Feeling low

[Sass121]

Hello all

I had MI in January 2017. St segment damage and one stent. Following the event I changed my lifestyle completely, became vegan, exercise regularly and have had no symptoms. My last scan last year my ef had gone up to 46% from 35 after the HA. Last month I had a echocardiogram and got the results on tuesday. Ef down to 32% and there is some thickening. I was so shocked as I feel better than I did before my heart attack. The doctor is referring me to cardiac nurses to start entresto therapy?I feel really down as I thought I was doing very well.in fact my last cardiologist told me last year to get on with life as I was ok. I am now thinking that maybe my heart is getting weaker every year and it's gonna just give up. I am sorry if it sounds too dramatic but that's how I feel. I am 54 widower with a13 year old son and I worry for him. Any views would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Squash1961]

Hi Sass121

Sorry to hear that you are feeling down. I had my HA 6 weeks ago, and had 2 stents in my RCA. I am Vegan, was very fit (200km cycling a week) BMI 21.5 and cholesterol at 5 on no mediations, but apparently got dealt some bad genes! Anyway, I’m now on the swag of drugs including statins, and my recent blood test had my total cholesterol at 3.0 and LDL at 1.2. I’m interested in what your lipid profile is and also whether your Vegan diet is whole food plant based? I’m whole food, so I eat zero dietary cholesterol and very low saturated fats (ie: no processed oils at all, particularly coconut and olive oil). Also, no vegan junk food (ie: burgers,etc) if you are on a whole food plant based diet and on statins( since like me your liver may produce too much) then it would be very difficult for further significant plaque build up and atherosclerosis. (According to my Cardiologist). Anyway, would be interested to know the above, good luck and try and stay positive, I know it’s tough particularly at the moment 😊

[Sass121 in reply to Squash1961]

Hi Squash

Thanks for your response. Your HA must have been such a shock considering your life style. It is really upsetting but sounds like you are feeling ok at the moment. I follow Dr Esselstyn's diet and do a whole food vegan diet with no oils. I feel physically very well. Lots of energy and more active than before. My LDL was similar to your from my last blood test. Overall cholesterol was 3.8.

I am on ramipril, apixaban, clopidogrel, statin and eplernone. What was your EF?

[Squash1961 in reply to Sass121]

Hi Sass

Yes, complete surprise. I think I’m out of the denial and anger (why me!) phases and moving towards acceptance. With no cardiac rehab on at the moment it is challenging, but forums like this one is great to share stories and to get reassurance. I am also back on my spin bike in the garage and doing plenty of walks. It’s only been 6 weeks so I am still getting twinges and aches in the chest, particularly after exercise. The Cardiologist advised to keep my heart rate below 125 for a few weeks, giving the heart time to heal from all the trauma.

Since my blockage was in the right coronary artery, they do not do an EF, however, I had an angiogram after my angioplasty and was told that there was not any excessive plaque build up in any of the other arteries, and fortunately I do not have any functional damage. Good advice from Thatwasunexpected below, also I believe that an angiogram is the best for really assessing plaque build up and atherosclerosis, rather than MRI or echocardiogram.

Great that you are following Esselstyn’s plant based diet, you should also check out Dr Michael Greger’s nutrition facts.org website.

Best of luck, hopefully your lifestyle will keep you well

[Sass121 in reply to Squash1961]

I remember I went through the same stages as you the first few weeks. I was also grateful that at least the doctors found out problems with my heart which I now know about. Unfortunately I do have damage to the left side and I hope with lots of good living I can manage it.

I do follow Dr Gregor as well. Excellent videos on you tube and he is very funny. Keep up the wonderful work.

[Sass121]

Hi

Thank you for your response. I really appreciate your point. It helps to not get myself really worked up. You hit the nail on the head about how last year it was a high and compared to that I feel crap now.I also feel frustrated as regardless to how I feeling am now being referred to have more meds and the concern the medics have expressed in the referral letter freaked me out a bit. I did do a stress test the day after my echo and I had no symptoms and there was nothing unusual in the reading.

[Sass121]

Lol! In fact I was ok after the treadmill and there was a student being shown the ropes and they decided to stop the test when I heard one of them saying to the other ' we better stop, we don't want him to have another episode's! Even though now I know there were no changes on the ECG and I had no symptoms. 😳 so managed 6 min 45 seconds. And then walked 2 miles back home!