Starting over as a 60 something

[+ purplekow]

As some of you know, about 3.5 years ago, I had an elective cardiac catheterization. Good news is they found no significant heart disease. Bad news, is they dissected the prominal left anterior descending artery and nearly killed me, While I was told that the stents to repair this were fine and I did not have a heart attack, I still have a stents in place. For those of the medical persuasion I had 5 to 7 mm ST elevation across the precordium which translated to non permanent injury to the left venticle. So, after a few days in the hospital, I went to cardiac rehab and did fine, I was able to easily complete the 6 minute walk and was started on a regimen to increase my cardiac fitness, I started slow and progressed well until 6 months later, I returned to full time work. Making a major error, I went back to work and stopped the exercise, Soon after, I was let go from that job in a downsizing and 6 months later I started another job. All that time and I did not much but mope around the house. The medications which were started just slowed me to a crawl and I had no energy for anything, Over the last six months my level of fitness has dropped to an all time low for me.

So, today I started to exercise again. My level of fitness is an abomination. I was able to walk about 1/2 mile on flat ground while getting winded and with leg pain. One of the meds I am taking has been causing me to be short of breath since I started it and the cardiologist suggested I "just deal with it" Anyway, 1/2 mile, winded and cramps in the legs. For those suggesting medical testing, been there, done that, bought the tee shirt. Started dieting again a week ago and doing well with that so far.

I was wondering if there are any others out there who have been in the worst shape of their life and managed to get back to some level of fitness. I am certainly not giving up after one day. I have made a plan for daily walks starting at the 1/2 mild mark to be expanded once I can complete it without the shortness of breath and the leg pain.

[gallahadesquire]

Actually, ST elevation is usually indicative of damage. I wonder what your troponins were?

 

Same thing happened to a friend of mine some 30+ years ago, only he wound up with a CABG

[+ Reisr30]

I can’t say I am in the same situation but the last few years I got completely out of shape because of work and hadn’t exercised in years. This New Years I decided to get back into shape. It was painful but I found if I got into a steady routine and didn’t try to over exert myself I was able to keep it up. 6 months later I feel I am getting back into shape and feel great. Don’t give up just go at your own pace and get into a routine and I think you’ll start noticing your fitness level is improving

[+ Gar1eth]

I applaud your efforts. I've never been in good shape. I've never been able to marshal enough stick-to-it-ness to stay on a fitness regimen. And right now due to myasthenia plus a 60 pound weight gain over the last year due to prednisone, I get short of breath bending over to tie my shoes. So I don't have great hopes for me. But I'm sending you best wishes.

 

 

Gman

[+ nycman]

Get a hot trainer....and everything else will fix itself.

[+ purplekow]

Actually, ST elevation is usually indicative of damage. I wonder what your troponins were?

 

Same thing happened to a friend of mine some 30+ years ago, only he wound up with a CABG

Negative much to the surprise of everyone. Yeah they wanted to rush me off to another hospital by ambulance for emergency CABG. Woke me up to tell me that. Needless to say I was not pleased when they told me what was happening. I asked them if they could fix it at the hospital I was at. They said only if I was having chest pain. I said "well I guess I am having chest pain" I was not. took two stents to control it as it continued to dissect distally after the first one. No chest pain then nor since.

[+ purplekow]

Get a hot trainer....and everything else will fix itself.

I am starting slow and from home. I have had good success with using a trainer in the past but at the level I am at now, I think I can work up to getting in good enough condition to be able to utilize a trainer.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

I am certainly not giving up after one day. I have made a plan for daily walks starting at the 1/2 mild mark to be expanded once I can complete it without the shortness of breath and the leg pain.

 

PK - You've laid down the challenge. I've not worked out but once since Feb. 4, 2018 and am feeling sluggish and ready to do something about it. My annual physical is tomorrow afternoon, and I will walk a half mile when I get home. We can be virtual walking buddies.

[+ purplekow]

PK - You've laid down the challenge. I've not worked out but once since Feb. 4, 2018 and am feeling sluggish and ready to do something about it. My annual physical is tomorrow afternoon, and I will walk a half mile when I get home. We can be virtual walking buddies.

You got a deal. :I will PM you tomorrow after my walk. You do the same. Virtual work out partners, a new app will soon be in the offing.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Virtual work out partners, a new app will soon be in the offing.

 

Fill out the patent paperwork now!

[+ Seaninsf]

I want in on the IPO, please!

[samhexum]

I've never been in good shape. I've never been able to marshal enough stick-to-it-ness to stay on a fitness regimen. And right now due to myasthenia plus a 60 pound weight gain over the last year due to prednisone, I get short of breath bending over to tie my shoes.

 

 

I resemble that remark. :(

 

[+ purplekow]

Well Day 2 was better than Day 1 A little further and a little faster with less fatigue and shortness of breath.

[Guest]

As some of you know, about 3.5 years ago, I had an elective cardiac catheterization. Good news is they found no significant heart disease. Bad news, is they dissected the prominal left anterior descending artery and nearly killed me...

I guess I'm puzzled about how this all started. Why did you get a cardiac cath if there was no heart disease? One shouldn't get a cardiac cath unless there's a prior study that shows an area of the heart muscle (myocardium) at risk, usually some sort of nuclear imaging scan (or an EKG showing that you're having an actual heart attack, but that wasn't the case if the procedure was elective). I once had a transplant service request that a patient with no evidence of heart disease get a cardiac cath, and I told them that this would constitute malpractice and told them why. One shouldn't get a cardiac cath unless there's evidence that part of the heart is getting poor circulation, and this is exactly the reason why. And I'm sorry to inform you, but if you had a 5 to 7 mm ST elevation, you had a significant chunk of heart muscle die off. You may still have a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, but the muscle was injured seriously.

If the statute of limitations hasn't passed, you probably have a good case for a malpractice suit--not because there was a complication, but because the procedure should never have been performed in the first place. I would at least file a complaint with the state medical board and have them investigate. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[samhexum]

I've never been able to marshal enough stick-to-it-ness to stay on a fitness regimen.

[+ purplekow]

I guess I'm puzzled about how this all started. Why did you get a cardiac cath if there was no heart disease? One shouldn't get a cardiac cath unless there's a prior study that shows an area of the heart muscle (myocardium) at risk, usually some sort of nuclear imaging scan (or an EKG showing that you're having an actual heart attack, but that wasn't the case if the procedure was elective). I once had a transplant service request that a patient with no evidence of heart disease get a cardiac cath, and I told them that this would constitute malpractice and told them why. One shouldn't get a cardiac cath unless there's evidence that part of the heart is getting poor circulation, and this is exactly the reason why. And I'm sorry to inform you, but if you had a 5 to 7 mm ST elevation, you had a significant chunk of heart muscle die off. You may still have a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, but the muscle was injured seriously.

If the statute of limitations hasn't passed, you probably have a good case for a malpractice suit--not because there was a complication, but because the procedure should never have been performed in the first place. I would at least file a complaint with the state medical board and have them investigate. I'm sorry this happened to you.

To answer your questions, the cath was done after I had a respiratory infection of significant severity which left me with significant bronchospasm. I had an episode in the middle of the night and went to the ER to get an albuterol treatment. When I arrived there, they did routine blood, which at this ER included a troponin if you had chest pain or shortness of breath. Troponin came back at .18 and several follow ups were in the same range. Cath was recommended and I refused. I continued to be ill with the bronchospasm for weeks and started having chest pain. Nuclear stress test was done not definitively negative. Cath was recommended. I again refused. Two more weeks went by and I was still having intermittent chest pain even after the bronchospasm ended. Again, by a different *(third one) cardiologist a cath was recommended and I relented. The cath showed no coronary artery disease except for the dissection,

Just to be clear, after the cath, and the ST elevation which was transient, echo showed an ejection fraction of 65% and the troponins after the cath were negative. So yes there was ischemia but not infarction and ventricular function was preserved.

So that is the story. Cardiac output is still around 60.

I had always argued with the ER docs about troponins on my patients with a weak or no story for CAD, always without success. I do not know the ins and outs of the finances but I know the ER and the ER docs made out better if the tests were done. I do blame that test for knocking down the first domino.

In retrospect, I should have refused again, but at that point, I opted to get it done and over. It was a low risk procedure, but not a no risk procedure and as the superstitions go, bad things happen to doctors and their families. I do not believe it is generally true but it was true in my case.

[Guest]

...It was a low risk procedure...

 

Low risk until it happens to you! I never considered the procedure low-risk. Threading things and shooting stuff into the arteries feeding one's heart. What could go wrong?

[Guest]

More than one in 60 suffering a major complication. That's enough to make me nervous.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Unicorn

[+ purplekow]

Yes that is all comers including those with severe heart disease and other risks for morbidity. I had none of those. Still, it did indeed happen, so there you go.

[samhexum]

So, today I started to exercise again. My level of fitness is an abomination.

I applaud your efforts. I've never been in good shape. I've never been able to marshal enough stick-to-it-ness to stay on a fitness regimen. And right now... I get short of breath bending over to tie my shoes.

I've not worked out but once since Feb. 4, 2018 and am feeling sluggish and ready to do something about it.

http://www.diethobby.com/Tuploads/images/smileys/cartoon/helium_diet_cartoon.jpg

 

[+ purplekow]

Well made it to day 3. Walked a little further, a little faster. Did get a bit of a muscle cramp but I was able to walk through it. And so it goes. I am feelinga bit friskier too. I had a young handsome door to door salesman trying to sell exterminator plans come to my door today. I flirted with him a bit and he flirted back. I am under no illusions, he flirted back to try and make a sale, but hey, I wanted to flirt with him which is a bit better than I have been doing. Turns out he was a virgin Mormon for BYU, 19 and he gave me a lesson on his hover board which he was using to speed up his movement from sales call to sales call.

[+ Pensant]

You got a deal. :I will PM you tomorrow after my walk. You do the same. Virtual work out partners, a new app will soon be in the offing.

I’m excited to hear that you’re both starting a fitness program. We’re all here for you. I’m looking forward to you two joining @azdr0710 and us for hikes at the next PS gathering.

[+ Charlie]

I have always believed in dog-walking as part of a fitness plan, because it's good for both of you. Unless, of course, you have a dog like mine who keeps stopping to intensively sniff something for a couple of minutes.

[Guest]

Yes, dog owners live longer than cat owners. Probably because of the walking.

https://metro.co.uk/2017/11/20/dog-owners-live-longer-so-in-your-face-cat-fans-7092530/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/22/well/family/dog-owners-live-longer.html

[LivingnLA]

Movement matters. It's one of the key 3 legs of wellness: movement, nutrition, and sleep.