Just survived heart attack at age 38, follow up to Phil's post
Just when I was feeling great and looking just about better than ever I had a heart attack. It happened on July 18th, so it has been a bit over 3 weeks.
I felt healthy and looked great, on the outside at least. I was maintaining my bodyfat below 10% no problems, thanks to Phil's guidance. Working out 6 days a week and doing 20 minutes or more of cardio 4 or 5 days a week.
I did use AAS off an on for about 8 years or so. It is not possible to point the finger specifically at AAS and say they were the cause, but it would be ignorant to ignore it altogether.
I had blood tests run at least 2x per year, sometimes more. My LDLs were always low, but HDls were very low too. Had a HDL reading of 17 when I was admitted to the hospital right after the attack. Back in January I had a hematocrit reading of 62, and realized that was a problem. I was able to get that down to 50 by donating blood and cutting back on what I was using. The cardiologist doest not think the hematocrit had anything to do with the attack, since it had been under control for almost 3 months or more. MOre tests will be run on the clotting cascade and to test for factor 5 disorder.
I was doing squats at the gym when the heart attack happened. I had just finished doing 3 sets of squats. 455x12, 405x13, 365x14. After racking the weight on the last set I felt really dizzy and sat down. After sitting for maybe half a minute I broke out in a cold sweat and my heart was beating rather fast. I didnt think too much of it though because Ive felt similar many times in the past when I push really hard on squats. Been lifting since I was 16, so over 20yrs now and Ive felt sick enough in the past that I have thrown up. So i figured I had just pushed it too hard. I quit the workout and drove home at 9:30 pm. I rested at home hoping to feel better. I developed a heartburn feeling and took some antacids and 3 aspirin just to be safe if it was the heart. At 4am I realized it wasnt going to go away and I had my wife drive us all to the hospital. Had to drag my 6 and 4 year old daughters along.
They did an ekg and angiogram after that ,since the ekg showed signs of heart attack.Angiogram showed 100% blockage of my right coronary artery. they used an angioplasty type surgery where he used a mini "vacuum cleaner" like tool to suck out the blood clot. I had develped a large clot blocking blood flow.
I was in ICU from Friday until tuesday night, so almost 5 days. They had to pump me full of dopamine to get my blood pressure up. My heart was beating so weakly that my pressure was hovering at around 60/35. Once they got my systolic pressure up to 80 without being on dopamine they released me from intensive care. I then spent one day in a regular room and was sent home.
Not sure at this time how well my heart will recover. I will know more in 3 weeks when an ultrasound is done of my heart. After that heart attack my ejection fraction was down to 40%, so thats not really low. I am hoping for the best.
The cardiologist is telling me I can never lift as hard I as was, just lift light weights. Very hard for me to take this. My plan is to take it one day at a time and build up slowly. I am not ready to accept this, and cant see how he can make such a broad statement about my future since he hasnt even looked at an ultrasound of my heart after its had time to heal. Of course when I told him I was taking steroids I got the full lecture and he blames the entire episode on it. He did say that he has had 3 other young men like me have heart attacks, all bodybuilders on steroids. He is a young doctor too, about my age or slightly older so he hasnt been at it very long. Surprised me to hear this. He doesnt seem like the kind of guy that would lie either, he is very straight forward.
MAIN REASON I AM WRITING THIS IS TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING, TO CONSIDER THE RISKS WE TAKE WHEN WE ARE DOING AAS. I THOUGHT I WAS USING SAFELY AND HAD BLOOD TESTS DONE,BUT THINGS STILL WENT WRONG. I HAD NEVER EVEN COMPETED BEFORE, WAS PLANNING ON DOING A CONTEST IN MARCH 09 BUT THAT IS ALL OVER NOW. LOOKNG BACK, THE BENEFITS FOR ME OF USING AAS DID NOT OUTWEIGH THE RISKS. OF COURSE I DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT NOW IT IS TOO LATE. I LET MY OBSESSION WITH BUILDING A MORE MUSCULAR BODY BECOME A PRIORITY OVER MY FAMILY. NOW I REALIZE THAT THIS WAS UNFAIR TO MY WIFE AND TWO LITTLE GIRLS. THERE IS A CHANCE NOW THAT MY HEART MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED ENOUGH THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO LIFT LIKE I USED TO EVER AGAIN. I PRAY THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, AND I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP HOPE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BLAME STEROIDS ENTIRELY, SO DONT TAKE THIS POST AS JUST ANOTHER ANTISTEROIDS CAMPAIGN. JUST TAKE SOME TIME TO STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. THINK ABOUT WHY YOU USE AAS AND WHAT YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF IT. CONSIDER THE RISKS WE TAKE, ESPECIALLY WHEN USING AAS THAT ARE PRODUCED IN UNDERGROUND LABS. THIS IS ANOTHER THING TO BE CONSIDERED, SINCE WHEN USING THESE SUBSTANCES YOU DONT ALWAYS KNOW 100% WHAT YOURE GETTING AS FAR AS PURITY ETC.
My goal now is to recuperate and get back to being a better father and husband. To be natural and bodybuild like I used to. Since I wont be using AAS anymore, be able to accept that I wont grow much larger than a lean 225 lbs at 6 foot tall. There is a lot more in life that is more important.

kp1512 wrote:this was on another board ...and im also seeing alot of people now in the late 30's having issues with hearts etc who have used gear for a while.....interesting

Craig wrote:

kp1512 wrote:this was on another board ...and im also seeing alot of people now in the late 30's having issues with hearts etc who have used gear for a while.....interesting

Its never the whole story though is it? Is it gear or poor diet and gear, or would it of just happened anyway?

Tartulho wrote:A screwed up lipid profile and probably a poor cardiovascular health, along with a pig-out diet during bulks. But it is easier to blame AAS and to collect the insurance money this way

marcus300 wrote:10years ago i thought i had a heart attack, i was rushed in with all the syptoms, after aload of test,ecg's and blood test they found it to be my RBC, it was very very high and my blood had trouble flowing through my viens especially my heart, with all the syptoms of a heart attack i also thought i was in trouble this time but thaankfull it wasn't... I had to have some blood taken out to level up the RBC and had a sports doctor called in to have word with me and advice them on whats the best option for a guy like me. It was so funny when they took my shirt off in A & E i was huge and ripped at the time and they didnt know what the hell to do, so funny at the time looking back and all they kept saying is what is it your taking....anyway this issue was due to running to many cycles together with little time off for a long time which increased my RBC.....the sport doctor talked to me and he did say, there are alot of bodybuilders having problems with their heart and its increasing over time, makes you wonder!! but one thing is for sure steroids are fine and a great addition but abusing them for to many yrs will produce sides what could harm you or cause serious problems in later life or even young life....

Rab wrote:Red blood count

Sheesh!!!!

Ever used EPO Marcus?

kp1512 wrote:

Rab wrote:Red blood count

Sheesh!!!!

Ever used EPO Marcus?

well excuse me and call me mary!

kp1512 wrote:
well excuse me and call me mary!

kp1512 wrote:

Rab wrote:Red blood count

Sheesh!!!!

Ever used EPO Marcus?

well excuse me and call me mary!

Rab wrote:Red blood count

Sheesh!!!!

Ever used EPO Marcus?

Rab wrote:Red blood count

Sheesh!!!!

Alex Wheatman wrote:Look at the side effects of too much Vit C.
Headaches
Vomiting
Viginal discharge
Artiral fibulation

The list goes no.

Ader wrote:

Alex Wheatman wrote:Look at the side effects of too much Vit C.
Headaches
Vomiting
Viginal discharge
Artiral fibulation

The list goes no.

Can't say I've had an viginal discharge form ODing on Vit C All the rest though

Tall wrote:@KP - Was that the guy who posted on ProMuscle about JW's SHiC thread...?

burningnun wrote:is vaginal discharge a bad thing?