Doctors, Grrrrrr. How I hate them.

[OneBallBoi (imported)]

And did I say that I am not much at all for doctoring. I had not been to a Doctor in 4 years and 4 months. I have been experiencing shortness of breathe and light headedness. There was a flyer that came in the mail for a CT Scan of the heart for $99.. Bobbie pressured me big time until I finally gave in and went and had the CT scan. My score was 715. I went for the test on a Friday and the technician was so alarmed by the high score that she ordered me to see a Doctor on Monday. You could not get in to see a Doctor that quick, but I did get in after a bit. The Doctor ordered up a Stress Test with a cardiologist. The technician did a echocardiogram before the stress test. The cardiologist looked at the results for no more than 1 minute and left. The technician made me run on the tread mill. I thought during the last minute that I would die. I got off and it took a good 10 minutes for my breathing to come down to a reasonable level. Again they did another echocardiogram and the cardiologist came in a looked at the results for no more then 1 minute. He left without saying anything and the technicians told me to put my shirt back on, I passed the test and to go home. I was not told a exercise program, a diet program, nothing. Just told I passed the test and there was no need for me to come back by the technician, not the cardiologist.

I am totally confused. One technician tells me my score is real high and get help. And then the next technician says nothing needs to be done. I can only assume that you have to have a heart attack before they are willing to do a angiogram or stents or anything to improve my breathing and light headedness.

I think it will be a long time before I go to a doctor again. Fact is, they may have to take me in an ambulance before I will go again. The medical profession is worthless.

[tugon (imported)]

Basically they told you that you were not at risk for a heart attack. Did anyone say you were in an irregular rhythm? They did not diagnose your problem. My question is what is your blood pressure and pulse? High blood pressure can cause you to be light headed. A fast pulse can cause shortness of breath. Did your doctor do any blood work? There are other things to check for that create those effects. Could even be mild panic attacks. Call your doctor and ask what the total results were with both your office visit and stress test. Do not wait for them to call you.

I am not a doctor or nurse but these are questions I would ask and results I would want to know.

[OneBallBoi (imported)]

Bobbie rules, I had to go to a real discount "Any Labs Tests Now" group.. Well it has been a week already and I still do not have any results from the labs.. I watch the blood pressure all the way through the test, it was right in front of me and it real good. Amazing even. I find it unreasonable that no one gave me a exercise program that I should be doing nor a diet I should be following.. Luckily I have a friend from back in New York who is an RN in a cardiology unit at St Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, NY and she has given me information on exercise and diet. Low sodium is the rule.. I am still disappointed, this cardiologist told me nothing.

[tugon (imported)]

You did not have an appointment with the cardiologist. You had a stress test that was overseen by the cardiologist. He saw no immediate danger so he would sent the results back to your doctor. If your doctor felt you needed to be seen by a cardiologist you would have a follow up appointment. If your blood pressure was fine and pulse dropped after the treadmill why do you think you should be put on a diet? Why do you feel that you should have and exercise program? If you have no history of heart problems what were you expecting? We all know we should eat properly and exercise.

When I had my stress test I lasted a few minutes longer than the minimum time but not much more. I was very short of breath and it took me a time to recover. My cardiologist told me I was fat and out of shape. My stress test was normal except for two views had an inverted T wave which is typical for people who had hyper tension for years. I wonder how I would do today after all the long walks with my Beagle.

Do you do anything for relaxation like meditation of yoga? Do you go for peaceful long walks? Do you have too much stress in your life?

[OneBallBoi (imported)]

Ok, simple tugon.. My father died at age 57 of a heart attack.. The nut does not fall to far from t he tree. Need I really say more. My father should have had a angioplasty or a stent or two. But they did nothing for him. Get it.. 57 is very young to die. Hello.

[tugon (imported)]

Ok, simple tugon.. My father died at age 57 of a heart attack.. The nut does not fall to far from t he tree. Need I really say more. My father should have had a angioplasty or a stent or two. But they did nothing for him. Get it.. 57 is very young to die. Hello.

I was just trying to help you see things from the cardiologist's side and from my years working in a hospital. I had also experienced a stress test. I tried to give you suggestions of other things to consider. I am done. You responded in a sarcastic manner. We no longer need to exchange ideas.

[OneBallBoi (imported)]

I did not mean to mean to be sarcastic. I do apologize for having come off that way. I told the cardiologist that my father died at age 57 from a heart attack and that the nut doesn't fall to far from the tree and he agreed.. And then he gives no exercise and diet.. I just think the cardiologist stinks. Probably won't go back to him ever.

[Sweetpickle (imported)]

It sounds as if you decided before you went what the diagnosis should be.

If you had a stress test and passed it that is generally considered a guarantee

that you will not have a heart attack within a year.

You might have issues like high blood pressure, overweight, COPD, etc. that would

make it harder for you to breathe. But those can be addressed separately from any

consideration of having stents installed, or other major invasive procedures.

[OneBallBoi (imported)]

Blood pressure is in check, blood work was done and everything was OK there, the Cardiologist says the heart is OK.. So, now where to.. Why am I still short of breath. The CT Scan says there was calcium in my heart sure made me think that the heart was why I was short of breath. Not sure where I will go from here. I don't like the GP I went to. Perhaps I try a different GP..

[Woggler58 (imported)]

In your #9 post you ask in apparent frustration, "

So, now where to.. Why am I still short of breath

"?

I'm about 7 years ahead of you in much the same saga -- and in age. I had at my own curiosity and expense an EBT Heartscan (the premium kind) in yr 2000 with a calcium count of 60 (45th percentile for my age then) and took no further action. I got a follow-up EBT scan by the same people in 2006 with a calcium count of over 600 (= 85th percentile for my age of 63) and took all kinds of action. I'd had no GP since 1999 (he'd retired) and didn't again until 2011, instead engaging specialists myself with complete success, beginning with a competitive bicycling (as I'd been years earlier) husband-wife cardiologist team recommended by the Heartscan people. They almost adopted me as a special patient, advising me on a wide range of actions to take, few of which I hadn't already learned about on my own by self study in books and online in the two months since the 2nd Heartscan. I had already revised my diet and began taking anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory supplements and took daily, brisk-as-I-could bike rides around my neighborhood. My initially poor breathing capacity rapidly responded to that exercise, much faster than my leg strength grew or my weight fell.

These cardiologists ordered lab tests (which mostly weren't very alarming), prescribed entry-level medications for blood pressure, cholesterol and elevated glucose, plus aspirin and fish oil supplement, noted my overweight and habitually sedentary condition, and pointedly declared, "we want you back at your 'fighting weight'." They explained all the onerous testing that might be needed and began with a treadmill stress test, which I seem to have aced, as no further testing was ever mentioned. In 11 more months I was 50 lbs lighter and my breathing was adequate for all demands I could place on it.

Essentially, you have to make yourself a well-informed, empowered patient and diligent keeper of your own health program. Your doctors will serve you better if they don't have to start from scratch in educating you but can merely fill in some gaps in what they can tell you already know.