Search results

Congratulations (Is that Johnnycake Dr/Rd? near Cleveland? I had a friend in college who lived there.)

I don't know about this forum but check-Cardiac Athletes and go through the member profiles. You'll find lots of folks with valve replacement and all kinds of other heart issues who have run marathons (and triathlons/Ironman even) following surgery.

Again, congratulations on your progress. One thing I don't think I've seen here is the hard-easy principle. When you work out you actually do microscopic damage to your muscle fibers and they need time to recover. When they recover they are stronger than they were before just like the broken...

I find the one day at a time approach to "taking it easy" works for me when I want to push it harder than I should. I try not to think about the conditioning I'm losing by working out less that usual or how long before I can get back to it. I say, "Just for today, I'll do a little less."

Hooray! I had a hernia repair (groin) last week and didn't go for a couple of days. Lots of apple cider seemed to work for me.

Hi Vadim, I appreciate your thoughtful reply to my query. I guess the journey continues. Richard

Vadim I'm also wondering what advice you've been getting about weight lifting. I hate to be the one to bring this up as it appears to be your passion but everything I see seems to indicate the one thing those of us with connective tissue disorders should not do is lift heavy weights. Take care...

I didn't know anything was wrong with my heart until three years ago at age 57. A visit to the doctor for something unrelated uncovered a heart murmer. An echocardiagram showed a leaking bicusbid valve and "mild enlargement" of the aorta. I was referred to a cardiologist who wanted to take a...

When I woke up from my surgery (aortic valve replacement and upper aorta replacement) I felt my heart pounding. When I took a deep breath I could see my chest quiver with each beat. My girlfriend could notice it too. I spoke with a friend who had the same valve replaced and he mentioned the same...

I have no memory of the probe going in at all. I remember the nice feeling of the anesthesia and a mildly uncomfortable feeling of the numbing agent. It felt like I needed to swallow and I couldn't. I was basically fine though. Richard Gardner

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time. Getting news about our possible mortality can be upsetting. From what I've read here and my own experience, aortic valve replacement surgery is more or less "routine" if you can ever call open heart surgery routine. While all surgery carries risks, I...

Like others I also worked out pretty close to surgery. I actually looked at the surgery like I was preparing for a race. I worked out and then tapered off the last few days before hand. My recovery went pretty well over-all although it was no picnic by any means. Good Luck, Richard G

I had insomnia for years...long before I knew I had any problem with my heart. While anxiety doesn't help I found even when things were going well, I still had trouble getting a good nights sleep. And then when you don't get enough sleep, everthing begins building on itself, you feel anxious...

Hey Tom, Are you doing the Mountain Goat? I'm not signed up yet but think I probably will. (For those of you not in Central New York, and I think that's probably almost everyone else reading this, the Mountain Goat Run is a 10 mile road race through the city of Syracuse, New York that hits some...

Hi Gym Guy, I have a porcine valve. I thought I was told I was getting a cow valve and had all my jokes lined up (like Robin Williams who I believe also has a cow valve) but when I got a copy of the report saw the word "porcine" I had to rethink everything. Now when I go to the NY State Fair I...

Hi, After my aortic valve and upper aorta replacement I only walked for 6 weeks following surgery. After that I returned to vigorous exercise very gradually. A year and a half after surgery I was training for a half-ironman triathlon when I went in for a routine echocardiagram. My cardiologist...

It's three years after this post and I'm wondering what happened. Did you do the ironman? You see I'm wondering about doing the same thing myself

Hi Jen, I haven't experienced the fear you're talking about although I have a friend who has. She is recovering from cardiac amyloidosis (spelling?) and she too has a fear of a heart attack when exercising and heart attack and her issue are totally unrelated. She found in helpful to go to...

I'm sorry you're going through a rough time. You're right. It does suck. Good luck with....everything. Richard Gardner

Just to add my data. Had bicusbid and aortic aneurysm diagnosed three years ago requiring replacement. Have had the visual aura for years. Not necessarily followed by a headache. Seems I had the headache in my early twenties. Not sure when they stopped and just had the aura which I continue to...