Cycling after heart attack

[Steeler]

HI there, I had quite a serious heart attack three months ago and a had a stent inserted. Recovery is going well although I now have to take a shed load of meds every day for the rest of my life.
I intend to get back to a level of recreational cycling and the cardiac unit is OK with that, just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and may have some advice.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Yep. Heart attack, open heart surgery, five bypasses. Cycling is fine. Only problem is if I pedal too fast for too long (above 30 km for 15 minutes), my heart beats so fast it tries to break my ribs. But the answer is simple, just slow down.

 

[Steeler]

Yep. Heart attack, open heart surgery, five bypasses. Cycling is fine. Only problem is if I pedal too fast for too long (above 30 km for 15 minutes), my heart beats so fast it tries to break my ribs. But the answer is simple, just slow down.

Thanks for that. Yes, speed won't be on the agenda, just want to get out in the fresh air again.

 

[ianrauk]

What does your doctor say?

 

[ColinJ]

DVT/Pulmonary embolism for me, times two!

The first time had me in hospital for 9 days, then bed rest for another 3-4 weeks. After that, I was starting to walk again.

It took me weeks to be able to walk more than a few hundred metres, and that was slowly on the flat! I built up the distance and speed until I felt able to face the steep local hill. I was gradually able to walk further and further up it. Once I could get to the top, I started walking faster. Eventually, I could walk up there really briskly. That was about 8 months after my stay in hospital.

I then felt able to cycle (slowly!) on flattish roads. A month or so of that and I started riding up hills again.

I had a relapse a few months later after being taken off my meds, so I am now back on them for life.

My second recovery was much quicker because I was treated before the illness did as much damage as the first time. I was able to carry on cycling at a very easy pace until my breathing improved.

That was back in 2012/13. I would say that my limits are now about 25% down on what they would otherwise have been. That leaves plenty for fairly long strenuous rides as long as I am sensible and don't push myself too hard.

Short version (!):

• Good luck with your recovery!
• Listen to your doctors
• Listen to your body
• Build up slowly
• Stretch your limits a little, but don't try to smash them!

 

[derrick]

2 stents fitted a few years ago, doctors put me on 4 pills a day, all i take now is asprin and statins, did a 50 mile ride a week after having stents fitted,my wife had a right go at me, but when i saw my doctor i mentioned it to him, he just said listen to your body.don't push to the limits anymore, but still do a few rides. at 72 i am slowing down a bit anyway.

 

[PaulSB]

I had a heart attack and stent fitted in, I think, 2015. I truly can't remember. I still take, and will for life, Atorvastatin, Aspirin and Losartan. I can't say it bothers me unduly.

Listen to your body, listen to the medics and steadily increase your riding. There is no reason why you shouldn't return to full fitness. The crucial thing is to listen to your body!!

Good luck.

 

[kingrollo]

I often hear "listen to your body" trotted out. What does it actually mean ? - mine never shouts at me "don't go to the gym" or "don't ride your bike". When I see a decent hill coming In often wish it wasn't there - should I listen to my body and get off and walk ?

Anyway was diagnosed with CAD just over a year ago. Eventually had a stent fitted last October. On blood thinners for 6 months - Aspirin + Statins for life.

See if you can get a treadmill stress test done. This measures your heart under load - that should give you some reassurance that you are ok to exercise.

I'm 61 and ride pretty much as before. I keep an eagle eye on my HR whilst riding - sure on the hills it gets as high as 145 after that I try to back off and due to my medication my HR comes down pretty rapidly.

My cardiologist was pretty straight with me. Whilst you are riding your bike your risk is higher than someone who doesn't have CAD - but the other health benefits cycling brings means your overall health is net + if you cycle.

Completely rethink your diet - I hardly eat any meat and watch sugar intake. I've taken to cooking my own meals - the BBC good food has some great easy healthy recipes which I'm loving.

A FB group cardiac athletes is a good source of info as well

 

[oldandslow]

What does your doctor say?

This is the most important thing, because everybody is different. I had a double bypass in mid 2019. I'd been a club cyclist all my life. Not the most active owing to competing demands on time, but commuting by bike etc. I'm pretty sure that the cycling helped my recovery, even if it didn't prevent the issue in the first place.

The specialist who discharged me was happy for me to do pretty-much whatever I liked. That's to push myself enough to alarm his colleagues in the local NHS physio team, without reaching the levels of serious training. So I'm riding club time trials, shorter Audax events, Zwift (in winter) and so on, and doing a bit of general gym stuff because the NHS set me on that from discharge.

I was never bothered with HRMs and stuff before the incident, but I now wear one for exercise. I occasionally back off, but mostly I push myself as much as I ever did (which, see above, was not doing FTP tests or any of the other serious stuff, because it's never interested me).

 

[slowmotion]

As @ianrauk suggests, just follow your doctor's/cardiologist's advice. I was told to ride as far and as fast as I wanted but not to sign up for The Tour de France.

There was very little danger of that.

 

[PaulSB]

I often hear "listen to your body" trotted out. What does it actually mean ? - mine never shouts at me "don't go to the gym" or "don't ride your bike". When I see a decent hill coming In often wish it wasn't there - should I listen to my body and get off and walk ?

It's quite difficult to explain this to someone who appears to be unaware of his/her body. I'm going to try. I had a heart attack ten years ago, stent fitted, Aspirin and statins for life. Some similarities. I've also had an aneurysm, burst blood vessel, in the brain. I'm 70.

Today with respect to my heart and head I can do whatever I wish but in the six months recovery following my HR I could tell if I pushed to hard. My initial recuperation was walking, if I went to hard, too far I came home exhausted. My body was telling me to back off, rest for a day or two and go again but easier and build towards the effort which exhausted me. During recovery from my aneurysm what I today consider nipping out for 25 minute walk would utterly exhaust me.

I'm currently recovering from a serious RTC. I was hit by a tractor at 35mph. I'm 95% fixed but still experience shoulder and knee issues. On Saturday I rode 52 miles with my club, held the fastest pace and climbed more than on any previous rides since the RTC. On my return home everything was fine. On Sunday my knee was swollen so instead of the planned weights work out I settled for gentle stretching, a 40 minute walk and 30 minutes with an ice pack. This morning the swelling has reduced significantly. Instead of today's planned ride, I'll do a gentle spin class and ride again on Wednesday.

I have a friend who used to "ride off" any form of illness, especially chest infections, or injury without allowing his body to rest. He wrecked his breathing and back, no longer rides and walks with a stick. We watched him do it for years.

I could give you several other examples based on personal experience. Rest is as important to the body as exercise. It's during the rest period the body rebuilds itself. Push an injury or illness too hard during recovery and one risks further damage in the long-term.

In terms of rest I stretch for 25 minutes every day and exercise five days a week, usually 3 on, 1 off, 2 on, 1 off.

This is listening to the body, I'm surprised you've never experienced similar.

 

[kingrollo]

It's quite difficult to explain this to someone who appears to be unaware of his/her body. I'm going to try. I had a heart attack ten years ago, stent fitted, Aspirin and statins for life. Some similarities. I've also had an aneurysm, burst blood vessel, in the brain. I'm 70.

Today with respect to my heart and head I can do whatever I wish but in the six months recovery following my HR I could tell if I pushed to hard. My initial recuperation was walking, if I went to hard, too far I came home exhausted. My body was telling me to back off, rest for a day or two and go again but easier and build towards the effort which exhausted me. During recovery from my aneurysm what I today consider nipping out for 25 minute walk would utterly exhaust me.

I'm currently recovering from a serious RTC. I was hit by a tractor at 35mph. I'm 95% fixed but still experience shoulder and knee issues. On Saturday I rode 52 miles with my club, held the fastest pace and climbed more than on any previous rides since the RTC. On my return home everything was fine. On Sunday my knee was swollen so instead of the planned weights work out I settled for gentle stretching, a 40 minute walk and 30 minutes with an ice pack. This morning the swelling has reduced significantly. Instead of today's planned ride, I'll do a gentle spin class and ride again on Wednesday.

I have a friend who used to "ride off" any form of illness, especially chest infections, or injury without allowing his body to rest. He wrecked his breathing and back, no longer rides and walks with a stick. We watched him do it for years.

I could give you several other examples based on personal experience. Rest is as important to the body as exercise. It's during the rest period the body rebuilds itself. Push an injury or illness too hard during recovery and one risks further damage in the long-term.

In terms of rest I stretch for 25 minutes every day and exercise five days a week, usually 3 on, 1 off, 2 on, 1 off.

This is listening to the body, I'm surprised you've never experienced similar.

Put like that it makes sense. But I'd argue that's something most of us do anyway....
As I age I am more diligent with pre ride warm up and post ride stretches - I rest when I am ill , I am more careful with what I eat.

To me that's looking after yourself and following general advice.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

But I'd argue that's something most of us do anyway....

You’d be surprised.

A friend injured herself mountaineering. She was advised to take it easy and follow the physio programme over many months , whilst listening to her body. But she pushed too hard, too soon, and what should have been temporary disablement became permanent. She was only in her 30s at the time.

 

[kingrollo]

You’d be surprised.

A friend injured herself mountaineering. She was advised to take it easy and follow the physio programme over many months , whilst listening to her body. But she pushed too hard, too soon, and what should have been temporary disablement became permanent. She was only in her 30s at the time.

I'd argue that's not following medical advice myself.

It more difficult when you partake in a hard sport such as cycling. A degree of pain is expected on a long ride or going up a steep hill for example

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A degree of pain is expected on a long ride or going up a steep hill for example

Pain no, working hard yes