I understand that having delayed diagnosis and being diabetic and prediabetic for long will eventually increase your glycation, oxidation stress and atherosclerosis eventually. The more reliable way to know how clean your arteries are the CAC score. I believe i have been diabetic several years before diagnosis. I did have claudication symptoms (PAD) just before i was diagnosed. However, with normal BGs, these are gone and i feel all right. However, I am still a bit scared of getting a CAC score done and some times i think my score will be high. My question is being a diabetic for long time, did anyone had their CAC scores and how did it correlate to number of years of uncontrolled sugars? Its just for a general understanding, i know genetics and ethnicity plays a big part in it too. Any insight will be helpful.
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Type 2 Coronary Artery Calcium Score CAC
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I got one done earlier this year as part of a research study I took part in.
My score was zero. That was after 5+ years of ketovore and a diagnosis at very high sugar levels (HbA1c 108) and a very poor diet for several years before. Of course, no way of knowing whether the zero score was an improvement or whether it was always that way.
Had it not been for the research study I was considering paying for the test anyway. From my point of view, had the result not been as I desired, it’s always better to know and have the chance to take action than to bury one’s head in the sand.
My score was zero. That was after 5+ years of ketovore and a diagnosis at very high sugar levels (HbA1c 108) and a very poor diet for several years before. Of course, no way of knowing whether the zero score was an improvement or whether it was always that way.
Had it not been for the research study I was considering paying for the test anyway. From my point of view, had the result not been as I desired, it’s always better to know and have the chance to take action than to bury one’s head in the sand.
Thanks, brilliant. The issue is that i am doing all possible what i can do anyway to manage T2 with low-carb and proper diet, i understand there is no way to reverse CAC and if i know i have a score, there is nothing that will help me just being getting freaked out? There is not much i can change in my diet. I am on a minimum diet anyway.
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Finsit, your recurring mindset is that of worst case scenario.
In this case, you have the ability to see exactly what your benchmark is in this regard. If you are in UK, you could well have the opportunity to have an excellent cardiac MOT by taking part in the research Goonergal and myself have.
The research is looking at cardiac failure in (as opposed to cardiac arrest) in those with T2. The tests run during it are a raft of bloods, ECGs, ultrasound scans, an exercise test, CT and MRI scans, including an assessment of the individual's arterial calcium.
If, as a resault of the research an individual is found to be suffering with "something" - not necessarily directly CVD, with the individual's consent, relevant referrals are made, directly from the research team.
It's up to you, but you seem to take a lot of time to worry about the unknowns. I prefer to know "stuff" and where necessary deal with it.
Of course, not one of us knows what tomorrow might bring.
Thanks, can you please point me to where i can take part in this study please?
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I'm just heading to bed. If you drop me a PM I'll happily send you contact details tomorrow.
Maybe post the information on thread in case others are interested as well?
After a good night of sleep of course!
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The research is not approved by DCUK, so you'd have to ban me if I did.
Banning is so yesterday.
OrsonKartt
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Thank you for the info. Yesterday I got to go to Leicester and get the bucket full of tests that lie there. I’m happy to write up the experience if it’s of value to anyone. Just let me know. One thing I can say, despite not having the exact numbers in yet, is that once you’ve looked inside your heart you can never unsee what’s there.
I'm going up on 23rd August.. quite excited..
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OOoooh. Glad you found it to be useful. It's quite an experience, isn't it? And I'm sure you were made to feel valued and important.
Watching one's own heart beat is something else.
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OrsonKartt
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You bet but I wasn’t prepared for the “ you are a diabetic with high cholesterol and should be on statins” lecture . I don’t have a print out of the numbers yet but would welcome all your thoughts when these are available. At the mo my thoughts are from reading the literature is that while statins can decrease heart failure their use does not in the end help all causes ….
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Interesting. That conversation wasn’t part of my feedback and my lipids always total high, but components are good.
Happy to chat when you have the formal feedback, or any time really.
OrsonKartt
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Fab. How long did it take till you got your numbers back ?
Depends if they ask me to put on a mask or not!Play nicely!
They didn’t ask me to - and that was back in February!
I made a subject access request and now have the imaging on a CD.
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Only for the exercise test, where they examine your exhaled gases. Once properly fitted, that's fine.
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Well, to be honest, I got mine quite quickly (I couldn't guess what that means now), but I was also participating in a sub-study around repeatability and consistency in reporting, so they wanted to ensure their reporting protocols and systems were being utilised consistently, which I'm sure you'll appreciate is critical when collecting data from multiple subjects, over time.
If it seems to be taking a LONG time, you can always drop them a note.
