Cardiac issues and cigars

[Gator]

Have an appt with cardiologist Monday, having some mild angina, not vagina (she says it’ll kill me), my dad had small arteries around his heart, and had to get 5 bypasses at 63, I’m almost 60. Maybe nothing, maybe coincidental, but with my genetics, need to check it out. My calcium coronary score is zero, i walk 5-7 miles many days a week, eat pretty healthy, don’t drink, not overweight, never a cigarette smoker, so the risk factors are limited, so I’m not worried, if i have narrow arteries, there’s a solution.

Which brings me to the reason of the post. My biggest fear is the cardiologist will say i can’t have my 3-4 cigars a month (average, sometimes more, sometimes 0 a month). Do any of you gents have experience with this? Ok, not my biggest fear, but you’re picking up what I’m putting down, right? I did have a dentist a year or so back that said a cigar a month will make my teeth fall out, i never went back…

 

[lucasbuck]

Being in the health and wellness space my entire career I studied the effects of cigar smoking in depth when I first picked up the habit. I couldn’t find anything in any serious study that was even close to conclusive regarding negative long term effects on health.

 

[Thoughts]

Same with being in the medical field and with talking to cardiologist friends, on a very light conversation mind you, as lucas has said, nothing serious stands out. Now, not saying there aren't negative effects from it, but from your consumption of 3-4 a month, I don't see the issue as long as you aren't choking down a LFD 66 gauge 7.8 in like @CBoukal does at certain social gatherings of his choice as that would elevate your heart rate and blood pressure due to the amount of nicotine being consumed in one sitting. I have even heard some studies say some cigar smokers studied showed a decrease in HR and BP during their smoking sessions due to a calm and relaxed environment and its meant as an enjoyable time, which is calming.

I honestly think the dentist that tells you your teeth will fall out with that few cigars a month has similar friends that tell you alcoholic beverages 3-4 times a month will destroy your liver.... more people to avoid...

 

[MX]

I am sure you are fine, and that your initial observation is correct!

On the other hand, it would break my heart to be told I couldn't smoke

My buddy just had a mild heart attack, Doc told him 1a week was fine

 

[Gator]

Same with being in the medical field and with talking to cardiologist friends, on a very light conversation mind you, as lucas has said, nothing serious stands out. Now, not saying there aren't negative effects from it, but from your consumption of 3-4 a month, I don't see the issue as long as you aren't choking down a LFD 66 gauge 7.8 in like @CBoukal does at certain social gatherings of his choice as that would elevate your heart rate and blood pressure due to the amount of nicotine being consumed in one sitting. I have even heard some studies say some cigar smokers studied showed a decrease in HR and BP during their smoking sessions due to a calm and relaxed environment and its meant as an enjoyable time, which is calming.

I honestly think the dentist that tells you your teeth will fall out with that few cigars a month has similar friends that tell you alcoholic beverages 3-4 times a month will destroy your liver.... more people to avoid...

Same knucklehead dentist was removing a broken tooth, I told him it wasn’t numb, he said it won’t hurt. Well when bridged up out of that chair in pain, he said “did that hurt”, my response “ya fkn think?”. He told me about the cigars before I left, I almost called him a fkn idiot, but I just smiled, and never returned.

 

[cabaiguan juan]

I am sure you are fine, and that your initial observation is correct!

On the other hand, it would break my heart to be told I couldn't smoke

My buddy just had a mild heart attack, Doc told him 1a week was fine

I want this doctor.

 

[Mr. Behcet]

If you polled every cardiologist in America, you would get answers all across the board. It would be the same if you asked about drinking cola, eating fast food, alcohol consumption, etc. All of these activities are not particularly healthy for the heart muscle. How unhealthy they really are is a matter of opinion, hence the mixed response from physicians. My guess is that the doc is going to be far more interested in you continuing to walk 5-7 miles per day and eating healthy than whether you smoke a cigar from time to time.

 

[lucasbuck]

My guess is that the doc is going to be far more interested in you continuing to walk 5-7 miles per day and eating healthy than whether you smoke a cigar from time to time.

As it should be!

 

[bfreebern]

Now, if they said cigars would cause baldness, I’m out!

To some of you, that wouldn’t matter

 

[Rod]

Find a doctor that is open minded. Far too many read from a script, all in the name of money...

 

[Gator]

After reading some responses here, and some due diligence, i don’t give a rats ass what the cardiologist says about cigars, his job is to fix my ticker, i will continue to smoke cigars in moderation.

 

[lucasbuck]

My hand to god there are few things worse for your cardiovascular health than stress. If cigars give you even half the stress relief and relax and joy they do for me you’ll live much longer and healthier than without them.

 

[Pugman1943]

I have two doctors, one of whom smokes cigars so no issue there. My internist understands the difference between cigarettes and their chemicals and cigars being pure. He even told my wife ( who is anti smoking ) that the cigar is fine. Most doctors associate smoking with cigarettes so any smoking is bad and they probably don't know we don't inhale the smoke.

 

[Captain B]

The issue with cigars is the effect of the nicotine on your heart. "Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, narrows arteries, and can lead to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks. Long-term exposure may also contribute to the hardening of arteries and abnormal heart rhythms."

 

[whopper]

The issue with cigars is the effect of the nicotine on your heart. "Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, narrows arteries, and can lead to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks. Long-term exposure may also contribute to the hardening of arteries and abnormal heart rhythms."

Debbie Downer

 

[Captain B]

Truth to Power my brother

 

[Captain B]

The issue with cigars is the effect of the nicotine on your heart. "Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, narrows arteries, and can lead to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks. Long-term exposure may also contribute to the hardening of arteries and abnormal heart rhythms."

Don't shoot the messenger. Just some info.

 

[cabaiguan juan]

The issue with cigars is the effect of the nicotine on your heart. "Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, narrows arteries, and can lead to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks. Long-term exposure may also contribute to the hardening of arteries and abnormal heart rhythms."

So knowing this, why do you smoke cigars with these risks at hand?
I’ll go first: I smoke cigars because it relaxes me, the commmarodery and the collection/acquiring aspect.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Some of you guys already know, but a little over a decade ago, I had a quad bypass. I'd had chest pain off and on, finally got them to do an angiogram, and they wouldn't let me out of the hospital once they saw the results.... Feeling great, I'm very sure it saved my life.

Another big thing is watching weight and blood chems. My dear wife and I have been doing 'dirty' keto for a couple years. She's down just under a hundred pounds, and I'm down just over a hundred. And, maintaining it quite well. We'd tried diet after diet and for us, keto was super easy to do. I get my blood chems done once a year, and my numbers have never been better.

So, short answer, all things considered, if I have a couple cigars here and there, so be it.

 

[MX]

Some of you guys already know, but a little over a decade ago, I had a quad bypass. I'd had chest pain off and on, finally got them to do an angiogram, and they wouldn't let me out of the hospital once they saw the results.... Feeling great, I'm very sure it saved my life.

Another big thing is watching weight and blood chems. My dear wife and I have been doing 'dirty' keto for a couple years. She's down just under a hundred pounds, and I'm down just over a hundred. And, maintaining it quite well. We'd tried diet after diet and for us, keto was super easy to do. I get my blood chems done once a year, and my numbers have never been better.

So, short answer, all things considered, if I have a couple cigars here and there, so be it.

Diets do not work across the span of time. You have to make a lifestyle change, eating has to become a regular and routine habit. How you go about it matters less, then sticking to your plan. My wife and I track EVERYTHING, every, thing, we eat. It sucks sometimes but it works for us, we are both down to weights we have not seen in 10 years, for my wife, almost 21, she is down to her pre-daughter weight. Also, you have to give yourself grace, and be allowed to stray, but it has to be the exception, not the norm.

All that to say "Great fucking job Tom!"

Off my soapbox now

Also @Gator
how did it go?