So i may outlive the dread father in law after all!

[Yeoman Randi]

Thanks to my family genes that suck big time, i've been a heart attack waiting to happen. Just about everyone before me on my family tree has had a heart attack. Even my 20 year old nephew who died 2 years ago, upon his autopsy, was discovered to have a 90% & 60% blockage in his arteries.

So, a year ago at my annual check-up, my doctor tells me that my bloodwork results show that i am not sitting on the couch eating potato chips, i am UNDER the couch eating potato chips (her words). She puts me on a medication to help cut my triglyceride number. I take it for a week, but it makes me nauseous, so i stop.

I make a conscious decision to try to do something about my heart health. We buy a treadmill and i vow to go on it everyday despite the arthritis that sometimes makes me want to scream. I also stop eating the things that the doctor warned me about (mostly rice, pasta, potatoes and butter. I didn't just butter my bread.....i buttered my butter!) I start eating LOTS of big salads, veggies and fruit.

Fast foward to last week. I go for new bloodwork and the results are in:

Previously my total cholesterol was 217. It is now 169!

AND......more importantly.....my triglycerides which were ...
337.......are now.......wait for it.....wait for it.....153!!!!!

337 to 153!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even begin to express how psyched i am!!!!!! I've also lost 30 pounds in the process, which is awesome. But, more importantly....i may actually live longer than the Dread Father-in-Law who is 86! (The man is a fucking horse). For the last few years i've been saying he was going to outlive me. Not any more!

I'm just so psyched that i had to share. You may now return to your regularly scheduled program!

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Wow, that's some amazing progress. Great work! I hope you keep it up!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Well done.

 

[Mary Ann]

Just further proof of how awesome you are. Well done!

 

[Holdfast]

Have you really managed to do all that just from dietary modification, with no statin or fibrate medication? That's pretty damn remarkable; I don't know whether to be awe of your newfound self-discipline or shake my head at what your diet must have been like before the changes. Congratulations!

 

[SmoothieX]

So, a year ago at my annual check-up, my doctor tells me that my bloodwork results show that i am not sitting on the couch eating potato chips, i am UNDER the couch eating potato chips (her words). She puts me on a medication to help cut my triglyceride number. I take it for a week, but it makes me nauseous, so i stop.

I make a conscious decision to try to do something about my heart health. We buy a treadmill and i vow to go on it everyday despite the arthritis that sometimes makes me want to scream. I also stop eating the things that the doctor warned me about (mostly rice, pasta, potatoes and butter. I didn't just butter my bread.....i buttered my butter!) I start eating LOTS of big salads, veggies and fruit.

I eat healthy, exercise regularly, quit drinking, etc. and the last time I had my cholesterol checked it was 450, and my HDL was 7.

I've had triglycerides of 2150 in the past.

You're in much better straits than I am, just figured I'd add some perspective to the conversation.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Congrats, YR! *squish*

 

[RandyS]

Good for you. Now celebrate by watching Star Trek while sitting on the couch.

And don't forget the potato chips.

(As long as you eat some raw carrots, the chips should be okay).

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Thanks you guys! I am really pretty psyched about the whole thing. I hope i can keep it up. There are days when i can't help myself and i'll eat an entire stupormarket rotissarie chicken, skin and all. (The skin is the best part, in mho). Or a ring ding. But in general i'm being very good.

Have you really managed to do all that just from dietary modification, with no statin or fibrate medication? That's pretty damn remarkable; I don't know whether to be awe of your newfound self-discipline or shake my head at what your diet must have been like before the changes. Congratulations!

Yup. Absolutely NO medication at all. Just diet and exercise. That's it.

I eat healthy, exercise regularly, quit drinking, etc. and the last time I had my cholesterol checked it was 450, and my HDL was 7.

I've had triglycerides of 2150 in the past.

You're in much better straits than I am, just figured I'd add some perspective to the conversation.

OMG!!!!!! OMFG!!!! Are you SERIOUS???? Those really were your numbers????? I can't believe you are upright with those numbers!! I didn't think anyone could get those kinds of numbers!!!!! WOW! Are you on medication for it and if so, what?

 

[SmoothieX]

I'm on Lovaza, which is supposed to help the triglycerides, but mostly just gives me diarrhea. The odd thing is I feel completely healthy, I just have Crisco flowing through my veins.

 

[DarkHelmet]

That's awesome stuff, YR. Congrats!

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Major congratulations to Yeoman Randi and some serious 'hope things get better for you' to Smoothie X.

My family tree is a lot like yours, Randi. I'll spare the lengthy, almost tragic tale I could spin off of that, and simply say upon reading your first post, it reminded me a great deal of the downright ridiculous medical history my family carries. My grandfather was in perfect health and a tenth-degree black belt and collapsed from a sudden heart attack at 42. He died almost immediately.

So, yeah. I wouldn't say I'm in perfect health right now, but I'm doing pretty well by myself. Nonetheless, I'm well-aware (and have been for a long time) that in 19 years and counting, that could be me. Or instead, I could beat him by a decade in either direction. I mean, who knows?

Sorry to hear about your nephew, by the way. Just thinking about dying at 20... oi. I wouldn't have even made it this far.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Thanks you guys!!!! I really appreciate it.

I'm on Lovaza, which is supposed to help the triglycerides, but mostly just gives me diarrhea. The odd thing is I feel completely healthy, I just have Crisco flowing through my veins.

Smoothie, have you had a stress test? If so, how did it turn out? Doc say your arteries were clear? I had one a few months back and he said everything looked ok. PLEASE have one if you haven't already.. OK? PROMISE ME.


Jeff O'Connor: Sorry to hear your family tree isn't all that great either. OMG on your grandfather going at 42! How about you? Have you had your numbers checked and have you had a stress test? Thank you re: my nephew. It wasn't his heart or arteries that killed him, his blockages were only discovered after his death.

Which leads me to something a bit off topic. He died from a drug overdose. BUT, we now suspect that the original problem that got him started on xanax may have actually been angina. He was about 18 or so when he complained of fluttering in his chest and anxiety. The doctors immediately suspected panic attacks and put him on the xanax, which eventually led to drug addiction. Now we look back, and knowing how blocked his arteries were, we wonder if he was really feeling ANGINA and not anxiety. Had his heart health had been checked out prior to jumping to conclusions and diagnosing anxiety, he may never have been put on xanax....which as i say, led to drugs. Something to think about to others who may have those same symptions.

 

[ancientone51]

Well doneYR!!!!!

I am waiting for my next set of numbers...couple of months.Can't remember them at the moment.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Ancientone51, thank you! Good luck with yours. Let us know how you do, ok?

Just further proof of how awesome you are. Well done!

Awwwww, what an awfully sweet thing of you to say. Thank you!!!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ We will all have to start SHOUTING, I think, because YR can't hear us over the sound of how awesome she is.

(Seriously. Forget that creepy Russian guy, YR should be the one in that DirecTV ad! "Awesomeness...I has it!" )

 

[SPCTRE]

That is indeed awesome, keep it up

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Jeff O'Connor: Sorry to hear your family tree isn't all that great either. OMG on your grandfather going at 42! How about you? Have you had your numbers checked and have you had a stress test? Thank you re: my nephew. It wasn't his heart or arteries that killed him, his blockages were only discovered after his death.


Which leads me to something a bit off topic. He died from a drug overdose. BUT, we now suspect that the original problem that got him started on xanax may have actually been angina. He was about 18 or so when he complained of fluttering in his chest and anxiety. The doctors immediately suspected panic attacks and put him on the xanax, which eventually led to drug addiction. Now we look back, and knowing how blocked his arteries were, we wonder if he was really feeling ANGINA and not anxiety. Had his heart health had been checked out prior to jumping to conclusions and diagnosing anxiety, he may never have been put on xanax....which as i say, led to drugs. Something to think about to others who may have those same symptions.

Wow, that's really sad. I actually have anxiety, or so they've said. I mean, I can attest to that... when I was 19, I had a fairly major panic attack that shot my blood pressure straight up. It was the one and only time I went near marijuana, if you can believe it. I won't start a big pot debate... I've seen that my case is far from normal. But that's what triggered it. My BP was way high.

The doctor did an EKG and said my heart was in excellent condition, so they gave me this medication what's name I can never remember and it calmed me right down. I was loopy for a week, eh. But anyway, thankfully that's never happened since. I was also at a point in my life where I was royally stressed, too. My grandmother (who raised me) had just passed away and I was very much all on my own.

I haven't gotten my numbers checked in some time, but I really ought to. Thanks for reminding me, with this thread and with your direct words to me. I'll be sure to ASAP.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Omg, seriously, you guys are so sweet! I'm really happy about what i was able to accomplish, and your kind support is just awesome. Thanks!

Jeff, I'm glad this thread may have helped give you a gentle push to have it checked.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Me too!