Exercise after Bypass

I am 41 years old and had double bypass about 3 months ago.  I'm feeling much better, and am walking regularly and lifting light weights.  My question is....how much exercise should I do.  I'm an active duty Army officer, so running is important.  Will it hurt to resume running now, or should I stick to long walks?  Also, how much weight lifting can I do?  I'm just trying to find a good exercise routine that will help me get back into shape, and prolong my life.  I'm not getting any answers from Cardiac rehab - basically I just go in and exercise, which I can do at home on my own.  Thanks for any info you can provide.

[ireneo]

Welcome back. I haven't seen you for awhile. Glad you're healing well. Sorry I don't have the answers for you. It seems the cardio people should know what limitations you might have at this stage. Let's hope other bypass people can help. I just found out a friend of mine had bypass this year. What a shock. But we only write once a year at Christmas. That's not much help for you now.

[Encephalomalcia]

I would think that the doctors would put a limit on the amount of weight you should lift.  You want to make sure that your chest heals properly if you had open heart surgery.  Getting out of breath would be a sign that the new arteries did not heal in properly and actually they can dissolve if this happens.  If you are not short of breath when walking uphill, it sounds like everything healed well.  Bypass is a fix.  The doctors fixed your heart with good arteries.  You should be able to continue with what you were doing before surgery if the doctors did not give you any limitations.  Listen to your body.  Do want you body allows you to do and do not push yourself.  

[Tarheelguy1967]

Thanks - good to be back!  Feeling much better by the way, and hope to stay that way.

[Tarheelguy1967]

Well, I've started being really out of breath lately, and am having chest pressure and some shoulder pain and left arm numbness again.   I'm really hoping it is all in my head, but I'm back to going to bed every night at about 7pm again so who knows.  I have to get another stress test soon - hopefully it will show all is okay.  And I was on such a roll and feeling so much better for a little while.

[ireneo]

How's your heart rate? Is it staying up to speed or slowing down sometimes? Another poster had a similar experience, had stents etc, and still kept feeling crummy. Turned out his heart rate was dropping too low and he'd feel tired and SOB. A pacer picked up the speed and he's feeling better.

[Lutheran122]

Hey Tarheelguy , I feel for ya m8. I hope all is well and if this continues maybe you should go back to the doctor and tell him you don't feel right. They can do an echo or let you run on the treadmill while hooked up to the EKG but without the dye injection just to see how you do under a little bit of stress. I think about my heart all day long , its a terrible way to live. I have pains all the time and am not sure if its partially in my head or not. Take care , and just know this..your not alone.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

hey tarheelguy can i ask how they found out you had blockages , what test you did. so many test out there but not sure which is best to show blockages thank you for your time and i hope you are feeling better.

[Tarheelguy1967]

Ireneo,I honestly don't know what my heart rate tends to be.  My blood pressure usually is around 100-105/60-70.  My cardiologist recently adjusted my meds to raise my bloodpressure and help get rid of the dizziness, but it didn't fix everything.

Lutheran122, they are going to do a stress test (but I think w/ the dye) to maybe see what is going on.  I hope all is fine, but am a littled bummed that I'm not feeling right again after having done so well for the first several months after the surgery.  Let's hope it turns around!

Heartflutterz, because I'm pretty young, it was a real challenge to get the docs to pay attention to me.  I have always passed EKGs (never had a heart attack....knock on wood), but did show some irregularities as a result of nuke stress tests.  Heart caths have always identified my problems, and I've had to have several (think I'm up to 10 over the past 3-4 years).  I've been pretty confident in the nuke stress tests; however, the one I had about a month before my bypass came out fine.  But I had to go to the ER for symptoms and they did a heart cath and that is when they determined I needed bypass.  So guess the only test that is fail proof so far for me is the heart cath.  But I'm sure others have had much success w/ less invasive tests.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

wow seeso scarey just had a nuclear stress test , i didnt walk they gave me the shot to speed my heart, but they said all was clear but you never know so wonder if i should still worry, not having any problems though.

hope each day gets better for you , keep on top of it . have a great sunday evening

[pramodka]

I had a bypass done 6 months back and after 3 months had a regular check up. The cardiologist says i can walk as much as i can.( But not on the treadmill ) I you wish to go jogging have a stress test done and seek advise from the doc. As regards weight lifting is concerned, you can lift approx 10.5-11pounds.(not mor than this for approx 2-3 years)
The only test which gives correct results for a block is the Angiography test(Heart catheter). 2 D ech test may show everyting is fine but not a correct indicator for heart blockages.
HOpe this information helps.