Cardio réhabilitation

[Moriela]

Hi,two monthes ago i had 3 stents in . I wanted to Know what youre feeback for cadio rehab .did this hello you to recover?

[Chappychap]

In my experience it was absolutely invaluable.

Cardio Rehab provides all the background information that you need about your medication and the all important life style changes that we need to implement. Furthermore it does this in a safe, nurturing environment where you're free to ask as many questions as you want, and you have plenty of time to think of fresh questions or seek clarification!

It's very rare for the NHS to sink this much resource into a preventative medicine initiative like cardio rehab, they only do it because the evidence is crystal clear. Those people who complete Cardio Rehab are far more likely to live longer healthier lives than those who don't.

The real pity is that less than half the people who are invited for Cardio Rehab actually attend and complete the course.

Good luck!

[Survivor1952]

Never been an athletic person but I really enjoy the rehab sessions, they are as hard work as you want them to be, I'm working hard as I'm determined to prove the doctors wrong who told me I'd only get back to 70-90% of my fitness! I've had a bit more done than you, two stents and then 3 weeks later AVR and 1xCABG via open heart surgery. The rehab staff are delighted with my progress so far. I've found that the sessions really help with the minor issues I've got with my pectoral muscles from the OHS.

Possibly a bit of encouragement but, at 13 weeks post op, I've just completed my first ever park run. All done in consultation with and encouragement from the rehab staff. Wondering what my GP will say on Weds though!

[Maradona10 in reply to Survivor1952]

You will prove them wrong 👊

[Alison_L]

I loved rehab so much that I subsequently spent 3 years volunteering with them, helping out at classes 😀

[benjijen]

I think most people find it very useful. I found being with those in a similar situation the most important thing.

[SNA4724]

Hi Moriela,

Its the best support you can get in my opinion. I am week 8 now simcw my stent proceedure and my fitness and confidence has improved tremendously. Fabulous NHS support.

[Lowerfield_no_more]

Assuming you attend in the first place and stay the course and don't drop out, what you get out of cardio rehab depends on how receptive, positive, and proactive to the course content you are, and importantly what condition you are in both before and after your cardio event. After my NSTEMI (which could have gone unnoticed) I attended all the rehab sessions but in truth did not get a great deal out of it. But the reason for this was that I was fit, had a good diet, not overweight, didn't smoke, exercised etc etc and basically followed what the course was all about in the first place. Had the reverse been true however, and there were many on my course who looked to be that way and had obviously suffered a greater trauma compared to me, I am sure I would have got much more out of it. So my advice to anyone who is invited to attend, irrespective of what your circumstances are, do attend with an open mind, and even if it only confirms you are have been doing everything right it is still worthwhile attending.

[Maradona10 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

That's interesting. I'm keen to get started but already have a good diet, am fit, don't have any risk factor vices. I'm hoping the exercise programmes are worth it.

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Maradona10]

From memory the the range of exercises on the day were geared to what each participant should be able to manage, all under supervision. However the general idea was to get you increasingly working your body and getting your heart rate up for a reasonable length of time. That's all. If you are already fit and your body is not compromised (say as in a disability or a condition such as arthritis or asthma or just age) you can start your own programme of exercises and increase the level of activity as you recover from your heart condition. Walking is a good place to start, with increasing pace and duration. Cycling and swimming too. You can then move up the scale introducing gym sessions or jogging or whatever else you are able to do and what takes your fancy or what you might have previously done. Read what guidance there is out there for exercising post cardio event but importantly listen to your body too.

[Maradona10 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Thanks. I'll keep up my walking sessions, getting my 10k steps a day until my mid October rehab start. I am a marathon runner so I would be happy to get the all clear to slowly increase activity to jogging and cycling soonish.

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Maradona10]

It wouldn't do any harm for you to have a chat with the BHF Heart Helpline nurse as below to see if she can give you any guidance on what you could be achieving ahead of your cardio rehab. If you were already fit and able prior to your heart event there may be no reason why you should not be able to start introducing other exercises alongside walking. In truth the cardio rehab exercise programme is targetted at the average man or woman and below not someone who was capable of running a marathon! Anyway good luck on your recovery.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[LadyZ13]

Cardiac rehab was enormous helpful to me. It made me a lot more confident in attempting exercise after heart surgery, and as my face to face classes have now stopped I have been emailing the team for advice after my cardioversion two weeks ago. If you get offered rehab, my recommendation is to grab it with both hands! You also get to meet fellow heart - recovery folks which helps normalise recovery.

[Coxtribe]

It did for sure. As well as useful advice about how to aid your recovery, it helps to rebuild confidence about your body. It's also an opportunity to meet others who have experienced something similar.

[uzininemm]

I have found from reading others and my own experience that it is done differently dependent which trust is looking after you, some are one to one (like mine) others are group based.

That being said, and as others have said mine was brilliant and invaluable.

[Brave2022]

I will say for me cardiac rehab was very good. After the stent placement and SVT episode I needed the confidence to go back and exercise without fear. Our rehab was for 4 hours a day, 2 days a week which lasted 2 months. The first hour was guided exercises while wearing a heart monitor. The second hour was usually about learning to eat more heart healthy in which we were taught the Ornish diet plan (plant based only). The third hour was group support. And the fourth hour was yoga and meditation. I have taken many things from this program and use them everyday. I can not say enough good things about my rehab experience. I did not miss a day of rehab and I graduated on March 2, 2023. We can also continue to use the Heart Center gym and rehab facilities after graduation for a minimal monthly fee.

[cgpt]

Unfortunately the trust I was allocated was running at the time (not sure now) only a virtual rehab. There used to be meetings over Teams, scheduled at the last minute with technical glitches and unruly participants. After one or two sessions it dwindled. So never really had a cardiac rehab. But I have read great anecdotes on this forum who had in-person rehab sessions.

[Qualipop]

Best thing you can do. Starting controlled exercise while supervised b y expert nurses both helps your physical and your mental recovery.

[AAJJTt]

I found cardio-rehab invaluable.

I was a fit and healthy 54 yr old in 2019 and had an NSTEMI type II while climbing. Long story short, after further investigation, they think it was caused by a thrombotic effect from undiagnosed and untreated PAF. I was left with a slight left ventricle dysfunction and a normal ejection fraction; discharged with medication and cardio-rehab.

Like a lot of people in similar situations, I was a little overwhelmed and anxious about it all. How do you move on from this?

The cardio-rehab was fantastic, a tailored program for your recovery, delivered by supportive, trained professionals.

In my area, the initial post discharge - ‘phase 3’ program (12 weeks) was delivered by the NHS. This basically was to get your exercising and moving again with confidence.

‘Phase 4’ program is delivered by a local charity (which you become a member of). They offered a 9 month tailored exercise program. You start with a CPET to establish your training targets (heart rate) then go through the program. A CPET was conducted afterwards to see how you progressed. I just jumped into it with gusto.

That was 4 years ago and I haven’t look back. My Afib is stable ( no episodes for over 3 years) and my heart has recovered - ‘structurally normal’. I still regularly attend the rehab sessions, twice a week and usually run 5-6k on the treadmill. Outside of this, I weight train, cycle and climb at every opportunity.

Despite what happened, I don’t feel I have any limitations and live my life how I want to. The rehab program helped me achieve all of this.

[BicuspidBloke]

Cardiac rehab in our area is split in to two sections. I started the first about a year ago now, six Wednesdays in the hospital gym doing quite basic circuit training. Quite a bit more basic than I was used to. This was vital. Yes, it got the blood pumping through the new valve but the main positive was about the confidence to stretch the arms & chest; to bend & lift & reach etc.

The second part was several months in a Local Authority gym doing (almost full-on) circuits and gym machine work. Next Sunday I run my first Half Marathon in two years.

It's an amazing service. Use it. You may not have the athletic aims I had but it is so very helpful just for everyday life.

[Kazzie68]

Personally I don’t think I’d have coped and recovered as well as I did without it. The information, support and care it provided was invaluable and the team gave me the confidence to push forward when I might not have been brave enough to otherwise. I was lucky enough to receive psychological support too. The whole process at my hospital was so well planned and coordinated, I’ll be forever thankful. Stay well and take care x

[Butterfly_flutterby]

Hello.

I had a Stemi H/A completely out of the blue in July 2020 aged 57.

Like some people on here I was pretty fit and ate a healthy diet.

I was in hospital for 5 weeks and had a triple heart bypass which was a tremendous shock for myself and family.

As my H/A happened when we were all in lockdown, I didn't get any rehabilitation apart from a physiotherapist phoning me a few times who told me to sit on a chair and lift my arms in the air. I didn't see any of my doctors face to face, but I spoke to them on the phone and yet the surgeon who operated saw me face to face at my 6 week check up. I didn't actually see my doctor face to face until June 2021 for a totally unrelated issue. On leaving hospital after my bypass i was assigned a Consultant Cardiologist who i have never seen or spoken to.

When the restrictions were eased, I asked if I could attend rehab, but I was told that I had already had it........over the phone. I had lots of little problems that I'm sure would've been picked up had I been allowed to attend rehab. My fantastic husband helped me get on the road to recovery.

I I joined this forum as I never knew anyone who had bypass surgery and it helped me tremendously in my recovery.

This is the first time that I have really spoken on here so sorry if it's a bit long winded 🙂

[Dyllibobs]

I'm 9 weeks post bypass now & start my cardio rehab course tomorrow. I'm not going to lie, I'm anxious about going but after reading the benefits that others have experienced, I'm hoping my confidence will improve.

[MumaLines]

Cardio Re-hab is fantastic and it not only helps to strengthen you, it helps physiologically as you will be with experts that know and can give you answers to questions. Also it is great to talk to the others in your session as you are all in the same boat.

Slowly, gently and enjoy it x