I Can't Increase My Exercise

[james195555]

Sorry this is long, try to get to the end.

On 4th December 1922 at 5am I woke up with chest pain that was getting worse. I tried to move out of bed but collapsed. I knew it was a heart attack and managed to call 999. the ambulance came quite quickly and they confirmed I was having a HA. I got to the hospital conscious but in effect died at the door. Next thing I knew I was shocked back and they were putting wires in my arm. I now have 3 stents, have done the rehabilitation and followed the book to them letter.

I year later I was reacting badly to some of the drugs, especially Bisoprolol. It took me 6 months to persuade the doctors to stop messing with the drugs like it was, We'll try this and that, as they were making me worse.

They had left me on 80mg of Atorvastatin, 3.5 mg of the the dreaded Bisoprolol and 3.5 of Ramipril plus the blood thinners, I was ill with it all and my exercise was really taking a hit because of low Blood Pressure, dizziness and pains In the back and chest. I was getting anxiety attacks and a couple of panic attacks as I thought I was heading for another heart attack. 3 visits to A&E and several to the doctors failed to resolve things. I thought I had uncontrollable Angina but it was extremely difficult to see a cardiologist. I have never seen him since my Heart Attack and have been discharged.

I decided to research myself and gradually worked things out. I was never actually given advice or direction until I went to the doctor with my own theories. He agreed I could make some adjustments with the drugs and each time I did, I got a little better. Before I started rehab, dieted and worked out my own exercise pattern my Ejection Factor was 40-45 and felt bad.

I gradually dropped the beta blockers all together, reduced my ACE inhibitor to 1.25 a night and only on 75mg Aspirin.

My point is You have to work things out for yourself we are all different.

I am 70 in May and feel like I'm 20. With exercise and completely changing my diet I am who I should be. My EF is now 54, confirmed with a Heart MRI. I was surprised to find I lost 3 stone in weight taking me to how I was in my 20's (stick thin lol). Even had my 1st tattoo a couple of months ago.

I have changed my clothes and hair grew a beard and building muscle.

Here lies my problem. Every time I increase my exercise I get bone pain in the chest and back, so I have to keep dropping back. I can't find a way to continue my improvement. I can't push through from walking to running. I just don't know how to move forward. I tried a gym and felt like an absolute lemon there I have no direction. Has anyone and this problem?

[Baws]

What ever you are doing seems to be working. Not bad for being around since at least 1922😀

[BobbyB1962 in reply to Baws]

Just what I was thinking 🤣🤣

[james195555 in reply to BobbyB1962]

Obviously my mind is not in any for state though, Doh!!! lol

[james195555 in reply to BobbyB1962]

Ah you spotted the deliberate error lol

[Murderfan58]

I go to a sit fit class on Monday and we do exercises sitting down ,standing up and walking . We use ankle weights I can't use 1kg ones so brought some 500g ones , we use resistance bands as well and my instructor has men in her morning class.

Tuesday I go to a move it or lose it class we do sit down exercises ,stand up and walking ones but use different equipment and different exercises. And yes there are men in the class.

Gyms would be no good for me as I could use the equipment and it's not the atmosphere I would be happy in .

At home I do 7 exercises and 300 rotations on my static pedals everyday morning before breakfast .

I have a rare hereditary neurological condition which effects my limbs ,small hole in the side of my heart I was born with and PAF . I am 66 and only started to do exercises in 2018 where I used to live . And found classes here . I always feel better after my exercises. I have been in constant pain in my limbs my whole life and have lost strength in my arms but doing the exercises is helping me keep mobile . Have used a stick since I was 29.

I know some people like Tai Chai,yoga and pilates . But my sit fit and move it or lose classes suit me .

If you Google exercise classes for over 60's in your area there should be classes you might like to try.

Just realised you put 1922 is that a typo 🤔

[james195555 in reply to Murderfan58]

Reply yup it's typo, may have to delete this lol Seems to be the focus of attention, you are doing great considering the bad start you had, keep it up. There are no classes where I am in my bracket. I seem to fit between the You, you're not doing enough and then slow down stages lol

[Carriefarm]

when I started to exercise I noted my pulse when I got pain/spasm. If GTN spray didn’t relieve it I stopped. I then ensured when I exercised that I kept pulse below noted pulse rate. Inevitably I found that sometimes I would go over and have no problem, so my highest pulse rate at that time would be my new marker. This has helped me increase my exercise in walking and running and cycling (4-8 miles, 5k and 20miles, respectively). Regardless of this, I sometimes can’t exercise at all or have to stop because GTN doesn’t relieve symptoms but I am learning to accept these times - they are occurring less frequently. Slow and steady improvement, I think, is the key. It took me over a year to improve to this level. I have also stopped meds that were causing my pulse and bp to drop too low. I now feel I can start swimming again, as previously, I was finding it too hard. Since stopping my bp meds I couldn’t believe the difference it made and I now feel more inclined to take it up again. I wish you all the best.

[james195555 in reply to Carriefarm]

Thanks. I really do feel that the med people are given need to be tailored more. The "off the shelf," attitude is not helping people like us. Cycling! Wow I would not dare get on one where I live, not safe enough now.

[Ewloe]

I know what you mean regarding the exercise. I’m 3 and a half years post heart attack and cardiac arrest. It’s left me with bits of heart arrhythmia’s, reduced ejection fraction and I’m classed as having heart failure.

I was fit before all of this so set about gradually building my fitness back up. If I plateaued on one type of exercise I’d change it or add something different. At first the improvement was quicker. Since plateauing juggling the type of exercise has helped a gradual creep of improvement. But I still get breathless walking up even a small hill.

So mix up what you do and be patient. Every week I play badminton, do aqua aerobics, aqua fitness, i go length swimming 3 times a week and do at least 1 mile ( 65 lengths) a session, do Pilates and walks. I will do hills i pace myself and keep going. I’ve done walking football as well.

I also keep extremely active with a 5yr old grandson in the garden and doing whatever.

[james195555 in reply to Ewloe]

Hmmm I'm not doing enough variation I think. Although I used to love team sports when I was younger. Football, Badmington, Ice skating with friends, it all slowly came to a stop. No I feel uncomfortable in groups. Obviously my mental attitude has been affected. Strange but even the thought of being competitive n ow males me stop thinking of things like that. I could not swim one length HaHa.

[MountainGoat52]

You are trying to get into running, but I would ask whether in your younger years you were able to run... and I don't mean just 100 metres to get a letter into the post box.

Some of us are just not built for running. I certainly am not... I did train for a 10km race in my mid 30s, but found it really hard. I am built more for endurance and walking, so my exercise is now based around climbing the hills. I have found my niche. At almost 73 I know many people much younger than I am that cannot do what I do. Some of them, howevet, can do what I cannot and that is run. 😀

You have done really well losing such an amount of weight. I wonder whether this has affected your muscle mass in those muscles that are used for running. It might be an idea to get an opinion from whoever at your gym has expertise in setting up exercise programmes for individuals, as to how you can move forwards.

[james195555 in reply to MountainGoat52]

I was only 8.5 stone and 5ft 7 as a teen. I was built for marathons and did them at school, played in Europe with my school football team They called me Jinky Jim lol as I weaved between players. I was just over 12 stone when I had the heart attack, easily dropped 3 stop by stopping eating any bad fats. Just like when I was young, muscle building eludes me lol (genetics). I'm fit, I climbed the steps at Whitby and beat my 40 year old son and his partner, I think they were expecting me to cave in half way up. The muscles are there you just can't see them ha ha!

[Ewloe]

ohhh i forgot i also do spin once a week 😂😂.

[DWizza]

Where are you located ? Have you tried joining B2R ? Beginners to Runners , they do running group courses Couch to 5k referrals via local surgeries . I got an email via my surgery, the timing couldn’t have been better . Otherwise follow a couch to 5k training program, plenty on line.

[james195555 in reply to DWizza]

I'm too fat North. I did 5k training walking but can't seem too transition to running, my lower legs just give out. I live smack in the middle of an town with little access to nice running areas. I sometimes wonder if these Street runners know what they are breathing in (traffic)

[MoretonCross]

I don't have your problem because I don't run, have no intention of starting, and I don't go near a gym. Problem solved.

[james195555 in reply to MoretonCross]

HaHa Hmm the easy way out 😉.

[fishonabike]

If you can't increase your exercise maybe your body is simply letting you know what its limits are - you exercise tolerance is limited by your physiological make up, you can't make it do more if it does not have the right physiology - that's why we can't all be Olympic athletes however hard we train

[james195555 in reply to fishonabike]

You may be right but I'm not ready to give in yet, not so much physiology but psychology at work with me I think

[Jedi14]

I have a somewhat similar experience! After my stents and rehab, 2months of work. Gradually via a phased back to work program provided by my employers medical unit. Into fulltime work and even went for holiday abroad for a week.

Back to work and in November 2023, then crash! Unusual heart/stomach pains, not possible to see GP straight away due to busy winter time at the surgery. However ended up in hospital for short stay, observation then discharged with some changes to meds. Ongoing problems led me to cardiology, more tests and started on Bisoprolol at 1.25 mg. The best medicine, has worked wonders and feeling as stable as possible.

Key thing is I feel the "ceiling" whilst doing activities. I know my limits and struggling to go "beyond". Cold weather makes me more vulnerable to aches and chest pains, therefore looking for advice myself, to " go beyond".

[james195555 in reply to Jedi14]

Yes very similar except the Bisoprolol is a no no for me. From reading these replies it seems we have to seek other forms of exercise to add to what we do now. I will wait till Spring, too cold to push myself just now. Have you tried swimming?

[Jedi14 in reply to james195555]

Not yet, but on holiday to Bodrum there was a pool, I got changed put my foot in the water and ran back to my room , googled and found a no, no on this activity for hearties! So now I'm back home and its winter, I just don't feel up to it. I know for a fact the showers can be cold as well at our pools. Perhaps in summer time?