>Date:    Wed, 8 Oct 2003 16:34:24 -0500
>From:    Jim Swayze <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Cardiologist
.
>
>Two questions:
>
>1) I don't want to take the drugs.  Anybody disagree?
>
>Thoughts?

These are my thoughts as someone who took heart meds for 11 years and had 11
years of life taken from her. Now no longer. Look up the side effects of these
drugs and read the heart arrhythmia boards as to others experiences with them.

Toprol. Is a beta blocker. They can cause insulin resistence, weight gain and
change your metabolism. In fact I lost my appetite and put on mounds of
weight, became very depressed and anxious. Do you have hypertension, if not
these can bring your blood pressure down to way below the norm, I was dizzy
and fainting with them. They can also bring about other arrhythmias, breathing
problems etc. Some people manage them with little side effects but I was not
lucky. If my condition was life threatening I might decide to buy time with
them, but not quality of life with them.

Lisinopril is an ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor). They are given
to people with chronic heart failure and again come with hypotension problems.
They can also increase potassium serum levels which also can cause more
arrhythmia problems and kidney problems. Do you really think you need this.

>
>2) Could the slight cardiomyopathy be a result of my twice a week high
>intensity weight training?  So rather than being indicative of a problem,
>could it actually be a GOOD thing?

YES. Weight training can also cause arrhythmias and problems with the vagus
nerve. You might want to pace yourself a bit and not put in maximum effort
anymore. Or take up something else that does not call for such focussed
exertion.
>
>He did mention that it might be slightly overized since I used to be a
>competitive runner, but that was 18 years ago now.

In my opinion he is going in for over kill with the drugs. But if you do
indeed have cardiomyopathy then it may be good. I only know about so called
benign atrial  fibrillation and became paleo to get my life back. It worked
for me.

Fran

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