Cardiac Rehab...is it really that helpful?

[Sevgi]

My Cardiologist did not offer rehab for me but I asked to go to it because I wanted to have professionals around when I started to exercise. It had been over 5 years since I exercised so I was scared to try it alone. Today was my first day and I was thrilled after I finished. I exercised for 50 minutes! I walked @ 3.0 mph again like I used to. I'm excited about going back. I was the youngest person in my class too but the older people were exercising far more strenuous than I was and that made me want to work harder to get to be as fit as they are. Rehab is probably a personal decision but so far, I think it's good for me.

 

[malibu82]

I think Cardiac Rehab is great. A lot of it might be a mental thing. I like that they watch you work out for a few months so that when I am done I will not be scared to work out on my own. I will know that my heart has recovered and nothing bad will happen. I go to rehab 3 days a week for 12 weeks. I am the youngest person in my class being 28 but that does not bother me at all. I enjoy talking to everyone there and hearing their experiences whether it's a valve replacement or heart attack. It's nice to be around people that can relate to everything you are going through.

 

[donna]

Hi there,I hope to start cardiac rehab ..It will be for 2 mornings and 5 weeks .Sounds like very little when i listen to you guys !
donna

 

[NealR]

At first, My surgeon discussed some sort of cardiac rehab program, but as I progressed, he didn't think I needed it, and ended up approving me to go back to work at 5 weeks.

I was in good shape before surgery, as I had 3 months to excersize, and I worked out everyday after surgery, starting on day 3. All I did was walk per the guidelines on the mannual given to me at the hosptial. Something like 3x/day, 3 minutes, then 4 minutes, then so on and so forth.

My secret, was that I added an additonal walk or two into the program, and seemed to work well for me.

Perhaps this is best decided on a patient to patient basis?

 

[Jkm7]

My experience with cardiac rehab wasn't really the norm. My cardiologist dropped me in a program at two weeks post-op to slow me down. He felt I was recovering too quickly.

The strength of the program for me was the monitoring it provided. It was pretty cool to actually see my heart get stronger. I enjoyed it.

Rehab programs aren't for everyone. My cardio doc told me he wouldn't have put me in a program under normal circumstances, but I was recovering at a rate he hadn't seen before.

-Philip

I was offered cardiac rehab and think you would be a fool not to use it. You find out what you can do, when to do it and at what pace. The others on my course were all in the same boat and were helpful too. My cardiac rehab nurse is a gem, she is a mine of information and her support is endless. She has access to all of my notes and if I want to know anything I ring her. What is also important is that she is registered at my hospital and has daily access to my surgeons and specialists.
She has been a true friend since meeting her, my confidence is also so much improved as it is not now, when can I do this or that, but knowing what I can do and the bounderies that must not be crossed.

pdraper......
With respect, your remark about some of us being a fool for deciding with our cardiologists and surgeons that rehab was not for us has gnawed at me since you wrote it.

It does no one any service to write such a thing here.
I was going to write this when I initially read your post but chose to think about it first. I have thought about it for a week and still think it was a 'foolish' thing for you to say. How do you think you know better than our doctors what is best for us?

If we learn anything here, it is that each of us experiences this major event in a different way. Those of us who have had multiple OHS have experienced each surgery differently.

What worked for you is not what would work for everyone and judging in such a negative way is damaging. IMO

 

[Greg a]

I just started cardiac rehab last week, and I am actually questioning whether or not its going to be something that I will actually benefit from that much. My surgeon said it was up to me, that he felt I didnt need it but that I could do it if I wanted to. So many other people talked to me about how important it was in their recovery and that they were very thankful for it .

What is everyone elses experience or past experience with cardiac rehab? Did you find it actually paid off in the end or that you didnt need it as much as you may have thought you did?

While we know that Cherries4life is writing a book she is ASKING FOR EVPERENCE AND prdraper gave HIS EXPERIENCE

I was offered cardiac rehab and think you would be a fool not to use it. You find out what you can do, when to do it and at what pace. The others on my course were all in the same boat and were helpful too. My cardiac rehab nurse is a gem, she is a mine of information and her support is endless. She has access to all of my notes and if I want to know anything I ring her. What is also important is that she is registered at my hospital and has daily access to my surgeons and specialists.
She has been a true friend since meeting her, my confidence is also so much improved as it is not now, when can I do this or that, but knowing what I can do and the bounderies that must not be crossed.

pdraper......
With respect, your remark about some of us being a fool for deciding with our cardiologists and surgeons that rehab was not for us has gnawed at me since your wrote it.

It does no one any service to write such a thing here.
I was going to write this when I initially read your post but chose to think about it first.
I have thought about it for a week and still think it was a 'foolish' thing for you to say. How do you think you know better than our doctors what is best for us?

If we learn anything here, it is that each of us experiences this major event in a different way. Those of us who have had multiple OHS have experienced each surgery differently.

What worked for you is not what would work for everyone and judging in such a negative way is damaging. IMO

A few OPERATIVE WORDS he was OFFERED the pgm so his cariologist was involved in his decision as well ...he THINKS of is his opinion ....your comments show a total lack of RESPECT for his OPINION and his right to it ...it does EVERYONE good when OPINIONS are shared freely WITHOUT FEAR OF harsh comments such as these. And YES you are judging the 21 to 1 respondents whose OPINIONS differed from yours at thisb point

it remains MY OPINION that you owe a HUGE apology to those you are offending with your comments soley on the basis of not agreeing with your OPINION

GROW A SET


THAT is my OPINION

Greg a OUT

 

[Jkm7]

My objection was his calling the person who did not, upon consultation with their doctor, attend rehab a Fool. Who is he to know what was best for anyone but for himself in consultation with his doctors. How can he judge what my doctors had to say to and about me?

If his doctor thought he should go, great.
After active discussion with my surgeon and my cardio, they both said they did not think it was for me. They firmly state it is not for everyone. (These are Mass General doctors so certainly not 'fools'.)

Sharing opinions is certainly good. Name calling is not. I didn't care for 'pdraper' calling me a fool becaue my doctors and I agreed I not go to rehab.
Bickering here serves no one so I shall have no further comment. I have made my point. Perhaps you might wish to reread to be sure you understood what I said.

 

[deano89]

i had cardio rehab and would highly recomend it , its good to know you are being guided through the recovery doing the right amount for you,we had an hour of exercise and an hour of a talk very informative also gives you a chance to compare where you are on the recovery with others on the program

 

[prdraper1]

Jkm7

I did say that I thought you would be a fool not to use it, not that you are a fool. I gave my honest opinion on cardiac rehab and the figures of 24 for and 1 against seem to support that. I did not say you were a fool but after reading your totally out of order response then perhaps I can now form a more informed opinion as to what you are.

Thank you Greg a for your support.

 

[scott.eitman]

prdraper1, You seem to be defending yourself by splitting hairs. If I read this correctly, if he does not go to rehab you THNIK he is a fool. It is always good to be careful what you write because people often misinterpret off the cuff remarks. It would have been better to write something more professional like "I think it would be best to go to rehab..." No name calling there and it gives room for another decision to be less than best, but not all the way to worst.

Jkm7, I suggest cutting him some slack because I really doubt anyone here is here without good intentions. We just may not be here with the best written word.

I went 5 times and realized it was not for me. I go to cycling spin classes instead.

 

[prdraper1]

Scott
I am not defending myself, nor am I splitting hairs. Please do not tell me how to wtite professionaly. Maybe in the U.K. the term 'fool' does not have the connotations it has in the USA. In England it means, someone who does not act reasonably and responsibly and makes people laugh at his/her actions.
I gave my honest opinion on cardiac rehab through experience and I stand by all I said.
I shall say no more on this as I am getting fed up with some of the responses to a well intentioned reply.

 

[Shari Thomas]

I found cardio rehab to be very beneficial, even though I had to travel over 100 miles round trip for the first 10 sessions. The therapists were very knowledgeable and helpful. Without their assistance, I wouldn't have been able to set the proper goals for a speedy recovery.

As I got further into rehab, we realized my heart was settling into a bradycardio and that trying to push into a "normal exercise rate" was actually working the heart too hard. I'll be getting a pacemaker in a couple of months. No rehab necessary after that.