Snow shoveling

[DachsieMom]

I’m curious what others have been told by their doctors about snow shoveling after AVR. I was told it’s fine. However, it definitely affects me. Luckily, my husband was here and can help with most of it but that’s not always the case. I’m okay while I am shoveling (most of the time) but feel off for hours after. Kind of a gagging pain and really tired. I am 3 years post AVR and 45 years old. Thanks.

 

[Paleowoman]

I don't do snow shoveling - I'm in the UK where we don't get such snow - but the cold weather affects me post AVR whereas it didn't before. I normally like to go out for walks of a few miles for exercise every day but if it's very cold I have found that I end up feeling awful afterwards and really tired. I bought extra warm gloves and coat in the hopes they would help but I now do my best to avoid going outdoors in cold weather. I had to walk to an appointment, one mile each way, in the snow and blizzard one day last year and I positively felt ill afterwards for the rest of the day, but it was one of those occasions when the roads were too bad for driving so I had no aternative but to walk.

PS - of course this reaction to the cold could be nothing to do with AVR itself and just coincidental. Mind you, I have developed several health related issues since AVR so could be OHS took it's toll.

 

[Paleowoman]

I just found my heart rate monitor graph from that very cold walk last year after which I felt ill after, you'll see my heart rate is high the first half and lower the second half - first half the cold breeze was coming towards me, second half was behind me:

 

[jwinter]

Well, I haven't had many days since my second OHS that I have been up to anything very strenuous(non heart surgery related ) but I have pushed a non self propelled lawn mower for about a half hour and felt alright. I also experienced the being tired you speak of but thought it was just my lazy butt. Maybe or maybe not?! I have decided I paid a big enough price just to be alive and know I need exercise but no sense in over exertion.

You know what? I do find it strange that I also have had many other health issues since open heart???? Guess I agree with Anne that OHS does take a toll.

 

[Paleowoman]

Looking at my data, very high heart rate when facing the chill on that walk and the subsequent feeling ill - for the rest of the day - and comparing that with very strenous walks I like to do, on holiday in France in the summer when I was doing walks which were over an hour long uphill steep hills and I felt fine, I think cold is a factor in how I felt. But I never had this problem prior to heart surgery.

From what I now recall from press articles, when people are in cold temperatures their heart and vascular system has to work a lot harder. I just did a search and found several articles about shovelling snow and risk of heart attacks !

 

[tom in MO]

I’m curious what others have been told by their doctors about snow shoveling after AVR. I was told it’s fine. However, it definitely affects me. Luckily, my husband was here and can help with most of it but that’s not always the case. I’m okay while I am shoveling (most of the time) but feel off for hours after. Kind of a gagging pain and really tired. I am 3 years post AVR and 45 years old. Thanks.

I am 61 years old and had an AVR 6 years ago. I shovel and only feel it primarily due to arthritis. I bought a shovel that's a bit narrower so I don't have to lift as much at one time. I also shovel more often during a storm for the same reason, I don't wait to the end of the storm anymore. You don't say what the symptoms are other than pain and being tired, which if you don't do much physical activity could be normal. But if you have any symptoms related to cardiopulmonary function, I'd bring it up with your Cardio.