Advise with exercise and heart problems.

[Spedyrecovry50]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.I had a heart attack when I was 28. Due to not so good after care I ended up with costocondritis, fibromaylgia and a long standing heart problem. Last year I had palpitations and a missing heart beat. I told my gp and they did some tests. I now have bradycardia and av heart block. When the symptoms get bad I have chest pain and a missing heart beat. My pulse goes down to the middle 30s.

To add to that I have been caring for family members who have had cancer and died and who have had heart attacks that have nearly died. I have experienced alot of trauma in the last 10 years and it has been suggested I might have ptsd. My mum passed away last year which has had a huge impact on me and my family.

I asked my gp if it was OK to do some exercise. She said it would be OK to run or cycle. I have tried both and they make the symptoms worse. I do have an ebike which I can ride but I don't feel like it would help with losing weight.

I have been told that I am on the edge of pre diabetes so I am trying to lose weight but I am finding it stressful. I go out on my bike to help me deal with losing my mum but I am worried about the symptoms getting worse.

What I want to know is what things could I do which would help my mental health as well as my physical health with out causing me problems.

Any advice would be great as I feel a bit lost.

Thank you for you're time.

Regards.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

I focussed on food intake and gave up sugar, as cgpt suggests, which helped my weight reduce (10K) and stay down (now for 2 years), and also helped with pre-diabetes and made regular exercise much easier,

The NHS run an on-line pre-diabetes course, perhaps ask at your surgery? Its really all about healthy living, but fairly broadly done.

I hope it goes well for you. You’ve had a v tough time recently, keep posting and let us know how it goes.

[JeremiahObadiah]

You say GP said running would be ok but it makes your symptoms worse.

Could you devise yourself a walking programme -maybe every other day you go for a one hour , start at 30mins if one hour is too much?

Once you are confident that you are fit enough for that you could look at Couch to 5k which is actually Couch to 30mins running.

If you download the app and choose a personal trainer you feel very supported, you are talked through the process and don’t feel alone.

It is, if you do it properly, a very gentle way to start running. It does really work and for some reason it lifts one’s spirits hugely. There is a forum on HU which is dedicated to C25K and it is a lovely friendly forum.

Ps-The best , most helpful tip is to run really slowly!

[Spedyrecovry50]

Thank you everyone for you're replies. I think the walking/couch 2 5k idea is good. My sister is doing that at the moment. That is what I mentioned to my gp now I think about it and she said it would be a good idea. I am trying to get my diet under control. I have managed to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks. I am now 215. But thats still to much. I will look into better ways of eating. I will keep you updated. Just talking to someone has made me feel better. I think I will talk to my gp again and see what she can do to help. Thanks again.

[Veggiebiker in reply to Spedyrecovry50]

Hi, sorry to hear about your mum, and other troubles in your life. I stumbled on a local authority weight loss programme (link at the end) and went along, not expecting much. It was, however, very motivating and informative, and the feeling of us all being 'in it together' helped loads. I downloaded the NHS weight loss app and stuck religiously to 1500 cals per day. I lost at 1 to 3 lbs per week, totalling nearly 3st. I look and feel like a different person, and have built up gym classes to 5 or 6 x per week. I have a lung fibrosis condition plus atrial flutter and a recent diagnosis of cardiomegaly and pericardial effusion, awaiting referral appointment. Good luck with everything. Jan

[Veggiebiker in reply to Veggiebiker]

nhs.uk/better-health/lose-w...

[Captain_Birdseye]

Could you ask your gp about a referral to cardiac rehab, just to get you started?

[Spedyrecovry50 in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

I will see what she says.

[Polecat94 in reply to Spedyrecovry50]

Cardiac rehabilitation works really well for me. You exercise in a safe environment after assessment of your condition and with people who have the expertise to help. Not sure where you live but Heartbeat in the North West UK is a lifesaver and you can self refer. Good luck.

[Hidden]

There is only one way to lose weight,eat less and move more.Sorry to be so blunt but it's the only way to keep it off.If you go on one of them so called diets you will only put the weight back on.Good luck x

[Crochetwoman]

I do both cardio ( for my heart) and walking. I’ve noticed that even just 2-3 hour walks twice a week ( or longer) are better for weight loss, joint pain and “mindfulness” than the xtrainer. As long as you’re in the fat burn . Good luck

[Spedyrecovry50 in reply to Crochetwoman]

Thanks. I tried my ebike this morning. I was able to get my heart rate up a little bit while going for a nice ride. The bike has good range. Thanks again everyone.

[Spedyrecovry50]

Hi. Thought I would do an update. I am seeing a cardiologist in October which is good. I tried running but couldn't maintain it because of my weight. I have been trying walking. Its a bit slow at the moment but it seams to be helping. I did think about weight training but I don't know if that's a good idea. I am also on a slight calorie deficit. I also have talking therapies helping me at the moment so things are looking better.

[Crochetwoman in reply to Spedyrecovry50]

Glad to hear you have an appointment. Keep up with the walking, I’m sure it will improve , I think it’s great for “relaxing” and health. I often walk listening to music but also enjoy just the peace and quiet. Must start on my diet deficit regime again. Good luck.

[DWizza]

You are on the right path with walking & calorie deficit . Just moving around in our daily lives burns way more calories than any gym session. Tracking calories really worked for me and gave me an understanding of the amount of energy I was consuming without thinking (portion sizes , ridiculously heavy calorie snacks containing sugars & fats … wine crisps , processed foods).

Weight training is a great way to retain /build muscle and feel great! Getting stronger is always a benefit ! By having more muscle replacing fat will increase your basal metabolic rate too which means you’ll burn more calories just by being the new you 👍. It took me years to make the transition from a stat to fit but imperfect consistency wins out . I started at age 56. Glad I was fit and strung for the last 5 years as it had helped my recovery from quad bypass surgery only 2 months ago . Docs can’t believe the progress I’ve made. You stick to walking and calorie deficit for the time being , learn about the calories and nutrients in the food you are eating , make some changes (diet drinks make a hell of a difference, check food labels for colour codes etc) Wishing you all the best and happy to help further if needed . Wizza

[Spedyrecovry50]

Thanks for the reply. I have had a small bump in the road. Over did it on the weight training and have hurt my back. Still doing the diet which is still working. Hoping I can get back to exercise soon. I am looking at going back to cycling in the mean time as it doesn't effect my back.