3 ms·

If I may be so bold, a heart attack is a big deal, may I ask how old you are - 40's, 50's? Do you smoke?

by hoodoof 11y ago

mindcrime 11y ago
I just turned 42 last week, had the heart attack last Nov. when I was 41 and some change. Never smoked in my life. But I didn't always eat the way I should, and while I've been a competitive athlete on an "on again, off again" basis throughout my adult life (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, powerlifting, mountain biking, etc.), I had been too much of the "off again" for the past few years, and had let my weight creep up a bit. Even then though, it took me by surprise, I wasn't exactly one of those 350lb super-obese people you look at and think "how is that guy not dead yet", ya know? But between that and the stress I was under, it almost did me in. And just to elaborate on all this a bit... I'd always heard the old saw "stress kills", but interestingly enough, after the heart attack, something everybody (cardiologist, GP, nurses, cardiac rehab people, etc.) emphasized to me VERY strongly, was the impact of stress. I'm sure I heard "you need to lower your stress levels" more than I heard "you need to lose weight" or "you need to lower your cholesterol". And I was really grinding those last few months right before it happened. I was working pretty much 7 days a week, and I'd routinely put in 8 hours during the day, then go up to B&N or Starbucks and work another 5 or 6 hours, during which time I'd drink a triple-shot latte, drink a Red Bull, and then eat a box or two of chocolate covered espresso beans. And I'd do this shit 4 or 5 times a week. In hindsight, it was all pretty stupid, but, like almost everybody who hasn't had a brush with death, I thought I was superhuman and could push myself that hard and get away with it. So, again, moral of this story: DO NOT DO WHAT I DID. I AM A BAD EXAMPLE. Take some time off, unwind, do something outdoors (hiking, biking, running, swimming, whatever), eat a healthful diet, and talk to your doctor occasionally. I know there's a lot of backlash against "over testing" and all, but at the very least, it's probably a good idea to go have an annual physical. Stop smoking if you do. Heart attacks are largely avoidable, but it means doing things right.

If I may be so bold, a heart attack is a big deal, may I ask how old you are - 40's, 50's? Do you smoke?

by hoodoof 11y ago

If I may be so bold, a heart attack is a big deal, may I ask how old you are - 40's, 50's? Do you smoke?

I just turned 42 last week, had the heart attack last Nov. when I was 41 and some change. Never smoked in my life. But I didn't always eat the way I should, and while I've been a competitive athlete on an "on again, off again" basis throughout my adult life (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, powerlifting, mountain biking, etc.), I had been too much of the "off again" for the past few years, and had let my weight creep up a bit. Even then though, it took me by surprise, I wasn't exactly one of those 350lb super-obese people you look at and think "how is that guy not dead yet", ya know? But between that and the stress I was under, it almost did me in. And just to elaborate on all this a bit... I'd always heard the old saw "stress kills", but interestingly enough, after the heart attack, something everybody (cardiologist, GP, nurses, cardiac rehab people, etc.) emphasized to me VERY strongly, was the impact of stress. I'm sure I heard "you need to lower your stress levels" more than I heard "you need to lose weight" or "you need to lower your cholesterol". And I was really grinding those last few months right before it happened. I was working pretty much 7 days a week, and I'd routinely put in 8 hours during the day, then go up to B&N or Starbucks and work another 5 or 6 hours, during which time I'd drink a triple-shot latte, drink a Red Bull, and then eat a box or two of chocolate covered espresso beans. And I'd do this shit 4 or 5 times a week. In hindsight, it was all pretty stupid, but, like almost everybody who hasn't had a brush with death, I thought I was superhuman and could push myself that hard and get away with it. So, again, moral of this story: DO NOT DO WHAT I DID. I AM A BAD EXAMPLE. Take some time off, unwind, do something outdoors (hiking, biking, running, swimming, whatever), eat a healthful diet, and talk to your doctor occasionally. I know there's a lot of backlash against "over testing" and all, but at the very least, it's probably a good idea to go have an annual physical. Stop smoking if you do. Heart attacks are largely avoidable, but it means doing things right.