Question about exercise

[Sean]

Hi all. I've had a prosthetic aortic valve for 2 years now. Naturally, I'm on Coumadin. I'm thinking about starting jogging a few times a week. My cardio doc said exercise was ok as long as I didn't engage in contact sports. I'm wondering though if there's an increased risk of a brain bleed or something else associated with jogging because of the shock waves that go through the body. Any comments out there?

Thank you.

Sean.

 

[MarkU]

I have been on Coumadin since had my St. Jude valve installed 2-1/2 years ago. I work out 4-5 times per week at the gym and jog 2-3 times per week. My cardiologist only warned me against activities that could result an impact to the head (like any sport that requires a helmet). I can't image the jogging would pose any significant risk, unless you get hit by a car or fall off a cliff.

Mark

 

[Les]

Hi Sean,
First, welcome to this great site. Jogging is not a problem with the valve or with Coumadin. I, and quite a few of us run for exercise and there are three of us that I know of, who have completed marathons. We're still here...and clicking quite nicely. If interested, check www.sjm.com under Patient Success Stories and click on Les Barrett. I use running as a means to stay fit physically and, in defiance of all that occured that resulted in valve surgery. To quote a Nike ad: "Keep Running...There's Still Road Left." That is so true in life.....
Best wishes with your jogging, or any exercise program you select. Just get out there and do it!
________________
Les AVR '93 / '95

 

[GregB]

Jogging: go for it

Jogging: go for it

Hello Sean,
I had AVR February 2002. It took me about 6 months to work up to some regular running. I try to maintain about 30K per week. I celebrated my one year post surgery anniversary by taking part in an 8K fun run. I find running helps me physically and mentally.
Best of luck to you
Greg

 

[ccrawford]

Hi Sean - Just to echo what Barrett said, go for it. Walking, jogging, flat water kayaking, cross country skiing, etc are all excellent ways to keep the juices flowing. Exercise will not only keep the weight down, but also helps with cholersterol. Try to do whatever you enjoy, but keep the heart rate elevated for at least 30 minutes, three times a week. The thinking now is that you need to work some spurts into the routine-or what they call interval training. Do some harder exercise for short periods to really get the heart going, then slow it down a bit to catch up. The warm up process is doubly important for heart patients because it allows time for the blood to start to get to the muscles you are using. Likewise, the cool down process gives the blood time to get back to the core so you don't get dizzy right after exercise. If you keep those legs moving for a few minutes after exercise, then that helps pump the blood back to the core. Hope this helps.

 

[Marty]

Cardiac Rehab

Cardiac Rehab

Sean, You will need a regular rehab program and you do not have to worry about a brain bleed from exercise. Click on the yellow valvereplacement .com above, then "heart links" and then "cardiac rehab info". I advise everyone to get Dr. Cooper's aerobic book. All the advice above is excellent.

 

[ccrawford]

The name of the book is "The Aerobics Program For Total Well Being" by Dr. Kenneth H Cooper. Dr. Ken was a doc in the Air Force and had a lot of people to experiment on ! His book is filled with all kinds of good tables that link nutrition/exercise/diet and its easy to read. The ISBN number is 0-553-34018-2

 

[Sean]

Your replies have been very useful. Thanks a lot!

Sean.

 

[Guest]

A big increase in the amount of exercise that you get can lead to a low INR. This is because your heart pumps more efficiently and that causes increased blood flow through the liver where the warfarin is metabolized. Be sure to get your INR checked a week or 2 after starting the program. I've seen 2 or 3 people who worked their INR all the way down to 1.0 by huge increases in the amount of exercise.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Al,

Do you apply the 10% rule and up the dose? Did they level out upon consistant amount/time of exercise each week?

It's one reason I have been putting of a "structured" work out. . Though I was doing some pretty vigorous yard work for 2 weeks straight. Lost 5 lbs and my INR went up. Go figure.

 

[Granbonny]

INR

INR

I just took my INR this a.m. Perfect 3.0 ( Going for 3 month dental cleaning tomorrow) Just will take 4 500 mg. of Amoxicillin 1 hour before and have always stayed on coumadin with NO bleeding. Hate to brag but last test was a 3.0... I do my normal walking everyday..We are really heating up in the South now..along with humid air ....Wonderful to walk in early mornings..Bonnie

 

[Guest]

I use the 10% rule almost exclusively (15% if somebody is more than 0.5 units high or low.)

Use, the dose will level out after being adjusted.

As you noted, Gina, things don't always work as planned - there is a lot about warfarin that we do not know yet.

 

[Marty]

Regular workouts do raise dose

Regular workouts do raise dose

In my case , working out gradually raised my weekly dose about 10% and then stabilized.

 

[Sierra Bob]

INR & V-8

INR & V-8

I drank a can of V-8 every morning. My INR varied around 3.6 and I was taking 68 mg of Coumadin per week (one 4mg & one 5mg tab on Thursday and Sunday, two 5 mg tabs the other five days per week). I stopped the V-8. My INR went to 4.7. I changed to two 5mg tabs Thursday and Sunday and one 4mg & one 5mg tab the other five days per week (65mg/week). My INR dropped back to 3.6. It seems inconceivable to me that 3mg/week can make that much difference, but I'm not aware of any other changes in my eating pattern or menu. I do monitor my INR every week with the Protime system.

I had an echogram of my heart last week. The leakage around my Silzone ST. Jude mechanical aortic valve has not increased. HOORAY!!! I will have my annual stress test on Monday, June 30, and we will also compare my Protime results with my cardiologist's results.

On July 2, I meet with a surgeon to schedule surgery. I'm not looking forward to going off Coumadin.

As an aside, we just returned from a 60 day, 10101mile travel trailer trip through 15 states. I will take our earthquakes in California ANYTIME in place of The tornados we experienced in Oklahoma and Missouri.

 

[Sierra Bob]

inr & v-8

inr & v-8

I don't know how my previous post got posted in: " A Question about exercise". I intended to post it in: "Vitamin K Question". Not enough experience to posting in this forum, I guess. I normally post in a Head & Neck Cancer forum, since that is more of a concern to me.

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Bob

Hi Bob

I wish you would post in Post-surgery.. I ran your past treads by and didn't see you mentioning surgery soon? Kind of fill us in on what has been happening to you. We, to have a motorhome, and everytime we take a long trip..we say, Why? We live in such a beautiful part of U.S. North Georgia Mountains, Smokeys, Tennesee Virginia.. Beaches in S.C. and Fla...Drove thru Kansas once. Never again. Wind whipped our awning loose. Lucky, in the middle of nowhere, found a service station. Had a ladder. Believe me, the next time we came to a Wal-Mart..hubby purchased a ladder. We never plan another trip West of the MississippiBonnie

 

[nadi]

Tornado's

Tornado's

Hi Bob,

You must have been through our beautiful state around May 4.
That was BAD even for us.

Take care,

 

[Sierra Bob]

Question about exercise

We spent five days at and around Lake of the Ozarks, then went to Springfield to attend a grandson's wedding in Holts Summit. Travelling through Kansas on our way to Colorado, a town was partially destroyed shortly after we went through. Again, I'll take earthquakes.

 

[RCFrancis]

exercise

exercise

I had my valve done may 2001 I walk and lift every day to some extend no problems yet. still trying to lose extra weight

 

[Nancy]

Hi RC-

Welcome to the site. It's full of so much information. I'm sure you'll be helping many people. I see you have already had your valve replacement.

I love Cape Cod. Went there every summer as a child, around the West Dennis area. I used to love to go to The Wee Packet (Bob Briggs' restaurant), near Harwich. Wonder if it's still there. Great clams and great blueberry muffins.

I haven't been to Cape Cod in several years, but I can still remember going over the bridge at the start of the Cape and smelling the sea air.

Nice to meet you.