Cardiac Event

[TheFinalSQL]

I had a heart attack on June 3rd, 2008 at only 42 years old.

I was wondering if there is anyone else out there that has had a cardiac event and doing Atkins?

My Dr's are not too happy about it, but what do they know? Just what the AMA and our "wonderful" food pyramid has been shoveling.



Norm

[Asclepius]

Originally Posted by TheFinalSQL

I had a heart attack on June 3rd, 2008 at only 42 years old.

I was wondering if there is anyone else out there that has had a cardiac event and doing Atkins?

My Dr's are not too happy about it, but what do they know? Just what the AMA and our "wonderful" food pyramid has been shoveling.



Norm

Your age, gender and BMI place you in the high risk range for a cardiac event. I would imagine you already had significant underlying silent cardiovascular disease (plaque build up, overworked heart, etc) established during your time at a less healthy BMI. Unfortunately, as fabulous as progress can be, sometimes our lifestyle changes are behind the proverbial 8-ball. Lifestyle and family history can beat us to the punch. The real blessing here is that you are now in a state of health that allowed you to survive the event! Big kudos to you for that! In terms of the diet and its suspected potential correlation - I can understand your care provider's concern if you have been losing weight at an alarming rate. Sometimes that can put a real strain on the system. I hope you are avoiding stimulants and following up with your docs and lab work to ensure your LDL's and VLDL's are staying low and your HDL's are up. My suggestion is to find a cardiologist (specifically) who understands Atkin's better than your average bear and work closely with her or him to chart your course to good health. You are clearly well on your way. Take care of yourself now and enjoy brighter tomorrows! Congratulations on this being only a close call and good luck in continued progress toward health.

[gooniegirl]

Last year during an extended stress -filled time I began having chest pains which I ignored. I went off Atkins thinking maybe low fat was the way to go. Finally, I went to the doctor. My family history is such that with the first heart attack-at an early age-(I'm 50)..we're done. Cholesterol levels despite regular exercise and decent diet are not generally good. My stress test was good but not 100%, BP was borderline
(pre-tensive) and I was sent to a cardiologist for a CT scan of the heart in May '08. The results were basically not so bad..some plaque in the left ventricle. Had gone back on Atkins and started exercising more diligently when I went for the test results. At that appointment ..had very good BP readings. I'm fortunate.
My GP at a follow up visit told me that considering my family history -I should stay on the Atkins for the rest of my life and make sure my children (young adults) considered it too. She recommended that I follow a very low carb diet.
This is my somewhat related experience for what it's worth ..but of course I did not have an actual cardiac episode which you have had. Best wishes to you for a good recovery and informed healthy habits. Cudos to you for seeking out as much input as possible. I'm very interested to see what other people's experiences of this have been as well.

Cheers,
Gigi

[TheFinalSQL]

You mentioning ignoring chest pain. I wrote about my episode awhile back. I feel compelled to share it:

THE KARAT ACT

Laying in the emergency room, alone. Tears streaming down my face.

The nurse walks in, asks me if I am crying. “Yes”, Nurse asks why. I am so choked up I can barely speak. I have to concentrate entirely on my breathing just so I could speak one word.

“Realization.”

Waking up Tuesday morning I had chest pains. Pains I have certainly felt more, maybe a little more intense, just another one of those anxiety attacks. The pain continued through the morning, and expanded to include my right arm. I let those I work with know of this discomfort, they suggested I go to the Dr, I shrugged it off, but thanked them for my concern. This pain did feel different than what I am used to experience. A little paranoia set in. I finally decided to go to the Dr. I went to a Prima Care place. When you tell them you are having chest pains, there is no line to wait for. You are rushed right in. No forms to fill out or insurance to check.

The Dr. came in immediately, began asking me questions. The pain in addition had spread to my throat/jaw area and my tongue felt swollen. He said these are not the symptoms of a heart attack, the pain if any where would be on my left side. He asked for my insurance card at this time. I gave it to him. His assistant returned shortly saying they did not take my insurance. He said to be safe they would give me an EKG. I asked how much it would cost. He said it would be free. The EKG looked perfect. The nurse performing the procedure exclaimed I was sweating a lot. The Dr. let me know if the pain continued I should see my regular Dr. I thanked him and left.

In retrospect the insurance card was my fault. I cleaned out my wallet a couple of weeks ago, kept my outdated health card in my wallet and threw my current one of the floorboard of the truck.

I returned to work, but was having trouble concentrating. My boss told me to take the rest of the day off so I did.

The next morning the pain was still there. It had now in fact also moved to my left arm. I went to work was doing alright for most of the morning. One thing I will never forget is a problem brought to me by a couple of managers. One of my developers gave them an answer that what they were asking for could not be done. Considering we work in software there is rarely anything that cannot be done. Within 3-5 minutes of them asking they had their report, exactly what they wanted. I say this to say the mind is more powerful than any other part of our body. With determination we can overcome any obstacle, if the desire is there. “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he...” The irony of Solomon’s word will become apparent.

I began thinking “Anxiety attacks do not last over 24hrs.” I was taking Altace, a medication for high blood pressure. I was also taking other supplements that suggested they should not be taken with Ace inhibitors, which Altace is. I began to worry more about this. My arms now were hurting bad enough it was hard to type. I looked up the side effects to Altace on the internet and found I had many of these side effects. I called my Dr. and they arranged for me to see the Physician’s Assistant.

Upon arriving they took ,my blood pressure 166/98. Very high considering I am medication for High Blood pressure. I gave her my symptoms. They did another EKG, looked fine. Took my blood pressure it was now down in the 140’s/90’s. They thought I could be having GI problems, prescribed me Prilosec and Xantac. They did take my blood and sent it to be tested. They said if my blood pressure would not have dropped they would have sent me to the ER then.

I went home after picking up the meds as it was late in the day. Once home I developed a fever as the evening wore on. My son said I looked horrible and flush. I went to bed to ride out the fever. By morning the fever broke and I felt pretty good. I went to work, was feeling great and doing fine.

About 1:00 o’clock or so my Dr’s office called and asked how fast I could get to the hospital. They asked if I could drive, I said I could. My blood results came back, they let me know that I am having a heart attack. I thought the ordeal was over. This ordeal will never be over.

Laying in the emergency room, alone. Tears streaming down my face…To make sure the diagnosis was correct ER took my blood again, it only took 45 minutes for them to verify I had a heart attack. They informed me I would be admitted once they had the room ready.

“Realization” That was the only word I could say. I wanted to say I am here alone, my wife is on vacation in Missouri, my daughter was at work not be able to bring my son here until almost midnight. I was too scared to call anyone but wife to let her know what happened. She would not be able to make it there until Friday. I asked her to call my parents but she did not, probably for the same reason I did not call them. It’s just not something you want to talk about.

Friday around noon I got the heart cath. All things considered I was very lucky, one blocked artery. No stints, one balloon. The blocked artery was going to the back of the heart, the reason it was not showing on the EKG.

Salt, sugar, caffeine, and excess weight. These things must now become foreign to me.

I finally called my parents after I knew everything was okay.

I started walking around the hospital floor as soon as they would let me. I discovered I was on a cardiac floor. Observing the other patients on the floor and after inquiring I found I was the youngest person on the floor.

All the causes people walk for, I found the one the matters most of all.

Walk for life.

I thought of Forest Gump as I walked the floor for hours, if only I had magic shoes…

I got to return home on Sunday and begin my new life. The life I was allowed to keep. My old life has been left behind. I now have struggles that I am newly aware of that I knew I had before, but a heart attack has a way of getting your attention, unlike anything else.

Upon returning to work I received many hugs and you find out how much you really matter to people. One of the rare opportunities where everyone lets their guard down.

Hindsight, yeah, its 20/20.

The Prima-care place and my Dr’s office could not diagnose my heart attack. It took a blood test. There was no elephant sitting on my chest as it was suggested there should be if I was having a heart attack. When I got home I went straight to my cupboard filled with cookbooks. There are also some health books in there. I pulled out several books so I could find out what I can eat. One of the books is titled “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” I looked up heart attack. I had all the non normal symptoms of a heart attack, what the professionals I visited seemed unable to diagnose was spelled out in black and white in a book sitting in my cupboard.

I have started cardiac rehab, three times a week for six weeks and walk a lot. My diet has completely changed. I am not following AMA recommendations however, but rather the Atkins Diet, the only thing I can seem to lose weight on. We will see how I do. (I am doing very well) It’s hard to be depressed when you are losing weight.

I tell this story for education. So others can gain knowledge through my experience. Simplest of discomfort can be a monster growing inside ready to attack. What if I would have just discounted my pain. It was over on Thursday, if I did not have that blood test, I might not be typing this. If I have learned anything it is not everyone knows everything or even close to it. Do whatever it takes to make sure your health it running at 100%.

Accomplishments can be looked at in many ways. Running the fastest, jumping the highest, selling/settling the most. Other times accomplishments can be much more personal. I won’t get a trophy for my accomplishment, surviving a heart attack, but I have gained so much more.

Last Father’s day I was at Lake Lewisville with friends Barbequing and enjoying a day on the lake on a boat. Shortly after I got there my wife gave me a big hug and said she was happy that I am still here. I said I was too.

That was one of the happiest days of my life.

Norm

[atkinsinseattle]

Norm, Gigi and all that contribute to this topic... Cardiac event.
I too had a heart attack @ 41 last year. I had been off of Atkins for well over a year. I too did not recognize the symptoms... the week before the event. My father had died, Cancer. He was...well for better or for worse... a main character in my life... whom I have learned a lot from... regardless of my approval of the corriculum. those few weeks leading up were extremely stressfull. My emotions all over the place... I didn't see any of the signs. I felt a pain in my arm, however, i thought I may have pulled the muscle working out. I am unsure weather it is good for me to have an atkins way of life or more of a lowfat/ cholesterol or if both can be done... I would love to hear from people with cardiac event history to hear about what is working for you all. The best I've ever felt, and looked was the two years I lived and Atkins way of life and worked out regularly. I found that I am ellergic to wheat, which I never would have known without atkins. I'd love to share health findings and success along the journey to health and vitality and healthy hearts... HUGE HUGS, Todd aka AtkinsInSeattle

[misplaced southerner]

hi norm. thanks for sharing your story! BTW, "prescription for natural healing" is my second bible. i LOVE and live by that book.

while i myself have not had a cardiac incident, my mom died in 2002 from a heart attack before my eyes. it is not something i want to do myself. at that time i weighed 220 pounds, my cholesterol was 202 and my BP was high. not the picture of health.

i am now 145 pounds, my cholesterol is down to 164 and my BP is 120/70. and it is all due to atkins and exercise. my doc ADVOCATES atkins

recently my doctor sent me to a cardiologist for a workup due to my worry over the family history if heart problems. i spoke in length with him and he too advocates atkins. when i explained my eating, my exercise routine and my supplements (80 mg. aspirin, CoQ10 and fish oil) he was AMAZED.he wanted to know who told me to take those things for heart health.....DUH, i read! he said he was amazed at the number of sick patients he has that do not do any kind of self help.

he also did a stress test. my heart, at 47, is in remarkable shape. he said that if he could give me a prediction, my chances of having a heart attack is 0%. i'll take it.

so long story short, i am a firm believer that atkins is the answer to good health. i could have been a statistic....but i got lucky. i'll take those number to the bank. they are the only proof i need.

[shaunawa]

Norm, your story brought tears to my eyes. I am glad you are alright and back with your family and loved ones.