Exercise Question

[AR-10]

Forgive me if this is the wrong forum, but the exercise forum didn't seem to be where I wanted to discuss this.

I'm a 52 year old male. I have had various health problems for a few years. I haven't worked for a year now, and it will be six months or a year before I can.

I have MVP, very mild two years ago and not rechecked. I've had issues with tachacardia in the past and just stopped Toprol XL after taking it for a bit over two years. Took half a dose for three weeks and then stopped yesterday.

My heart has been damaged by Hyperthyroidism, and my GP thinks it will take about a year for the muscles to regenerate properly. When hyperthyroidism reaches a certain stage, fatty lipids are deposited in the muscles of your body rather than cells that build healthy muscles.

The end result is heart muscles that cannot squeeze fully nor relax fully. Shortened muscles? I don't understand it fully. All I know is it is not pumping as much volumn as it should, and there's the prolapse thing not helping.

I've also had arythmia problems and an incredible ammount of stress. The arythmia episodes are decreasing. The stress is not.

LOL!!!

I sound like quite the greenhorn, eh?

I'm also 15 pounds underweight after losing 25 pounds of muscle, and what muscles I have left are not accustomed to being used much lately. My body is weak from prolonged illness and I am good for an hour here and an hour there, but two hours makes me ill.

So...I want to start getting back on my feet, but I don't want to kill myself.
LOL!!

Any suggestions for a disabled type A personality person on what I should do? I could consult physical therapy at the hospital through my doctor. I just don't want to go there.    

[chrisr]

Hello Tinu,
I am also quite limited in my walking/threadmill exercises by fatigue, leg tiredness and sometimes SOB. I have always heard about yoga but first time about such great benefits in improving endurance as you have apparently had.
I however have had 2 CABGs with considerable postop scarring and most likely internal adhesions. I am wondering whether Yoga can help me to improve my exercise tolerance. Does it not involve a lot of stretching? Which I fear may be injurious in my case.
Do you know of anyone postop doing yoga. Just curious but would appreciate feedback from you or anyone else.
Thanks,
ChrisR

[Tinu1959]

AR-10,

Yoga is a good substitute for other methods of exercise including walking. Learning few simple asanas and practicing them daily will dramatically improve your stamina. Only, you need to find a good school. Good thing about yoga is that you do not feel exhausted or fatigued after the yoga practice.

Iyengar way of yoga has simplified the yoga exercise using props. You can get more information on net.

I started yoga one year after my MI when I started feeling very low in energy and stamina. In three weeks time I improved my energy levels and could do more work. I am 48. Now I practice it daily for last two months and my walking distance has doubled during this period.

Good Luck

[AR-10]

LOL!!

Thanks. I'll try walking. Maybe it will help relieve stress as well.

And thanks for the tip about ice. :o)
My wife slipped on the ice about ten years ago and suffered a very nasty spiral fracture/break.

We live in Iowa, so we see some ice. Any walking I do this Winter will be at home or out at the hospital. They have a variety of in-facility walking paths and encourage people to come out and walk the facility any time they wish. It's pretty cool, for a hospital, and I would see a lot of people I know.

Thanks for putting a little current to the lightbulb, Paul.
Walking out at the hospital may provide therapy on several levels.
:o)

[GrampaPaul]

oops... I meant you CAN'T go wrong walking... sorry

[GrampaPaul]

You can go wrong walking... unless there's ice on the ground...

[AR-10]

Back for another look.

Go walking?

Like the avatar?