Hi All,
In January, 2019, I had my Total Coronary Calcium Score done. It was high- 329. I can’t recall any specific advice, nothing in my health records.
In December, 2019, I had my Total Coronary Calcium Score done again. Now it’s 388. Up 18%.
To digress for a moment, my heart itself seems fine- for now. Four tests (Blood pressure, Beats per Minute, Heart Ultrasound (AKA Echo Test) and EKG are all ‘good,’ the EKG is normal), were done.
Apart from the high Scores, I am asymptomatic except for mild dizziness (feeling unbalanced) when standing, for around the last 3 months or so.
So, the problem’s in my Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery.
To refresh your memory, some of the Agatston Calcium Score’s guidelines are as follows:
* Coronary calcium score 101-400: Definite, at least moderate atherosclerotic plaque. Mild coronary artery disease highly likely. Significant narrowings possible
* Coronary calcium score > 400: Extensive atherosclerotic plaque (atherosclerotic- the medical term for plaque clogged arteries, and it’s a major risk factor for heart attack or stroke). High likelihood of at least one significant coronary narrowing.
So, after my 388 score a few days ago, I consulted the Cardiologist at Royal Phnom Penh Hospital. She gave me the following advice:
1. Some info on YouTube, nutritionfacts.org and drgregor.org. These sites are about diet, mainly. That’s OK, the Cardiologist stressed the importance of diet, so I may learn something, but I already eat a mostly vegetarian diet.
2. More YouTube info, Dr. Dean Ornish, his site’s mostly about heart disease.
3. On a personal note, she suggested I go Vegan. I’m not sure about that, e.g. where I am, Soy milk has 3.5% saturated fat, the low-fat milk I drink is 1% saturated fat. Seems 1% is the healthier choice.
4. She advised against dietary cholesterol, although other doctors don’t. I go with her on this.
5. Come back if your symptoms get worse. I know of 7 symptoms, I only have dizziness, not bad at the moment. Anyway, can’t a person have a heart attack or stroke without prior symptoms? There’s no guarantee I’ll experience additional symptoms anyway, is there?
That was all she had for me. I said, “What if my score goes over 400?” She said, “Oh yeah, that too”.
To conclude, it seems this Cardiologist’s saying “Let’s wait a bit.” This is a bit too laid-back for me.
My take is, considering the rise in my Coronary Calcium Score in 2019, math indicates that I’ll be over 400 in 2~3 months from now, so it’s time to get proactive now!!
But I don’t know the logical ‘next steps’ to take. I have Googled ‘best Cardiology Hospitals worldwide’ several times, always with different results. I think there’s some bias there, there’s big bucks in healthcare.
A few years ago, I read that the best heart hospital in the world was in India. I don’t see anything about it now. But I saw Hospitals on the list in Singapore, Malaysia, even Bumrungrad in Bangkok.
Can anybody please tell me where a top-notch Hospital is? Got an URL? I can take it from there, on the ‘Net.
I really *need* to know what the next step(s) to help myself are! Any guidance/help, especially from those who’ve been through this, may save my life- or if that’s too dramatic, let’s say, ‘improve the quality of my life’.
Thank You for reading!
Savittre
p.s. Miscellaneous stuff-
- I spoke about blood thinners, first citing Fish Oil. I’ve read from multiple sources on the ‘Net that Fish Oil does thin the blood; at the Hospital, this was denied. Well, at the Hospital, I go with what they say unless I have an intelligent question to ask. I asked about 81 mg Aspirin, the Cardiologist nixed that. I think, the thinner the blood, the less likely for a clot to form.
- I told the Cardiologist I want my Score down from 388 to under 100. She said it’s impossible to lower it because ‘it’s already there.’ Actually, I’ve read that now there’s a machine (I forget the name) that is a diamond-tipped catheter that’s inserted, guided to where the plaque is, then the diamond tip rotates at high speed and removes the plaque like that.
- I told her I didn’t want my Score to go up. No assurances there, just the 5 points of advice I posted above.
Real-World Advice about Coronary Artery Disease- Urgent, Please!
Just about everyone in the west over 50 is on statins and / or blood pressure meds. Didn't the doc recommend that?
TheGrimReaper wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 1:45 pmSlavedog, you do not belong on this forum as you talk too much sense.
Hi slavedog,
I take a 10mg Statin, ‘Rovista’ in Cambodia, AKA Crestor. Have done for years.
My cholesterol’s good- from 1/2019 to 12/2019, my good cholesterol (HDL) is up 20%~25%, my LDL cholesterol’s down by about the same percentage. It was never too high, except before I started the Statin, but it’s even better now.
As stated above, my blood pressure’s fine.
So is my weight. I was ‘overweight,’ now my weight’s in a healthy bracket.
Thanks for asking!
Savittre
I take a 10mg Statin, ‘Rovista’ in Cambodia, AKA Crestor. Have done for years.
My cholesterol’s good- from 1/2019 to 12/2019, my good cholesterol (HDL) is up 20%~25%, my LDL cholesterol’s down by about the same percentage. It was never too high, except before I started the Statin, but it’s even better now.
As stated above, my blood pressure’s fine.
So is my weight. I was ‘overweight,’ now my weight’s in a healthy bracket.
Thanks for asking!
Savittre
Fair enough. I don't really have any advice, sorry.
Doctors in Asia, including the good ones can come across as a bit casual at times. Personally I prefer that to the often brisk 'you will do what we tell you' attitude of many NHS doctors.
Good luck!
Doctors in Asia, including the good ones can come across as a bit casual at times. Personally I prefer that to the often brisk 'you will do what we tell you' attitude of many NHS doctors.
Good luck!
TheGrimReaper wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 1:45 pmSlavedog, you do not belong on this forum as you talk too much sense.
-
- Making Khmer girls cry since 2003
- Reactions: 130
- Posts: 21358
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:15 pm
OK, guys, thanks. Other people work this out, so will I!
- Lucky Lucan
- K440 Knight Captain
- Reactions: 761
- Posts: 22525
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:24 pm
- Location: The Pearl of the Orient
It's an interesting subject so keep posting your findings. I haven't gone for a medical check up for years so wouldn't know where to start. Is there some place that can just do initial tests? What's the best route to start on?
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
- batshitcrazyweirdo
- Batshit Crazy Weirdo
- Reactions: 3
- Posts: 17313
- Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 3:24 pm
- Location: Bat Cave
A doctor. I tried my own wee stint, and it didnae work. Of course, I'm being for real. It's a simple test.Lucky Lucan wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2019 9:55 pmIt's an interesting subject so keep posting your findings. I haven't gone for a medical check up for years so wouldn't know where to start. Is there some place that can just do initial tests? What's the best route to start on?
Are you people afraid of doctors? Or the tests?
I love bitches n gonna fuck Texas and the USA+ right up their god damn ass! Hallelujah!
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 0 Replies
- 716 Views
-
Last post by MrB
Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:41 am
-
- 8 Replies
- 5026 Views
-
Last post by vladimir
Sun Aug 11, 2019 5:46 am
-
-
Has anyone worked in/experience in Real Estate
by jerkajerka » Sun Jan 30, 2022 11:16 am » in Questions and Answers - 3 Replies
- 983 Views
-
Last post by Guest
Sun Jan 30, 2022 4:29 pm
-
-
-
Real estate investing in Phnom Penh
by drfreud » Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:49 am » in Houses, Apartments and Real Estate - 18 Replies
- 7779 Views
-
Last post by v12
Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:45 pm
-
-
-
After the Boom, Cambodia’s Real Estate Sector Sees Red
by Londo » Tue May 30, 2023 12:18 pm » in Houses, Apartments and Real Estate - 19 Replies
- 2800 Views
-
Last post by nerdlinger
Tue Jun 27, 2023 5:18 pm
-