Coffee, Nuclear Stress Test #63

Today I tried some of the exercises that had been bothering me.  It has been 2 weeks since my back problems began and affected my workout routine.  I could do a couple of exercises I have not been doing.   Still 3 of the exercises I can't do yet because of the back pain.   You know, I can pick up from the rack two 30 pound each dumbbells.  One in each hand and I can do lifting exercises with them and no back strain.  But in between the exercises, I can not bend over and put the weights down on the floor without winching with pain.   I can put them in the upper rack with no problem, I don't have to bend over to do that.  It is getting embarrassing trying to do some exercises and having to quit before even getting a good start.   Fellow work outers look at you like you're some kind of a weenie man.

I drink a lot of coffee, probably too much.  I have not done any research, or looked much into health benefits, or harm to your body caused by coffee.   I guess because I feel bad for myself for giving up so many foods and drinks to be healthier, I convinced myself coffee couldn't do me any harm other than perhaps keeping me awake.  And since I don't drink coffee before bedtime I was okay.   I do not want to stop drinking coffee if it is not hurting my heart or creating weight gain is my thinking. The coffee health benefits I found were admittedly a little weak in medical evidence.   Coffee drinkers are thought to be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, or have abnormal heart rhythm problems.  Coffee does contain high amounts of antioxidants but it is unknown if your bloodstream absorbs those antioxidants simply by you drinking coffee.   It can raise your blood pressure and increase blood levels of adrenaline.   Drinking a lot of coffee has been associated with lowering the risk of Parkinson's disease, and dementia.  A 6 oz. cup of coffee only has 7 calories,  if you add cream and sugar that changes to 76 calories, assuming you are conservative with the cream and sugar.  I couldn't find anything close to describing brewed coffee as being healthy for you.  Neither did I find anything indicating coffee was bad for your overall health.   Whew..... am I glad.  I don't want to think about starting a morning without a cup of hot black coffee.   I think that is enough on that subject, we will leave our coffee well enough and alone.

I have not had my nuclear treadmill stress test yet, as soon as I do and know more I'll let you know whats up. Since wearing the nitroglycerin patch my heart rate is staying in the mid 60-70 range.  I guess that is a result of the patch?   What is this type stress test?  Well, very early in this blog we talked about it, I had one a few weeks after having heart surgery.   I believe the one I am having this week will be a little bit different.  It is also known as an isotope test.  There are 3 segments to the test that take about 4 hours.  There is a treadmill stress test.  Then you are injected with a tracer (nuclear isotope) while resting, and images are taken of your heart.  Last you are  injected again with an drug to stimulate heart stress, or put on a treadmill to induce heart stress and images are taken.  The purpose in my case is to determine if blood is flowing to all parts of my heart muscle, and to ensure the blood flow through my coronary arteries is not restricted.

I am concerned and nervous about this test.  I was not worried about the one I had 2 years ago, but this time I feel completely different.  My concern is should I not respond or react well to the stress, either immediately or afterwards.   This is being done as an outpatient so there is no overnight hospital care.  Should I react, meaning have a heart attack later,  well there you go.    So yes, I am worried not so much of what the test results will be, as much as the test effects on my heart.....

If you want to know more about this type test go to heartsite.com and look up isotope stress test.  Wish me luck and and I will be reporting back to you......