Weight lifting with valve and aneurysm replacement

[pellicle]

(see @pellicle for advice on this)

thanks for the mention Wiles, but I would suggest that @Chuck C and @leadville are the two go-to advisors on training and INR management. I'm more just INR management with a side serving of training (which I occasionally leave on the plate)

I understand that leadville gets upset at the level of spastic bullshlt and dunning kruger here and prefers to avoid the place, but I know he lurks. He (unlike me) is more serious in his view that the most valuable thing a person can give is their time and doesn't like to see that wasted, I on the other hand accept that my time may be wasted on a specific person but have faith that others (perhaps unknown) will benefit and am willing to invest more.

Personally I'd say that what either of those members say should be taken as "informed" and intelligent advice".

Lastly, being an Ozzie I don't blow smoke up peoples arse, but may on the other hand be willing to tell them to shove a comment there instead.

 

[Wiles Darkwinter]

@Chuck C @leadville - I definitely think these two are among the most valuable posters on the forum. Great stuff fellas.

Yeah, the problem is there’s so much content and people are just after any posts that validate their own ideas. I feel this forum is most valuable when you’re new, and you haven’t had any intervention yet.

I stay for the amazing stories, the inspiration, and maybe for the chance to help someone.

 

[pellicle]

. I feel this forum is most valuable when you’re new, and you haven’t had any intervention yet.

to an extent yes, but I believe its also helpful for mech valvers to discuss INR and returning tissue valvers to announce their next intervention in search of "new input".

I believe in the main most people just turn a blind eye and move on with their life after surgery (indeed seek having that as an outcome of their surgery with often seen view of: "I just want it to go back to how it was when I didn't know")

 

[d333gs]

Hi Wiles " But this is not a place for clinical advice. " ; For sure , but the frustrating thing is we are getting widely varying advice from each cardiologist we consult.
But you mentioned a stress test. A post-op stress test sounds like a great idea! In rehab, we were wired up each day for our stationary bike session which was fed into a central computer system, but it was not a stress test and I have not had one post-op.

Question to all:
Who has had a post-op stress test?

 

[user 16827]

Hi Wiles " But this is not a place for clinical advice. " ; For sure , but the frustrating thing is we are getting widely varying advice from each cardiologist we consult.
But you mentioned a stress test. A post-op stress test sounds like a great idea! In rehab, we were wired up each day for our stationary bike session which was fed into a central computer system, but it was not a stress test and I have not had one post-op.

Question to all:
Who has had a post-op stress test?

I sure Did, it eliminates the guess work about what your BP is doing under maximum load.
You will see the BP curve too, there are ways to avoid spikes to a degree.

I personally waited 12 months post opp to do one and I recommend you search out a specific sports related cardiologist who understands you want to aim at maxing out or holding threshold depending on your goals.

Good luck

 

[pellicle]

For sure , but the frustrating thing is we are getting widely varying advice from each cardiologist we consult.

This is why it's medical opinion...

...and why I Laugh Out Loud when people here say we should not ask fellow members here, but should "Listen to our doctor"

It's hilarious how often they aren't well informed.

 

[Wiles Darkwinter]

This is why it's medical opinion...

...and why I Laugh Out Loud when people here say we should not ask fellow members here, but should "Listen to our doctor"

It's hilarious how often they aren't well informed.

yeah... that's not what I was getting at. More so that having an unfortunate health problem doesn't make you an expert. It actually does the opposite, it makes most people narrow minded, emotional and jaded with the medical system. I have been all of those things. We need to step back and see the big picture of how hard it is to operate in clinical capacity.

 

[Wiles Darkwinter]

Hi Wiles " But this is not a place for clinical advice. " ; For sure , but the frustrating thing is we are getting widely varying advice from each cardiologist we consult.
But you mentioned a stress test. A post-op stress test sounds like a great idea! In rehab, we were wired up each day for our stationary bike session which was fed into a central computer system, but it was not a stress test and I have not had one post-op.

Question to all:
Who has had a post-op stress test?

Agreed, and me too! I've heard so many different things from multiple cardiologists! I'm not suggesting this is not a good place to swap stories and seek answers. I was more saying, do not take one post as gospel and go and lift all the weights in the gym at once. (Even though I'm pro lifting weights post surgery!)

 

[pellicle]

it makes most people narrow minded, emotional and jaded with the medical system.

I think I see that in most people over time (meaning that this seems more common in older people than younger ones)

The main antidote would appear to be education.

We need to step back and see the big picture of how hard it is to operate in clinical capacity.

Well I could talk to this a lot more but let's just say that it a hard to see the forest when the clinician is stuck in the trees. There are solutions to this issue at the clinician side too (also education), but a combination of factors seems to preclude it in about a statistically average distribution.

So both parts of the equation (patients and practitioners contribute to this)

 

[Brokenhip]

Hi Wiles " But this is not a place for clinical advice. " ; For sure , but the frustrating thing is we are getting widely varying advice from each cardiologist we consult.
But you mentioned a stress test. A post-op stress test sounds like a great idea! In rehab, we were wired up each day for our stationary bike session which was fed into a central computer system, but it was not a stress test and I have not had one post-op.

Question to all:
Who has had a post-op stress test?

Stress test or in my case a Stress Echo every 12 months since OHS for AVR (tissue). So 4 in total, one on a treadmill which I struggled with, next 3 on a bike. Due again in Jan 2023. Cardio originally said he would stop when I turned 70 (last Sept) but now suggested may stop after this 5th one.

 

[d333gs]

Thanks Brokenhip , any changes in the results or any new restrictions?

 

[cldlhd]

learning without experiencing is a sign of intelligence, its the basis of education and training (why lose an arm when you can pay attention in safety classes).

However in the human population we have the whole gamut, its sort of sad that medical science enables this concept to not propagate as fast as it should. Although we do have the Darwin Awards

Thanks, that's actually the second time I've been accused of having intelligence today. I'm going to have to mark this day down.... Post repair my surgeon told me I could lift weights. However I choose as if nothing had happened but I'm still not going to go all gorilla on it. I recently started going back to the gym after a period of just walking, riding a bike or shooting some hoops for exercise. I started lifting with less weight and a little more reps. I don't do it to the point where I'm getting totally knackered as the Brits might say. Just looking at a little bit of mass and do some toning. Cheers!

 

[pellicle]

Thanks, that's actually the second time I've been accused of having intelligence today.

yeah, these things come in waves, sorry to have done that to you ;-)

 

[Brokenhip]

Thanks Brokenhip , any changes in the results or any new restrictions?

Only real change has been the maximum heart rate reduction from 148 to last time only 136. My Cardiologist agrees it is a greater change than just being age related but is unsure as to why. Should not be fitness related as my exercise routine of about 250km/wk cycling has been consistent for years. Have also noted a decline over the last 4 years of about 10% ave heart rate while cycling. I use a Garmin HRM for all rides with the data uploaded to Garmin Connect/Strava.
No restrictions at all, in fact the Cardiologist thinks I am elite with the watts pushed on the stress test, but that is far from true & I think a reflection on most the patients I see in his waiting room who appear unfit & overweight.

 

[d333gs]

heart rate reduction from 148 to last time only 136. sounds good? Are you getting the same workout done?
250km/wk cycling sounds great! What are you riding?

 

[TheGymGuy]

So Feb of last year i had my valve and aneurysm replaced, in summer i started lifting weights and been slowly moving up the kilos i lift, but i wanted to know, how heavy can i lift, with what i had done in my chest, and should i be lifting? Currently I'm at 15-18kg for curls and 70kg for benchpress, 80kg for deadlift and 100 in squat.
I want to start getting into s big period of bulking where i can make slot og progress in size and hoe heavy i go with the weights but i really need to be sure i don't do more Damage than good.

Lots of good advice here and I'll chime in as its this time of the month for me.

At 10 years post-op I'm still as active as before. Other than some covid weight gain, I still do powerlifting and some CrossFit. Lookup some of my older posts for training info. And for reference of what we can still do post-op, I squatted 185kg x3 last session, deadlifted on the order of 230kg x2 and overhead pressed just 2 days ago 80kg x3. I also did a nice little strongman workout yesterday with 50kg bag bear-hug carries, some 150m runs and a prowler push walks.

My point as always is:
- listen to your doctors,
- test your limits ever so slightly
- have fun lifting **** you like lifting

 

[pellicle]

good to see you

have fun lifting **** you like lifting

I find using 5 for s works, its "the 5hit"

 

[Wiles Darkwinter]

I always get excited when I see a @TheGymGuy post! Love it, and reminds me to stop being soft!

 

[Brokenhip]

heart rate reduction from 148 to last time only 136. sounds good? Are you getting the same workout done?
250km/wk cycling sounds great! What are you riding?

Max HR in theory will reduce about 1 BPM for each year older one becomes ( the old standard Max HR is 220 minus your age). I have always been lower than that standard. Nothing I can do about it anyway so just continue to monitor for interest, and yes similar workouts, although not looking for as much climbing as previous.
I currently have 4 bikes, 1 flat bar (Trek) & 3 road bikes (2 Giant Defy's & 1 Merida Scultura). So nothing exotic only electronic shifters on 1 of the Giants. Great sport & one I wish I had started much younger.

 

[TheGymGuy]

I always get excited when I see a @TheGymGuy post! Love it, and reminds me to stop being soft!

Hahahahaha. This support community is the best. If we all just challenge ourselves and the norms a little bit on the daily huge cumulative results will follow.