Echocardiogram. How to get one?

[MuscularMD]

How are people getting a cardiac echo to assess for left ventricular hypertrophy? Doesn’t seem like I can get one like I can get labs from privatemdlabs.

What did you tell your cardiologist to get them to order one? I’d rather not have PED use in. My medical record.

 

[HeatherSwanson]

Tell him you have family history of it. You have immediate relatives overseas (so medical records can't be shared) that has tested positive for it making it the 4th person in your immediate family circle that has it, all men. They're doctors told them to reach out and tell you.

 

[BigDadd7]

My GP ordered one for me with no hesitation. I told her I had a family history and I'd felt some palpitations.

 

[malfeasance]

What does it cost?

 

[malfeasance]

Where I live they have echocardiograms for about $350 without any referral, reviewed by a cardiologist.

 

[BamaCrazy]

Tell them there is a lot of heart disease on your Fathers side of the family and few have had heart attacks. Hopefully that’s not the truth but that should work.

If you want to avoid your medical provider altogether try this website.

RadiologyAssist | Nationwide access to affordable MRI, CT, Xray, Ultrasound, PET, and mammogram

Nationwide Affordable and low cost MRI, CT, Xray, Ultrasound, PET and Mammogram for the uninsured

radiologyassist.com

 

[Photon]

What does it cost?

Mines around ~150 post insurance.

 

[malfeasance]

They recommend it as a follow up to a calcium score.

 

[bossetti]

Mines around ~150 post insurance.

Wtf it cant be that expensive i got for 100/120 echocardiogram and echodopler but was few years ago

 

[bossetti]

I get it every year for the sport certificate
Its 50/70€ with also other checks
Its also done with high bpm(sport induced)

 

[Photon]

Wtf it cant be that expensive i got for 100/120 echocardiogram and echodopler but was few years ago

I get it every year for the sport certificate
Its 50/70€ with also other checks
Its also done with high bpm(sport induced)

Yea you are in Europe - craps more expensive here

 

[bossetti]

Yea you are in Europe - craps more expensive here

Thats a lot more expensive, keep in mind these things were done 100% privately
Sport check with public bealt i think its 10 euro and similar thing ecodopler but long as death waiting list
Public health is so shitty lol

 

[BigDadd7]

I paid a $25 copay

 

[Ateam2023]

i merely said there was heart disease on both sides of family , and my pcp ordered the echo, plus stress test, calcium score, ct scans basically the works, Everything is good for a 50+ AAS user, not an abuser,,

 

[Photon]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone seen a difference in their echo during blast vs cruise?

 

[BamaCrazy]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone seen a difference in their echo during blast vs cruise?

I just had a transthoracic echocardiogram last week while on cruise. I’m still waiting on the results. Back in 2022 an EKG showed a mildly thickened LV posterior wall. At the time I had untreated high BP which caused it. My hope is last week’s EKG looks the same. The real concern is when the interior walls start thickening.

 

[Photon]

I just had a transthoracic echocardiogram last week while on cruise. I’m still waiting on the results. Back in 2022 an EKG showed a mildly thickened LV posterior wall. At the time I had untreated high BP which caused it. My hope is last week’s EKG looks the same. The real concern is when the interior walls start thickening.

I believe there's medications that can help with lvh regression but your cardiologist will probably know better than me..Did they put you on anything?

I'm gonna schedule on during my blast and see what shows up

 

[Ghoul]

I believe there's medications that can help with lvh regression but your cardiologist will probably know better than me..Did they put you on anything?

I'm gonna schedule on during my blast and see what shows up

Obviously a cardio's guidance is going to carry weight, I'm just going to put this here for anyone who comes across this thread and is self treating for BP/LVH. Also, since Cilnipidine isn't even an option in the US/EU, but is a best in class LVH treatment, no one's doc is going to offer it, therefore also worth a mention.

In terms of reducing LVH, choosing the best BP meds for that purpose of probably the easiest first step.

Since an ARB/CCB combo is the current first line gold standard for uncomplicated hypertension (for the rare providers following the latest guidelines) , while all ARBs reduce LVH, Valsartan(technically an "ARNI" not ARB) is the best, and Telm is just slightly behind. For CCBs, nothing comes close to Cilnipidine at rapidly thinning out LVH. (10% vs 1% with Amlodipine). Its mechanism of action is different from ARB/ARNI, so its additive to the LVH reduction from those. A really potent combo.

King of the hill is Spironolactone, which can be added onto the ARB/CCB combo. But unlike something like Telm/Ciln, it has a lot of sides including being anti-androgenic, even causing gyno.

 

[Photon]

King of the hill is Spironolactone, which can be added onto the ARB/CCB combo. But unlike something like Telm/Ciln, it has a lot of sides including being anti-androgenic, even causing gyno.

Eplerenone

 

[Ghoul]

Eplerenone

Youre right in that it's definately a better option than spir in terms of avoiding hormonal side effects, though slightly less effective at reducing LVH.

The only reason I mentioned Spir is because it's so commonly referred to in BB forums in the context of self treatment.

Personally because both of those MRAs require close monitoring with frequent labs to stay safe (compared to ARBs and CCBs), I wouldn't use either without a doctors involvement.