Russ's Guestbook

Russ Fairchild  HI Svetlomir.  I was a very active person before the surgery.  I had been weightlifting and walking about 10k steps a day.  Had also lost 52 pounds since last October.  After the surgery I did not do anything for a week.  As i had been diagnosed with AFIB I got a Zio heart monitor for two weeks to record my heart rhythm.  To not interfere with the signals they did not want me to sweat, so didn't weight lift.  I took walking slowly as they said.  Short walks the first week and then increasing the next.  My surgery was 9/8 and now I am back to 10k steps a day.  No weight lifting yet.  Even though me heart monitor is off and they told me my AFIB has gone away on its own haven't started weight lifting again yet until I talk with my cardiologist on 10/18.  Also in the first few weeks after surgery did not lift anything heavy to allow my surgery incisions to heal.  Not sure what yours were but mine was a incision below my right breast and a slight depression below that where the tube for drainage was.  Both are fully healed now.  As far as driving, I didn't do it the first week or so, but it was not big thing when I did.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi, Russ. I am 50 y.o., vert active, used to weightlift for long time, sinse I was 15 y.o. but last years, because of MR, with less weights. I am 4 weeks after surgery, and last days I used to walk 7 km. daily, but start to feel I overdid a little bit. Of course, no weigthlifting now at all. I am 187 cm/ 78 kg. My insicion is just on my rigth breast down to nipple, it is 4-5 cm. But I feel a ubstable when I walk or at least not stable as usual. Already sleep good, not as the 1-2 weeks. By the way, what is your heart rate now? Mine is between 72 - 78 beats per minute, but it used to be 55-58 before surgery because I regularly jogging. What about climbing stairs? I climb 3 floors, but on the 4 floor, already get short of breath and should stop before to continue. I take now Sintrom (bood thinner) and Cordarone (100 mg/daily).
Excuse my English,but it is my native language.

Russ Fairchild  I detect a high level of concern in your post.  So clearly I would think you should consult with your Cardiologist.  My first visit to mine was 1.5 weeks after my surgery and the next one will be 5.5 weeks after surgery.  With that said, I have not tried to climb stairs as you have.  At my condo I have stairs of 18 steps and have no problems with it.  But I have not done anything past that.  As far as heart rate, yes, my resting heart rate has risen since I am no longer working out.  It is gone from about 58 to the mid 70's.  As a weightlifter looking to grow muscle I do not run.  I did in the past but not now.  You seem to be close to me in measurements, perhaps a smidgen taller and a smidgen lighter.  My advice is give it time.  Don't push it.  It sounds as if you have been diagnosed with some sort of arrhythmia.  Have they said exactly what it is?  Have they recommended a heart monitor like Zio?  I was diagnosed with AFIB but it went away after 2 weeks of surgery.  But that happens in only about half of the patients that develop it post surgery.  A little surprised you are already on Cordarone, so perhaps your arrhythmia is seen as a higher burden rate than mine (mine was about 29%).  If your cardiologist is not giving you the answers you feel you need, perhaps you should try a different cardiologist.  Mine was recommended by my PCP and I have been happy with him.  But that is not always one's experience.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Yes, you are rigth, may be I overdid it with exercises. About the Afib, it is appear in August, before that I have no symtoms. After that I immediately went in hospital, they tell me not to postpone surgery, and syrgery was done on 14 Sept. 2023. Before surgery was a cardioversion to restore synus rythme and that happened. After Surgery synus rythme was kept, but still on lowest dose cordorane (100 mg.), which I start in August on 200 mg. By the way, how old are you? Before 10 years I was 97 kg., but than they find MR on the valve and I decided to relieve tha valve , i.e. lower blood pressure and body weight, and I think it was a effective steps, my LA size get back to normal limits. This lower also MR (mitral regurgatation), and slow down its progression, but finally surgery was necessary. Of course, there were everysay checks in hospital, and on 17 Oktomber will be echo again.
I am asking you to see your vission, because (as you mentioned) we are prety much the same as habbits. I found here interview with woman, and she said that after 14 weeks is OK and able to work, what are you thinking? I mean, there are no enough info how should progress in recovery. Here is the link:  https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/videos/patient-expectations-robotic-mitral

Russ Fairchild  HI Svetlomir, we may have different presentations, so not sure my experience is applicable.  It sounds like your AFIB was picked up first and then you had surgery.  Was it MVR?  Perhaps the MVR had caused the AFIB.  I picked up my AFIB after surgery but it went away 2 weeks after my surgery.  Leila's experience was very much like mine except my heart murmur was picked up in May and I had surgery in September.  Sounds like she went 20 years on a MVR watch.  MIne however was determined to be severe and had enlarged the left atrium.  Maybe hers was less severe yet progressed to severe after 20 years.  Maybe I alway had the murmur but it wasn't picked up until later.  Don't know.  Also I did not have robotic surgery.  The hospital has a da Vinci machine but my surgeon prefers not using it or at least for my presentation he didn't.  My scar was perhaps a bit longer than hers.  However, my recovery was pretty much like hers, though I didn't drive for a week and had little pain except if I sneezed or coughed.  Only took the Tylenol for 2 days and never touched the Oxycodone.  Now nearly 5 weeks after the surgery I feel ready to start weightlifting again.  But will wait to see what my Cardiologist says next Wednesday.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi Russ! Of course, there is a diffrence, but as far as I can see, basic line was pretty much the same - active person, used to sport (of course, you did not jog, but it is not so big difference, because you are sportting). MVR = mitral valve regurgitation, i.e. heart murmur. I have MVR for 12 years, but I was asymptomatic, and Afib just appear in August, I was shocked by this, and in the September I already get the surgery (before durgery doctors restore my rhythm) . My left atriaum also was sligthly enlarged. Robotic surgery is OK, but more important is good valve repairs, which require good access, with robotic surgery this access is more difficult. Do not hurry with lifting, because it puts abrupt increase in blood pressure, which can demage the repaired structures of the valve. Opposite, walking and cardio activities not cause BP to skyrocket. For me, nevertheless the pains in first week or no more than 10 days, I took only Ibuprofen twice. I am 4 weeks aftre surgery, but do mot plan any weightlifting at least for additional 3 months.

Russ Fairchild  Hi Svetlomir, it sounds like you are now out of AFIB then.  That is good.  I certainly had a little celebration when they told me mine went away.  In the past I did tri-athlons but during the pandemic I bloated to 105 kg and now back down to 82 kg.  Unfortunately my MVR was about two thirds way through my weight loss.  Yes, shocking as you say.  Your MVR must not have been initially severe.  Although they said I could wait up to 2 years to get the surgery, I didn't see a reason to wait even though I didn't have any symptoms.  Nothing good would happen from waiting and certainly a lot of bad.  I am 62, I forgot to mention.  And I will consult my cardiologist on the weight lifting part.  The only reason I want to get back to it is because it gives me a good mind set.  Went into a little bit of an emotional funk after the surgery largely because no longer exercising and not getting the endorphin high. 

Svetlomir Ivanov  Russ, I mean what you are had said. Weigthlifting is a liitle bit addiction: you feel relaxed, and that`s why you are hurry to start it again. But all this natural endorphins you can get with other activities. Otherwise you may (increase the risk to) elongate and strech newly repaired parts of the valves, because colagen forming is still not over,and cause again leaky valve. See the journal of one guy here, Travis Watson (in ''Find members''). About me, yes, I have been waiting, because 12 y. ago here still the standart was valve replacement, not valve repair. And I was in dilema what to do: surgery or to wait. I decided to wait and to to slow down somehow the process of valve degeneration with lost of body mass, and reduce blood pressure with joggiing. Believe me, after 7 months, my sligthly enlearged left atrrium get back to normal size, MR also was reduce from severe to moderate. Heavy duties exercises as triatlon also can provoke Afib. So be carefull. Now you have no Afib, and risk to overdid if you start so soon with weightlifting. At least, start with climbing stairs, squats, etc. Postopone weigthtlifting for 3-4 months.

Russ Fairchild  Hi Svetlomir.  I am doing great.  Going back to weight lifting on November 6th with permission from my Cardiologist.  I purchased the KardiaMobile 6L and do a test every day.  So far Normal Sinus.  How about you?

Svetlomir Ivanov  I am better, but some dizziness still linger, and the stamina is not the same as before surgery....5 -6 km. daily walk, but  after that feel tired..Already climb even 6 floors ,but carefully.  30-40 min. walks are OK, but 1 hour make me tired and need a nap. BP is good so far, same about the Sinus. Puls vary, between 60-70 bpm. What are these parameters for you? I hope, you will weightlift with light weights? Also, some sensitivity in the insicion area, not very pleasent, but tolerable. Of course, and numbness.

Russ Fairchild  Hi Sventlomir, my guess is that you will come along fine in time.  We all react differently.  Your pulse is lower than mine.  My resting has risen as I have been out of the gym for a while.  Not sure what incisions you had.  Mine were under the right breast and below it for the drain tube.  Also an incision in the groin area for the heart lung machine.  My right breast was at first numb, but is coming along.  Don't expect full feeling for a year or two if ever.  Not an issue I am concerned with.  BTW, what was your surgery date?  As far as weight lifting, yes the Cardiologist said start out with light weights.  And truly that is what any weight lifter will tell you once coming back to it.  So targeting half the weight I did before.  No need to go too heavy too fast.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi Russ,
My surgery was on 14 Sept. 2023. My incision are the same like yours, but on the level of the nipple, oblique. But I hit some plateau: I walk 3,5 miles daily for1 hour and 15 min., ana no increase in the speed. Still napping in the afternoon, but able to climb 6 th floor. My right breast is numb also, some sholder pain also ( and the arm is hurt when I try to touch my upper back with right arm:) What is your BP and Puls?

Russ Fairchild  My BP fluctuates between 130/70 and 120/80.  I am on Losartan to control.  When working out my Resting Pulse was 58.  It is now 72.  But going back into the gym today, but of course taking it slowly at first.

Svetlomir Ivanov  BP is OK, what is the aimed BP for you? Pulse also is OK. My BP is 120/80 and I stop diuretic by my own decision, because I can not see reason to lower more BP. Did you continuie to walk and how much?

Russ Fairchild  Hmm, stopped your diuretic on your own decision?  Seems risky.  Don't you think that is what has gotten you to 120/80?  Aren't you worried it may now go back up?

Svetlomir Ivanov  No, because my BP was there and without diuretics. Now is the same 120/80, even less, that`s why I can not see any sense to keep taking diuretics, I took for a month and half after surgery.  How about the stamina. Today I did cleaning with vacuum cleaner for 10 min. get exhausted...in hospital instructions this is forbidden for 2,5 - 3 months, is it the same in US? But walking is relatively well: around 5,5 km. daily, but the speed is 4,5 km per hour, no more. Climbing stairs, also. I have the sense that in the first weeks my speed werre better. Now, I even skip days for walking, because feel tired if no day off.

Russ Fairchild  One day out of the hospital and I feel great.  No heavy lifting or driving for a few weeks to let the incisions heal.  But happy as a clam.