hi all
I'm wanting to hear your exercise achievements post heart bypass.
Prior to my bypass I was extremely active down the gym teaching hiit workouts and other exercise classes. I am still only 8 weeks post op and aged under 40 but need some good news stories of people building up their exercise post op.
I have cardio rehab booked but want to know people journey etc.
I didn’t have bypass surgery but had 3 stents fitted at age 70 following rapidly worsening angina. This was at the start of lockdown in 2020. All rehab was at home using the BHF videos. I followed those for about 5 months, doing the 50 minutes every day. I had previously been fit enough for a 3-mile walk each day, so not especially fit.
After 6 months I started Couch25k and completed just before Christmas 2020. I hadn’t run for nearly 50 years! I had to repeat it the following year following surgery. Easier the second time, you don’t have the psychological barriers.
I now run 5k three times a week. I’m not fast (after all I’m 72) but I can do it, and it keeps me fit and makes me feel good about myself. And of course it helps to manage the risk of further heart problems.
I’m 14 weeks post quadruple bypass and 2x HT I started action heart this week and have had two monitored sessions so far I’ve got one more then they they will put together a work out tailored for me. It’s basically a fairly standard gym. I was surprised to find that I couldn’t do some of the equipment because you have to be 26 weeks post surgery, it definitely looks like I’ve been overdoing things but then I feel like I have most of the time, I think it’s going to take sometime to get back to anything normal.
Hope your recovery is going well and you get back to normal but don’t rush it you don’t want to end up going backwards.
Carig
You are only 8 weeks on and I don't know how many bypasses you had. However I would say don't be too impatient and try to do too much as that will set you back. Some days will be much better than others and sometimes you may feel as if you are not improving. I found that keeping a detailed health diary was useful as that gave me benchmarks and reassured me that, despite setbacks and health plateaus, that generally speaking week by week there was steady improvement.
My preferred exercise is walking as that is something you can do at any time, vary distances and routes and include for instance some hills and vary speeds. Don't use hiking poles as yet though. After more recovery time you may want to move on to additional exercises and I would be interested to hear from Jako as to what exercises they are not supposed to dop until 26 weeks.
Hi Carlg
I feel I have a good news story, however, mine is the opposite end of the scale. Prior to my minor heart attack in early June, I was far from fit, my work involved working from home sat in front of a computer for 8 - 9 hours a day, mainly due to the covid pandemic. With this in mind my exercise was at best minimal, yes, I was over weight, drinking too much and although food was generally pretty healthy, it was getting harder to exercise. The ever increasing vicious circle.
However, and here is the good news bit, as a result of my heart attack i had a quadruple by pass, which also meant as part of the recovery process, i had to get out walking, which i have really enjoyed particularly with the weather over the summer months, i am proud to say that i can now walk easily 5km and have lost approx 2 stone. I like others do attend the Cardio Rehab gym sessions which do help and do push you a bit harder than you may do on your own
14 weeks post op I have some way to go still, and am still a bit nervous about upper body exercise, but i am committed to keep loosing weight and to get stronger and fitter. I am now already far healthier than prior to my attack
I see this as have being given a second chance so will take fuĺl advantage of that. My silver lined cloud if you like 👍
Hi have had 2x triple by-pass surgery over a 10 year period, our local Hospital Trust run a Cardiac Rehab exercise class, simple controlled exercises for a period of 8 weeks closely monitored, after this period most of those attending discharged and back to work and in charge of your own health exercises,IT WORKS so slow down please and patience, don't run(pun) before you walk.
im 8 months post quad CABG now, mainly do cycling.
Been in the Isle of Wight this week, 3 rides of over 45 miles each and well over 6,000 ft of climbing. Absolutely no issues at all.
I did a 100 mile one off sportive a couple of weeks previously relatively flat area, thst was fine.
I built it all up slowly but you should be fine. I am much more cautious with weights as that type of activity seemed to take longer and give me different issues as the muscles get very weak around there
You sound like my kind of guy doing 100 mile sportive 8 months post op well done brilliant.I had a bypass op 6 months ago after a lifetime of cycling fell running swimming you name it. I am 64 and now getting back in to training again but am held back by bisoprolol and rehab recomendation that i do not exert beyond 125bpm. Longest ride so far is 100km longest swim 2500 meters and longest jog 7km. But at present o do periodically hit a wall.
Fyi i did not have a heart attack or heart failure my heart is strong only one artery was narrowed and now that is bypassed.
What was your experience of bisoprolol and recomnded max heart rates if you dont mind me asking
Cheers
Hi sounds like your making decent progress!!
I came off bisoprolol after discussing with the doctor as what it was trying to control I didn't have an issue with anyway.
You sound like me. I had not angina or HA, heart healthy just four blocked arteries lol
Thanks did they restrict your max heart rate. If so what to and for how long?Have you made a full recovery
Cheers
Well I had a low resting heart rate anyway and they were pulling it lower down to 37 at times. It was causing me to feel dizzy when I stood up.
In regards of the max heart rate I was only restricted to around 125 when on the rehab exercises. At the 3 month point I asked the consultant do I need to restrict my HR and he said no just go for it!
So it took my a while building slowly to have the confidence to do that but I am there now. I am 60 so my limit is 161
Wow thats what i wanted to hear. We seem very much alike. I cant thank you enough.
Good luck just build slowly and make sure you where a HRM
stress test prior surgery was mets 3, after cardiac therapy (1st and 2nd phase-3 months) it hit mets 6, recent stress test (halfway thru 3rd phase and 10 months after bypass surgery it is now at mets 8. Just be patient, you will get there… keep safe
Mets?
Hi Carlg
I am a 76 year old male who had a triple by pass, aortic valve replacement and pacemaker in mid June. I was previously fit for my age.
now fourteen weeks into recovery, I have just started cardiac rehab at Addenbrookes Hospital here in Cambridge. They assess you first which for me was two weeks before the rehab exercises and then start you on exercises suitable for your stage of recovery. I have seven more sessions to attend. We were all monitored via heart monitors throughout.
I am recovering slowly but surely. One cardiologist at Royal Papworth Hospital told me his wife had the same operation as me and it took her 6-9 months to get back to her normal self. We are all different and some will recover more slowly than others.
hi carlag
Fourteen months on from a quad, walking about twenty five miles a week, two hours a week on my cheapo exercise bike on a medium setting. Squats lunges sit ups every day bar Sunday then I do croissant and coffee.
I am still having some issues with certain types of exercise mostly pull ups and lifting weights above just below my scar, it is more discomfort than anything else but I have learned that the is only a small step from discomfort to problems. I should point out that during my day to day work I am a builder and do lift some things above my head, but in the gym I always tended to lift much heavier weights than at work. Different posture plays a part and since bypass I am far more careful than I was.
I started rowing after about six months, and found that was ok although not as easy as I was used too.
What you must be careful of is useing what you used to do as your benchmark,set your goals exercise wise carefully approach the first six to twelve months as though you have never been near a gym or fitness program in your life. We are all going in the same direction but for each of us the path is slightly different.
You will read about the bypass patient who ran a marathon six months after waking up, and the one who six years along is still having issues. You are not either of them and what you achieve is not me or him or her it's you, so my advice is take care especially during the first four months, care taken now can prevent problems later.
With some patient care and attention you can possibly get back to wear you were before the bypass, but don't expect to get there next week, you may not get back but it's not impossible, one word of warning, when you do get back to the gym it's starter classes as a student and don't try to compete with your old gym friends,in fact don't exercise near them to start with, give the scar a chance.
I did and six months after the operation I was laying patios again, with some help, and I fully expect to be doing pull ups before the middle of next year.
Good luck with the recovery you have already won the first bit you are a survivor, now you are in the convalescent phase use it wisely a lot of us wind up changing direction or setting new goals for life in this part of recovery, I know that I have,less time working more time walking up mountain's but as I do that for enjoyment I don't include that in the excersise that I must do to keep well, but going up truffan is because I like too.
All the best with YOUR route to recovery.
Hi Carlg,
Looking back it took me about 5 months to get to where I was pre-op, which was climbing hills in the Cheviots and Scottish Southern Uplands.
I started rehab after 3 months which was when I got cleared to drive again, carry a backpack and I got back onto some of the smaller hills. From there I have gone from strength to strength and now 4 years post op I am climbing a couple of Munros in a day (up to say 12 miles distance and 4,000 feet of ascent) which is not bad for a 70 year old.
There's something to be said for these bypass ops! 😀
Best wishes for your recovery,
Gerald
Hi Carlg - welcome to the club - that most of us wouldn't want to join.
I had a CABG×4, 16 years ago, when I was a 47 year old single dad. I'd had unstable angina for about 2-4 weeks and avoided a heart attack by the narrowest of margins - high troponin, but not high enough.
After about 4-6 weeks recovering from the op, I steadily improved my tolerance of exercise. I then built up my fitness over the next 4 months walking my dog, the late Sooty, two miles morning and evening after attending the NHS cardiac rehab and continuing to attend a cardiac rehab group in Milton Keynes.
6 months to the day after the op, I hiked about 10 miles, including the top of Snowdon with 2 of my 3 sons. The youngest was doing a GCSE chemistry exam.
Here is a blog I wrote at the time. I hope you enjoy it and it gives you a wee bit of inspiration: myluckyheart.blogspot.com/2....
My tips: eat well, exercise well (but not stupidly hard), get a pulse monitor, learn about perceived exertion, and if heart or body are saying 'no': listen, and ease off.
Good luck with your continuing recovery.
Best wishes,
David
Carig follow the programme set by the cardio rehab team. Given your age and fitness level it should only take a couple of months to get back to normal. Aged 78 I had a mitral valve repair and thought gyms were for idiots. However working with the cardio rehab team I became fitter than ever and within 6 months was at the gym twice/week.
Do as you are told, don't rush, but don't laze about
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