HR and aging

[ides1056]

I have been getting two hours a day by riding in the woods or skate skiing, depending on conditions. The baseline effort for both is fairly high, with short intervals that make the baseline effort obvious: you stop and listen to your heart pounding as the woods around sit quietly. A few times I have done recovery rides indoors because of schedule, but I'd rather suck it up and ride at 23 degrees than slog in front of a clock in the basement. Cold is a non-issue on skis, pretty much. But for this in my daily schedule I would not sleep. Being able to ski has made life in New England possible for this expat Californian. I'd suffer were I not to go outdoors on a daily basis, weather be damned.

I joined the aFib club in 2004. Never had another recurrence. No medication. But I learned not to obsess about politics.

I think steady-state riding on the rivet is a precursor. Also electrolyte imbalance.

[TMB]

By the time days get longer, I will have scouted out some routes for afternoon weekday rides on dirt roads. When it gets hot, I'll roll out pre-dawn with lights during the week. Weekends I hope to be on the road bike.

The cardiologist decided to wait two years and monitor and see how it was going - last weeks update he upgraded my valve damage to sever and said either repair or replace - so, had the T.E.E. this morning and chest x-rays scheduled for Friday - as he said - we want to repair, not replace as replacement valves have a finite lifespan. So now I sit and wait until he tells me what the verdict is.

in the meantime I am puttering in the yard and my workshop and have been told to stay away from the bike.

Aging .....

[bironi]

The cardiologist decided to wait two years and monitor and see how it was going - last weeks update he upgraded my valve damage to sever and said either repair or replace - so, had the T.E.E. this morning and chest x-rays scheduled for Friday - as he said - we want to repair, not replace as replacement valves have a finite lifespan. So now I sit and wait until he tells me what the verdict is.

in the meantime I am puttering in the yard and my workshop and have been told to stay away from the bike.

Aging .....

I can't like your post, but I do.
Puttering is good!

[cs124]

...

I joined the aFib club in 2004. Never had another recurrence. No medication. But I learned not to obsess about politics.

I think steady-state riding on the rivet is a precursor. Also electrolyte imbalance.

Similar story to mine.
aFib episode in 2002.
Also no recurrence, thankfully, and I was given the same advice about extended high intensity efforts and dehydration/electrolyte imbalance.

[bigbill]

The cardiologist decided to wait two years and monitor and see how it was going - last weeks update he upgraded my valve damage to sever and said either repair or replace - so, had the T.E.E. this morning and chest x-rays scheduled for Friday - as he said - we want to repair, not replace as replacement valves have a finite lifespan. So now I sit and wait until he tells me what the verdict is.

in the meantime I am puttering in the yard and my workshop and have been told to stay away from the bike.

Aging .....

I had a stress test in December and got the all-clear. I've lost a bunch of weight (on purpose) but still have a low heartrate when I ride.

[jdanke]

Last night I learned that one can use their Apple watch (or similar) to mimic a multi-lead ECG. Never occurred to me and think others might also find this useful.

Single-Lead ECG Recordings Including Einthoven and Wilson Leads by a Smartwatch, Samol et al.

I've been having some weirdness (suddenly high HR when toodling along, previously rare but not so much now) and think it might help to bring some objective data to the doc. Not trying to self-diagnose, but having an event reading might help me cut in line: cardiologist needs referral, had to wait 'til PCP back from vacation, blood test before visit, next appt... So, yeah, one of them 51 y.o. former cat 2 types, big-boned running back build loves crushing the climbs kind of deal.

The "see a doc who works with athletes" suggestion resonates. My thing happened to me again yesterday so I rode to the urgent clinic, where the doc patiently explained to me that the pulse goes up when riding a bike.

Anyway, it might be old news but I thought it clever and useful.


sensors-19-04377-g001.jpg

[Clyde]

Probably Joel the Haywire Heart is a good read for you.

[TMB]

I had the heart surgery and spent the next 5 days in the hospital getting poked, prodded, bled, etc and fed truly awful food.

I was on a series of prescription meds for 3 months following the surgery and they carries on with the Warfarin for another 2 weeks after that date as my INR numbers simply refused to get to the levels they wanted them to be at, but I am finished that now.

The valve was repaired so the only ongoing med I have in my life is low dose aspirin. That is 1 more med than I had before all this.

Still get sore, and get quite surprised if a sneeze sneaks up on me at exactly how much a sneeze can hurt.

They said it will take a year to get back to normal so trying to adjust to that, it has been 2 years since I threw a leg over a bike in the great outdoors. Spending some time on a bike in the basement - which gets old fast.

The old saying - it is much easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape.

I am essentially at ground zero at this point, clearly some muscle memory is there but the strength, flexibility, cardio, etc - all at fresh newborn baby level. It is humbling and quite frustrating to watch myself moving like a 62 year old …

Time and determination I guess.

As my father in law always said “as long as you’re on the right of the grass ….”

[Clyde]

You will get there have faith. Sounds like you have more time on the right side of the grass, and you've got that going for you!

[thollandpe]

Best of luck and congrats on the valve job, @TMB.

[rec head]

I am essentially at ground zero at this point, clearly some muscle memory is there but the strength, flexibility, cardio, etc - all at fresh newborn baby level.

Oh, but to have the flexibility of a baby.