Newbie

[Kuya]

I have just been diagnosed with COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. (visit to emergency ward and 48 hours in hospital, and am trying to figure out what exercises are appropriate, can I still teach yoga and qigong, how much and how often and how to know when I'm doing too much or too little... etc etc etc.

[uzininemm]

Hello.

Have you been referred to cardio rehab as they are the experts and we are not. Do ask as it is well worth it.

From experience (rather than straight medical advice), you will get tired quicker than you used to, my cardiologist told me he wanted me to exercise as soon as I was able, what I would I do is start by simply walking and not too far straight away.

You will find that you will get breathless if you do too much, if you do stop and rest and your breathing should return to normal. (All this is based on experience of having heart failure).

Also you don't mention the meds you are on, which if you are able to take them will ultimately have a huge impact as well.

[Kuya in reply to uzininemm]

I live in a small rural town in British Columbia, Canada and we do not have "cardio rehab." I am booked for an appointment with a Chronic Disease Specialist nurse next week and will talk with her about it. I'm on prednizone for one more day, antibiotics for three more days and fusamenide every day, to be increased if fluids build up. Taking probiotics. Thanks for asking this, it helped me to clarify my meds protocol. I'm going to go to my qigong class this afternoon, take my oxometer and check that out.

[Hidden in reply to Kuya]

I hope this may be of use to you in that the BHF have a programme of online Cardio Rehab. I have no personal experience of it, but under the circumstances under which you find yourself, it might be worthwhile having a look through them and gauging whether anything within the programme can be directly applied to yourself, perhaps discussing at your appointment with your nurse next week. Details below.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Captain_Birdseye]

Definitely ask a cardiac specialist - this isn't something we'll be able to give advice on as we're not medics and don't have access to your medical records.

Being fit and otherwise healthy, I would hope you'd be able to continue in some capacity, possibly learning a few adjustments along the way.