Never Over Till Its Over
Experiencing angina once again while cycling. This time fairly steady. Visited DR and the plan is to take Imdur and have thallium stress test in a few weeks. I am monitoring each ride I do and when I experience angina taking nitro helps it subside but comes back in about 45 minutes to an hour. Cycling at an easier pace than usual and will just have to wait and see. Harry K
Hi Harry...hope you are able to fix/control the problem - know how much you enjoy cycling, etc. Hopefully, some monitoring and medication will address the problem. I am back out cycling now (had surgery back in mid January) - the most I have done in one outing is approx. 35k or 20 miles, and it feels fine. I find I am getting less winded that I did before my heart attack last September and with each week it seems to get better. Once in a while I can feel the chest bone where it was wired together, and a momentary (last for about a second) shooting sensation like a quick electrical charge or flash and that can happen when talking every once in a while - have no idea what it is, but it does not seem to be a problem and seems to be less frequent. I had a tread-mill stress test back in early April and all seemed fine and the docs advised that it was okay to start biking distances of around 10k a day and work my way up. Again, hope all continues to go well Harry...know how much you enjoy biking. jon On 21 May 2001, at 5:37, HKopcf@... wrote: Experiencing angina once again while cycling. This time fairly steady. Visited DR and the plan is to take Imdur and have thallium stress test in a few weeks. I am monitoring each ride I do and when I experience angina taking nitro helps it subside but comes back in about 45 minutes to an hour. Cycling at an easier pace than usual and will just have to wait and see. Harry K
I also had the bones grinding together sensation for a year following bypass surgery and my family doctor said his dad still has it many years after surgery, but I have not heard it for 3 to 6 months. My surgery was 18 months ago. Sometimes one reads in books, etc that the new bypasses close up. One victim wrote that at 12 months doctors found all 4 of his bypasses had closed completely. I have not found any details of why this happens or what one can do to prevent it. I am age 68 and commonly walk at a brisk pace for a few miles without any need to rest. I eat mainly beans and vegetables (but sometimes weaken and eat 10 ounces of peanuts in 24 hours) and dig ditches for 3 hours on most days when the ground is not too muddy year-round. The 4 foot wide by 2 feet deep ditches are for my garden work. I also walk 10 miles or more per week at 16 to 17 minutes per mile. Anyone have any info on this program. Harold Eddleman
Hi Harold: My family doc has told me that some people continue with the bones clicking for a year or two and with some it just never completely goes away. I was a little concerned about mine because I was opened-up with an horizontal rather than a vertical incision which meant there was a smaller portion of bone opened...seems to make me feel a little more fragile for some reason. Sounds like you are doing great with your walking and work. Three hours of digging is a lot of work - is digging good for the heart. I know around here in snow country - they advise heart patients to not shovel snow. 16 or 17 minutes a mile is a good pace and bound to get your heart rate up. The calcuators I have found online say to subtract your age from 220 and then multiply that by 60% to 80% for you min/max training heart rate...if you are not in very good shape they say to start with the lower %....and if out of shape completely - start with 50% of 220 less your age. On 21 May 2001, at 11:47, Harold Eddleman wrote: I also had the bones grinding together sensation for a year following bypass surgery and my family doctor said his dad still has it many years after surgery, but I have not heard it for 3 to 6 months. My surgery was 18 months ago. Sometimes one reads in books, etc that the new bypasses close up. One victim wrote that at 12 months doctors found all 4 of his bypasses had closed completely. I have not found any details of why this happens or what one can do to prevent it. I am age 68 and commonly walk at a brisk pace for a few miles without any need to rest. I eat mainly beans and vegetables (but sometimes weaken and eat 10 ounces of peanuts in 24 hours) and dig ditches for 3 hours on most days when the ground is not too muddy year- round. The 4 foot wide by 2 feet deep ditches are for my garden work. I also walk 10 miles or more per week at 16 to 17 minutes per mile. Anyone have any info on this program. Harold Eddleman Jon Del Ben wrote: Once in a while I can feel the chest bone where it was wired together, and a momentary (last for about a second) shooting sensation like a quick electrical charge or flash and that can happen when talking every once in a while - have no idea what it is, but it does not seem to be a problem and seems to be less frequent. jon
In a message dated 5/21/2001 7:21:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jdelben@... writes: I am back out cycling now (had surgery back in mid January) - the most I have done in one outing is approx. 35k or 20 miles, and it feels fine. Jon, That is a great start considering you are 4 months post CABG. When I cycled Seattle to San Diego in 99 I was joined in Ventura, Ca by a 54 year old teacher who was 2 years post CABG. We had met on another support board and he claimed I provided some motivation for him to get back to cycling. He rode with me for part of the day and it was very enjoyable. Of course before starting trip I also had the pleasure of meeting Ann and her husband. I won't say nice things about Ann because it makes her blush. I am taking meds and monitoring my workouts. Yesterday I did treadmill at our fitness center and was able to go 26 minutes before experiencing angina. I was doing 4.1 pace and 14 degree elevation with heart rate over 130. Angina varies and seems cycling will bring it on at lower heart rate. I am recording everything and will fax to my cardiologist. Thanks all for your concern and caring, it is greatly appreciated. Harry K
Harry K: I was not aware that biking could bring-on angina at a lower heart rate. Is there some reason for this phenomena? Given the body support on the bike I would have thought the probability of an angina attack would be lower. However, I did have my heart attack while out biking (up a hill) last September. Could it have something to do with the additional strain on the arms chest...especially going uphill? I have no idea what I did on the treadmill test. I did not go anywhere near 26 minutes...as I had not done much since my heart attack and was doing the test to get some idea of my heart condition so I could determine what extent of exercises to start with etc. Also, being a neck-breather with a cover over my neck makes breathing a bit more of a challenge for me. All I was told was that the echo, and treadmill stress tests indicated very good results...that the bypass surgery had increased my blood flow, that my heart beat was regular and it had a good rate of recovery - and that I should focus on aerobic exercises to get it my heart back in shape. Does that make sense? As you can tell, I am not a medical/technical person. I am taking meds and monitoring my workouts. Yesterday I did treadmill at our fitness center and was able to go 26 minutes before experiencing angina. I was doing 4.1 pace and 14 degree elevation with heart rate over 130. Angina varies and seems cycling will bring it on at lower heart rate. I am recording everything and will fax to my cardiologist. Thanks all for your concern and caring, it is greatly appreciated. Harry K
In a message dated 5/22/2001 9:01:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jdelben@... writes: I have been looking at a biking/training site - it seems logical to me - however, it does not mention heart rehab issues. Does it make sense to you. Jon, This article written for racing cyclists, although it may be applied for non-racers. I have been using a heart rate monitor (HRM) for past 11 years and think it is a good asset. Polar makes several good ones in different price ranges and they may be on sale here. Welcome to Performance Bicycle Online Harry K
I second Harry's support for a Heart Rate Monitor. I use one for walking, mowing the lawn, treadmill, etc. I bought mine for around $50 at the sporting section of a local Walmart. 'AL'
Thanks for the advice and tip....never thought of looking in Wal Mart...even in small city Canada we have one of those stores. I suppose one primarily needs a basic feature showing one's pulse...are there other features that anyone has found essential? On 23 May 2001, at 12:18, ALCAPSHAW@... wrote: I second Harry's support for a Heart Rate Monitor. I use one for walking, mowing the lawn, treadmill, etc. I bought mine for around $50 at the sporting section of a local Walmart.
How do these monitors sense the pulse. Is the sensor inconvenient or uncomfortable?
In a message dated 5/23/01 10:36:41 PM Canada Central Standard Time, indbio@... writes: << How do these monitors sense the pulse. Is the sensor inconvenient or uncomfortable? The sensor is on a strap that is worn around the chest. Two rectangular pads on opposite sides of center are the pickup points. It works best if your skin is moist, i.e. after you begin to sweat. I moisten the pads with saliva applied by my thumbs, to get a quicker start. The readout is worn as a wrist watch. It has 5 functions, Heart Rate, Peak HR, Minimum HR, one other function which I forgot, and time of day. 'AL'
In a message dated 5/22/2001 10:46:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jdelben@... writes: . Do you think a heart rate monitor is essential? I was thinking of simply stopping when I felt winded and taking my pulse. I wouldn't say it is essential but a good tool, and valuable to someone with heart condition. I don't do the intense rides I had in years past but now as I cycle I find it informative to know heart rate. Most HRM's have zone settings and you get a beep when you are below or above. Mine will also give me the average HR for the time I was cycling. I put all this info on my computer. On long climbs it is valuable info in choosing gear selection. Also I used to negotiate Max HR numbers with my Dr. Harry K
Well, now I will show my ignorance. I thought a heart rate monitor was just a wrist band like a watch - not unlike the timex watch that will also give your pulse. Now I know why, when I was out biking last week, I saw a gentleman wearing a black strap around his chest - it must have been a heart rate monitor. I think I may just stick with taking my pulse and knowing what my max/min rate should be and normally keeping things in that range. On 24 May 2001, at 4:14, ALCAPSHAW@... wrote: In a message dated 5/23/01 10:36:41 PM Canada Central Standard Time, indbio@... writes: << How do these monitors sense the pulse. Is the sensor inconvenient or uncomfortable? The sensor is on a strap that is worn around the chest. Two rectangular pads on opposite sides of center are the pickup points. It works best if your skin is moist, i.e. after you begin to sweat. I moisten the pads with saliva applied by my thumbs, to get a quicker start. The readout is worn as a wrist watch. It has 5 functions, Heart Rate, Peak HR, Minimum HR, one other function which I forgot, and time of day. 'AL'
In a message dated 5/24/2001 5:36:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jdelben@... writes: Is the sensor inconvenient or uncomfortable? After a while you forget you are wearing. HK