- 90 days later, up to two months ago
201 -- this morning
Whew, I'm tired after writing all that. I'm ready for a beer. (Kidding, even at my worst, I only drank on weekends.)
If anyone read this far, I will do you a song and dance if I ever meet you.
P.S. I do not smoke.
P.S.S. I sometimes play music in smoky bars. I hate that!
Thanks,
Bill, the songwriter
EDIT:
These weird heart sensations include a "fluttering" feeling. Like the heart is beating irregularly or something weird. I would have some of this while in the hospital and I would have them check the monitors and all would appear totally normal. STRANGE. Now, I'm wondering if this is blood trying to squeeze through a constricted artery. Maybe the one that "shut down" during stent attempt opened back up but now is blocking off again. Whatever, I am very surprised this has occurred in only eight months. I have eaten probably way better than 90% of all heart patients, I have exercised. Only "bad thing" is alcohol. Well, that and not being on PP for the whole period.
In January, I got diagnosed with heart disease and had a stent put in. More later.
PP background... I got the book I guess in 1995. Up until that point, for the previous eight years, due to my family history of heart disease in the men, I was somewhat of a health nut. That's when low-fat, high carb was going full swing. Running marathons and such. I think my tot chol was 180 to 200. I even went vegetarian for six months. My cholesterol was 126 after that but I don't remember what other numbers were.
When I got the PP book, it made sense and I did it. I was shocked! Just like they said, weight loss was easy and my blood work was the best it had EVER been. And I had MANY blood work profiles done during the prior several years.
As I look back, why did I not stick with PP? I have no explanation other than the next year or two are kind of fuzzy. My dad died, the biggest shock of my life. We were super close, it was quite a blow. I guess I kind of lost direction. Well, yeah. In every way.
Since he died in 1996, I became less and less health-conscious. Even thought I looked to be the picture of health, (6'2" and appeared to be "slim") I went back to a lot of bad habits eating-wise. I guess I did retain some good healthy habits but PLENTY of the old ways crept back in. Including drinking way too much. I would only drink a couple of days a week but they would too much. Always centering around music, having a good time. The life of the party. I wouldn't have just two, I'd often have ten.
This past January, chest pain. Called 911, the next two days, tests. Cath confirmed suspected blockage in LAD and a smaller branch. They put a drug-coated stent in the LAD. The other one, two surgeons tried for two hours to put a stent in but due to the sharp branch-off angle, they could not insert the cath. Finally, they said "it shut down." Meaning it closed off during their attempts. They said it might open back up again.
These were my lipids:
TOT, 175
LDL, 80
HDL, 32
TRI, 308
TOT/HDL = 5.5
LDL/HDL = 2.5
TRI/HDL = 9.6
I told my doc I did not want to go cholesterol med as I thought I could take care of it with diet. I said I guarantee I can get Tri way down by cutting sugars and cutting alchohol. HDL... I didn't know, since best I had EVER had was 44. Running marathons. (Maybe running doesn't work so good?)
He disagreed and said go on the chol med (Trichor) and we'll talk about what you want in six months. I said okay. I went back for 90-day checkup. New numbers:
OLD, then NEW:
TOT, 175 -- New: 135
LDL, 80 -- New: 68
HDL, 32 -- New: 51
TRI, 308 -- New: 79
TOT/HDL = 5.5 -- New: 2.6
LDL/HDL = 2.5 -- New: 1.3
TRI/HDL = 9.6 -- New: 1.5
I took the Trichor for two more months and went off of it. As I look back, I'm thinking uh-oh, maybe I should have stayed on it, those numbers look fantastic.
Anyway, I quite taking it. In August I started having minor chest ache sensations and noted that my blood pressure was getting too high. Finally, after too many scary aches and pains and blood pressure fluctuating too much and going way too high (I had not ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure before this), I went to a good GP who works at a nearby hospital. He immediately did a stress test. While doing it, he said the EKG was looking very good. Then after ten minutes, the nurse called out the latest BP reading -- 240/110. He stopped the test.
He gave me a prescription for Avapro blood pressure med and recommended I have another cath. I finally got a letter from the hospital saying it's scheduled for Dec. 28. Heck, I'll be dead or fixed by then.
Okay, so, in general, I do not want another stent, I do not want bypass surgery. I do not want to take drugs or any sort unless I have to. But I got too much to do, I don't want to die. While awaiting the cath, which I do NOT want to do unless I have to, here's what's happened.
My blood pressure started going down. Taking the Avapro and eating well (what I thought). At one point, I thought I'd beat it. I was eating lower fat diet but I was not yet even remembering about the PP plan. I was eating chicken / fish / low-fat veggies. Not crazy overdoing carbs but having too many, I know. Eating oatmeal for breakfast. Sardines, tuna, salmon often. I started taking supplements. BP was 110/75 many times I would check it. I had hoped I could beat it and get rid of the pains and lower my blood pressure. Looking good.
But... blood pressure has been going back UP and pains have not gone away. I occasionally take a nitro. Sometimes it helps, sometimes, it doesn't. I have had no pain like the first time when I called 911.
It's kinda hard to figure out what to do about chest pains. I mean, heck, if you follow what some of these well-known gurus say... DO NOT HAVE STENTS OR DO BYPASS UNLESS THERE IS NO OTHER WAY... it's hard to figure out when it's "okay" pain or pain to be worried about.
Lately, the higher blood pressure was first, hovering around 135/80 and now for the past five days, it is generally 140/85. As I look back through my daily journal, I cannot figure out why. I could not tie it to diet or supplements. WHY is it going back up? I have no clue; maybe it is a function of this new blockage manifesting itself. Hence, the fluctuations.
DRUGS:
I went back on Trichor chol med about a month ago.
I started the Avapro blood pressure med about three weeks ago.
I have taken one baby aspirin daily for about a year.
Supplements began 3-4 weeks ago:
Multi vit/min
Vit C
Cal-Mag
Potassium
Fish oil
coQ10
Hawthorn
Policosanol
Vit E
Physillium
Grape seed
Garlique garlic
After much reading recently, I got worried about potassium and blood pressure med, so I quit it since the Multi has 90 mg.
I got worried about fish oil and arrhythmias or something and I quit taking it, then figured it likely didn't apply to me and I started taking it again. CONFUSING!
All supplements are what I figure are good or at least decent quality. Like d-alpha vit E, not dl-alpha, etc. Decent brands.
Policosanol... read where it must be from sugar cane, not rice. Mine is from rice.
What to do, what to do. What on earth am I asking you people? I really don't know why I even posted this. I guess I'm thinking someone might have an idea about some of this. I've read so much, it's hard to even remember what is good and bad. Of course, good and bad is debatable. Who do you trust? I dunno, the Eades seem to so trustworthy!
My internal doc is a very conscientious, hard-working doc. But all he knows is drugs and surgery and he is not very open. I do not know any doc I could go to. I was all excited, thinking maybe I could somehow visit Drs. Eades in Little Rock. I am only three hours from there. But then I see that they moved?
I guess I am thinking that the PP plan is what I should be doing. My goals are to lower BP, make these pains go away and live happily ever after. Well, gimme me 20 more years, I'd be satisfied. (I will be 53 in two weeks.)
I want to beat this. I have cut drinking in half and hope to beat it by totally quitting or, at most, not more than two light beers, that's it. It ain't worth dying over.
WEIGHT:
218 -- when stent put in
212 -- 90 days later, up to two months ago
201 -- this morning
Whew, I'm tired after writing all that. I'm ready for a beer. (Kidding, even at my worst, I only drank on weekends.)
If anyone read this far, I will do you a song and dance if I ever meet you.
P.S. I do not smoke.
P.S.S. I sometimes play music in smoky bars. I hate that!
Thanks,
Bill, the songwriter
EDIT:
These weird heart sensations include a "fluttering" feeling. Like the heart is beating irregularly or something weird. I would have some of this while in the hospital and I would have them check the monitors and all would appear totally normal. STRANGE. Now, I'm wondering if this is blood trying to squeeze through a constricted artery. Maybe the one that "shut down" during stent attempt opened back up but now is blocking off again. Whatever, I am very surprised this has occurred in only eight months. I have eaten probably way better than 90% of all heart patients, I have exercised. Only "bad thing" is alcohol. Well, that and not being on PP for the whole period.