what about weight loss

[Debbie Rasberry]

Hey guys,

This is Debbie and I have a question (or two). I went to have my pt done today and as I was there I get my bp checked and today I weighed

I was just wondering about how it would effect me if I lost weight. When I did this in the past the dr. said don't loose too much, it may effect your heart? Has anyone had a dr. tell you that. In fact it was my cardio in Ft. Worth Tx. that told me that years ago. I would like to loose around 60 to 70 lbs. Does anyone think that may effect things. I know it will my blood. Anytime I change my eating habits my pt level changes, I know that. Things with me have been good. I got really good advice from my first post and have felt good ever since. I still feel fear about my valve and worry too much but for the most part I am ok. Since off caffine I have less indigestion and little to no palpatations. Thanks Debbie

 

[geebee]

Hi Debbie,
My experience with weight gain (& loss) is that the less I weigh, the less coumadin I need to take. I do not know if that is the case with everyone but my cardio tells me that as I lose weight (and I am currently on a diet but one to lose weight very slowly), I will need to monitor my INR weekly.
You should always check with your doctor before starting a diet but he will probably tell you that a balanced diet, meant to help you lose 1-2 pounds per week, will be safe for your heart. Indeed, it will probably help in the long run.
Don't do anything "faddish" such as quick weight loss stuff because it will mess up the nutrients your body (and heart) needs to run smoothly.
Good luck.
Smiles,
Gina

 

[Karlynn]

I think doctors fear about weight loss in heart patients is that they will lose weight aggressively with fad diets, "natural" products and such that may adversely affect the heart. The closer you are to "fighting weight" the less strain on your heart. If you want to lose weight, I'd go for it, but do it in a way that your doctor has discussed with you.

 

[Harpoon]

Hey.

This has been a concern of mine for a while too and I'm always struggling with my STRONG desire for foods that aren't all that healthy for me and the nagging voice inside my head that keeps yelling at me, telling I REALLY should be 20-25lbs lighter than I am.

My gut yells this too, as does my wife when I'm getting ready for bed most nights... =)


First step is to weigh yourself and find a Body Mass index chart (there are several on the web) to find out where you stand given your height and gender.

Most of us can stand to be 5 to 10 pounds over the "ideal" weight range that's listed in the BMI chart. We can also stand to be a few pounds lighter than the ideal, though this is kinda rare and should probably be discussed with a physician.

I'm classified as "overweight" with a BMI of around 29. something something. I'm 5'4" and about 173lbs. My "fighting weight" the weight I was at through most of high school and about 5 years or so afterwards was 135lbs. I'd like to get down to at LEAST 145lbs if I could, but it's tough to do when you have almost no will power when it comes to restricting your own diet...


Find out what your BMI is and talk to your doctor about it. If you're really off the charts then you should be able to speak with a nutritionist and maybe find some program that will work for you.

Exercise is as big (if not bigger) a component to weight loss as diet changes are and if you're not getting enough exercise, your body simply isn't burning the calories (energy) that you're taking in, storing it as fat rather than using it effectively.


You should find changes in your regular diet that are healthier for you without cutting out important nutrients or making drastic changes that could affect your health. You should also look for ways to increase your levels of exercise, it might be as simple as trying to walk for half an hour every other day to start with...

The trick isn't to pick up on some "fad diet" like Atkins or South Beach or whatever, the trick really is to look at what you eat now, find ways to improve on that, and change other aspects of your lifestyle and activity levels to help your body burn off excess "matter" rather than converting it to fat tissues for storage around your midsection or thighs or whatever....


By the way, the heaviest I've been in the past five years was 179lbs. The lightest was 125lbs which was about a month or so after my valve surgery. Part of that weight loss was water weight, the other part was nutritional because I was on a feeding tube after having been intubated for several weeks which screwed up my vocal chords and swallowing reflex.

The WORST thing for me about being in the hospital when I had my valve surgery was the feeding tube. I'll do everything else over again, I just don't want that damn tube in my nose, EVER.


But I'm getting off the subject here.....


Talk to your doctor about it, see what he/she has to say and maybe there's some help you can be directed to that will even come under yoru insurance.

Chances are, if you feel you're overweight and you have a heart condition, you can stand to lose 10-15 pounds and that loss will ease up the workload for your heart which will make you feel even better still.

 

[Les]

Exercise is as big (if not bigger) a component to weight loss as diet changes are...

It's that simple...yet we spend billions on "Magic Bullets"...

 

[McCln]

Debbie

Debbie

You did not mention your present weight, nor your possible age, vanity rules, you know. I am 39 and st present, 210 pounds. If you know your present weight and know what you should weight according to height and age, go for it. It is less stress and strain in not being overweight, anyway. I hope you have a diet plan and exercise regement planned. I do treadmill at home and the gym, bike and resistance training at the gym. It is great that you want to better your physical and mental health. You will feel better and do more. Hope you get it worked out. Good luck. I am hanging in there. I have ate too good over the holidays and not lost a pound. But am going for it again. Have to keep on trying. I plan to go for 150 pounds as a goal for now. So I will do it. Lost 70 pounds on one year. Was not easy. And being type 2 diabetic changed things. Good luck. You go for it.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Caroline,

How does the dieting and exercise effect your INR? I have had an extra 10 hanging around for a few years and intend to drop it! I changed my diet. One area of suspect would be soy products. Does anyone know if these effect the INR? I have added a soy based cereal. It's lower in carbs. My INR is running a bit lower than usual. Almost ready to embark on exercise once again. I am certain that will help

 

[Debbie Rasberry]

Thank you to all who replied about weight loss. I have begun to eat better and i walk all the time. I am 37 and I weight 203. I am only 4'11. Look like a webble wobble. But, I would like to get down at least to 130 and still that is over for my height. They say I should weight a max of 120. I may shoot for that instead. Do you think that is too much? I don't, but, I am worried about my INR. I am not doing any fad diets. In fact, I don't even call it a diet, just eating different...Ha Ha......Debbie

 

[catwoman]

Debbie:

My VR was a wake-up call for me to lose weight.
I was a skinny thing growing up, well, mostly skinny -- about 120-125 lbs and 5'7". I walked a lot, swam, water-skiied. I gradually became less active and boy did the pounds pile up!
On Dec. 30, I became a lifetime WW member. I've lost almost 30 pounds, gone from size 16/18 down to 12; I can probably fit into some 10's now.

It wasn't "willpower" that drove me -- I wanted to be healthier in spite of my heart valve, to look more like what I did 20-30 years ago, to save $ on clothes (they really gouge you on prices for larger sizes!), to have more energy, be faster on my feet, reduce my cholesterol level, etc. My BP is very good now.

I don't consider changes in my eating habits a "diet." That word indicates a temporary situation. My eating habits are my lifestyle now.

I did notice changes in my INR -- an increase due to a drop in vitamin K due to less intake of oils/fats. It's stabilized now.

 

[McCln]

As for the question that was asked, "will it a affect my INR". That was reffering to exercise. And the answer is yes, to some degree. It is best to go on with exercise, since you need to be consistant. Once you have that established, diet figured out, the INR will be balanced out. It takes time and patience to wait out the balancing trick with INR. Mine has been good recently, with constancy. You have to be consistant in anything do in diet and exercise. With increased activity, the INR will lower. When you become consistant, it will improve. Just hang in there. I have to, I have 60 more pounds to lose to reach my goal of 150. It takes time and patience. Hang in there.

 

[lance]

Weight loss and INR levels

Weight loss and INR levels

Hi Debbie,

Following valve replacement surgery I lost 64 pounds over a year and a half. Daily walks, Dean Ornish low fat, fat free diet with medical supervision. I was cautioned not to lose more than 1/3 of my total body weight because that was dangerous.

During the weight loss period INR levels were extremely difficult to maintain. As the weight came off my energy levels went up.

Cheers

 

[Jan]

Weight Loss and INR

Weight Loss and INR

I had my AVR in Jan and weighed 224 pounds

In Jan 2003 I joined WeightWatchers and by July 2004 I had lost 80 pounds
I am now at my goal weight which is 145 pounds

My INR has been fine I am still taking arounfd the same dose 5 or 6 mg daily

I have not had any dramatic changes in my INR, but saying that the weight loss was gradual, and I think losing weight slowly using a sensible eating plan is the way to go.

Good Luck

Jan

 

[lance]

Slow Weight Loss

Slow Weight Loss

Hi Jan,

Congratulations for staying disciplined and focused during your weight loss program and succeeding so well. Losing weight sure isn't easy.

It took me over a year on the Dean Ornish (low fat, fat free regime) and increased activity to lose the 64 pounds and my present dose of Coumadin is twice the dose you take.

It seems there is a lot of unknowns regarding this drug.

Cheers!