Keto: Heart Attack and the Tough Decision to Medicate

ketosis after a heart attack

Surviving a heart attack is an experience that changes you forever. It's a terrifying ordeal that makes you realize the fragility of life and the importance of taking care of yourself.  Having a heart attack, 4 stents put in, and rebuilding my right coronary artery was one of the most terrifying times of my life.  And it's not something I ever want to experience again.  Sometimes we have to listen and meet our bodies where they are.

Those of you who have followed my health journey know how hard I continue to work daily to rebuild my health.  This is my main priority and something I do not take lightly.  As of this writing, I am now 8 months post-op.  

I have worked very hard to remove any and all medications that are not truly needed to benefit my health.  I use strict nutritional ketosis to help me accomplish this.  Although I have been able to reach very high levels of success using ketosis to heal many of my issues such as getting off narcotics, reversing neuropathy, reversing anxiety, depression, seizures, and major insulin resistance, my genetics still fight against me when it comes to my cholesterol and, more specifically, my LDL. 

Believing in Keto

This has caused me to take a step back and learn more about my risk factors in making sure I am doing everything in my power to protect myself from having another heart attack.  Learning more about my personal chemistry is a continual process. I must keep an open mind.  

I am blessed to have a great team around me that I can trust to give me direction and educate me in making the best decisions for my health.  My cardiologist understands my Keto Chemistry and fully supports my lifestyle of healthy fats, moderate protein, and little to no carbs.  My girls at cardio rehab are pushing and helping me recondition my heart 3 times a week, and Dr. Boz helps educate us coaches to a new level of understanding.  This keeps us consistent with our keto lifestyles and fasting, and helps us be confident in our health choices.

My health is my choice and my responsibility.  But, this issue with my cholesterol needed a deeper dig into my lipid panel to make an informed decision.  So that is exactly what we did.  We did an advanced study of an NMR profile to give the details we needed to decide how to proceed.

Despite my best efforts, cardio rehab, and my ketogenic lifestyle, damage from chemo and radiation, along with the blockage in my heart from prior years of the  Standard American Diet, is compounded by my genetic predisposition for high cholesterol.  I have learned that despite my best efforts, my body still needs some help.  With the nagging fear of experiencing another heart attack, I had to pause and listen.

After having my personal labs explained to me, I began to understand the problems and my risk level.  My desire to not take medications is outweighed by the fear of another heart attack.  

Putting medication in my body is something I do NOT take lightly.  I have worked too damn hard to just add another medication or toxin to my body without thought.  But,  I am trying to adjust my thinking just as I had to do when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Chemo was the last thing I ever thought I would put in my body, but if I wanted to live and beat this disease, I needed these medications to help me fight.  I am thinking about my heart disease the same way.  I do not WANT to take another medication, but I  now understand that my body isn't producing enough receptors to remove the bad cholesterol as needed. Therefore, I need some help.

Deciding to Medicate

After much consideration, and having this explained to me by two doctors I highly trust.  Repatha, a medication that can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of another heart attack is recommended for me.

At first, I was hesitant. I didn't want to rely on medication for the rest of my life. But after weighing the pros and cons, I came to the decision that it is necessary for me, for now. I didn't want to take any chances with my health, and if Repatha could help reduce my risk of another heart attack, then it was worth considering.

Making that decision wasn't easy, but it was necessary. And I've learned that sometimes, the best decisions for our health aren't always the easiest ones. My Ketogenic Life, combined with Repatha, will give me the best fighting chance.

Repatha and the ketogenic diet work together to help protect against recurring heart attacks by targeting different aspects of heart disease. Repatha reduces cholesterol while the ketogenic diet can reduce other risk factors such as inflammation, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

I will continue to keep learning, and doing everything in my power to help my body fight.  I am not using the medication as an excuse to not make my health a priority but as another weapon to have in my arsenal.  I will continue to fight and learn, just as I hope you will.  With the advice of my cardiologist, I will revisit my advance lab tests in three months and see how my body is doing.