5 weeks post op exercise routine

[mshuler]

I had an aortic valve replacment 51/2 weeks ao at the Cleveland Clinic, they also repaired my mitro valve, and did the maze procedure. I am still in AFib. I am 60 years old, fairly good shape (at least before surgery). I am on the treadmill about 17 to 20 minutes 6 times a week, at a slow speed of 3.0. I get very winded, and my pulse rate gets into the high 90's at about 10 minutes. I have not seen any impropvement over the last 2 weeks. Last week my cardiologist removed about 2 quarts of fluid from my my back (lungs). I still get easliy winded.
Question: has anyone had a similiar experience with exercise?
They keep telling me my heart might go back into sinus rythem on its own?? Should I asked to be cardio-verted soon?
I have a feeling the AFib is one of my major problems?
I am on coumadin, and vioxx, and antibiotics to fight a low grade temperature I seem to get every afternoon.
Just wondered if anyone has had some of these symptoms after surgery. It is kind of discouraging regarding my exercise routine.
Best Regards,
Mike

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Mike,
Has your cardo said anything to you about cardiac rehab? I had AVR and an aortic aneurysm repair in April of this year and I started rehab about 3 weeks after surgery. I am 52 and they started me out at 5 metz. and on the treadmill at 2.3 at 8 minutes and am now just up to 3.7 at 20 minutes and up to 17 metz. They also monitor you as you are doing all the exercises. You should check into this. Sorry I cannot help you with the rest but there will be others along that can give you more info.
Take Care.

Dave
___________________________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical 27mm

 

[Nancy]

Hi Mike-

You're still very early on in your healing. The initial big healing take about 6-8 weeks, then it slows down and after about 6 months, you will start to feel a lot better. At a year, you should be feeling pretty darned well.

So patience is a virtue.

As for the Maze procedure, we have a member, jackdrum, who had one done and has a website re: the Maze. We have a friend of the family who had one done, and she was told that it takes about 6 months or so for the heart to form the necessary scar tissue to block off the electrical pathways causing the afib. So there again, patience. Hers did resolve.

Everything you have mentioned should be run by your cardiologist.

But I'd say that at 3 mph on the treadmill, 20 minutes at a stretch, you're doing much better than most folks this soon after surgery.

Take care,

 

[Georgia]

Hi, Mike

Hi, Mike

I second both Dave and Nancy: I started cardiac rehab 3 weeks post surgery, and even going there I couldn't have come close to you at 5 weeks. So you are doing well, but I think you should inquire about getting into Phase II - you'll be on a heart monitor the entire time and your exercise levels are adjusted just for you; and frankly, I've never heard anyone in Phase II complain that too little is required of them, particularly after they've been there a week or so and the therapist knows what they can do.

Sounds like you've hit a bump in the road with the fluid thing, but lots of folks have it. You should be feeling a lot better now. Take all the lasix they give you to take the burden off your heart.

Good luck, and DON'T EXPECT SO MUCH OF YOURSELF. Improvement is gradual and can't be rushed. When you least expect it you'll notice you can do something or more somethings you couldn't do the day before. Enjoy the steps forward instead of worrying about what you can't do yet.

 

[JimL]

Mike, What they are saying about cardiac rehab is right on the mark. After surgery, you want to walk, and you need to walk, but how much? The cardiac rehab nurses are trained to give you the right amount. At the end of my six weeks of Phase II, they let me go up to 3.3 mph, but only for 10 minutes. I'm 21 months past surgery now, and I'm trying to get back up to 4 mph for 20 minutes. I suspect that the speed you walk at matters little, especially the first few months. The faster you walk, the better the male ego feels, but the benefit isn't necessarily there. 2.5 mph is plenty fast for a while.

 

[Les]

How true, Jim. "There's No Need For Speed". Consistent exercise and strength building is the key.
_________________
Les AVR '93 / '95

 

[mshuler]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my recent post. I am a little impulsive, and have always been very athletic, and have a tendancy to push myself, and over do exercise.
I will take your advice, and get into a cardiac rehabilitation program in Sept., when I come back from my Europe trip.
I converted to sinus rythem last nite, so feel much better. Hope it lasts.
Best regards , I appreciate your input.
Mike

 

[ccrawford]

Hey Mike - Your atheletic background will help push yourself to do more and that's good - but be sure you ease into higher levels of exercise gradually. Also, don't get your goals confused. You are not trying to do more every day, etc. You are trying to get a good aerobic workout with an accelerated heart rate for at least 30 minutes. I went to rehab sessions for about three weeks and found them to be helpful and informative. I felt a lot more comfortable having done that. Now, I try to walk at least a mile before breakfast with the dogs, and that includes some pretty good slopes. When the weather gets nasty, I'll switch to the treadmill, and stationary bike in the basement. I've also got a pair of 10 lb dumbells for various flexibility exercises. Chris

 

[Kathy]

Mike,

As you recall, we had surgery at the same time.

I was a walker before surgery and did most of my exercise outside. When I used the treadmill I walked at 3.3 mph for 2 miles.

I went to the cardiac rehab class on the floor at CCF and asked a lot of questions. They told me to continue to walk at a slow pace and to increase the time and distance. I read in a book to increase the distance every two days.

I was so uncomfortable from a hematoma formed over my pacemaker that I did not walk consistently at first. I am now walking twice a day at 1.7 mph (talk about SLOW) for .45 miles. I will increase to .5 tomorrow so I will be walking a mile. I also do the stairs 4 or 5 times a day now. I go on a short excursion each day and I'm doing chores around the house. Today I went to the library and the orthodontist to consult about my daughter's treatment.

I was told rehab would be considered during my checkup during the first week in September. I have contacted my insurance to see if it will be covered. They said that you can start up to four months after surgery and 8 weeks will be covered.

I hope you enjoy your trip to Europe. My husband thinks a trip would be a good idea, but I don't think I'm up to it. I'm not telling him about your trip, that's for sure!

Kathy

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi mike!
i couldn't say it better than all have said here before me.

i remember joey being very impatient with his [lack of immediate] progress after surgery.
i think he thought he'd be up and walking, running or whatever in no time!

patience is really important. just try and relax, walk, take it easy a bit and in time, as nancy said, it will all get easier and you will start feeling so much stronger.
it's only been 5 1/2 weeks and you really are doing more than many folks do.
have a wonderful trip to europe and feel well.
-sylvia

 

[mshuler]

Hi Kathy and Sylivia,
Thank you for your respopnses to my question regarding exercise.
I am impatient, but will take your advice, and slow down.
Kathy, I'm glad to see you're doing well, sounds like after a few complications you're mking good progress!
Please keep me updated.
Regards,
Mike