Going to the Doctor for Heart Checkup

[meatwagon21]

While I’m on cycle my greatest concern that comes with steroid use is its interaction with the heart. I’m on my 2nd cycle and I have a family history of heart issues (Grandpa on moms side died 40’s from massive heart attack, mom has high blood pressure). Considering these potential genetic circumstances coupled with environmental factors such as steroids, caffeine, molly, preworkout, nicotine that I consume (and god knows what else that affects your heart) I’d like to at least know the state of my hearts health.

How do I go about a doctor and tell him I want my heart checked cause I’m on steroids? Do I flat out tell him im on gear or hint that i want to hop on in the future and i want to see if my heart is in a good spot.

Also, what specifically should i ask for?

Blood work is a given, but what type of blood work?

What physical kind of examination of the heart should i ask to be done? will my doctor know what to check for extensively?

like EKG, check for heart murmurs, pulse, blood pressure, checking the ventricles.

 

[BeatenCheeks]

You could always lie and say you’ve been having chest pains and that you’re worried about it because of a family history with heart issues, he’d probably refer you to a cardiologist who would do an EKG for you

 

[meatwagon21]

BeatenCheeks" pid='34460' dateline='1545128195:

You could always lie and say you’ve been having chest pains and that you’re worried about it because of a family history with heart issues, he’d probably refer you to a cardiologist who would do an EKG for you

That’s a good idea but I’d also like to steer my doctor into the right direction considering the substantial environmental factors involved so he knows what to check for.

 

[abletolift]

… sounds crazy but if he’s cool just be upfront I was with my doctor. He ran a full cardio ct scan with endograft scanned my lungs too. Everything perfect and normal slight RV enlargement which the cardiologist said was from breath holding during heavy lifts. It’s funny everybody talks about the bad effects but as long as you actually stay mobile and really work hard and do the cardio unless your running tren all the time or humongous doses I find the heart does okay. Check out Kyolic aged garlic the green and white bottle and something called neo-40 my blood pressure is 100-65 on 700mgs of test prop a week.

 

[Rcd3t]

Cardiologist don’t care about grandpa’s or grandma’s. It plays a very tiny roll in their assessment. They are looking for mothers and father’s with diagnosed conditions. You have to look at it from their perspective. Why are you going in all of a sudden? Did you have a wake up call? Abnormal Sinus rhythm? Sharp chest pain? Heart feels like it skips a beat (abnormal SR)… high blood pressure isn’t going to get you any tests done except a handshake and trip to your PCP for blood pressure meds.

If you want to get somewhere with them in this case it sounds you like you’re going to have to be open with them. If you come in with 0 symptoms they are going to shoot you back to your PCP.

 

[FixerUpper]

If you truly want to get an all encompassing look into your cardiovascular health, your GP isn’t gonna be able to do that for you. You’ll need to see a cardiologist, and he can order an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram is the “be all, end all” when it comes to this sort of thing.

He will also likely run a 12-lead EKG on you, but those really aren’t all that helpful outside of the acute/emergency setting. They’re not worthless, but don’t expect to gain a whole lot of info from an EKG.

 

[meatwagon21]

FixerUpper" pid='34515' dateline='1545167374:

If you truly want to get an all encompassing look into your cardiovascular health, your GP isn’t gonna be able to do that for you. You’ll need to see a cardiologist, and he can order an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram is the “be all, end all” when it comes to this sort of thing.

He will also likely run a 12-lead EKG on you, but those really aren’t all that helpful outside of the acute/emergency setting. They’re not worthless, but don’t expect to gain a whole lot of info from an EKG.

This is what I was looking for, thanks.

 

[stillandbox]

Tell your physician your concerns. They will order the tests. Be open about being on gear. They will still treat you? You’ll just tell you to stop. Physicians treat hard drug users still. They can’t call the police on you and they can’t share your information. The more open you are with your physician, the better.

 

[rawdogger]

I don’t think you need to give any excuse at all. Just say that you want a routine lipid panel because you want to take a proactive interest in your heart health. I can’t imagine any physician worth his salt objecting to that.

 

[FixerUpper]

rawdogger" pid='34566' dateline='1545235047:

I don’t think you need to give any excuse at all. Just say that you want a routine lipid panel because you want to take a proactive interest in your heart health. I can’t imagine any physician worth his salt objecting to that.

A lipid panel doesn’t really qualify as a “heart checkup”.

 

[illmortalized]

So seems like no straight answer? My PCP specializes in cardiovascular disease and I’d like to go through the entire check up. Heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, calcification of arteries etc… Do I just ask for a, “heart check up”… I doubt that’s going to get me everything I need.

 

[damocles13]

Tell him/her that given your family history you’d like a lipid profile, echo, and cardiac CT if possible. That’s all you really need