vascular calcification

[caretaker]

I have had a bad back for years and at last got an x-ray
the GP didn't say to much about the results... it was just ware and tear but gave me a strong pain killer that i could only take for 28 days and a physio appointment in 80 days time .
i got my GPs to give me my full copy of my medical records that cost me £25 and after reading the 400 pages i found the x-ray results that said i had bone spurs and artritus and vascular calcification. has anyone come across vascular calcification and how bad is this i no it is part of the aging process but i'm not that old

 

[AndBreathe]

I have had a bad back for years and at last got an x-ray
the GP didn't say to much about the results... it was just ware and tear but gave me a strong pain killer that i could only take for 28 days and a physio appointment in 80 days time .
i got my GPs to give me my full copy of my medical records that cost me £25 and after reading the 400 pages i found the x-ray results that said i had bone spurs and artritus and vascular calcification. has anyone come across vascular calcification and how bad is this i no it is part of the aging process but i'm not that old

To be honest Caretaker, I think this is something you should be discussing with your doctor, as it's a bit like saying how bad is arthritis. Asking anyone that question, you can bet your life nobody would say they want to have it, but on the other hand, many, many thousands of people have arthritis without being too affected by it, in their day-to-day lives.

I think, like so many of these things, good diabetes control, not carrying too much weight and not smoking are likely to be desirable.

 

[Winnie53]

@caretaker I do not know how much calcium or plaque I have in my arteries, but for a variety reasons, I've tried to learn about how to prevent/reverse it. Richard Bernstein, MD, a type 1 diabetic since age 12, I think, talks about how he has maintained his vascular health by keeping his blood glucose levels low and stable through much of his adult life in his book Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, 4th edition. He's in his early 80's now.

I found information on how vitamin K2 with vitamins A and D, and magnesium manage calcium interesting. According to what I read, these nutrients help retain calcium within the bones and help remove it from where it's not wanted. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, ND wrote well referenced book on this topic, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox.

Here's two YouTube videos on the topic, one with Canadian naturopath Dr. Rheaume-Bleue, another with holistic medicine practitioner John Whitcomb, MD...

I've found books by cardiologists Stephen Sinatra, MD and Mark Houston, MD very helpful too. Another physician, Steven Masley, MD, who recently hosted the Healthy Heart Summit, uses the CIMT with all of his patients, primarily as a tool to motivate and help patients monitor their progress with diet, exercise, and greater blood glucose control...

"The Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) test was developed to help identify those individuals at higher than conventionally predicted risk for cardiovascular disease. The test is performed with ultrasound, and measures the thickness of the carotid arteries, which supply the brain. The idea is that increased thickness of these arteries is a marker for early heart disease. The CIMT test is quick (usually 10 minutes), painless, and involves no radiation exposure." http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/the-cimt-test-worth-the-cost

I found one article he wrote about it on his blog...

http://www.drmasley.com/heart-health/are-your-children-growing-plaque-in-their-arteries/

I personally take vitamin K2, cod liver oil, vitamin D, and magnesium daily - (other supplements too as I have multiple health issues). I've done this for about six months now. I also walk 1 to 3 miles a day, eat a low carb diet, and monitor my blood glucose levels closely and "eat to my meter". I don't know if it's helping or not, but my Hs-CRP, a lab test to measure cardiovascular inflammation, has dropped from 4.9 to 3.3, which is just above the normal range of 1 to 3, and I'm no longer having chest pains.

 

[caretaker]

@caretaker I do not know how much calcium or plaque I have in my arteries, but for a variety reasons, I've tried to learn about how to prevent/reverse it. Richard Bernstein, MD, a type 1 diabetic since age 12, I think, talks about how he has maintained his vascular health by keeping his blood glucose levels low and stable through much of his adult life in his book Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, 4th edition. He's in his early 80's now.

I found information on how vitamin K2 with vitamins A and D, and magnesium manage calcium interesting. According to what I read, these nutrients help retain calcium within the bones and help remove it from where it's not wanted. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, ND wrote well referenced book on this topic, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox.

Here's two YouTube videos on the topic, one with Canadian naturopath Dr. Rheaume-Bleue, another with holistic medicine practitioner John Whitcomb, MD...

I've found books by cardiologists Stephen Sinatra, MD and Mark Houston, MD very helpful too. Another physician, Steven Masley, MD, who recently hosted the Healthy Heart Summit, uses the CIMT with all of his patients, primarily as a tool to motivate and help patients monitor their progress with diet, exercise, and greater blood glucose control...

"The Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) test was developed to help identify those individuals at higher than conventionally predicted risk for cardiovascular disease. The test is performed with ultrasound, and measures the thickness of the carotid arteries, which supply the brain. The idea is that increased thickness of these arteries is a marker for early heart disease. The CIMT test is quick (usually 10 minutes), painless, and involves no radiation exposure." http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/the-cimt-test-worth-the-cost

I found one article he wrote about it on his blog...

http://www.drmasley.com/heart-health/are-your-children-growing-plaque-in-their-arteries/

I personally take vitamin K2, cod liver oil, vitamin D, and magnesium daily - (other supplements too as I have multiple health issues). I've done this for about six months now. I also walk 1 to 3 miles a day, eat a low carb diet, and monitor my blood glucose levels closely and "eat to my meter". I don't know if it's helping or not, but my Hs-CRP, a lab test to measure cardiovascular inflammation, has dropped from 4.9 to 3.3, which is just above the normal range of 1 to 3, and I'm no longer having chest pains.

thanks for the video links very interesting i will look into K2 and talk to my GP for his opinion.

 

[Winnie53]

@caretaker I think checking with your doctor (or pharmacist) to insure that the nutritional supplements you're considering taking do not cause a problem with a medical condition you have or a medication you're taking is always a good idea.

That said, while you're doctor may be the exception, most doctors have little or no training in nutrition. That's why when I began researching how to restore my health, I sought out books by doctors and other healthcare professionals who also have training in nutrition. So, while your doctor may completely support you in this nutrition supplement strategy, he or she may not, so be prepared for that. By the way, beta carotene does not convert well to vitamin A, that's why the cod liver oil is important.

I lost a very dear friend who had type 1 diabetes about five years ago to a hypo who had survived and completely recovered from a triple bypass operation two years earlier. She was one of the most vibrant, engaged, intelligent, loving people I've known, so while I don't understand type 1 diabetes, I "get" that it's very complex to manage.

In my many wanderings over the last six months, I stumbled upon a 30 year type 1 diabetic who specializes in educating and coaching type 1 diabetics, Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE.

He keeps up on the latest research, technology, medications, and insulin. In addition to giving presentations and interviews regularly, he's a prolific writer. His books, articles, and blog posts are easily accessible.

Here's a sample post from his Think Like a Pancreas blog... http://integrateddiabetes.com/garys-top-10-no-make-that-14-diabetes-truisms/ Have a look around there, and if you like his style and approach, consider getting a copy of his book, Think Like a Pancreas, which was completely revised and updated in 2011.

Or, if you prefer videos, check him out on YouTube here... https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gary+scheiner

While Gary does not have a degree in nutrition, he is a "certified diabetes educator, insulin-pump user/trainer, CGM user/trainer, and Masters-level exercise physiologist", he at least has a faculty member on his online Type 1 University who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Biology. Learn more about the courses offered there at http://type1university.com/faculty/

I've read numerous accounts over the last six months of diabetics who have reversed their arterial plaque with dietary changes and greater blood glucose control. The K2, cod liver oil, vitamin D, and magnesium can help with the calcium problem.

I also take fish oil (learn more here... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217043/ ) and CoQ10 (learn more here... https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/coenzyme-q10 ).

I know this can quickly feel overwhelming...I got started by making dietary changes, starting the nutritional supplements, and walking, followed by lots of reading to confirm I was on the right track. You can do it too. Jump in with both feet, or begin by trying one or two things and build from there.

 

[caretaker]

thanks again
i know the doctor will not be keen on me trying anything thats new to him but the mention of vascular problems is enough to give you a heart attack.
now that i have seen the videos and herd that bone spurs is part of the calcium build up. and i can see wear my back pain is coming from.
the alarm bells rang when in brackets the radiologist wrote .. note vascular calcification

thanks again

 

[Winnie53]

@caretaker your experience illustrates for me once again the value of paying for and reading our medical records.

 

[Winnie53]

Here's an excellent editorial that I came across this morning from the BMJ and British Cardiovascular Society OpenHealth journal, published two days ago...

It is time to stop counting calories, and time instead to promote dietary changes that substantially and rapidly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

I posted it here... http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...rdiovascular-society-openheart-journal.82986/