What kind of shape are you in for AVR?

esvaja · Apr 11, 2021

I'm a bit anxious, nope a real lot re: my physical condition before AVR#2. Before my 1st I was aerobically & strength wise in good shape. I worked out. When i was 1st diagnosed with this one, I had stopped working out for a few years & then covid shut down the gyms. I also worked in healthcare & things got very stressful re: workload & I pretty much went home & just tried to rest. Have i made enough excuses? Anyway I'm not in great shape & 66 yrs old & I've read over & over that most? of you all have been keeping physically fit. Has anyone had AVR not in optimal physical shape & tell me I'm not going to have complications. Pls & thx

pellicle · Apr 12, 2021

clarify "optimal physical shape"

When I was 48 I wasn't in the same "optimal physical shape" as my friends daughter who is a upper grade swimmer and gymnast. I was certainly not in the same condition as Chuck C was before surgery ... I managed to survive.

My friends mother was in her late 60's and was pretty much (to my eyes) a frail old lady who spent too much time sitting.

She managed to survive surgery too. If she had put as much effort into making a real go of post op rehab (rather than whining to her children about how she didn't really want surgery) she'd have probably lived longer ...

Superman · Apr 12, 2021

Before my last one I was about 25 lbs heavier than today (40 if you count the 15 lbs of fluid they pumped into me during surgery), not actively working out, and trying to keep up with four young kids.

I managed okay.

Chuck C · Apr 13, 2021

In the valve surgery world, at 66 you are young and low risk. You should do just fine. I would focus on the things that you can control. Your surgery is 4/20, is that correct? I would get in as much walking between now and then as you can. This will help boost your conditioning a little bit and help boost your natural vitamin D from being in the sunlight. You might consider taking a vitamin D supplement between now and then also. This study suggested that Vitamin D plays an important role in recovery from orthopedic surgery and keep in mind that in the hospital you will not be getting much sunlight in recovery, so a supplement maybe a decent idea. Not sure if it made difference for me, but I loaded up with about 5,000iu of vitamin D daily in the 2 weeks leading up to surgery.

https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_vitami... D is essential for,of Bone and Joint Surgery.

Also, I would use the breathing therapy device often- really try to use it as often as they tell you to. At UCLA they recommend several times per hour. Honestly, I think very few actually use this as much as is recommended, from what I could observe and what the nurses told me. And I would walk as soon as you can and as often as you can in recovery.
You are in our thoughts and we are here to support you on this next part of your journey. You will be fine.