Weight Restriction?

[bookjp]

I had my ascending aorta replaced and a new valve six weeks ago.Saw my surgeon thursday after chest x ray and EKG.He said everything looks good but talked about 30lb wait restriction the rest of my life.Has anyone else had their ascending aorta replaced and been put on permanent weight restriction?I don't know if my surgeon is being extra cautious or not.I thought a while back about I read about someone with the same thing competing in triathlons?It seems like everything I thing about doing outside involves more than 30lbs!!!!

 

[Eva]

Doctors are always cautious...my ex-cardio wanted me to loose 50 lbs which is unachievable!! but he said that to push me to loose wt which is healthier and lighter on the heart and all of our organs.

good luck.

 

[bookjp]

Doctors are always cautious...my ex-cardio wanted me to loose 50 lbs which is unachievable!! but he said that to push me to loose wt which is healthier and lighter on the heart and all of our organs.

good luck.

Eva,I lost 12lbs after surgery can't seem to gain it back.So I'll take ten of those lbs!!!

 

[Ross]

I've been put on 50 lb restriction. In all honesty, I think after a year, you can pretty much do as you please, but why push it? Don't know about you, but I sure don't want to have to do this ever again.

 

[MIKE69]

lifting

lifting

I was informed before my surgery by my surgeon that you can lift as long as you do not need to strain

 

[Ross]

I was informed before my surgery by my surgeon that you can lift as long as you do not need to strain

That's pretty much what mine said also. Question is, at what point are you straining?

 

[MIKE69]

weight

weight

He said if you have to hold your breath and close your eyes you are strainng

 

[Eva]

......Question is, at what point are you straining?

Absolutely!!

 

[Maryka]

My surgeon said 30 lb lifting (weight) limit also. I was stunned because when I was still a "Marfan Syndrome" person (officially and then semi-officially) my lifting limit was 25 pounds. Marfan friends who have had any aortic replacement were given 20 pound lifting limits after their surgeries (and forever more). This is because if your aorta stretched out once it could stretch out again and dissect. Or, at least that is my understanding. Anyway, since I still have very loose connective tissue, I am reluctant to do any lifting--even my darling great nieces or my grandchildren.

If you MUST do lifting, my suggestion is to build up to it by raising dumbbells of 5 or 10 pounds over and over again until you have strengthened your arm muscles enough so that you can lift without straining. (No pushups however. I presume you weigh more than 30 pounds.) When I was still offically Marfan, the watchword was "intrathoracic pressure"--anything causing that could burst your aorta. Straining is another word for that, I guess.

Yep. I still try to avoid lifting.