Running capacity after mitral valve replacement

[Samsoncat]

I had mechanical mitral valve replacement surgery last year. On Warfarin and Bisoprolol 5mg.I did a 5K parkrun yesterday in 31m 35s. I feel I had more in my locker to reduce race time further.

Considering I have mechanical mitral valve and taking beta blocker Bisoprolol, how much further can I physically push my heart.

[Snowflake01]

Hi - there's a couple of recent posts asking a similar question to yours that might be helpful:

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

My running at the moment is done carefully watching my watch HR monitor and keeping it within my specific Cardio Rehab guidance (post CABG). This means I spend my time trying to run slower! , so I know where you are coming from 🙂. Have you had any personalised Cardio Rehab advice around this? If not, this is what I'd be looking for...

[Samsoncat in reply to Snowflake01]

Thanks for posts. Yes, maybe personalised carsio rehab is way to go.

[DodgyTickerMum]

Hi, I had the same op as you, with a mr HF I so valve fitted in June last year and am only just about to begin phase 4 rehab - let alone 5k park runs! (Similar age too, but to be fair - I didn’t do running before! 🤦🏼‍♀️)

Can I ask if you’ve had an Echo post op? My E.F is still lower than before my surgery - despite now being on 3 of the 4 ‘pillars of heart failure’ meds. Just wondered if yours has bounced back - a year down the line?

Many Thanks.

[Samsoncat in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

I've had echo. Cardiologist said EF prior to op was artificially high. So after op EF not exactly comparable.

[Survivor1952]

I started doing parkrun after my AVR, PCI and CABG. My age grade is now around 45%, my cardiac exercise group trainer at the phase 4 class (I’ve continued with rehab after the free phase 3 finished) has said I can, at the age of 72, exercise with no restrictions. I’m within heart rate limits as per the various methods for calculating my maximum.

[Samsoncat in reply to Survivor1952]

you've given me hope and realisation that park runs are possible for a couple more decades

[Survivor1952 in reply to Samsoncat]

Our oldest runner at mine is well into their 80’s so I’m hoping for a few more years myself.

[BicuspidBloke]

Don't unnaturally push it - let it happen over time. If you felt there was more in the locker then great, get the heart used to this before pushing it to the max. My aortic valve replacement was 25 months ago and I was walking a parkrun within six weeks, jogging them within about ten weeks, getting good times within three months (mostly due to the weight loss & gym work). Back to half marathons within thirteen months and will do my first marathon next April. The times aren't what they would have been had I not needed the operation but they don't matter - the distances are doable. Good luck!

[Samsoncat]

Well done Bicuspid bloke. Great going. Good to see age and ops haven't prevented good running.