CMAC
Member
Hi everyone. First time post, long time obserever of this bulletin board. It is truly a great resource for information and inspiration. On 2/28/07 I had my bicuspid aortic valve replaced with a St. Jude Regent valve and a 5cm aneursym replaced with a Dacron graft. This was my 2nd open heart surgery. I had my aortic valve repaired in August of 1975 by Dr. John Kirkland at UAB, a true pioneer in the field of heart surgery. I must say that considering the magnitude of my recent surgery, my recovery has been speedy and uneventful. As a child, my pediatric cardiologist told me to avoid any isometric excercise (i.e. weightlifting). Of course, I did not listen to him and I became an avid weightlifter over the past 25 years. I never restricted myself from any physical activity and I played baseball and football throughout high school. My cardiologist for the past 20 years never restricted me from weightlifting and he was well aware of the poundages I was pushing (365lbs bench, 495 squat). I can honestly say that despite my valve deterioration in recent years, I have never once experienced a symptom. I have lost 30 lbs (all muscle) since my surgery in February. While I have continued my cardio regimen of running on a treadmill for 30 minutes every other day, I have not touched a weight since my surgery. While running I try to keep my heart rate between 150bpm and 160bpm. My surgeon advised me to refrain from serious lifting for 6 months. His concern being that the sternum needs to heal. He did not place a weight restriction on lifting after 6 months, rather he suggested that I refrain from lifting max poundage. Recent echo revealed that everything is working as designed. No leaks. INR has been holding steady between 2.7 and 3.2. Is there anybody out there that has returned to weightlifting after avr surgery? I would be interested in discussing your experience. I must say it is psychologically difficult not going to the gym after doing so for 25 years, not to mention the transformation in my physical appearance over the last 4 months. 25 years to build the muscle and 4 months to lose it! I must say that I am truly lucky that the aneurysm was discovered during a TEE in February. That was a silent time bomb sitting above my heart just waiting to explode given the amount of physical exertion I was placing it under with my workout routine.