Stamina and keeping vertical all day ! - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Stamina and keeping vertical all day !

Puffin1963 profile image
12 Replies

Hi - I'm 5 months post CABG, I returned to work 4 weeks ago in school- it was difficult mentally the first few days but that's improved. I still can't manage a whole day without needing to be horizontal for at least half an hour, not necessarily napping. I'm on my feet most of the day or sitting at my desk ( I'm a manager in school). Then my left side starts to ache again - this had stopped. I hadn't anticipated this and have had to come home early a lot ...the back ache returns as the day goes on, I can't get comfortable sitting so am constantly up and down, needing to walk. I guess 4 months at home I just did whatever I needed to do at the time and now having to be vertical all day is just putting that strain on all my muscles etc again Thankfully it's school hols now , I have time to increase my strength and improve my fitness , hoping this is improved for the new term. How have others coped in the work place? Thanks

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Puffin1963 profile image
Puffin1963
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12 Replies

Sadly I never returned and looking at things at the moment it will be awhile if at all.

But its great to hear that you are managing as well as you can, it must be hard for you but ultimately rewarding.

Take care

Puffin1963 profile image
Puffin1963 in reply to

I hope you manage to improve to be able to return to work , must be frustrating - Did you work in education ?

in reply to Puffin1963

Thank you and yes it is frustrating if you let it be, no not in education, but have the utmost respect for those that do.

Take care and I hope that you build up your strength more doing your holiday break , but even i know that your not free of work during this time.

Take care

Hello :-)

It is still early been at work for some I still struggle been at home staying on my feet nearly a year later !

I am glad you have the Holidays this might help give you more time to get your strength back

Could be worth looking at your medications if any have a side effect of making you feel this way ?

For now enjoy this break and see what the new term brings but how you feel you are not alone :-) x

Puffin1963 profile image
Puffin1963 in reply to

I think it's just my body still adjusting to its new shape, not meds .I'm not very tall, nor am I overweight, up to going to work I wasn't noticing this but it's a large school and I am constantly up and down the corridors, getting my steps certainly ! I have and am still walking a lot , always have walked. Swimming is helping, the aches and pains go when I've been swimming but I can't go as often now I'm back at work.

in reply to Puffin1963

Hello :-)

You certainly do a lot of steps in a day and yes your body needs to adjust

Now you have the holidays you can hopefully go swimming more often :-)

By the time you go back to work hopefully your body will have adjusted more :-) x

Max1019 profile image
Max1019

It’s good you’ve been able to go back to work, although it has many challenges. I think the key is to learn to read your body. We all recover at a different rate and have various battles on the way. I’m 21/2 years on and still having to face issues post CABG. With regards to your back I found a helpful article on best bras for back pain problems which may be of some use,

Best bra UK.

Be kind to yourself, it can be a slow process and at times very frustrating.

Take care

Puffin1963 profile image
Puffin1963 in reply to Max1019

Indeed very frustrating ! You think one problem sorted then another pops up, but I am immensely thankful that I've had the op and my recovery has actually been very good, I am getting fitter than I have been for 2 years as the angina prevented me form doing anything strenuous.

CyclingTime profile image
CyclingTime

Hi I returned after 8 weeks to my work and luckily I have been absolutely fine. I did a huge amount of walking and the cardiac rehab fitness exercises before I returned to work so maybe that helped.

Puffin1963 profile image
Puffin1963 in reply to CyclingTime

Asolutely exercise is key to this, you have to be quite motivated and determined to break through the mental barriers and physically ones that would just encourage you to stay at home and watch telly.

CyclingTime profile image
CyclingTime in reply to Puffin1963

That's very true. I wanted to get back to my cycling when I was allowed back on a bike after 12 weeks plus with the build up time it would be @6 months off the bike. So I was pretty motivated to make that transition as easy as possible.

Small goals are all that's needed, without a goal it is much harder for sure.

Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25

Hi Puffin1963,

Really good to hear you and others returning to work after their heart exploits.

I like you have begun returning to work in a school, but on the premises side, so school hols are the busy time for us. Although my colleagues wont see this post, I wanted to say how absolutely brilliant my school has been all the way through. I wished to say to others reading this that if you can, I would encourage you to return if possible, at least in some capacity, in my opinion, the best therapy I have found, in many ways. I am the same age as you and it would be easier to give in, but if you are able to, try to stretch that little bit further each time. Not for everyone I know and some days it's really hard to motivate yourself, sorry one of my little sayings coming up... "if you only do what you always did, then you'll get what you always got!"

I wish you and everyone speedy and long lasting recoveries.

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