Is this the normal way cardiologist deal with their patients?

I think that yes - some cardiologists can be very "superior" acting.  My husband's cardio is the same way.  He certainly is NOT encouraging, and never even "pats him on the back" for quitting smoking and getting back to exercising.  All he wants to focus on, lately, his my husband''s weight.  I think cardiologists sometimes need to "blame" the patient, when the medical community cannot "fix" what is wrong with them.  When my husband had his first heart attack, they blamed it on smoking.  He quit immediately -- now that he has had a second one, they are blaming it on his weight.  Maybe you could look for a new cardiologist that would be a little more understanding.  i wish we could find another one - the the "group" that we see almost seem to "own" the hospitals around here, and there are very few cardiologists that he can see.  Good luck to you!

I would not be so sure that your weight was the only cause of your heart disease.
Though you are overweight your are not morbidly obese.
and at the age of 33 is young even for someone that is obese to have heart problems that need bypass surgery.

I would start looking for a doctor that will do the tests to get to the real problem.

you may have a metabolic disorder or a hypercholesterol disorder that needs to be treated aggressively.

Many doctors that don't have problems with weight themself tend to think that every one that is overweight can easely lose weight.
that is not the case.

My husband had two heart attacks, the second caused by a blood clot in the stent. he had one by-pass after the 2nd attack, He was in very poor condition or would have by passed the other the other stent and a blockage of 60%

When he came home his b/p started going up and up, it was running 180/95 and above, I called his cardio's office 3 times and the home health care nurses called 5 times, they never returned our calls. We ended up having to call our g/p who changed his meds. But the cardio's office did call to set up an appointment 4 weeks later.

Needless to say we have found a new cardio, he s very caring and returns calls himself, keeps on top of things with tests. My husband smoked before the first attack of course that was the cause of the attack, he has also gained a lot of weight, the Cardio told him to try to get it off, He said I know it is hard but try. I hate these Drs. who use scare tactics. We are all aware of weight, smoking etc and our health.

Our g/p uses scare tactics also, my b/p is always around 160/90 when I see her, at home it is great and she wants me on meds. She say you do not know what you b/p goes up to when you are stressed, well who does. As long as my b/p is good at home I will not take meds.

A neighbor of ours works in the cath lab at a big medical center near us, he say all cardios are arrogant and think they are the best of the best.

Linda

 

I am 190lbs and 5 foot 3inch tall, maybe I have been fooling myself, but 50lbs over weight, I never thought would turn me into a walking heart attack. I do care for myself I try to lose weight but I just yo-yo up and down 10lbs so far.  before the happen I was a walker 2 mile 5 days a week i am now walking 2-3 miles 5 days a week. I guess I want some compassion and so postive feedback on my health from my cardiologist. not just a 5min talk about my grim future and death and my kids being fatherless.

Faldlou,

That is great news!

The drugs will have a greater impact on dropping your cholesterol than your diet from what I experienced. My total cholesterol was 198, LDL 138 and HDL was 32 when I was admitted with a heart attack. I was immediately put on 40 mg a day of Lipitor (among other drugs).  A few months later, my total cholesterol was  112, LDL 57 and HDL was 31.  I figured that 75% of the change was due to the Lipitor and about 25% was due to diet. I was then started on Niaspan and it is now 95 total cholesterol, 45 HDL and 42 LDL. My PCP has me now take 40 mg/20 mg Lipitor to raise the LDL slightly.

Hopefully things will begin to work themselves out for you.  Best of luck!!

It is really better to eat a little something 5-6 times throughout the day rather than just have 3 big meals. This helps to keep you blood sugars level throughout the day and keeps you from feeling starved at a meal and blowing it. (If you do blow it, just blow it off and start again.)

 For example: breakfast in the morning consisting of a whole wheat type of cereal(3grams or more of fiber in a serving which will probably be 3/4 cup-MEASURE IT) with a glass(8oz. ONLY-MEASURE IT) of skim or low-fat MILK and a fruit (NO FRUIT JUICES if you are trying to lose weight because juices offer no fiber like whole fruit so they do not fill up the stomach and satisfy as long like whole fruit. Another thing, fruit juices are lacking in nutritional value as compared to whole fruit. Juices are mainly empty calories and sugar.)

Two to three hours later: Eat a fat free yogurt like Yoplait. It comes in a variety of flavors and is only 90calories-none of which is fat calories. NO HIGH CALORIE, HIGH FAT yogurt. Be aware of what you are buying and what you are putting in your mouth!

Lunch will be getting close within a couple of hours. For lunch:Make yourself eat a salad but watch the extras like cheese, nuts, croutons-SEVERLY limit or eliminate these! As for myself, I cannot eat a salad without croutons. So I crush them up that way I use MUCH LESS but seem to have more. Stick with a non-fat or low fat dressing. There are very good ones out there. Try them out until you find a variety you like. It takes some experimenting and detective work but it will help you in the long run. Don't keep using the same high calorie, high fat dressing because you don't know what to try. Read labels and Buy new. THROW AWAY THE ONES YOU DON'T LIKE AND TRY ANOTHER VARIETY. DON'T GIVE UP AND DON"T FEEL GUILTY about THROWING AWAY WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE! This is about your health long term and you DESERVE IT!   With your salad, have soup or a sandwich on wheat bread. Use lean meat sparingly with lots of veggies. Mayo needs to be non-fat. (Yes, you will get use to the chance in taste and like it!)If you have potatoe chips, try the baked kind. The baked doritos or baked cheetos are actually quite good even my husband eats these. Watch the serving size. YOu may need to measure for awhile to get an idea of what an actual, real serving size is. Most people OVER-estimate by ALOT!

I better make a third post. This is getting way long! SORRY

Post Edited (Hopes) : 8/30/2007 8:46:38 AM (GMT-6)

It is me again, Faldlou. Hope I'm not beating a dead horse but I really do have a few more things to add. Just think about them.

 

Unless you have a thyroid problem, being overweight really comes down to taking in more calories than you are expending. We all know this but you need to find the issue/issues as to why this is happening.

 

For example, are you making poor food choices? Reality for me is that given freedom to eat anything I wanted and have it not matter, I would eat cheeseburgers and french fries EVERYDAY for lunch. YES-EVERYDAY. I would be happy. For dinner I would eat chicken enchilladas smoothered in jalapeno cheese sauce with rice and refried beans with plenty of chips and salsa while waiting for the food to get on the table. POOR FOOD CHOICES! It does really matter and I don't have that freedom. So I NEVER put cheese on a burger and probably eat one only 5-6 times a year when we go out for fast food. Instead I'll eat a grilled chicken. If I really want a burger, It is a very lean grilled one at home with lots of vegetable. French Fries? NEVER!!!!! I fix baked fries at home. Those chicken enchilladas which are making my mouth water by just thinking of them? Once a year, the small size (2, instead of 3) with most of the sauce scraped off and borracho beans not refried. Also I try to leave some on my plate, no need to scrape the plate clean. I won't refuse the chips because it is only once a year BUT I take only 5-10 and SAVOR, SAVOR, SAVOR!

 

Is poor food choices or lack of knowledge about good food choices and serving sizes your problem? OR are you a social eater? Out and about with lots of friends and family and always eating while visiting and playing? Foods at the family reunions or football games/bowling allyey/ballpark/etc... tend not to be the best. Since we are having fun while we mindlessly eating, we can rack up a good number of calories without even knowing it. Then after the event, we're still hungry because we were 'just snacking a bit'. Make social events about the people and conversations or activity and not about the food. Also BE AWARE of what you are actually putting in your mouth!

OR are you an emotional eater? This is what was KILLING ME! I would get frustrated, angry, depressed about whatever (usually a conflict with my husband) and I'd eat! It actually made me feel comforted! DANGER!!!!!!!!!!! I had to really fight this and STILL do! I love to eat high calorie, high fat foods when I'm emotionally keyed up. It literally feels like a warm blanket surrounding first my stomach, then all of my body.This is not healthy! I have to fight the urge and find a distraction. It is best to communicate with the person you might be angry or frustrated with but sometimes you can't or you need time first. Then I have found that going out for a walk, exercising, listening to music, etc...HELPS to diffuse the emotion and put me back on an even-keel providing a distraction from the food which I don't want after the emotions are under control.

I just thought of these things. Maybe they will be helpful to you. At least it is a little fuel for thought. 

Hi Faldlou,

I'm happy to read your doc is being more positive. I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy about 2 and a half years ago.  At the time I was almost 40 pounds over weight.  I joined Weigth Watchers about a year ago and lost the extra weight in 8 months.  I think the main reason for my success is because it was on my terms.  I didn't do it for anyone else but me.  I think you have to be in the right mind set and the right time.  Hang in there.  You'll do it.  Just find something (healthy) that works for you.  Best of luck.

been a while since i posted, so nice to see you hopes, els. and what great feedback from selmer, nand net, and the others. so glad you are here, you bring new ways and approaches to the forum  lovin it.  faldlou, you, i am sure are frightened silly, who wouldn't be.  i had a dr. who told me i would be under the knife in two years after i got my stents placed nearly three years ago,  i dropped him like a hot potato, he was a great dr. but not for me.  i can see everyone really does agree about getting the weight off, if you were free of heart problems it would still be an issue.  i have to lose 10 pounds i put on since my last post,  can you beleive it els and hopes, 10 big ones in a year.  and trying to lose those is sooooo    well i haven't done it. i  have never had 10 pounds i wanted to lose i cannot beleive how hard it would be to lose 20, 30, or 50.  get tough fal, i am 60 years old, not 33, if you do it now it will be easier on you, good luck, i am sorry you have to face this at such a young age,

god bless you       p. s.
I have a rather odd post i am going to put up, don't laugh but please do respond anyone