Cardiac Rehab Suggestions

[ArleneT]

BC/BS refuses to pay for cardiac rehab so I need to come up with my own program to get back in shape. My concern is how to do it effectively and safely.

I am almost 7 weeks out of surgery for mitral valve repair. My only exercise at this point is walking twice a day for 1.5 miles each time. I plan to buy a heart rate monitor and am researching the options now.

My only diet restrictions when released from the hospital were to not add salt to food. I am trying to do a little more than that and stay with low salt foods. I am also staying away from fried foods, high fat foods, etc.

I am 57 years old and, based on Cleveland Clinic?s recommendation when I asked, could lose about 15 pounds. Personally, I think it?s more like 20-30.

Does anyone have any suggestions for good books or pc programs that would be helpful or any tips on ways to get in better condition on my own?

Any suggestions at all would be appreciated.

Arlene

 

[JimL]

My cardiac rehab people were so very helpful. And they mentioned that I could continue with another phase for only $6 a session, if I had to pay for it myself. I suggest that you talk to the rehab people are your local hospital, and find out what the deal is. Is it possible to pay for just one consultation with them? They can tailor the recommendation to you personally.

 

[ArleneT]

Jim,

I tried that route already. A full program is 36 sessions and the minimum they will let you sign up for is 10. Each session costs $140. I would love to find a program that I could do for $6 a session.

However, that price was at the facility that my cardiologist suggested using. Maybe there are others in the area with a different pricing struture and I will definitely check into that. I just assumed they would all be in the same range as the first one.

Thank you!
Arlene

My cardiac rehab people were so very helpful. And they mentioned that I could continue with another phase for only $6 a session, if I had to pay for it myself. I suggest that you talk to the rehab people are your local hospital, and find out what the deal is. Is it possible to pay for just one consultation with them? They can tailor the recommendation to you personally.

 

[Jims]

Rehab

Rehab

Hi Arlene,

I was lucky my health plan covered cardio-rehab. It is very important to do some rehab whether it is paid for or not.

I would recommend that you shop around for another hospital. You may be able to find another one which will charge less than $140.

I found Cardio-rehab useful in two important ways.

First, they monitor you heart while you exercise for 40-45 minutes. This was very improtant for me because I went into a-fib often during my rehab. It was often related to HRate. But, usually when I went over 120 BPM, I went into a-fib. So, even if you have to pay the $140 it would be good to get a few sessions to monitor your heart while you exercise.

Second, (if you are in a good program), the people running the rehab will encourage you to get well. It is so important for you to deeply believe that you are going to get well! When I started rehab, I believed that I would never get better. They talked me out of that. I began feeling stronger and healthier after every session.

Finally, if you can't get into a rehab program, invest $50 into a heart rate monitor (most sporting goods stores sell them). This will allow you to keep track of your HR as you walk or exercise. I would check with my cardio and get advice on what heart rate you should exercise at. For me, 120 BPM was very comfortable and helped re-gain my strength. And above all, keep telling yourself that you are going to recover and be healthy. This will help so much.

Jim