Typo or not, there was absolutely no justification for not capitalizing on that one 
You mean the Devil made him (@DSeid) do it?
Well, as long as you’re not on lovaSatan…
I remember your thread about being stabbed near the heart years ago; does that still have an effect on your health?
It hasn’t been an issue at all with my health, although surprisingly to me it showed on this recent scan. It was noted as mild volume loss in left hemithorax with linesr scarring verses atelectasis in the upper lobe., while none was shown my right lung.
The night of the stabbing they ran cameras up though my veins and arteries to make sure their was no damage to my heart, so I have a baseline review of my heart from 12 years ago.
My cardiologist has an extremely good reputation. He seemed to put a lot of stock in the calcium score and was very pleased that my score was zero. Due to my horrible family history and other factors I’ve also had every other possible cardiac test and so far everything has been great.
Right now I’m at about the midpoint between the age my father died and the age his brother died.
I did the math and emailed my (two older) brothers when we had all beaten Dad (57) and Uncle Marv (53).
[both MI’s]
Keep going, @Loach !
That is a weird feeling. My late wife was older than I was and it was a strange day when I reached her age at death. I’ll pass Dad in a couple months here unless I inadvertently step out in front of a bus first.
Mom’s almost a decade from now so I’ll have a respite from those sorts of weird-iversaries for awhile.
Checking back in on this thread, which is very interesting and informative.
Post (#28) by Dr_Paprika is IMHO brilliant, especially the second part of this sentence.
Great discussion. We bystanders are learning a lot, too.
I’m 64 and in pretty good health. Cholesterol a tad high, but “good” cholesterol disproportionately high. Not overweight, pretty good diet, exercise regularly, rock solid blood pressure (tho history of htn/stroke in parents). I started a thread a while back when my doc was advising statins, based primarily on my age. I kinda resisted, but started within the last year. Have not yet had blood work to see the results.
No history of card symptoms - my biggest issues are all musculoskeletal from old injuries and arthritis. Just aches and pains making me feel old.
When I was resisting statins, he was pushing me to get the calcium CT. With a coupon, it could be had for only $50. On the one hand, I thought, “Why not?” But OTOH, I disfavor excessive precautionary testing and the excessive consumption of medical treatment. So I never got the test. Saw the doctor recently for a prescription renewal, and he didn’t mention it. We’ll see if it comes up again this fall during my annual, after bloodwork.
You’re on them now so no need for the test to convince you.
Yeah - but I think last fall, when I agreed to go on them, he still suggested getting the test for - I’m not sure why. My suspicion - not really well grounded in anything specific - is that my GP tends to over-prescribe tests.
Maybe I’m taking unnecessary risks. I have no problem pursuing treatment if I am presented with a good reason. But in many instances, I feel tests are prescribed simply because they are available, and/or if insurance pays a good portion.
I’m in my 40s and my number is insanely high. I have no idea what my outcome is. My dad had a heart attack in his 50s but is now in his 70s. Both my paternal grandfather and great grandfather had heart problems but both lived to be about 80.
Its also my understanding that the calcified plaque isn’t the plaque that tends to break off and become a heart attack. Its the non-calcified plaque, but we don’t really know how to measure that.
My stress test and ekg come back normal despite my extremely high score.
Mine told me yesterday that he was of the belief that every man in 60’s should have one done just so they have an idea of where they stand. The logic behind this must be if it came back as very low or near zero then the patient would feel relieved. If it came back high, then the patient could decide if they wanted further test. The test itself is cheap enough that it kind of makes sense just to have it, realizing that it is just an indicator and not necessarily even close to a final answer.
Given my family history I would have thought he would have ordered one 3 years ago, not wait until I was leaving the country and doing due diligence type testing. But he also told me that since I was already taking low dose aspirin and a satin (while also avoiding Satan!) that it was likely that my results were not indicating calcification in my arteries.
This gives me an opportunity to provide an update.
Last week I had a nuclear stress test. My cardiologist said one reason for the test is that the calcification test finds “old” plaque, where calcium builds up over time, but not great for newer plaque buildups. He had seen something on my regular stress test that motivated him to look further.
Yesterday was my nuclear stress follow-up; yep, there is a plaque in one of the arteries. Apparently, the alarm isn’t about the size of the plaque (it’s not a near-term blockage risk) but rather that I’ve been on Flecainide for aFib reduction , which could cause that plaque to blow-out, and that would be very bad.
So now I’m immediately off Flecainide, which is too bad because it was working well. They have put me on Toprol with the idea that reducing my heart rate could reduce my aFib incidents. As predicted, I’m struggling right now as my body adapts, but that should stabilize in a few days.
It seems it has become a house-of-cards to manage aFib: blood thinner(which has its own risks and complications), beta blocker. I’m now wondering if overall it would be better to just go ahead and get the Watchman procedure.
At least you’ll have a soft pillow or comfy chair with that nice fabric. Shame about the Inquisition.
Sometimes you (or your spelling / dictation app) just can’t buy a break. 
Ah yes, the highway to hell is wide and smooth.
Yeah - that is probably a fine explanation. And you are right, it costs little. But I’ve encountered so much testing/prescription done, “Just in case/As a precaution.” I try to not just go along if I do not perceive a good reason. I think such “precautionary” treatment contributes to the US’ excessive medical expenditures yielding no discernible benefit in life expectancy…
About to eat a big salad then heading for a 30 mile bike ride this afternoon. Hope I don’t drop dead from heart calcium! 
I’m on a roll! So far today I’ve expressed my abject ignorance on personal health care, investing, and music theory. I wonder when I’ll post from a position OTHER than ignorance?!
FWIW, I’ve spent long and sleepless nights in white statins.
Never reaching the end.
@Raza good group of knowledgeable folks over at this afib forum:
So calcium can just naturally attach itself to the outside of the arteries? The heart in general? I kind of undertand it blocking the arteries from the inside, but why the concentration on the outside?