Mechanical Valve and Intense Exercise

[tommy]

Way to go Denis. Wow 300 miles in 3 days!!!

 

[RunMartin]

Good to hear that you are doing well (most impressed!!). I Was wondering only the other day that I had not seen a post from you.

All the best

Martin

 

[conk]

Allen

Allen

Sounds like you have been doing very well after surgery as well. I have also resumed weight training, but with the same kind of focus as you mentioned, form and moderation of weight. I have to admit I'm not getting in the gym as much as I would like, but I have been averaging about 80 - 100 miles/week on the bike. I plan to add a spin class and some kinetic or life cycle training during the week until we get to daylight savings time again.

I wanted to get back into some golf as well (still have 3 of 6 lessons that I paid for that I have not yet used), but have been focusing on the riding and the "BIG RIDE" that I just completed.

I believe that I'm in as good and most likely better cardiovascular shape than I was prior to my first surgery. The group that I ride with is very fast and often drops me, but it takes longer and I recover quicker than before, so know I'm still gaining on them, although I have no illusions of being as good (some of them race in 1/2 category). I just want to be able to hang on group rides.

I admire your spirit of riding in Chicago in March or November, must still be very cold. We don't have many trails for road bikes, but many bike lanes, so I do take my chances, especially being on Coumadin, but I try to minimize the risk as much as possible in descents and which roads I ride.

In terms of the questions, I believe Dr. Kahn has put my mind at ease, but my Cardiologist is very conservative and does not recommend exercise above 85% of max, i.e. 143. Good advise I'm sure, but I'm known for being a bit bull headed and in this case it probably applies.

"BTW - What kind of bike do you ride?" I ride a 2002 Specialized Comp that I purchased off of eBay. It had only been ridden about 100 miles so got a great deal. It sure beats the "OLD" but reliable Raleigh that I was riding.

Good luck with your upcoming riding season...KICK B%##

 

[Rush20]

Wow Conk. I think we're kindred spirits. I also had a Raleigh Tri-Light that I sold when I bought my Trek. That good ol' Raleigh gave me 10 years of thousands of miles of reliable service. In hindsight, I wish I would have kept it and turned it into an indoor trainer.

Good luck this season. I have about 4 more weeks before the weather hopefully breaks for good. As a present to myself for what I've gone through, I plan to buy a new pair of road shoes and helmet for the upcoming season. I'm already fingering through the magazines

 

[sandpoet]

Mechanical Heart Valve

Mechanical Heart Valve

Conk,

I feel like a slacker after reading about your regimen. I have a mechanical mitral valve, and never got any flack about my exercising from my GP or my cardiologist. My sport of choice is swimming, though, coupled with weight lifting. I need the weights to get stronger for the water, and I can't hardly hurt myself in the water! My heart rate doesn't approach 140 in the pool. I'm 53, we just had our first grandchild, and life is wonderful. I feel as you do that it's all too short to not squeeze every drop of fun out of the time we have. After every setback, I'm always anxious to get back to my regular workout schedule. So my uninformed unscientific view is to do what feels right. Your body will let you know when you're pushing too hard.

John S.

I' m 58 and my redo AVR was in July 2008. I have been a weightlifter and intense interval runner for over 40 years. After my 2nd AVR, I wanted to return to intense training in weight-lifting and running. The cardiac surgeon told me not to lift over 25 # with dumbbells. I asked him if Arnold S followed that advice after his AVR? He just ignored my question. Of course, he was evidently a sedentary person about 50 lbs over weight. I researched extensively to learn that many PHD Exersize physiologists had a different opinion. When I found this information and sought the advice of my GP, the consensus was I had no limitations. Having weighed 185# pre-surgery and 165# at hospital discharge, I began lifting at the 3 month post-discharge time and regained the 20# of muscle within 2 months. Aerobically, the fitness improvement has been slower, more like the speed and endurance of my pre-running days. I was on A-fib drugs for 2 1/2 years and could not get my pulse above 140. After pressing the doctor to stop this med, I was able to achieve 160+, thereby allowing me to train aerobically longer. I focus on biking and hiking now, as at 58, I am not planning on any marathons, just fitness. As other posters have said, I say do what you feel good doing and and a lifelong athlete, we all listen to our body and will train accordingly. CHEERS DAVE

 

[Lynlw]

I' m 58 and my redo AVR was in July 2008. I have been a weightlifter and intense interval runner for over 40 years. After my 2nd AVR, I wanted to return to intense training in weight-lifting and running. The cardiac surgeon told me not to lift over 25 # with dumbbells. I asked him if Arnold S followed that advice after his AVR? He just ignored my question. Of course, he was evidently a sedentary person about 50 lbs over weight. I researched extensively to learn that many P'HD Exersize physiologists had a different opinion. When I found this information and sought the advice of my GP, the consensus was I had no limitations. Having weighed 185# pre-surgery and 165# at hospital discharge, I began lifting at the 3 month post-discharge time and regained the 20# of muscle within 2 months. Aerobically, the fitness improvement has been slower, more like the speed and endurance of my pre-running days. I was on A-fib drugs for 2 1/2 years and could not get my pulse above 140. After pressing the doctor to stop this med, I was able to achieve 160+, thereby allowing me to train aerobically longer. I focus on biking and hiking now, as at 58, I am not planning on any marathons, just fitness. As other posters have said, I say do what you feel good doing and and a lifelong athlete, we all listen to our body and will train accordingly. CHEERS DAVE

Hi dave, i just wanted to say this thread is quite old, 2003 and most peoe are no longer members, also some reccomendations change in that long of time periods

 

[chilihead]

Ride On

Ride On

I am coming up on my 9 year anniversary fro OHS in November and still have pretty good endurance. I don't ride all out on the bike like I used to and with 2 small kids I don't have the extended periods of free time to go out on long distance rides but so far so good.

 

[TheGymGuy]

I' m 58 and my redo AVR was in July 2008. I have been a weightlifter and intense interval runner for over 40 years. After my 2nd AVR, I wanted to return to intense training in weight-lifting and running. The cardiac surgeon told me not to lift over 25 # with dumbbells. I asked him if Arnold S followed that advice after his AVR? He just ignored my question. Of course, he was evidently a sedentary person about 50 lbs over weight. I researched extensively to learn that many PHD Exersize physiologists had a different opinion. When I found this information and sought the advice of my GP, the consensus was I had no limitations. Having weighed 185# pre-surgery and 165# at hospital discharge, I began lifting at the 3 month post-discharge time and regained the 20# of muscle within 2 months. Aerobically, the fitness improvement has been slower, more like the speed and endurance of my pre-running days. I was on A-fib drugs for 2 1/2 years and could not get my pulse above 140. After pressing the doctor to stop this med, I was able to achieve 160+, thereby allowing me to train aerobically longer. I focus on biking and hiking now, as at 58, I am not planning on any marathons, just fitness. As other posters have said, I say do what you feel good doing and and a lifelong athlete, we all listen to our body and will train accordingly. CHEERS DAVE

Sandpoet, I hope some of the people from this original thread are still here. I followed in your footsteps (as we chatted via email before as well) and also regained all my muscle mass and then some post surgery. I've been lifting pretty rigorously and am proud to say my strength levels are returning slowly but surely