Over a year now.

[Bxgpsy]

Nineboy, Lets meet up for a coffee when we're 97! The results of my Cath were one 70% blockage and one 99% blockage at Lad. I was also told I had grown collateral arteries that supply blood to areas that were effected by this, hence the reason i don't have chest pain. My view is that this buys me some time to get very serious about PT and diet, I have already lost 65 lbs eating only raw produce beans seeds and nuts, but i am thinking if it's a 99% block that means there is a small chance I can get some of this inside that artery that will over time start to clear it out? Am I all wet here Owen? Thanks again for your posts, have been very helpful to me!

[nineboy]

Hi Owen, Wish I knew what to say. I'm glad you have put me in the right direction in regards my shoulder pain. I did have a rotten night with it early morning, so kind of scary. Today I'm more positive and trying to eat properly, Minestrone soup, lots of veggies and fruit, black and also green tea. I bought a couple of grapefruit which is supposed to help cortisol production, thought I'd try it? Also I read licorice supplement might help too. Now seeing my doctor next Tuesday as he is away. So will try and stick it out until then. Feel pretty good today and slept a bit later which is all supposed to help. Dancing tonight so will have to see how it goes but it usually relaxes me. Will keep in touch. nineboy.

[nineboy]

Hi Bxgpsy, Well make that green tea and you are on. Glad you don't have chest pain as it is miserable. For me it has always been angina and no fun especially when it wakes you up during the early hours. However my angina at this moment is gone. I walk and dance and did a 10k or 6mile walk just recently no problem. Yes I was a bit stiff for a few days. So feel pretty good on that score. I have nine bits of metal (stents) in me and with Pauling Therapy try to keep them clear. What proof do I have well I'm still going and at this time heart wise I feel fine.
Slight problem I have right now is sore shoulders. Did I really say slight after reading Owen's thoughts. I have never been perfect as to weight but am very active as always. Good for you losing 65lbs, I've never lost that much but need to get a few pounds off. I take my Vitamin C+ lysine and proline every day and have no problem with it. So get on it and squeeze that mixture passed that 99% blockage and shrink it down. Good luck. nineboy.

[ofonorow]

Hi Owen, Wish I knew what to say. I'm glad you have put me in the right direction in regards my shoulder pain. I did have a rotten night with it early morning, so kind of scary. Today I'm more positive and trying to eat properly, Minestrone soup, lots of veggies and fruit, black and also green tea. I bought a couple of grapefruit which is supposed to help cortisol production, thought I'd try it? Also I read licorice supplement might help too. Now seeing my doctor next Tuesday as he is away. So will try and stick it out until then. Feel pretty good today and slept a bit later which is all supposed to help. Dancing tonight so will have to see how it goes but it usually relaxes me. Will keep in touch. nineboy.

If you ever experience shortness of breath along with the shoulder pain - check yourself into the emergency room.

If I were you, I would invest in the ZRT lab saliva testing on my own. Try to have the results when you see the doc you like (doesn't have to be a cardiologist to prescribe cortisol replacement.) If low cortisol is the problem (which appears likely to me) you will have to find an enlightened doc

Of course we (I) would be interested in those results too.

[nineboy]

Owen, Thanks for keeping an interest in my Shoulder pains. It is nice to have someone to run things past who have had similar experiences. No shortness of breath at this time and I did a Dance class last night. No real problem though my head and feet didn't agree at times. It was enjoyable though and my partner and I had some laughs. Just in from my morning walk and a beautiful fall morning. I had my flu shot yesterday and may be a little sluggish but on the whole not too bad. Believe me I'm taking all your advice very seriously and watching for any changes or worsening of how I feel. I wonder too if Metoprolol might be causing my problem, angina is gone right now and I hate to change my meds. Again Thanks nineboy.

[ofonorow]

Apparently not all my advice (Sorry to hear about your flu shot!) Your vitamin C intake sure help minimize your body's reaction to the toxins that were injected to incite your immune system.

My advice is to forgo vaccinations in favor of vitamin D (obtained via sunshine in summer and a UV/B light in winter).

Glad there is no shortness of breath, as that could indicate fluid building up in the sac around your heart. How is the shoulder pain?

[nineboy]

Owen,Yes I am glad I'm taking Vitamin C. There is me telling you I come here for advice but yes I do get the flu shot yearly. Working in a hospital makes it pretty mandatory here, though I'm now retired. Also being a senior here puts you in line for a one as well. Mind you I do take Vitamin D, my doctor also recommended it. Plus I am outside doing my walking and in the gardening quite a bit too.
No there is no shortness of breath and shoulder pain seems a bit better this morning. Last night it was pretty painful but I ate wild Salmon with veggies which I think is good. I blew it with a sugary sweet and a cup of coffee. I can see a pattern here though and need to probably cut out Coffee plus dessert. Should have had some fruit instead. Hey maybe I'm learning. After my Vit.C etc. I had oatmeal and fresh fruit for breakfast with green tea to drink. As of this moment I feel pretty good. So is my cortisol too high,low or in the need of some serious regulating. I am trying to find a natural remedy. Also appreciate any info though not a perfect follower. Regards nine boy.

[nineboy]

Had to report in on my shoulder pain. Must comment on my sugary sweet and coffee as it was a birthday bash I was at. I have to thank this site for bringing out cortisol as a problem.Since then I have been watching my food intake and have cut out coffee for now. Not saying I will give it up completely. Also using black, green and chamomile teas. Notice too that lysine helps cortisol intake.Might lower it, I take 6 grams of lysine could that cause me any problem? Also grapefruit is supposed to help but wonder with my metoprolol prescription if I should use it. I think Johnwen did mention way back that natural methods could be found. My walks and exercise, dancing etc plus now back trying my relaxation meditations more often seems to be helping. My shoulder pain is slightly better and I have cut out Tylenol as well. So something appears to be helping and I have did a lot of reading on the subject. So thanks for info Owen.

[ofonorow]

I have no knowledge that cutting back coffee helps one way or the other, but the interaction of sweets, blood sugar and insulin are something else all together. Reducing sweets/carbs is likely to benefit you.

Regarding cortisol, everyone alive makes some of this hormone all day long in their adrenal glands. The problem occurs later in life when the adrenals make less than the brain is requesting. The result of lower cortisol is pain - somewhere. In my case, my upper back experiences the pain first, and perhaps my fingers and toes.

There is a test - ZRT saliva test - that can help determine if the output of the adrenal glands is low. If it is, you can try "natural" methods to help your adrenals, but there is nothing more effective than vitamin C, which you are already taking a lot of.

For anyone who experiences back/joint pain, finds out their cortisol is low, the solution is natural (bioidentical) cortisol hormone replacement.

[nineboy]

Owen, again thanks for info. I am at doctor today and will ask for saliva test. I hear you on that believe me. Last night in the early hours I was awakened by agonizing pain in my shoulders again. If that's what you get in your back, I feel for you. I have heard from another friend of his problem with it and he is on some kind of cortisol treatment as well. Me I can't say I heard about but I have read about here on this site. I guess I didn't really think about it until I started having trouble. One thing I read lysine helps to lower cortisol in the body? Might my lysine intake 6grams take me too low, just wondered. nineboy.

[ofonorow]

I have not read or heard about the connection between lysine and cortisol (and most of what you read about Cortisol is how to lower cortisol when too high, i.e. when you are under too much stress.)

And I should have mentioned this, although saliva tests are HIGHLY accurate, they are not recognized as such by orthodox medicine. So you might have some trouble getting your doctor to order it. Let us know, because if he does, your insurance might pay for it.

[nineboy]

Hi Owen, Well you predicted it and I had a Am Cortisol test serum blood test. It came in at 662nmol/L or by my calculations 23.9 mcg/dl. Seems high? as 690nmol/L was the highest reading. So still to see doctor but he was very receptive to doing a cortisol test. No not saliva test but at least something. Not sure where to go from here but am trying to eat to reduce cortisol readings for now. Thanks for info as usual. nineboy.

[ofonorow]

You are right, that is something! And unexpected.

Cortisol is not constant. It rises from the time you wake up and peaks around noon to 3 p.m., and starts falling until bed time. So the all-day saliva test gives you a better picture of what is going on. However, the good news seems to be that you are able to produce cortisol.

Now the question becomes, why is your brain asking your adrenals to produce so much?

It may seem counter-intuitive to take cortisol when levels are high, but according to William Mck Jefferies (SAFE USES OF CORTIOL) the effect of oral intake is not additive. The brain requests a certain amount and doesn't care if your adrenals make it, or you eat a pill with it. So if you could get a prescription for 25 to 50% of what your brain is asking for, that would allow your adernal glands to "rest" and regenerate.

But that result was not what I expected - given your pain.

[Johnwen]

[nineboy]

Thanks that is so interesting. I am now taking L-Arginine 1gram 3 times a day. So I will keep this up and see how it goes. I have been diagnosed with Rotator cuff and Bicept Tendinitus in both arms. No idea where it came from, though I was active in garden, cutting and trimming bushes. I am in Physotherapy and having laser treatment and stimulation treatment plus exercises which at first were very painful but today things have settled down somewhat. Still to have my yearly physical this week and I'll let you know how that goes. I had my yearly eye exam today and only need my glasses for reading. My eyesight is excellent and was told I aced exam. So some good news. Also no sign of my angina so feel good about that. Is my cortisol high or still below high range? Just wondered. Still drinking lots of green tea and spinich now on my menu. Maybe I should use Popeye to sign in with amount I eat. Thanks for info. Regards nineboy.