Newbie - Aortic Aneurysm, Q on exercise, lifting

[Catie]

Hi. I'm glad to find this site. I've known about my faulty aortic valve for 35 years, and have tracked it with echos and cardiologist visits. The aortic aneurysm is a much newer and scarier development. It's at 4.5 cm but has been stable since dx in late 08.

My cardiologist has not been able to answer to my satisfaction the question of what I may or may not do for exercise. She is very well respected in our university hospital but is not a specialist where the aorta is concerned, nor does she know much about exercise. (She didn't know people use light hand weights for strength training.) I've been way too sedentary, but I want to get in better shape.

Anyhoo, does anyone know what the lifting restrictions are for folks with this condition?

What about aerobic exercise? Is that ok, and if not, what type of exercise is alright? My cardiologist said not to do anything that would raise my blood pressure, but my BP is very normal.

Thanks for your help!

 

[mainframe]

I had my ascending aorta replaced as well as a new mechanical valve recently. My surgeon told me I had no restrictions. I ask more than once explaining that I liked to lift weights and he again said no restrictions. I'm a little over 6 months out and I've been lifting again though I'm not in a big hurry to push it. Seems I lost quite a bit of strength being in the hospital for an extended stay but am lifting more than 100 lbs. on a few lifts. Hasn't killed me yet.

edited to add:

I'd be alot more careful pre-surgery. I didn't as I did both cardio and lifted pretty heavy up until July of last year and feel extremly lucky. I was told my aorta was tissue thin when it was replaced and was about to disect within a couple of weeks had I not had the surgery. Had I known, I would have been alot more careful last summer when trying to keep up my normal level of exercise. Pre-surgery, I'd listen to the doctors if they told me to take it easy. Who knows what could happen.

 

[Ross]

I'll tell you a story and you can make up your own mind. My aneursym was being watched at about your size. My job involved unloading trucks and lifting a fair amount of weight. I would not call it excessive, but still a good amount. My aneurysm ruptured at around 4.7cm. My adivce, knowing that I know now, is keep it lite, but do get some excercise. Just don't lift weights or do anything that will increase the pressures on your aorta until your fixed.

 

[Philip B]

Aneuryism & Fitness

Aneuryism & Fitness

Yeah, the aneuryism thing is spooky. You might want to visit with a cardiologist who has more expertise with aortic aneuryisms. I made my surgeon nervous when I insisted on spending the week before my surgery in Mexico playing golf... at 5.8 cm my aneuryism was bigger than yours.

My focus on fitness with clients is cardio... if you train your heart, fitness will follow. If you haven't been doing much, there are lots of ways to start working yourself into better shape without too much stress and strain.

-Philip

 

[skeptic49]

Welcome to the forum! I am pre-surgery with an aneurysm when last measured at 4.5 cm. The printed instructions I was given by my surgeon state that I am not to lift more than one half of my lean body weight. I don't know the answer to your question about exercise, other than competative sports seem to be a no no based upon what I've read over the years. I walk for exercise.

Jim

 

[Maryka]

Yow! Shame on your doctor for not telling you about the dangers of lifting!

 

[traveler]

Prior to surgery was told no restrictions on aerobic activity (running) but not to lift more then 10 lbs.

 

[BarbJean]

Welcome, Catie. My son's aneurysm is between 4.5 and 4.6. He has been told to do no isometric type of exercise- no weights, ab work, pilates, chin ups. His doc pretty much told him he could do brisk walking now and that's about it. A few months ago he was still going to the Y and getting in on pick up basketball games, much to my chagrin. Your case may be different than his though, as far as exercise goes, since he has Marfan Syndrome. Take care!

 

[Catie]

Thank you all very much for your replies! I appreciate the welcome, too.

It sounds like opinions may vary widely among professionals.

My cardiologist did tell me to be careful of lifting. She had originally said, "Don't lift more than 50 lbs." I'm still at the same measurement, but this last time she said, "Five or 10 pounds is okay." I need to call her nurse, I guess. I need to know...What about 24-packs of soft drinks or my 16-lb. dog? As for weights, I'd just be interested in using the little five-pounders.

She said the best aortic surgeon in our university system won't see patients till they're on the brink of needing surgery. My current inclination is if this expands to pay a visit to the Cleveland Clinic.

 

[Maryka]

The trick about lifting is to create no intra-thoracic pressure. In other words, lifting that causes you to hold your breath or block your breath as you lift is not good. (That is one reason pushups also might not be good.) I was also told not to "strain" while having a "poop". Even today if I feel the need to "strain", I use my old Lamaze puff-puff-puff which I was taught to do instead of holding my breath to push the baby out in the final part of the birth process. (Luckily, I had my babies long before I learned I had an aneurysm. Also luckily, I survivied childbirth.) So, if you are used to lifting your dog, then my guess is to keep lifting. But don't lift if you have to hold your breath while lifting him. As for the soda bottles, I would guess that you should break down the lifting to smaller loads.

 

[Catie]

Thanks for sharing, Maryka. That's good information. Welllll, I just looked up intrathoracic pressure, and that was a disturbing venture. People have dissected by sneezing, for Pete's sake. Coughing, stooping, and crying increase this pressure. I've never taken Lamaze, but I wonder if I can puff when I cry. I'm in counseling for an abuse background, and tears are standard fare. I also take lots of fiber for constipation. I'm also now thinking about the strong effort needed to pull the cord on our mower.

As for the 24-packs, I wonder if Kroger will let me take them apart before I buy them for my Pepsiholic husband!

 

[jake]

Hey Hey Hey:

I got my aortic aneurism and bicuspid aortic valve news a year ago as a result of a very minor heart attack. Best estimate is 4.8 cm at worst, 4.3 cm at best.

I got a lot of conflicting information at the onset, but coming from a background of automotive repair, weight lifting (fitness not power lifting) and summer cement work (until I wrecked my back a couple years trying to outwork guys half my age) but I will share with you what I was told.

Initially, they said no more than 10 lbs. This literally made me cry for mommy! I can’t live like that and for all intent and purposes, this puts me in the realm of disability as far as I am concerned. When the cardiac team came into the room after the doctor who told me 10 lbs max, I was pretty broken up. They were prepping me for a second trip the cath lab when one of the cardiologists asked me what my problem was. I was stiff upper lip up to that point and all of a sudden, I’m sucking my thumb and crying for my mommy.

I told him what the previous doctor told me and they started laughing. The head guy said "who in the hell told you that?" I told him and they started laughing even harder! They send a few doctors in to see me and they all said the same thing. Fifty to seventy pounds as long as I have my BP under control is fine. I was asked not to make a habit of it and to leave the bar bells alone. One doctor indicated that I don’t need to "baby myself" just be extremely ergonomic in my lifting, and get help from others. One nurse said told me my back was more screwed up than my aorta, I should be checking the lifting for the sake of my spine anyway! LOL!!! Always the optimist.

It was a shocker at first, but I lead a totally normal life pushing and lifting stuff, I am just a little more mindful now and am no longer trying to impress the kids with my awesome feats of strength any longer. I’m a 45 year old fart with a heart condition now, so I keep it cool and let the kids lift and tote now. I am content to have the smallest bicepts in the old age home thirty years from now. I have not missed a beat skating in the park, lifting my tool box and ripping cylinder heads off of cars and trucks and taking out the garbage.

Hell, I figure if I can lighten the load weight wise (250 lbs @6') I might be able to push the envelope a little more. Keep your BP in check, and push the cardio and before you know it, not only will you be safer, but your back will thank you as well! I know mine did!

 

[Buffy41]

My aneuryism when it was found was already 5.6. They told me they would recheck it at my next appointment 8 months later. They gave me no warnings. In the fall I had a new cardioligist who strongly felt I was ready for surgey with in 3 days I had already talked to the surgeon and booked my appoinment for surgery 6 weeks later. Since reading on this site I realize how serious it was and feel more should of been explained after my original diagnosis.
Amazing how different every doctor handles things, definitely not all created equal.

 

[karen14]

Hi Catie, welcome to the forum! I was told the only exercise I could do (prior & post surgery) was walking. No lifting of heavy items! Hope this helps, and best wishes to you. ~Karen

 

[ARGreenMN]

I don't have an aneurysm but recently found out something during cardio rehab that might apply. I was told between my angiogram and my surgery (5 wks) not to lift. I thought it was silly since I always felt like there was less strain on my heart from lifting than running. So I snuck in a few lifting sessions (I know, shame on me) prior to surgery just to try to keep tuned up, knowing it was gonna be months off for me. Well, guess what... During rehab, they're letting me lift light weights now (I'm at 7 wks post op). And of course they're monitoring my heart. I've been doing cardio stuff (treadmills, bikes, etc.) for several weeks, and my pulse will typically get up to about 115-120. Well, during my first real lifting session the other day, I was bench pressing just 20 lb dumbells (used to do more like 200 lbs on a bar pre-surgery) and my heart rate shot up to almost 150 from those silly little 20 lb dumbells... And I had trouble getting it back down to normal afterwards. I was shocked. So I went down to lower weights today (15 lb dumbells) and it was all good. Point is - I learned lifting can raise your heart rate as much, if not more than cardio stuff... So I was probably pretty stupid (not the first time) for lifting before surgery when I was told not to... Lesson learned...

 

[Luckyguy17]

Andy,

not sure if this useful for you, but cardiologist mentioned to me the other day that a good starting point at this stage for me, would be to bench press 50% of my weigth.

was surprised that we could do that much this soon, but would this match with the reality of what you are living now?

Newbie am surprised that cardiologist would be giving you a warning to slow down already, especially if you are stable. Maybe it is a way to postpone the surgery?
His warning to me to slow down, was when my echo numbers showed 25% aortic valve efficiency. Are you having symptoms?

 

[Catie]

Thanks, you all.

Wow, there seem to be a bunch of divergent opinions from cardiologists on how to manage this disease. This befuddles me!

Jake, I like your cardios' approach far better. Yes, limiting to 10 lbs. of lifting amounts to disability in my book also.

Buffy, yikes, that was a real wakeup call for you. A quick learning curve and getting whisked into surgery.

Karen, wow...they won't let you do anything except walk even after recovering from surgery?

ARGreen, it's astonishing how much lifting those lighter weights affected your heart rate. I wouldn't have thought it.

Luckyguy, I'm stable, asymptomatic (other than some palpitations and minor arrhythmia). Still at minor regurgitation. Back when the valve was diagnosed in the 70s, they wouldn't let me take PE, jog, etc., but I can't imagine they would say that to a 16-yo with a murmur today. Every cardiologist I've had has been super-conservative about exercise, and I've lived in a number of cities. It might be worth visiting another dr. just to clear this question up.

 

[malibu82]

Hi Catie !

Where in the midwest are you? I'm in a Chicago suburb. I just had surgery May 21st. I had my aortic valve replaced along with my aortic anerrysm fixed. It was at 4.7cm. While waiting for surgery, they put me on a beta blocker to help control my blood pressure. My blood pressure has always been low, but the beta blocker was to prevent sudden spurts of blood pressure (going upstairs, lifting something, exercising)

I had just had a baby and wanted to exercise so my cardiologist said to watch my heart rate. Not to let it go above 135 while working out. So I did and I was okay. But be sure to ask your doctor first. Maybe find out about going on the beta blocker! Hope this helps and take care!

Jackie

 

[Ross]

Surgeons like to wait until they're 5.0cm or bigger, to operate. After my experience, I don't care what their studies suggest, anything beyond 5 is placing the patients life in danger needlessly.

 

[ARGreenMN]

Catie, keep in mind, I'm only 7 weeks post-op right now, so not fully recovered. I think (hope) that's why my heart rate went up so much the first time I started lifting light weights the other day. And by the second time I was lifting (yesterday) my HR was down quite a bit from the first time - maybe I was just nervous that first time or something. Just don't want to scare people off and have them think they won't be able to lift again down the road. I'm told I'll be back to normal one of these days (maybe as soon as the 3 month mark), you just have to take it slow during recovery which is what I'm in now. My point was I was shocked how much lifting can raise your rate compared to cardio stuff (I always assumed it was the opposite). But as they explained yesterday, lifting is anaerobic which actually puts more strain on your heart than aerobic. Go figure So - my REAL point was, when they tell you not to lift before surgery, it's probably wise to listen to them, unlike me (do as I say, not as I do, lol).