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coronary arteries

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futurenets

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I was diagnosed 12 months ago with diabetes and since then I have reached my correct weight, got really fit and achieved excellent control of my blood sugar using a glycemic load diet. This control is actually much better now since (as I am told by the dietician) my metabolism has changed. It was almost like restarting a system back to its initial state.

So I was feeling pretty good about myself and started running. I use to run before (about 15 years ago) and soon got back into it to the point were I felt my old self again. Running 5 miles quickly became easy and I felt fantastic.

I recently entered a half marathon with my son, completed the run and had a heart attack.

Since the old days I'd let my work take over my life and had a long period of being obese, unfit with a poor diet. This had not only helped bring on my diabetes but slowly and silently created several blockages (some 95%) in my coronary arteries.

I was lucky that running the half marathon exposed this problem and has given me a chance to put it right.

When diagnosed with diabetes the doc wanted me on insulin, I refused and succeeded. Now they want me to have triple bypass surgery and at least for now I'm putting that on hold and following the Ormish Diet (adjusted for diabetes). My wife is worried sick but if I pull this one off then I really will feel good about myself!
 
Futurenets,

I don't mean to be rude here, but I wouldn't be ignoring the advice from your health care team regarding the triple bypass surgery. As you already know, blocked arteries is a serious medical condition and one not to be taken lightly. My father had this procedure done and it turned his life around at that time, without the surgery he would have been dead in 2 years they said.

I would give this some serious consideration here, I don't know much about the Ornish Diet, like many other diet plans like Atkins, Bernstein etc, they are not suitable for all, and so be very careful. Often these diet plans are a means of making big money from book deals, subscriptions and media coverage, I am personally very suspicious of such deceitful methods.

I would follow the advice of the professionals, that is your gp and cardiology specialists, they are the very people that deal in such matters on a daily bases, and save countless lives as a result. Hope all goes well, which ever path you choose to follow.

Nigel
 
futurenets said:
I've made my choice now and will keep you posted re. coronary arteries same, better or worse as time goes by.
Click to expand...

That's fine, it is your choice and only you can make these decisions. I wasn't sure that by posting your message you were asking for opinions on the subject. I hope you keep well and soon return to your running.

Nigel
 
thanks nigel, appreciated.

the purpose of my posting was to warn anyone who has succeeded in getting their diabetes under control not to assume that the coronary arteries have not suffered damage during in the lifestyle that may have led to the onset of diabetes.
 
Hi futurenets
As Nigel has said I would think very careful about what you are trying to do, I too had a heart attack two years ago 29th this month. and subsequently was told I had heart disease in all three arteries, if this is the case with your arteries then I'm afraid no amount of exercise will change this.
I had three stents placed in two of my arteries and they were going to do bypass on the third but chose not to due to my age at the time (46) so they scraped it as best they could.
I would talk to your Dr about stents and see if that would be a better option for you if you are so against the triple bypass.

Joe
 
thanks Joe I appreciate your note but I have made up my mind and I'm not relying on just exercise in fact have stopped running now until this is fixed. I just want a second test in 3-6 months to determine if my arteries are same, better or worse before making a decision.

Like I said the purpose of my posting was not the solution to heart disease but for other diabetics who may not have discovered this ticking time bomb.
 
thanks for the support.

I've been a vegan for about 3 weeks now and seen a major positive shift in my blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol without any medication. I'm actually eating food that I couldn't previously eat without my blood sugar shooting up.

We're all different and I don't feel comfortable giving advise but I do genuinely want to share my experiences in the hope that it may at least help other to research other options.

I would highly recommend Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD book on heart disease.
 
I take my earlier comments back about the UK health service. I met my Cardiology Consultant a few days ago and he confirmed that my coronary arteries had probably stabilised as a result of my whole-food oil-free vegan diet. Its obvioulsy early days yet but this is a major step forward for me. Furthermore he confirmed that if I keep it up then I can look foward to a reversal but this may take quite a while. This has to be better solution than a triple bypass and daily drugs for life. My diabetes is now non-existent.

also found an excellent site, is it ok to give details of this? if not my apologies ...

LInk removed by Moderator 3.
 
Please do not post links which contain advertising without permission from a forum monitor.

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