Cardiac Therapy a waste of time.

[H.E.pumper]

Going on 10 weeks of three visits per week and nothing has changed. What's the point? I'm told these mild exercises will strengthen my heart and get it back in shape but these treadmill, stationary bike and wall pulley exercises are designed for people who are out of shape...I was in excellent shape before surgery and now this therapy and beta blocker drugs are holding me back and I'm going nuts!!!!

It seems like my Cardiologist, cardiac therapists and Cleveland Clinic nurse practitioners are just being conservative with my recovery to protect themselves.

Anybody else decide to go it alone?

Tom

 

[Lionheart]

Tom,
For me cardiac rehab was an excellent process to safely increase my physical activity after surgery. My cardiac rehab nurses, physical therapist, and exercise physiologist did an excellent job of increasing my MET (Metabolic equivalent) gradually as I improved in cardiac function. I think I left rehab at 6-7 METs. What is your MET level and have they increased it over time?-see the MET chart here-. Have you asked them why they are not increasing your MET? They should provide answers to why they have not increased your workout. No doubt, beta blockers will prevent you from reaching max HR and finding alternatives may require a discussion with your cardio.
John

 

[dwhist]

I was in good shape before surgery and was not able to get into the cardia program here until week 9 as they were full. By that time I was already going to local work out facility and walking and biking. They told me on the first day I was ahead of most who were graduating from the program. I did it 5 times so they could monitor the heart and then talked to cardiologist who agreed as long as I was working out on my own, I could quit the program.

I know from other posts in the past there is more to rehab than just exercising. Some enjoy the comradery of the others in the program.

Do what works the best for you but consulte with doc before stopping.

 

[H.E.pumper]

Tom,
For me cardiac rehab was an excellent process to safely increase my physical activity after surgery. My cardiac rehab nurses, physical therapist, and exercise physiologist did an excellent job of increasing my MET (Metabolic equivalent) gradually as I improved in cardiac function. I think I left rehab at 6-7 METs. What is your MET level and have they increased it over time?-see the MET chart here-. Have you asked them why they are not increasing your MET? They should provide answers to why they have not increased your workout. No doubt, beta blockers will prevent you from reaching max HR and finding alternatives may require a discussion with your cardio.
John

Initially they were keeping my MET levels at 4.5 or so but after a few weeks or so I started working a little harder out of sheer boredom. They then told me to stay below 130 bpm and they carefully monitor the electrocardiogram traces while I'm 'exercising'. They say the electrical performance of my heart is normal. A couple of weeks ago, out of sheer, mind-numbing boredom, I started using the incline feature on the treadmills to the point that I max out the incline (15%) and climb at 2.3 mph or so for 35 mins. The MET at this level is 7.2 for me. Pre-OHS my hill hiking and biking events would involve many episodes of going anaerobic and long pacing to stay just under the anaerobic phase.....nothing better than heavy breathing to make you feel alive :biggrin2:


I guess the secret to recovery may be to ween myself off the beta blocker (metoprolol, 25mg, 2/day) and start really having fun. I skipped my afternoon metoprolol dose yesterday and felt fine this morning, heart rate seems to be about the same. I've seen all the posts in this forum on weening off of beta blockers so I'm looking forward to losing some of the pain in the butt side effects. I'm due to see my cardio guy in two weeks.

Tom

 

[tprice54]

MAybe you did not need rehab, I didn't go, but I was running 3 miles at 5 weeks post op. Please don't wean yourself off BB's without discussions with your cardiologist, but get off of them as soon as you can.

 

[H.E.pumper]

MAybe you did not need rehab, I didn't go, but I was running 3 miles at 5 weeks post op. Please don't wean yourself off BB's without discussions with your cardiologist, but get off of them as soon as you can.

Thanks Tom...that's what I thought..I'll be making calls asap! :thumbup:

Tom

 

[chaconne]

My cardio told me that I wouldn't need rehab. I was cycling and doing manual labor right up to 2 days before the surgery. Within a week I was walking over 2 miles a day, and after four weeks, I was running. You may not need it if you are doing well with your own exercise program.

 

[H.E.pumper]

Long story short, I called my Cardiologist and told him I didn't think the cardio therapy was doing me any good and I was out of shape and not a happy camper. He agreed and said to go ahead and cut my beta blocker dosage in half and start exercising on my own. Today was my last cardio therapy session so they gave me some guidelines based on my new dosage of metoprolol, max 140bpm. I'll be using my Polar HRM on my bike rides and hill hiking workouts now.

Hopefully this is the first day of my return to sanity.


Thanks to everyone who expressed their opinions here!!!


Tom

 

[SusQ]

Hubby only did three weeks of cardiac rehab and they kicked him out. By the time his surgeon's office got their stuff together and ordered it, he was damn near ready to graduate from it. The best thing he got from it was a story about a little old lady on a treadmill next to him that told the physical therapist, "He's not hanging on to the hand rails" on him...lol and a lecture from the physical therapist, who is a friend of mine, to mind his P's and Q's and not worry me any more ever. LOL!

 

[H.E.pumper]

Hubby only did three weeks of cardiac rehab and they kicked him out. By the time his surgeon's office got their stuff together and ordered it, he was damn near ready to graduate from it. The best thing he got from it was a story about a little old lady on a treadmill next to him that told the physical therapist, "He's not hanging on to the hand rails" on him...lol and a lecture from the physical therapist, who is a friend of mine, to mind his P's and Q's and not worry me any more ever. LOL!

Good one :tongue2:

When I used the treadmill I set the incline on maximum (15%) and looked down on everyone, the nurse therapists really got a kick out that.


Tom

 

[Eva]

For me, it was important to monitor my heart while exercising...at least my PVCs (which I did not feel then) were monitored and kept under control. My rehab helped me increase my speed on the treadmill, on the bike, and with weight lifting without increasing my PVCs and keeping my BP under control.

Maybe you did not need it! But since you already have gone for ten weeks, seek their explanation for not increasing my MET. I asked verbally about my progress after each session and asked for a written report every two week.s You are entitled to ask them for a "progress report". You may find some answers in their notes if you do not want to ask verbally.

My two-cents thought is to share with your cardio or surgeon how you feel about it and seek his opinion before making any decision.

 

[MarkU]

I was 47 and in good shape prior to my surgery. My cardiologist told me that rehab would be a waste of my time. I was walking everyday starting the second day after my surgery and was back at the gym in about eight weeks doing light workouts.
Given all that, it still took me 9-12 months to feel completely recovered and to get my stamina back.
Mark

 

[H.E.pumper]

I was 47 and in good shape prior to my surgery. My cardiologist told me that rehab would be a waste of my time. I was walking everyday starting the second day after my surgery and was back at the gym in about eight weeks doing light workouts.
Given all that, it still took me 9-12 months to feel completely recovered and to get my stamina back.
Mark

Thanks Mark, that's exactly what I hoped to hear. Do you remember how long you were on beta-blockers? I realize everyone's heart muscle returns to 'normal' in different amounts of time so going off beta-blockers seems to be the key to returning to the days of fun of extreme work-outs!

I'm on half dose of metoprolol now (12.5 gms/twice/day) to see how it works out. My four month OHS anniversary is next week.


Tom

 

[SumoRunner]

Thanks Mark, that's exactly what I hoped to hear. Do you remember how long you were on beta-blockers? I realize everyone's heart muscle returns to 'normal' in different amounts of time so going off beta-blockers seems to be the key to returning to the days of fun of extreme work-outs!

Tom

I had AVR 21 yrs ago at age 43 and never did rehab. I also got the feedback even back then that it would be more or less a waste for a long time runner. I was on a beta blocker for a few years before the AVR and remain on it more than 25 yrs now. It did slow me down, but certainly has not changed my lifestyle. I still run about the same total miles per year and just as many races, already 18 this year. (Just so you know what to expect by 2032.)

 

[MarkU]

Thanks Mark, that's exactly what I hoped to hear. Do you remember how long you were on beta-blockers? I realize everyone's heart muscle returns to 'normal' in different amounts of time so going off beta-blockers seems to be the key to returning to the days of fun of extreme work-outs!

I'm on half dose of metoprolol now (12.5 gms/twice/day) to see how it works out. My four month OHS anniversary is next week.


Tom

I was never on beta blockers or anything else other than Coumadin.

I did have left ventricular hypertrophy, which my docs were very concerned about. Fortunately it reversed itself within about 18 months post-op with the new valve.

FWIW, my heart rate was in the mid 70's prior to my surgery. Now 12 years post-op and after triathlon training for eight years (and some half marathons) my resting heart rate is 41 bpm.

Mark

 

[chuck barton]

For me cardiac rehab was important only for the reason that I had alot of problems with A-flutter after the operation. I had a Bovine pericardial valve to replasce the original aortic valve in Nov 2011. initially I went back into the hospital 5 or 6 times since it would never convert from the erratic rhythm on its own. I ran 3 miles the day before surgery and worked out alot, but by this time after the surgery I had no confidence to push very hard. My normal resting heart rate was 45 and if I got it up to 70, I could be sure it would jump to 130 and stay there.
After I got an ablation I still had no confidence to exercise. I went to cardiac rehab for a couple of months but found it irritating that they wanted me to stay almost comatose while exercising. I told my cardiologist that I could go to the gym and do exactely the same thing with no copay and would prefer that. The cardiologist who did the ablation took me off Coreg and a couple of other drugs and said to go for it. I was not unhappy with the experience to get my confidence back to start exercising, but only needed a few sessions to discover that I preferred the real gym or trails around some of the bayous.

 

[ski girl]

Hi Tom, I was never on beta blockers and my cardio said the therapy would be a waste of my time. I was walking laps of the ward as soon as they let me out of bed, and on the stationary bike with no restrictions by week three.

I've actually had two AVRs in the space of a year, and now one year out from the second I can't manage to get my HR over about 155bpm no matter how hard I try - I'm gasping for air but the heart won't come to the party and speed up! Hoping that resolves itself . . . .

Good luck with your recovery!

 

[neil]

i thought rehab was great, i wouldnt say i was out of shape in fact my cardio call me the fitness man, but i sure did enjoy the rehab,like everything else in life everybody is different,