Re: I came here for information and advice

On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:32:47 -0700, Don Kirkman
<donsno2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

It seems to me I heard somewhere that zob wrote in article
<37atu3teh1jc8u74sg70a45ggb44chuibf@xxxxxxx>:

On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:34:20 -0400, Newsreader <fakeid@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

zob wrote:
I came here for information and advice because I had an angioplasty
with three DES inserted in my circumflex and RCA last October. iI'm
doing great, but based on the latest studies I have concerns about
going off of Plavix in a few months as my cardiologist has suggested.

But I'm wondering if I came to the wrong NG. All I see are posts
arguing about religion.

Is this actually a newsgroup about cardiology?

Allegedly it is, but it's pretty much ruined by Chung. I began reading
this newsgroup after my MI & angioplasty installed stents on 09/30/07. I
still browse it periodically for the occasional interesting post.
My favorite discovery for many different health related discussion is:

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=65

That link is the Heart Disorders subgroup. I also read the High/Low
Blood Pressure and the Weight Loss subgroups. Lots of good discussions.

I was told to expect to stay on Plavix basically the rest of my life.
I'm trying like hell to change my lifestyle enough that my Dr agrees to
get me off of Statins.

Thanks for the link. After what I've been reading, it looks as if it
might be prudent to stay on Plavix for the rest of my life also. At
least until new studies that are being done now are completed. It
looks as if the danger lies within the first three months after
stopping Plavix; there seems a rebound effect where the platelets,
previously repressed, suddenly multiply and form clots in the stent
area. I've read some hopeful news, that studies currently under way
may show that it's simply a matter of weaning off the Plavix gradually
rather than stopping cold turkey.

I'm also on Tricor and Lipitor, which -- like you -- I am working hard
to get off of. I had my angioplasty October 25, 2007, a month after
you, and I have lost 50 pounds since then sticking to a low fat/low
glycemic diet. I'm hoping to get off the statins for more reason than
one. Between the statins, Niaspan, Plavix, three BP meds and a couple
of other meds, even with good insurance my prescription co-pays amount
to several hundred dollars a month. These are all tier 1 and tier 2
meds.

I'm really hoping that with lifestyle changes I've made that this will
change. My blood pressure was averaging around 150/85 even with the
meds. Now with my weight loss it's averaging about 118/65 and I've
already been able to switch from the very expensive Catapres
transdermal patch to the much cheaper clonidine. SInce October my
total cholesterol has dropped from 239 to 117, and triglycerides have
plummeted from 359 to 117 also. I've begun an exercise program and am
very optimistic that when I go for my next follow up with the
cardiologist (in August) that I'll be able to get off several meds.

Since the angioplasty I feel better and have more energy than I've had
in years. My only real concern has been the prospect of eventually
stopping Plavix with the drug exuding stents. Guess I'll just wait
and express my concerns to the cardiologist at my August appointment.

Welcome, Zob. You sound like you've brought a breeze of fresh air in here with
you. :-)

My experiences have been better than yours' and Newsreader's sound. I had a
very minor attack in 1998, had three stents in two lab sessions, and since then
have been on Lipitor 80m, Lisinopril 20m, and atenolol 12.5m, along with several
nutritionals recommended by earlier cardiologists and my optometrist. I'm on
twice a year office visits with annual liver panels, and my numbers are very
stable in the low-risk zone. I continue close to the routine I had at the time
of my attack, except I no longer run marathons or even 5ks;I do about 12 - 15
miles a week, and walk a round of golf every week, weather and commitments
allowing. Retirement and losing my running companions at work reduced my
motivation for hard running to almost zero. :-)

To the extent either of you can handle exercise, I'd sure urge you to get into a
routine of some kind; it doesn't have to be hard or intense, but it needs to be
continuous and repeatable. I began running close to thirty years ago because
most of the men in my family were ill or dying from cardiac problems, so by now
running has become a habit and I can see the benefits in my daily activities.
Fortunately, my first cardiologist was also a runner, and he had me walking
about two weeks after each stenting session, and running soon after that.

Your story makes me wonder about something. They always recommend
exercise for heart rehab. But when someone is already exercising --
and especially in your case long distance running -- what do the
doctors say about that? Shouldn't the conditioning be sort of a
preventative against the CAD, and if it didn't work before your heart
attack, what are the benefits now? I'm not being facetious; I really
don't understand how someone with aerobic conditioning gets CAD.
Although I guess genetics must play a huge part. My father died from
a stroke at 59 (just 3 years older than I am now) and he had several
heart attacks when he was in his 40's I guess I'm holding out hope
that there's still a way to beat the genetic predisposition with the
right nutrition, exercise and meds.

Zob

-----
Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic


.

Relevant Pages

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    ... Is this actually a newsgroup about cardiology? ... I was told to expect to stay on Plavix basically the rest of my life. ... I'm hoping to get off the statins for more reason than ... Between the statins, Niaspan, Plavix, three BP meds and a couple ...
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