Heart Disease

[Rkjudy]

I’m 70 with heart disease that I am being treated for. No heart attacks. Is the C25K plan available in a modified program for people like me or is the regular plan ok?

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate]

Your best bet is to speak to your doctor or specialist about whether the C25K plan is the best way to increase your fitness. We aren't qualified to advise on this.

I haven't heard of a special plan for people with cardiac issues but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Your health professionals should know what is available and most suitable for you.

Hope you find the information you need

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hello and welcome to you!

As Yesletsgo says... do, please make sure that you have the go ahead, first, from your medical advisors; the experts are the ones, who will give you the correct advice you need, to move forward with exercise.

We have many folk on our forums, who are runners, and who have had heart issues or heart attacks, and every single one is different. Some ran before their heart problems, some not. Each individual case is so different,

Our good friend David_G is one of those awesome , and inspirational runners; he is about to head towards a HM after a time recovering from a heart attack ! He now is not only back to running, but is a volunteer working with Cardiac Rehab, supporting other folk who, like him have had heart problems.

He may pop in to give you some thoughts..

This is a great programme and very structured, but you will need, that all important clearance from your medical advisors.

Do please, keep us posted, we would love to see you here with us !

[Folkylass Graduate]

Hi. It would be wise to seek advice directly from your GP. They will correctly advise you. In the meantime perhaps gentle walking each day or every other until you get the correct information. Good luck in your running journey and C25K …but please get medical advice before you commence the program.

[Survivor1952]

After my OHS in June 23 I asked the rehab team if attempting C25K was ok, I was told yes. I now do a parkrun (5k) weekly with an age grade of 43%. I’m nearly 10 minutes faster than when I started. I’ll do number 35 on Saturday, my first one was exactly 3 months after my surgery.

I’m nearly 72 with 2xPCI, CABG and AVR (bovine valve) following a silent heart attack in May 23. I feel fantastic, BP is normal, and I’m certainly doing what my surgeon told me to do - live a normal life.

[Hidden in reply to Survivor1952]

What an amazing story, S1952! And an equally, if not more, amazing accomplishment. Congrats on your weekly parkruns and best on #35!!!!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Survivor1952]

Good news indeed, and hopefully Rkjudy will get some sound advice from the experts and be able to move forward too, with success and safety!

[Hidden]

Agree with everyone here. Please seek advice from your healthcare provider before starting any exercise programme. They will be able to give you the best advice.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

'Heart disease' can be quite a different kettle of fish from 'heart attack' (and even the latter represent a wide range leading to different rehab routines) As others have said, guidance on exercise needs to be specific to you, from someone with your medical notes and test results in front of them. It is disappointing how often people come with these sorts of questions - not that they should ask them but that they haven't already been given the information by their clinicians (in a form they can retain!)

Some things to think about before you have that consultation:

1) What's your prior experience of fitness activity? The C25K programme has something to offer those who have never exercised, those who have a tendency to boom and bust and also to those who were previously sporty but need to adjust.

2) What are you hoping to get from it? (it's not a magic weight loss tool for example)

3) Which C25K programme are you looking at? On this forum we're usually talking about a format for the UK NHS (via app or podcast) which takes 9 weeks (or more) and is aimed solely at building to a sustainable habit of running for 30 consecutive minutes so there are no issues whatsoever about pace/distance and thus more inclusive to a wide variety of people. There are other programmes which are slightly shorter and do have distance goals and they may be less appropriate.

4) Where do you have available to run? It's possible that a health professional would feel that your circumstances mean a gym is more appropriate (although I personally find treadmills very hard to negotiate with respect to pace) or running with a companion. Those of us in the UK will generally not be faced with seriously problematic climate/weather issues but your bio says you are in the US and you may need to know about temperatures/humidity etc which mean you should not run outside.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Very useful points here..and information too..Hopefully, the experts have been consulted... and will be involved with any choices made.

Thank you x

[SandraLlew]

I am also 70 and have just had a TAVI (Aortic Valve replacement) and will be starting on treatment for lung cancer soon. I have enrolled in the Race for Life 3k run next June and fully intend to do the C25K programme, I may find that I need to extend and amend as I go, using it as a guideline rather that a set in stone plan that has to be followed exactly. I hope to get Cardiac Rehab between now and January. My run will likely be more of a jog than an actual run. I find it use ful to have goals to aim for.

[David_G]

Hi Rkjudy and welcome to the forum! As others have said, please seek medical advice before attempting any exercise - your physician will be best place to offer advice, or may be able to direct you to appropriate support or support groups in your area.

Maybe you could start by discussing the program with your physician, looking at the schedule and adapting it as necessary to suit your individual circumstances? If your physician is happy for you to try the program, please remember that there’s no time limit on completing the schedule and you can repeat weeks as often as you feel you need to, or stop at a level that’s appropriate for your situation.

Very best of luck with everything. As Oldfloss says, please do keep us informed of your progress!