I had my first cardiac rehabilitation session yesterday. I'm having one to one so it costs a bit as I can't get it on the NHS or private insurance, but having come this far and with my other health issues it makes sense for me to do this.
As I haven't got any 'lifestyle' issues to address we were able to concentrate on direct cardiac rehab and exercise, though first the nurse checked my heart. Hey, he (many cardiac nurses here in the UK - don't know about the US or Aus - are male nurses and they always seem excellent) let me listen to my heart through his stethoscope ! I had told him how noisy it was, thumping and banging away and so he told me to listen and I could certainly hear the thump at the end of each beat, but he said that was fine, that my heart was beating perfectly and that as long as it was beating in regular rhythm that was good, even if it was noisy and fast at times. I wish I had listened to my heart when it had my own bicuspid aortic valve because then I'd know the difference. Several times I was a 'patient' in the doctors' exams - the MRCP Paces exam where already qualified doctors go on to higher levels - and they always heard the BAV.
I put on a heart rate monitor and the guy told me my goals in the exercise programme which we then went through in a gym room. Started off walking regular pace and then went up faster and harder all the while checking the monitor to get me up to target. Also did steps and stretches inbetween. I probably did about 40 minutes of exercises.
Interesting thing about my continuing sternal pain when I did the stretch of my arm down the side of my leg. When I did the right arm stretch downwards I couldn't get very far as it was painful at the sternum. The left side was absolutely fine. Now, I've noticed from the start that a rib on the right is not quite in the correct place so I mentioned that and the nurse thought that perhaps the place where the rib connects had some inflammation or something - I've forgotten the expression. Probably due to when the ribs are moved when the sternum is forced apart ? That seems a plausible explanation to me.
I bought a heart rate monitor so I can do my rehab programme at home and then I'll go back next week for another session with the nurse and so on. Probably do it for a few weeks (until I'm broke LOL), but as long as I get the idea and a programme I can do so I can get back on form.
On the way from the consulting room to the gym room where we worked, we had to pass through a weight lifting room, and the nurse could see me itching to use the weights
He said I will...and asked if I'd ever used boxing gloves as there was a pair lying on the floor, I said no so he said I could at some point as long as I didn't hit him too hard :biggrin2:
As I haven't got any 'lifestyle' issues to address we were able to concentrate on direct cardiac rehab and exercise, though first the nurse checked my heart. Hey, he (many cardiac nurses here in the UK - don't know about the US or Aus - are male nurses and they always seem excellent) let me listen to my heart through his stethoscope ! I had told him how noisy it was, thumping and banging away and so he told me to listen and I could certainly hear the thump at the end of each beat, but he said that was fine, that my heart was beating perfectly and that as long as it was beating in regular rhythm that was good, even if it was noisy and fast at times. I wish I had listened to my heart when it had my own bicuspid aortic valve because then I'd know the difference. Several times I was a 'patient' in the doctors' exams - the MRCP Paces exam where already qualified doctors go on to higher levels - and they always heard the BAV.
I put on a heart rate monitor and the guy told me my goals in the exercise programme which we then went through in a gym room. Started off walking regular pace and then went up faster and harder all the while checking the monitor to get me up to target. Also did steps and stretches inbetween. I probably did about 40 minutes of exercises.
Interesting thing about my continuing sternal pain when I did the stretch of my arm down the side of my leg. When I did the right arm stretch downwards I couldn't get very far as it was painful at the sternum. The left side was absolutely fine. Now, I've noticed from the start that a rib on the right is not quite in the correct place so I mentioned that and the nurse thought that perhaps the place where the rib connects had some inflammation or something - I've forgotten the expression. Probably due to when the ribs are moved when the sternum is forced apart ? That seems a plausible explanation to me.
I bought a heart rate monitor so I can do my rehab programme at home and then I'll go back next week for another session with the nurse and so on. Probably do it for a few weeks (until I'm broke LOL), but as long as I get the idea and a programme I can do so I can get back on form.
On the way from the consulting room to the gym room where we worked, we had to pass through a weight lifting room, and the nurse could see me itching to use the weights
He said I will...and asked if I'd ever used boxing gloves as there was a pair lying on the floor, I said no so he said I could at some point as long as I didn't hit him too hard :biggrin2:
