Low stamina

[scott.eitman]

I am 8 months post-op. I seemed to have been recovering great for the first 3-4 months and then I hit the wall. I just get tired way to easily.

I know people may laugh at the next statement, but here goes. I went for a 20 mile bicycle ride Saturday. I know many will say I wish I could do that. Here is the thing, I have to keep my rides as flat as possible. Even with that, I got off my bike and was beat. A year ago, I would have got off and felt great. Now, completely spent. Not just legs tired. I am pretty confident that this isn't just "you know you had major surgery".

I saw my Cardio a three weeks ago. Had a chest x-ray...all healed. Had blood work done...all within normal ranges. Had an EKG...unusual electrical stuff, but not afib. My Echo in Dec looked great however even with a On-X valve, the EF was 45%. We are patiently waiting unto July to talk more. I very much trust and respect my Cardio who discusses my case with others at the CCF.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

 

[Lynlw]

Have they talked about doing a stress test? What was your EF before surgery? Is it improving or pretty much staying the same or gotten worse?

 

[scott.eitman]

Have they talked about doing a stress test? What was your EF before surgery? Is it improving or pretty much staying the same or gotten worse?

Good questions: I believe that a stress test will be in order in July (1 year). My pre-op EF was around 50%. It was 45% right after surgery and stayed the same for the echo in Dec.

 

[CanoeBob]

Just finished a 30 km ride yesterday, 20km day before that and today well...might get a walk in. Something is telling me I've had enough even though I would like to.... I'm 4 mths post-op, the doctors and cardio rehab gave me the go ahead to ride my bike! I wear a Polar Heart monitor, the readout dohiky think straped on the handlebars, the monitor on my chest, not too uncomfortable on the incision. My heart rate maximum set by the doctors is 116, I try to keep it below 110 but above 80. I have been riding on flat paved terrain but there is incline- heart rate is steady 105-108 after lowering gears and slowing cadence. On the run back going downhill on same path 79-83 tops. The monitor, an investment of $250 has been a real godsend in keeping me within my limits and my peace of mind. I can see that it is my favourite tool to keep mindfull of where I'm at in this recovery journey.

Bob

 

[ottagal]

Hi Scott,

Sorry you are dealing with stamina issues. I hope it is just needing 'more time'. Lack of stamina was one of my biggest challenges since surgery.

Sorry I can't help you with the EJ as I didn't know what mine was post op. I sincerely hope you get things sorted out and that it is nothing serious.

 

[tprice54]

This might not be all that unusual....did this happen after your first surgery? You're comparing yourself to a year ago, what was your status then? I found hills, speed were a problem for quite awhile post op.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Several members, including athletic types, have reported that it took a year or even a bit more before they felt they had realized their full recovery potential so you are not alone.

Have you discussed this lack of stamina with your Doctors?

 

[scott.eitman]

Just finished a 30 km ride yesterday, 20km day before that and today well...might get a walk in. Something is telling me I've had enough even though I would like to.... I'm 4 mths post-op, the doctors and cardio rehab gave me the go ahead to ride my bike! I wear a Polar Heart monitor, the readout dohiky think straped on the handlebars, the monitor on my chest, not too uncomfortable on the incision. My heart rate maximum set by the doctors is 116, I try to keep it below 110 but above 80. I have been riding on flat paved terrain but there is incline- heart rate is steady 105-108 after lowering gears and slowing cadence. On the run back going downhill on same path 79-83 tops. The monitor, an investment of $250 has been a real godsend in keeping me within my limits and my peace of mind. I can see that it is my favourite tool to keep mindfull of where I'm at in this recovery journey.

Bob

I wear a HR monitor as well. Not all the time though as I find it uncomfortable as well. My Cardio has allowed me to push my heart. I am often in the 130+ range and many times above 150.

 

[scott.eitman]

This might not be all that unusual....did this happen after your first surgery? You're comparing yourself to a year ago, what was your status then? I found hills, speed were a problem for quite awhile post op.

At the time of my 1st, I had 3 kids 5 and under. I wasn't working out as much so I don't really know if I was. I tend to think that I did not experience this. I alos wonder it it has something to do with stented vs. unstented.

 

[tprice54]

So, assuming any drugs you take are not an issue (like BB's), I'd say your body still has some work to do as far as stamina....I was 3 years before hills became my friend again.

 

[scott.eitman]

Several members, including athletic types, have reported that it took a year or even a bit more before they felt they had realized their full recovery potential so you are not alone.

Have you discussed this lack of stamina with your Doctors?

Yep, Cardio is aware. That is why he sent me for testing. We are taking the wait ans see aproach, but it is a little tough at times. I had read postings about taking a year as well. I did a search on stamina and it came up empty, so I figured it would be good to get a thread going.

 

[scott.eitman]

So, assuming any drugs you take are not an issue (like BB's), I'd say your body still has some work to do as far as stamina....I was 3 years before hills became my friend again.

As much as I want to blame them, I do not think it is the drugs. I was taken off of Metropolol at 5 weeks and then put back on it in Dec at 5 months. During that time, I did not notice a difference. It could be the Lisprinivil or the Coumadin, but I am doubting that but not sure why.

 

[scott.eitman]

So, assuming any drugs you take are not an issue (like BB's), I'd say your body still has some work to do as far as stamina....I was 3 years before hills became my friend again.

Arg! 3 years that will be a long wait, but it is much better than I faced prior to surgery. Thanks.

 

[RunMartin]

This sounds very similar! Hills are still hard work, lower stamina, slower etc. I have recently gone back to doing shorter distances and taking it a little easier, i.e. no more 23 mile runs, just 3 to 5 miles. The idea is not to increase the distance/speed too quickly. I still find that if I do too much today my body tells me the day after! It is not a race to regain my pre surgery levels (if I had only known that a year ago:rolleyes2. The hard bit is trying to forget what I used to be like and concentrate on what I can do today.
By the way I am on 1.25mg Bisoprolol, 2.5mg Ramipril and Warfarin.

 

[scott.eitman]

This sounds very similar! Hills are still hard work, lower stamina, slower etc. I have recently gone back to doing shorter distances and taking it a little easier, The idea is not to increase the distance/speed too quickly. I still find that if I do too much today my body tells me the day after! It is not a race to regain my pre surgery levels (if I had only known that a year ago:rolleyes2. The hard bit is trying to forget what I used to be like and concentrate on what I can do today

Are you sure its not your old age? Yeah I had to say that, I am only 47.

I am coming to the same conclusions. Of course it is spring. Luckliy my riding buddies haven't left me behind...yet. As we head into summer, it will be more difficult to ride with them.

 

[RunMartin]

Unfortunately it is not just my age. I have run and trained with some runners for 30 years and I am a long way behind them at the moment - but things may improve (slowly). I find I cannot run with my old running partners without making them slow down for a while.

I do not look or feel my age except when trying to run too fast.

 

[Bill B]

I think it would have been worthwhile, and still may be, to enter cardiac rehab. A lot of people, including me, have found it the key to recovering exercise capacity. Even athletic people benefit. The rehab staff can assess your fitness and guide your exercise program. I was a marthon runner at one time and very athletic. Still, after surgery I was severely impaired and got almost nowhere on my own.

 

[scott.eitman]

I think it would have been worthwhile, and still may be, to enter cardiac rehab. A lot of people, including me, have found it the key to recovering exercise capacity. Even athletic people benefit. The rehab staff can assess your fitness and guide your exercise program. I was a marthon runner at one time and very athletic. Still, after surgery I was severely impaired and got almost nowhere on my own.

I did do Cardiac Rehab although for only 5 sessions. I am a proponent of it for everyone. I just cannot justify to cost to continue. I switched to my club and more specific to indoor cycling (spin classes). I'm glad you mention this. It is definatley something I should reconsider as I can see the benefit of being monitored a little more closely.

 

[Bill B]

I did do Cardiac Rehab although for only 5 sessions. I am a proponent of it for everyone. I just cannot justify to cost to continue. I switched to my club and more specific to indoor cycling (spin classes). I'm glad you mention this. It is definatley something I should reconsider as I can see the benefit of being monitored a little more closely.

I presumed you had relatively standard health insurance. I'm surprised you had to pay for rehab. It is so obviously beneficial that insurance pays for it or should as a routine part of the valve replacement post-op care. Five sessions is just getting started. Standard is 36 sessions over 12 weeks, all paid by insurance in my case. My exercise capacity just about tripled in 12 weeks. Now, 8 months out you could have have trouble getting approval, but if your doctor believes rehab is indicated, they could argue for coverage. I just re-started it after a year lay-off which caused my fitness to decline. Now I pay $90/month for 3X per week sessions. They only check before and after BP & pulse, although they did do one session with EKG monitoring, but just the fact that the sessions are scheduled and they expect you to be there and they watch and advise your progress is worth a lot more to me than a regular gym membership. I do a pretty serious 1.5-2 hour workout and am already seeing good progress after restarting rehab a few weeks ago. Whatever you do, you need a full exercise program with benchmarks, once your cardiologist says there is nothing physically impairing you other than re-training. Bike riding is certainly a good exercise, but it sounds like you may just be frustrated that you can't yet do what you did before. Without a systematic exercise program, that may never happen. The center I go to has a defined program with various graduation levels. You have to complete the full 12 weeks before they stop EKG monitoring. I suspect if you went back, you would get full monitoring since you never "graduated".

It may be relevant that Adam Pick, in his book on his valve replacement experience, describes just getting nowhere and feeling rather depressed until he entered cardiac rehab at somewhere beyond 6 months post-op.

 

[bdryer]

Hi Scott

Hmmmm, a 20 mile bike ride with your heart rate between 130 and 150? Sounds like you pushed it a little, especially if this was your first real ride of the season. Also BB are a huge influencing factor. If you are on BB the age verses heart rate table does not apply. You must ride with consideration to the intensity table.

I would cut back your distance or intensity and work up. Apply the 10% rule of distance training. At what point of the ride did you feel crappy? Find this out and finish your next ride before you reach this point of exhaustion. Hold this distance until the following week and > the distance 10%. Every week continue to > by 10% until you are riding a magic century.