Weight Loss and Medication Reduction Plan

9. January 2010 by PawBill.

They say, “You are what you eat.”  Who they is I do not know, but I do know what I should and should not eat, but for the life of me I do not know why I continue to eat, and enjoy, all the foods that are bad for my health.  It is time for me to get serious about life—a healthy lifestyle, that is.  I am going to get serious, and I hope you will follow my lifestyle changes. To start, I plan to reveal a lot of personal medical information, and I plan to open this segment of my blog to comments.  Let’s get started. 

I am a retired, sixty-seven year old male Caucasian who has coronary heart disease.  I take twelve different medications prescribed by my cardiologist and personal physician for the control of angina pain, blood pressure, cholesterol, and acid reflux.  My drug list is shown in the table below.  As a side note, It has been very helpful when filling out medical forms and keeping my doctors informed.

My Drug List

(1) Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic acid) – 325mg - “Aspirin also has an antiplatelet effect by inhibiting the production of thromboxane, which under normal circumstances bind platelet molecules together to repair damaged blood vessels.” 

(2) Bystilic (Nebivolol) – 5mg - A Beta-blocker for high blood pressure. 

(3) Lisinopril (Lisinopril) – 10mg - Lisinopril is an Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor for treating high blood. 

(4) Isosorb (Imdur) (Isosorbide) – 120mg – Morning- A Vasodilator used to prevent angina (chest pain). 

Isosorb (Imdur) (Isosorbide) – 30mg – Evening- A Vasodilator used to prevent angina (chest pain 

(5) Plavix (Clopidogrel) – 75mg - An Antiplatelet agent used to reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.

(6) Ranexa (Ranolazine) – 1000mg – Morning - An anti-angina medicine for the treatment of chronic angina. 

Ranexa (Ranolazine) – 1000mg – Evening - An anti-angina medicine for the treatment of chronic angina 

(7) Lovaza (OMEGA 3 Acid Ethyl Esters – 1g – Morning - A Lipid lowering agent to reduce hightriglycerides. 

Lovaza (OMEGA 3 Acid Ethyl Esters – 1g – Evening - A Lipid lowering agent to reduce hightriglycerides. 

(8) Amlodipine (Amlodipine) – 5mg - A Calcium channel blocker for high blood pressure or angina (chest pain).

 (9) Lipitor (Atorvastatin) – 80mg - An HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (STATIN) for cholesterol and triglyceride level treatment.

(10) Trilipix (Antera) (Fenofibric Acid) – 135mg - A Lipit-lowering agent for treating high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 

(11) Nexium (Esomeprazole) – 40mg - A proton pump inhibitor for heartburn or irritation of esophagus. 

(12) Nitroquick (Nitroglycerin) - .4mg as needed for chest pain - Nitrate is used to treat and prevent angina (chest pain). 

Last year I reduced my weight from 212 pounds (my all time high) to 192 pounds following minor heart problems in the fall of 2008 that I will describe later.  During the 2009 Christmas holidays I “sinned” and added pounds. I have since reduced my weight from 198 pounds to a present weight of 194 pounds.  My goal is 179 pounds.  My height is 6 ft. I do not drink, smoke or use any drugs or medications not prescribed by my physicians. 

To date, my weight reduction method has been exercise, elimination of coke type drinks and desserts, and reading food labels to identify food high in sodium, fats and sugars prior to purchasing and/or consuming.  My program works when I stay on task, but I am prone to wander.  I still love an occasional burger and fries, Mexican chips and cheese dip and with five grandchildren all that birthday cake and ice cream.

I have a family history of heart disease.  On my fifty-third birthday my mother jokingly told me I might die soon; her father, mother and brother all died of heart problems in their early fifties.  Needless to say, I had never given it any thought but I should have. In my fifty-fifth year I had open-heart surgery and received six heart graphs.

What were my signs other than high blood pressure and cholesterol that led up to my need for sudden heart surgery? I never had any of the typical warning signs. It was like this, one day I walked up two flights of stairs as I normally did at work and when I reached the top flight I had to sit down to “catch my breath.”  Within a week I was watching a monitor while doctors performed angioplasty to check for blockages.  The procedure lasted only a few minutes, and no attempts were made to stint, balloon or clear any blockages. The procedure was suddenly stopped, and I was told that bypass surgery would be performed the next day. 

Up until this time my health had been good with the exception of an occasional kidney stone attack, one of which had to be surgically removed.  Six months after my heart bypass surgery I had emergency gallbladder surgery. At the time I asked the doctor if I could wait about the surgery. He replied, “If you can live without pain medication, give it a try.”  I opted for the surgery.  While not as painful as a kidney stone attack, gall stones hurt.  At the time I recall reading that gallbladder surgery was not uncommon following heart by-pass surgery.

My only other significant medical problem is sleep apnea (lack of quality rest).  I was diagnosed several years ago, and now I wear a face-mask at night that corrects this problem.  I was a loud snorer for many years prior to being tested and finally treated.  Sleep apnea is a serious problem that can cause serious medical problems. Seek medical attention if you experiencing sleep problems.

For the next twelve years following my heart surgery, I led a healthy life and participated in any physical activity that I chose.  My weight remained stable at between 175 and 180 pounds.  I was on low dosages of blood pressure and cholesterol lowering medications but life was good.  In 2008 while in my cardiologists’ office for my annual checkup he did an EKG.  For the past month or so I had been having what I refer to as “acid reflux discomfort” and casually mentioned it to see if he had any suggestions.  After reviewing my EKG he suggested that I go immediately to the hospital as I was having an “event.”  An event in “doctor language” meant that I was having a heart problem that required immediate attention.

A cardiac catheterization procedure was performed and blockages were found, but it was determined that no stints would be possible.  Also, I was informed that I would not be a candidate for any additional heart surgery; medications were now being prescribed for the type of heart problems I was experiencing.  In 2009 I had another catheterization procedure performed by a different doctor in the same medical practice, which resulted in the same diagnosis. Question: Am I not a good surgical candidate or is insurance a factor? My primary insurance is Medicare, and my secondary insurance is coverage from my previous employer.  Something to think about with the “coming of ObamaCare.”

You now have an in-depth look at my medical history. (NOTE: All medical information published under the category “Weight Loss” on this BLOG site is considered personal and confidential and is not to be copied or distributed without written permission.) I still do virtually as I please physically, but I just do not do it as fast.  My wife refers to me as the “sloth” in that I move so slowly.  But hey, I’ve never done anything fast.  I’m just slow by nature. 

Here are my goals for 2010: (1) reduce to and maintain my weight at 179 pounds, (2) reduce prescribed drug medications both in quantity and dosages, (3) eat fewer processed and fast foods, (4) perform thirty minutes of cardio and weight training per day, (5) walk 10,000 steps per day, and (6) seek a professional dietitian’s assistance.  Achievement of all six goals will not be instantaneous.  However, they are achievable but will involve a permanent life style change on my part.

My medical doctor wants me to use his program for my weight reduction.  If I do, I will provide the details of his program.

Follow along as I make weekly progress updates on my blog and perhaps daily updates on www.twitter.com/closetchristian.

Of course, I will continue my political and religious orientated blogs because God, family and country are too important to forfeit.

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