Dont know, but I would imagine the major cardiac centres do the scan, but I think it would be used as a tool for the sick, not a clarification for the worried well.Does/has anyone ever had one of these on the NHS I wonder?
You would have no idea if you are one or the other without the scan..Dont know, but I would imagine the major cardiac centres do the scan, but I think it would be used as a tool for the sick, not a clarification for the worried well.
D.
You would have no idea if you are one or the other without the scan..
Edit to add Have I done something to offend you? You seem particularly aggressive in your replies or do you just not like ex bankers?
I think in fact our views are very similar.. that we should become "expert patients" and not rely on everything (most things even?) we are told by overworked and generalist HCP's. Do you agree with that?If you don't like my views on medical treatment Bulkbiker it's a problem for you, I am trying to help others see a more graded view, not a black and white one.
Hi,
A while ago, @bulkbiker started a thread when he had this same test done.
I am afraid that I cannot find that thread, so have started this one.
If anyone finds BB's thread, could they link to it?
The CT Scan is a test (similar to an MRI, but on a smaller donut shaped machine, rather than the big tube machine that I had with an MRI).
It gives you a score, usually from 0-400 units, showing the amount of calcification you have on the lining of your heart arteries, and is (one of) the best ways to assess your chance of a heart attack in the next few years. It is much more accurate than the NHS QRisk test.
Anyway, Mr B and I trundled down to Rivers Hospital, Herts, and had the test yesterday.
I will respect Mr B's privacy, and not discuss his results, but am happy to talk about mine.if anyone has any questions, ask away!
The reason I had the test done was firstly, as moral support for Mr B, secondly curiosity to see how my highly insulin resistant body is handling my ketogenic, mainly carnivorous, high in saturated fat way of eating.
Anyone who is interested can research the relevance of a CT scan for heart assessment, by watching the Ivor Cummins youtube vids on the subject. There is even a TV documentary on the subject called Widowmaker.
Nowadays, the understanding is that calcification of the heart arteries is driven largely by chronic inflammation, infections, genetics, and autoimmune disorders, especially if they cause inflammation - and high insulin levels (such as many T2s have) is key here, since it often leads to inflammation.
Personally, I have psoriasis (chronic inflammation) and insulin resistance = high insulin levels, as well as gluten intolerance (which in my case causes joint inflammation, esp in the knees. And I have had most of those for most of my adult life. So it is a clear indication that I have several ingredients for brewing a bit of calcification.
So imagine my delighted excitement when the results of my test for the 4 heart arteries, showed ZERO calcification, amounting to a ZERO score overall.
I think it is fair to say that my low carb eating habits over the last few decades, keto for the last 5 years or so, and almost completely carnivorous for the last 4 months, is not 'stabbing me in the heart'
These are the test results:
In the pic below, you can clearly see the white areas are bones - sternum and spine and rib.
If there was calcification of the heart arteries, you would also see white deposits in the heart itself.
I confess I am a little shakey on the anatomy of the abdomen, but I think that the pic on the left is showing heart and liver, and the pic on the right is showing heart. Either way, no white patches.
There are some interesting utube films on this subject- increasing vitamin d is of help - sorry no links at mo as I'm on my phone but worth checking out if you are concernedSuppose you have one done and get a bad result. There is nothing you can do to reverse calcification in the arteries is there? You could try to ensure that it didn't get any worse but how? Increase your cholesterol level? Avoid fruit? Avoid other fructose? Is there anything else you can do?
Apart from the flouride in the water (I'm looking into the cost of decent water purifiers, calcification isn't the only thing it's connected with) and antibiotic use (6 months use because of leg infections caused by mosquito bites), I've actually been doing the "right" thing for some years before that scan. I might look at paying for another one or I could cheat and suggest to my GP that I'm having chest pains (I won't, many people more needy than me).
Off track I know but @Brunneria had you seen this, I until recently had no idea of the link between Psoriasis and gluten and that it is a similar reaction to gluten as found in the gut with Celiac disease but in the skin many members of my family have suffered with severe Psoriasis hence my interest.
Psoriasis patients with antibodies to gliadin can be improved by a gluten-free diet.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10651693
Thanks for link. Looks like a good price.
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