Expecting to get back to normal plus more

[Darryl's heart]

I'm 40 years old and consider myself pretty fit. Prior to my surgery 2 weeks ago today, I was jogging 3 miles every other night. I've been walking everyday, but have noticed that I get out of breath going up a hill. I realize it has only been 2 weeks and I guess I'm just getting eager about getting out during this beautiful weather we've been having. So how long can I expect that it may take for me to get back to jogging? I'm just a little disgusted right now on my slow progression towards being fully recovered. I have a goal to jog in a 1/2 marathon by this fall. Is that a little too optimistically aggressive on my part to expect that I'll be able to do something like that?

 

[bvdr]

Darryl! Getting out of breath going up hill should be still be expected at this point of recovery. At two weeks your recovery is still in it's infancy. You have had major major surgery. Allow yourself some recovery time. If you push too hard you may slow things down. I'm thrilled you are doing so well and I think your goals most likely will be achieved but right now you are recovering.

 

[Karlynn]

Darryl (and your heart ), We have a quite a few runners here, so I'm sure they'll be along to weigh in. We even have marathoners. So I would be very optimistic about returning to a normal running life. Since I don't run. I can't guess when that will happen. However, you are right in that 2 weeks post op is still a time where you will get SOB. I would encourage you to not push too hard and get yourself winded too much. Our bodies have a way of stopping us when we are doing more than we should...and it isn't pleasant.

 

[JimL]

Cardiac rehab at your local hospital is set up to answer just such questions. If at all possible, get into the cardiac rehab, and go through the six weeks of Phase II (what they called it when I had it). It is so helpful to be able to ask a nurse three times a week about the appropriate level of activity. When I finished, I received directions about the kind of activity I should engage in the future, which was helpful at the time. All of the people with me in rehab were older bypass patients, but so what? It was still a blast to max out their machines over the course of the six weeks. It was very reassuring to have a nurse right there when I had afib problems.

 

[tommy]

Darryl,

I encourage you to be patient. Getting out of breath sounds like pushing it 2 weeks out. Let the healing be complete before you even think about ramping up to your previous levels.

Cardiac rehab may be boring for you since you are in good fitness already. But the theme of small increments still applies. Check with your cardio to see if he/she can customize a plan for you.

You'll get there. Glad to hear that you are doing so well that you are wanting more. I'm convinved that your good fitness prior to surgery is serving you well. Congratulations oon your progress.

 

[BillCobit]

Expecting too much, too soon.

Expecting too much, too soon.

I'm 40 years old and consider myself pretty fit. Prior to my surgery 2 weeks ago today, I was jogging 3 miles every other night. I've been walking everyday, but have noticed that I get out of breath going up a hill. I realize it has only been 2 weeks and I guess I'm just getting eager about getting out during this beautiful weather we've been having. So how long can I expect that it may take for me to get back to jogging? I'm just a little disgusted right now on my slow progression towards being fully recovered. I have a goal to jog in a 1/2 marathon by this fall. Is that a little too optimistically aggressive on my part to expect that I'll be able to do something like that?

Hi Darryl -

I was just a few years older than you when I had my MV repair. No surprise you still feel lousy at 2 weeks out. You are still anemic from the surgery, you may still have very low (temporary) ejection fraction from the surgery itself.

I was OK for general-walking-around-purposes about a month after surgery, but it took me much longer to recover for purposes of exercise.

My first post-op goal/milestone was a sprint distance triathlon (0.5mi swim, 20 bike, 4 run) 5 months after surgery. I finished, but I was dead slow and it remains the most difficult race I've ever done; labored breathing and I felt like cr@p. A similar event at 6 months was only incrementally easier. Olympic distance tri at 7 months was tolerable. A hilly but low-speed 4 day bike tour at 8 months was enjoyable.

Honestly, it was a full year before I really felt good doing cardio exercise at pre-op intensity, although I know some people that have gotten back to full throttle much faster.

I recommend you follow the recovery guidelines you got at the hospital (allows jogging at 10-12 weeks if I recall). Go slowly, build gradually, and recognise you may struggle for a while.

I'd say 1/2 marathon in the fall is both aggressive and optimistic - but also maybe do-able. You'll just have to wait a bit to see how your body responds.

Take care and don't get too discouraged - it's not supposed to be easy

 

[Darryl's heart]

Thanks

Thanks

Hi Darryl -

I was just a few years older than you when I had my MV repair. No surprise you still feel lousy at 2 weeks out. You are still anemic from the surgery, you may still have very low (temporary) ejection fraction from the surgery itself.

I was OK for general-walking-around-purposes about a month after surgery, but it took me much longer to recover for purposes of exercise.

My first post-op goal/milestone was a sprint distance triathlon (0.5mi swim, 20 bike, 4 run) 5 months after surgery. I finished, but I was dead slow and it remains the most difficult race I've ever done; labored breathing and I felt like cr@p. A similar event at 6 months was only incrementally easier. Olympic distance tri at 7 months was tolerable. A hilly but low-speed 4 day bike tour at 8 months was enjoyable.

Honestly, it was a full year before I really felt good doing cardio exercise at pre-op intensity, although I know some people that have gotten back to full throttle much faster.

I recommend you follow the recovery guidelines you got at the hospital (allows jogging at 10-12 weeks if I recall). Go slowly, build gradually, and recognise you may struggle for a while.

I'd say 1/2 marathon in the fall is both aggressive and optimistic - but also maybe do-able. You'll just have to wait a bit to see how your body responds.

Take care and don't get too discouraged - it's not supposed to be easy

Thanks Bill for the info. I guess I may have known this in the back of my head, but was hoping that my body may recover sooner. The weather in PA is just great right now and I just want to get out and jog, bike and hike and all, but I guess I'll just have to realize that it may not happen as I want. I also have so much to do around the house that I want to try and do, but I just can't. I have really never been in this kind of situation physically. My mind is saying one thing, but my body is saying another. It is discouraging at times, but with the thoughtful words that folks like you provide, it helps. Thank you and everyone else that has provided a encouraging word.

 

[McCln]

With just two weeks out, your are way overdoing it. You need to pace yourself a bit. Your body has had a shock of surgery and it needs time to recover. Just take it one day at a time. Build it up slowly, you are really pushing your immune system , which is also healing with you. Please take it a little slower for a little while. Give yourself time. Please. It is great that you feel better, but you need to do it slowly. And keep checking in here. We love that you are being active, but go a bit slower for a little whiile.

 

[hensylee]

at this early stage, you should still be taking naps daily. Please don't rush it.

 

[Darryl's heart]

Just Can't Do It

Just Can't Do It

I guess I'm just the type of person that can't slow down. I was slowed for the first week, but now I've been feeling so well that I just want to be able to do things. My mind is working faster than my body, but body is telling me what I can and can not do. Unfortunately if I take naps in the afternoon, I can't sleep at night when I'm supposed to be. I've always been the type of person that doesn't require a lot of sleep. Being 40 years young, and as fit as I am, I just absolutely hate sitting around or lying around doing nothing. I'm not that type of person; I've never been and never will be. I enjoy getting outside and doing something all the time. I'm also disappointed at this point on my upper body strength. I went from a 10 being the best to about a 3. My dad always called me "Bull", because I had the strength of one and also had the stubbornness to go along . If someone said something couldn't be done, I worked on it until it was done. I don't like being told that I can't do something. Although, that is changing slowly the older I get. I imagine my upper body strength has everything to do with my sternum healing. I tried to take the lawn mower blades (3) off my mower the other day and just couldn't do it. That really trips my trigger. I guess I just need to slow my mind down and realize I just can't do it, at least not for right now.

 

[hensylee]

yeah, I know what you mean. I spent the first month at my nurse cousin's house. I was up before them, had the coffee ready, had finished reading the paper, worked the crossword, made breakfast, did some dishes, did my 'small' exercises', dressed, made my bed, etc. While I was there, she and I recovered her dining room chairs (backs and seats). She protested, but I really wanted to so she let me. She took me to store, we bought material, I cut it all out, stretched it while she stapled because I was afraid to staple. Felt so good. She was always close by to catch me if I fell.

 

[JimL]

If you overwork your body, Darryl, it will let your mind know about it. However, by then it will be too late, but you'll probably only have to put up with a little extra pain. I was carrying sheets of drywall a few weeks after surgery, and I knew it was too much, but I only had a little extra pain to deal with.
You should also keep in mind that it does take quite some time (months) for all the anesthesia to leave your body, and along with it that euphoric feeling that you can do anything.
My biggest problem with the lawnmower blades it trying to remember if they are reverse threaded or not. I took mine off and sharpened them last fall, and I can't remember now what I learned then....