Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: rpm on November 09, 2006, 07:04:21 PM
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I was a victim of a vast right-wing conspiracy to re-elect Rick Perry.
I woke up Tuesday morning, voter registration card in hand, prepared to cast my vote for Kinky. Unfortunately I had an 8am appointment with my cardiologist in Ft. Worth as a follow up to my little hospital visit a couple weeks ago. No biggie, in/out in less than an hour and vote on my way back home.
Here's where the conspiracy kicks in. After 8 minutes on the treadmill they stop the stress test and the Doc admits me straight into the hospital. Less than an hour later I'm laying on a table watching him perform a double angioplasty on my heart!
Turns out the night before the election some republican dirty trickster flunkie clogged 2 of my arteries! 1 was 97% blocked, the other 100%. I had almost no blood getting to the back of my heart muscle. If you've never had an angioplasty imagine running a piece of bailing wire thru your vein from your upper thigh (right next to the family jewels) to your heart. They inflate the baloon on the end of the wire and squish all the BBQ leftovers against the arterial wall. Then they run another wire up there with 2 tiny coil springs (stints) they leave in place to keep them open.
Just as I feared, The Kinkster did not win. I can't help but wonder how many of his supporters were secretly clogged to prevent them from voting!:noid
Seriously tho, It was a huge wakeup call for me. I knew I was out of shape, but had no clue I was that close to dying. I actually started having a heart attack while on the treadmill. Luckily, I went to a Doctor in Ft. Worth instead of following up with one of the local horse killers. My cardiologist could'nt believe the local hospital discharged me the last time.
I also got a huge lecture on my diet, alcohol consumption and smoking. The next few weeks are going to be great fun as I quit smoking after 35+ years. But, the upside is I'm alive and able to bask in the thrashing the Republicans took at the polls. Rumsfeld getting canned was just icing on the cake. Life is good afterall!:)
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HOORAY!!!
HE LIVES!!!
way to stick it to the man : )
glad to hear you are okay
:)
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Start taking fish oil everyday, it lowers cholesterol.
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That sucks RPM, glad they cought it before you bought the farm. If we lose a few more guys like you on this forum there will be no debate at all. ;)
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I bought a jar of 1000mg Fish Oil at the pharmacy when I picked up my Plavix, Atenolol, Nitro and Lipitor.
Thanks, GTO. I try and do my part around here.;)
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Originally posted by AquaShrimp
Start taking fish oil everyday, it lowers cholesterol.
Pills right? Has it been proven to lower cholesterol? Any side effects????
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They are gelcaps like vitamin E. They have Omega-3 fatty acids that have been proven to lower triglycerides.
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Start taking the fish oil gradually, one pill per day or one pill per meal. Too high of a dose too soon can cause nausea.
I take 3 to 4 pills per meal, for a total of 9-12 per day.
Fish oil has been shown in epidemiological and clinical trials to reduce the incidence of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. Large-scale epidemiological studies suggest that individuals at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from the consumption of fish oil as it is high in omega 3 fatty acids. American Heart Associated updated its advice on fish oil supplements and the full article was published in Circulation 106:2747-2757, 2002
I don't take fish oil for the heart benefits, though I did have some blood work done months ago, and my results were stellar.
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you actually SAW them doing this procedure?
:huh
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Originally posted by JB88
you actually SAW them doing this procedure?
:huh
I was awake the whole time watching it on the same monitor the Cardiologist was using. I felt no pain during, but I could feel the wire moving thru me. It was definitely a strange sensation.
He explained every step to me as he was doing it. Seeing your heart beating on a 27inch flouroscope monitor is surreal. Watching him run the wire, open the clogged artery and blood start pumping over a huge area it was'nt just a second before will get your attention.
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And you were complaining about the ER doc making you stay overnight.
Told ya so :p
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wow.
i'm pretty sure that would freak me wayyyyy the hell out.
really glad you are okay.
would hate to be like "hey, has anyone seen RPM lately?"
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Originally posted by AquaShrimp
Start taking fish oil everyday, it lowers cholesterol.
Can you cite any reputable studies that support that statement?
I've seen studies that show fish oil does many good things. I have yet to see one that clearly shows it lowers cholesterol levels.
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Best wishes, RPM. Glad your problem was identified sooner rather than later.
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Originally posted by rpm
My cardiologist could'nt believe the local hospital discharged me the last time.
What were your symptoms then?
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I've heard a lot that eskimos have very low bad cholesterol for some reason.
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http://www.highnorth.no/Library/Culture/or-ea-me.htm
The provisional results of the new studies in Greenland have shown that atherosclerosis is far less widespread among the Inuit than elsewhere in the world. But there are also great individual differences. Inuit who have lived on the diet of the western world have developed atherosclerosis just as in Europe and the USA. But a seventy-year-old who has lived on the traditional Inuit diet of seal and whale has coronary arteries that are just as elastic as those of a twenty-year- old Dane.
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Originally posted by Viking
What were your symptoms then?
http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190181
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Thanks.
And after ALL THAT the spanking new hospital didn't find anything?!
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Originally posted by Toad
Can you cite any reputable studies that support that statement?
I've seen studies that show fish oil does many good things. I have yet to see one that clearly shows it lowers cholesterol levels.
Fish oils and plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans: a critical review
WS Harris
Department of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
Epidemiological studies in Greenland Eskimos led to the hypothesis that marine oils rich in n-3 fatty acids (also referred to as omega (omega)- 3 fatty acids) are hypolipidemic and ultimately antiatherogenic. Metabolically controlled trials in which large amounts of fish oil were fed to normal volunteers and hyperlipidemic patients showed that these fatty acids (FAs) are effective at lowering plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
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Originally posted by Viking
Thanks.
And after ALL THAT the spanking new hospital didn't find anything?!
Yup. I admit I was kicking and screaming bloody murder to let me go the last time, but they missed the call. Just proves my theory on the quality of care at the shiny new local facility.
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Jeez rpm!
Life is Timing, man. Congrats on getting a second chance.
Put down the smokes. Step away from the burger. Feel the sun on your face. Repeat.
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I'll probably never agree with you about Kinky. However I do hope your health improves. You're one the guys that makes the reading fun on this BBS.:aok
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From the Mayo Clinic site:
Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Studies in the 1970s showed that Greenland Eskimos had a lower rate of heart disease than did other individuals living in Greenland at the same time. Analysis of dietary differences between the groups showed that the Eskimos ate less saturated fat and more omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and whale and seal meat.
Research since that time has supported the heart-healthy benefits of eating fish. If you can't dine with the Eskimos, other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids are noted for their triglyceride-lowering effect, but they also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. However, to maintain the heart-healthy benefits of fish, bake or grill it.
From the National Institute of Health:
Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of fish oil supplementation on plasma cholesterol in middle-aged men with isolated hypercholesterolemia.
DESIGN: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled (safflower oil) two-period crossover trial with 12-week treatment periods.
SETTING: Outpatient general medicine clinic at a university-affiliated Veterans Affairs hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-eight men with plasma cholesterol between 5.68 and 7.76 mmol/L (220 to 300 mg/dL), triglyceride levels less than 3.39 mmol/L (300 mg/dL), and free of coexisting diseases.
INTERVENTIONS: Fish oil and placebo (safflower oil) supplementation. After basal measurements and a 4-week lead-in period, twenty 1-g capsules of either fish oil or placebo oil were provided for 12 weeks (period 1). After a 4-week washout phase participants then received the other oil for an additional 12 weeks (period 2).
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Blood was drawn at the beginning and end of each study period and analyzed for levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1, and apolipoprotein B. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was calculated using the Friedewald equation. Total and LDL cholesterol increased from the before treatment values by 4.8% and 9.1%, respectively, after ingestion of fish oil. Compared with placebo, LDL cholesterol was significantly higher (4.5 compared with 4.1 mmol/L, P = 0.01) and triglycerides lower (1.3 compared with 1.8 mmol/L, P = 0.01) after fish oil. Total and HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 and B levels did not differ.
CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil supplements do not lower plasma cholesterol levels in middle-aged men with hypercholesterolemia without elevated triglycerides. They should not be recommended as a method to lower plasma cholesterol in these patients.
PMID: 2683921 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
From the Cleveland Clinic, one of the top heart hospitals in the US; a list of benefits of Fish Oil. Note that cholesterol lowering is not one of them.
* Reduces blood clot formation. Omega-3 fatty acids act as a natural anticoagulant by altering the ability of platelets in your blood to clump together.
* Inhibits the growth of plaque. Omega-3 fatty acids help keep the lining of the arteries smooth and clear of damage that can lead to the thickening and hardening of the arteries.
* Decreases triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). High triglyceride values and VLDL cholesterol are associated with increased risk for heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the rate at which these two substances are produced in the liver.
* May increase levels of the good cholesterol, HDL. Through their mechanism in lowering triglyceride levels, omega-3 fatty acid intake may increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is considered to protect against the development of heart disease.
* Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. The development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is thought to involve your body's inflammatory response. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the production of substances that are released during the inflammatory response and in doing so, prevent substances from accumulating and sticking to the lining of the arteries.
* May lower blood pressure. Several studies have examined the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on blood pressure. Those who eat fish tend to have lower incidence of high blood pressure.
I can add that from personal experience over the last 4 years I have noticed no drop in cholesterol despite experimenting extensively with varying levels of fish oil, up to six grams of EPA/DHA daily.
Fish oil is beneficial but lowering cholesterol levels is not one of the benefits.
I think the confusion arises because substituting fish for meat WILL reduce you cholesterol..because fish is better than meat in that regard.
Or, as the UofC Berkeley Wellness Letter puts it:
Does fish oil lower elevated cholesterol?
Yes, according to some studies; no, according to others. If you substitute fish for meat (or for other sources of saturated fat), you will lower your blood cholesterol. But the same would happen if you replaced the meat with beans or other foods low in saturated fat. Thus, when researchers control for saturated fat intake, the effect of fish on cholesterol often turns out to be minimal, at best.
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Regarding fish oil...
There are some side effects to taking concentrated doses of fish oil but for most people they are inconsequential unless you are taking very large doses. In general, fish oil is probably a good thing but here are a few tidbits I dug up when I tried out fish oil as a supplement a couple years ago.
BTW, many fish oil sellers recommend a very high "dose" that probably doesn't help. In fact, very high fish oil doses can be bad. If nothing else, fish oil contains trace mercury just like any other seafood.
Some fish oil issues:
"Fish oil" pills come from many sources, and many fish oil pills actually contain a high percentage of fatty acids from seaweed instead of fish. No biggie, except that now you're gambling with mercury content. Some more expensive fish oil sellers specifically use nothing but pure fish squeezings. Read the label if you want real fish oil and not seaweed oil.
Fish oil is a migraine trigger for me. That's a bad thing for a pilot.
Fish oil gives some people vivid dreams when they start taking it. YMMV.
Fish oil in high dosages can mess with your metabolism and production of certain neurochemicals. Some guys say this is a good thing, but the point is that if you take too much of anything, you're going to mess with your metabolism (duh). The guy who does the "zone" diets (basically a balanced diet where you get most of your carbs from veggies instead of processed grains) is also a lipidologist who claims high dose fish oil is good for you. A quick google search should turn up both his research and the opinions of naysayers. Again, the point is if you take too much of anything, you're risking side effects.
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Yep fish oils don't help, what you need is sea mammal blubber.
They should genetically engineer whales or seals that get only as big as salmon and propogate just as fast.
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curiously, and i hope this isn't rude to ask, but how old are you RPM?
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Originally posted by Toad
Can you cite any reputable studies that support that statement?
I've seen studies that show fish oil does many good things. I have yet to see one that clearly shows it lowers cholesterol levels.
If I'm not mistaken it's the phytosterol that lower the cholesterol, because it's structurally close to the cholesterol and so it's absorbed preferably by the intestine.
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Get well soon. And meh .... DFW is mostly brainwashed already. But hey ... next time they may kill you ... so you better be careful. ;)
Again .... may your health improve.
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Originally posted by rpm
Yup. I admit I was kicking and screaming bloody murder to let me go the last time, but they missed the call. Just proves my theory on the quality of care at the shiny new local facility.
Geez man, glad you're still kicking :eek: Where is this new hospital? Decatur?
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Taking fish oil as a supplement may be in vogue now but it is nothing new.
When I was a kid I always made myself scarce when ever I saw my mother get the bottle of cod liver oil out of the kitchen cupboard, but she was patient and persistent and eventually would corner me and force me into swallowing a spoon full of that foul tasting stuff, for no specific reason other than it was "good for me" I don't think cholesterol had even been invented back then.
RPM, look after yourself, knocking a 35+ year habbit on the head aint going to make it easy but kick back and take it easy if you can.
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Glad to hear you are ok rpm, and you were lucky you had an apointment that day!
Ive taken fishoil since i was a kid. Comes in a liquid form that some detest, or capsules. I eat fish 3-4 times a week too (not in pill or capsule form :D ) and I recomend that those of you who are meat fanatics try to get in atleast one fish meal a week.
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mmmmm.....lutefisk.
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Originally posted by JB88
mmmmm.....lutefisk.
please no.. :D
Has a dull taste. Only tried it once tho.
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JB88, I am 44.
Slash, yep the new hospital is in Decatur. Incidently, the powers that be in Decatur are fighting tooth and nail to prevent a new hospital from being built in Bridgeport. They want to funnel 100% of the county's healthcare dollars into Decatur.
The Decatur "news"paper is running stories weekly trying to create some type of scandal about the proposed Bridgeport hospital. So far nothing has stuck and it's starting to look pretty lame. But, that's typical of our county's leading birdcage lining. They ran a series of front page articles on one of their reporters getting lap-band surgery at the shiny new hospital (and why you should too!). That's news? This is also the same paper that covered up a $20,000 payoff the Sheriff's Office made to an out of town man that took a beating from our sheriff while he was off duty. Luckily, the Bridgeport paper investigated the story.
Nils, thanks bro.:)
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that's all?!
that must be sooooome BBQ.
:huh
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Well, to be honest I'm sure there was some residue from several thousand gallons of Blue Bell, too.;)
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glad to hear you are going to quit smoking
wish you the best with that
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You are only 44?
Ive heard of folks reaching their 50s so you have plenty O time :)
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Originally posted by rpm
Yup. I admit I was kicking and screaming bloody murder to let me go the last time, but they missed the call. Just proves my theory on the quality of care at the shiny new local facility.
You sound like the typical patient from hell. Come in to hospital and you allready know what's wrong with you. Try to leave AMA because Doc disgrees and thinks there's a chance that you could be in mortal danger. Of course you know they're just trying to fleece you. Then after they finally get tired of fighting you and let you leave you blame them for not keeping you. Even though they did recommend that you follow up with a cardiologist.
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rpm, I have had 2 of the 'big ones'.
Had to put the paddles to me. Just like going to sleep > no out of body experience or any Perley Gate images or angels holding my hand. The worst part of the whole deal was sandbag and not being able to move after the operation.
The big mistake people think is that there is always chest pain (that is only in the movies). Not all the time, for with each of mine there was none at all. Only thing that saved me for the 2cd one, 3 years later, was I knew what other symptoms to look for.
The doc was quite surprised when I gave him a running commentary on where the end of the stent probe was as it went through the body.
Quiting smoking was no big deal as the hospital stay was 10 days. Several days in ICU and then a wait for a transfer to the Heart Institute across town. After getting out, the smell of cigarette smoke made me want to puke.
I would be in the poor house if it was not for Medicare.
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Originally posted by Suave
You sound like the typical patient from hell. Come in to hospital and you allready know what's wrong with you. Try to leave AMA because Doc disgrees and thinks there's a chance that you could be in mortal danger. Of course you know they're just trying to fleece you. Then after they finally get tired of fighting you and let you leave you blame them for not keeping you. Even though they did recommend that you follow up with a cardiologist.
I freely admit I'm THE patient from hell. But, I followed all the reccomendations of the ER doctor and then some. The ER doc didn't think I was having a coronary and even said so. I was kept overnight for observation. He never called a cardiologist for a consult. In fact, he turned me over to a P.A. after I was admitted.
I saw this cardiologist after seeing my family doc. BTW, I did have bronchitis as I originally suspected. My cardiologist said the ER missed the call. He said any competent physician should have seen what was going on after watching my EKG. This didn't happen overnight. I'm not planning on suing anyone, I'm not blaming anyone but myself for my condition. I am saying the Decatur hospital has a lousy staff and overbills.
Speaking of bills, I have yet to see the damage of this rodeo. At least with this type of procedure the stay was just 24 hours.
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Glad to hear you caught the problems before they caught you RPM.
Cheers,
asw
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Glad you are still with us RPM.
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glad you dodged that one RPM.
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Originally posted by rpm
I was awake the whole time watching it on the same monitor the Cardiologist was using. I felt no pain during, but I could feel the wire moving thru me. It was definitely a strange sensation.
He explained every step to me as he was doing it. Seeing your heart beating on a 27inch flouroscope monitor is surreal. Watching him run the wire, open the clogged artery and blood start pumping over a huge area it was'nt just a second before will get your attention.
damn, good catch.
Must have felt like live bait having a hook run through it, huh? Welcome back!
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Glad you did well during this situation. You really really need to get in contact with Toad about what he did regarding a similar cardiac situation and how he beat cholesterol.
Darn and I was just 30 miles North of DFW about 2 weeks ago too.
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I'm Glad you caught it in time man.
Charon
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Thanks for the good words guys.:)