heart and brain out of sync?

[ski girl]

Hi all-

I'm coming up for seven weeks post-op and last week got the OK from my surgeon to start pushing my heart to see what my new cow parts could do.

Pre-op my heart rate while cruising (I'm a paddler which I can't resume for 4.5 more weeks SULK) was 150bpm which I could maintain for hours. My race pace, which I could maintain for 1.5 hours, was 165bpm.

Now I can't get the heart past about 130bpm!! My brain seems to think that I must be working really REALLY hard which I would have been pre-op - so overall I feel no different on exertion than I did pre-op, my heart is just working a lot less hard.

I get that I need to build up to my old level of fitness, it was major surgery - but did this heart-brain disconnect happen to anyone else who was active before surgery?

 

[Bean Counter]

Hello-

Are you on Beta Blockers? I was not on them, but read about how people that are on them have a hard time pushing their heart rate up. Good luck!

 

[Shari Thomas]

Yeah, I've had the serious heart/brain disconnect since my surgery. Granted, what I had done was more complex than your surgery. For the past 9 months, I've had to live with bradycardia. My resting heart rate was in the mid 40's and if I really worked at it (before I had a serious shortness of breath) I could increase my heart rate to near 100.

Also during this time, I battled depression, a loss of creative juices (I'm a writer), and I really had to be very careful of any sodium consumption as I retained fluid like crazy.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you (your body and your brain) have been through a traumatic experience. While it's ok to start pushing... be sure to rest when your body says rest. Unless you have any other complications, you'll be back to your old self (with a much better functioning heart) in a few months... I know, you want it now. Be patient. A year of your life is a very short period in the long run.

 

[tprice54]

Agree with my buddy Bean on the BB...they stop your heart rate and no matter what, you cannot get it any higher (depending on the dosage). Otherwise, your surgery should not stop you from getting back to the same HR as before surgery......

 

[ski girl]

Thanks guys - no beta blockers, no drugs of any sort. My resting HR is 60 which is back to normal. Not to make anyone jealous but last night I went for a 3km walk on the beach and decided to try a bit of a jog . . . 200m and HR just over 130bpm at the end. Pitiful! I'll keep working on it.

 

[Philip B]

Disconnect?

Disconnect?

Okay, if you're working just as hard and going just as fast as you were pre-op and your heart rate isn't as high, where's the disconnect? Is it possible that your heart rate isn't as high because your heart is now working more efficiently?

-Philip

 

[nate_c]

I remember thinking the same thing when I first started exercising again after surgery, although for me it was the opposite issue. My heart rate seemed to want to go up too quickly. I'd be moving at speeds that used to be super easy, but my HR would get going too fast. I'm not about 3 months out. In the last two weeks, my pace has really started to improve, and I'm doing longer and longer runs with no problems. The strange thing is that even as I've started to really pick up the pace, my HR rate has come down significantly, to where I'm running longer distances than before, but my HR is about 10 bpm slower on average than it was a couple weeks ago. Before surgery, I used to run longer distances at about 155-165, so very similar to you, but now I seem to settle in at about 135 - 140. I have no explanation for this change and slowdown. I'm sure you'll start to feel normal soon. It took me about a month and a half to get to the point where I suddenly started to see some quick, positive changes. Best of luck to you!

 

[ski girl]

Phil- the disconnect is that I'm NOT working as hard as I was pre-op, my heart could go a lot faster than 130, but the brain thinks I AM working just as hard. I know I'm only 7 weeks post-op and that it will take time to see improvement, but currently there is no difference to what I can do from pre-op - and this time it's not due to the heart not being able to keep up. (For anyone who thinks I should be taking it easy, my surgeon has told me to push my heart as far as it will go.)

I expected to see an improvement in my performance when I got a new valve, not immediately of course, but the disconnect is quite interesting so I'm just keen to see if anyone else had the same thing. Then I might get an idea of how long it will take to re-educate my brain about what my heart is capable of!

Nate- interesting stuff! Good to hear that you are seeing performance improvements now!

 

[SumoRunner]

Another possibility is the lungs may have been partially collapsed during the surgery. If you ever had a spirometer test previously take one again and see if the volume and or expiration rate have changed. I had lost of lot of lung power but it eventually came all the way back. It took a good 6 mos though.

 

[Philip B]

Disconnect?

Disconnect?

Interesting... I assume you're paddling a surf ski or sea yak. It will be really interesting to see your progress as you move through rehab and get back into serious paddling mode.

Keep us posted.

-Philip

 

[ski girl]

Yep Philip I paddle a surf ski. Racy fast thing. Can't wait to get back out there, 1st January! That's when I'll be able to tell the difference that the new parts are making to me!! I'm hoping that by then the disconnect has resolved itself as the boys I used to train with could use a thrashing.

BTW I'm from Chandler AZ originally, not too far from Casa Grande!!

 

[mntbiker]

I have had issues with max heart rate ever since the surgery. I had a very easy recovery and no issues after. Even now though the highest I can get my HR is 162. That is when I am already going up a steep hill that brings my HR to high 150's or 160 and stand on it. I hit 162 and that's it, there is nothing else beyond that. My cardio has no solution for me and no reason why. I did find post surgery that my HR slowly came up to that over the better part of the first year. I did hit 200's a couple of times in the first year but never again. By the way, I take no medications of any kind and haven't taken any medications except aspirin.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi,

Just a crazy thought I have about this.
Prior to surgery you had heart related issues, and therefore the heart had to work harder to provide good oxygenated blood to your body.
But now that you have had your surgery, the heart no longer has to work as hard providing good oxgenated blood to your system for reaching your activity goals. If that is true, then it would seem logical that your heart rate would not be as high as before.

It may be just me, but I usually don't rate myself on my pulse rate when running. I measure by distance and time.

Wishing you good health and great post-op recovery!

Rob

 

[Philip B]

Opposite?

Opposite?

I'm the opposite of Rob... my exercise program revolves around heart rate performance zones and how much time I spend in the different zones. I worry less about distance.

Never done a surf ski... my yak is a Greenland style boat. Hope to spend some time paddling in San Diego during Xmas Break this year.

-Philip

 

[ski girl]

Rob - interesting thought, however pre-op I was definitely NOT reaching my activity goals, which is why I had the surgery. My activity goals required more blood than my heart could get out! Now, if it would just get above 132bpm, I would be able to reach my activity goals (mostly related to smashing the boys).

Mtnbiker - it sounds like we've got similar situations! If I can get to 162bpm I'd be quite happy as I reckon that would get me close to what I want to be doing!!!

 

[scott.eitman]

I think you will find your body reacts much differently to many situations. I am pushing myself on a bicycle, but I find I have trouble with stamina. I am at 4 months Post-Op and am amazed that I have not been able to get back into the shape I was pre-op. I am getting there, but there are many days that I just wonder why...of course everyone is quick to point out I had major surgery recently.

I beleive that my heart is working more effecently and that my body has not made that adjustment yet. I am able to get my HR up, and am much more at ease when it hits the 150s and just stays there, than when I do interval work.

Keep pushing, it gets easier every day.

Scott