How hard to exercise 2 years on from heart attack

[Pots11]

Hi there I had heart attack nearly 2 years ago late presentation ef 35 - 40 and AF cant believe how well I am doing at first medically treated back in hospital 2 weeks later and had stent fitted. I am walking regularly including banks urban areas and gardening and biking and breathing feeling good. So pleased how things are I cycle small hills but cycled a hill I hadn't done for 2 years last week which was quite a push which I found very rewarding and obviously breathing more heavily. Came through that fine The question I ask is how do I judge how hard to push or if pushing to much. Regards Pots11

[RufusScamp]

The advice I was given is to make sure you can still carry out a conversation. Perhaps a heart-rate monitor of some sort would be useful?

[Andyman]

I just increased my effort everytime i went out. You know how you feel now. You know the signs. Slowly increase your effort.I gym twice a week. Golf twice a week. Cycle up to 70 kms a week. I'm walking the coast of Britain slowly a bit at a time.

I'm 70 had my HA 12 years ago. 4 stents and a load of pills. Know your body and do a bit more each time. In the end you won't and can't do anymore anyway. There is only a certain amount you can do even without heart issues.

But enjoy it. You have nothing to prove.

[Pots11 in reply to Andyman]

Brilliant thanks for your reply gives me a lot of confidence I feel fitter today 2 years on from heart attack than I did even 12 months on from heart attack.

[FrankWillbe]

As with any exercise make sure you warm up or start slower, build up to that hill and then slow down/cool down at the end.A fitness watch can help track your exercise and I find it useful to look at my heart rate over the period. I was told short times of highs are ok just don't maintain them and the saying No Pain No Gain is not the way. Gently does it is working for me.

[Pots11 in reply to FrankWillbe]

Thank you for your reply all good advice thank you

[MountainGoat52]

I'm not sure whether this applies to you, but I find the beta blocker I'm on, although a very small dose, does limit my exercise. I never get anywhere near not being able to hold a conversation, but still have to take occasional stops when I am climbing the mountains. I call them stops for "photographic opportunities", but basically it is down to a limitation on my heart rate (it rarely gets up to 120bpm) combined with a lack of hill fitness. The latter is due to the infrequency of my visits to the high ground. Still, it doesn't stop me getting there. I just take it easy.... and at the age of 71, why not? 😀

[Pots11 in reply to MountainGoat52]

All good advice thank you

[Ewloe]

I was fit before my Heart Attack and cardiac arrest that was 2 and a bit years ago. And now I have bits of a few arrhythmia’s. And my last check of my EF was 46%. (Initially it was 40%).

Over that time I’ve gradually crept my fitness back up ( whilst accepting I’ll never be able to exercise like I used to- I was pretty intense), I’ve changed how I exercise.

You say about hills I swim twice a week- over 2 miles a week, play badminton, Pilates ( sometimes barre which is bloody hard), walk 3 days a week, do a bit of gym once a week and a circuit class in a good well-being session.

But come to hills and I still slow up like a snail 😂😂. Yet can do all the above.

Listen to your body, my body is telling me I need to factor some rest time into my physically busy week so I’m trying to do that. Bu I have my 4yr old grandson who keeps my physically and mentally active ( and tired) part of 3 days a week.

I’m still nudging what I do a long, I used to bike a bit before my heart attack and plan to get an electric bike for a bit of assistance on hills as well as walk up ( very slowly) Moel Ffammau but my performance now is markedly affected by temperature of the weather so I’m working on those plans.

It just amazes me how I can do this amount of exercise and struggle with a small hill. My walking up a hill has definitely improved and I manage my pace. I think other forms of exercise helps me with that. So maybe look at other types of exercise to bring your fitness a long and see good luck. Life’s a balance we often have to work at finding

[Kev73]

I had a mild HA two years ago December and had one stent fitted, I'm a 50 year old male, I started swimming in Jan 22, I go twice a week and do a mile each time(64 lengths) I also do two 20+ mile bike rides a week plus running, although that's on hold due to a knee problem, I enjoy my triathlon sports but don't compete,they're just fo my own enjoyment, I also do lots of upper body and leg exercises too, since my HA I've lost two stone, the BBCs ( beer biscuits and chocolate, bread butter and cheese , burgers, bacon and chips!) caught up with me over 40odd years! I wasn't big to begin with 5'9" and 12 odd stone now I'm just over 10 stone and I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life, also I'm off ramipril and bisoprolol and feel better without them, just got my lanoprozol aspirin and antororstatins, get out there and don't be afraid of exercise!

[Survivor1952]

71 here, had a silent HA 5 months ago which resulted in PCI, AVR and CABG all in the space of 5 weeks.

Never been a great one for exercise but I did my first Parkrun at 13 weeks post op and I've now taken 4 minutes off that time in doing 8 events. My age grade is now at 41.22% having started at 37.5%.

I'm looking forward to getting back on my bike next year once the weather is a bit kinder.

My EF on admission in May was around 30%, on discharge from hospital it was 63%.

So, is it possible to overdo things? Presumably but I've not hit that point yet, my rehab team were delighted with what I was doing and actively encouraged me.