Katherine's Journal

  Hi Katherine, there are at least two other ladies on this site with your same experience and also yoga teachers. I hope they see your post and respond to you. Congratulations on making it to recovery.

Katherine Austin  Thank you! It will be a month on Tuesday. :) I am so looking forward to driving in 2 weeks, that is the worst part since my area is fairly rural and everything is at least 30 min. away.

Marie Myers  I am not a yoga teacher, but have been doing yoga for 30+ yrs. I had AVR and ascending aneurysm resection almost 3 yrs ago. I got back into yoga (and tennis) slowly after my surgery. And I just did easier versions of some poses. I asked my cardiologist recently about doing more difficult poses, and he says “Go for it. live your life” .That being said, I decided not to do some of the more strenuous poses, or poses like plow anymore. It just didn’t seem right to me to crunch my chest up into a little ball. Plus, my shoulders ain’t what they used to be...I think when you are comfortable getting back into it, you will..I think I started back into “easy” yoga at about 3 months. I think being in shape helped me recover quickly. Wishing you a rapid return to yoga!

Shannon Gray  Good morning! I am a yogi and a teacher... however I only teach gentle. I also had an aortic aneurysm replaced along with my valve repair. I am overly cautious... I don’t want to put any additional pressure or blood flow, so i don’t do standing forward bends, down dog, or rising from plank up ( push up... it pops the valve). I use the wall, only bend half way in standing, and refrain from doing too much with poses like bow or camel ( I always do a modified camel.) I’d talk with your dr., get an idea as to when to start back and keep it at a gentle place for a while. I know it will feel great to get back! Good luck.

Katherine Austin  Thank you both! I decided to start gentle stretches after 3 weeks like half sun salutations. Since my back was really missing yoga yesterday I I started seated poses and Yin for hips just as I did up up to the day of surgery. I figure the body knows and I do plan to live my life as they say. It felt good and for a change had no pain in the evening time.

my cardiologist in Cleveland is completely non communicative So he is no help on activities I’m sure a brilliant surgeon. But 0 on helpful (or any) discussions. I’m hoping a new local one that I am to see in lieu of traveling to Cleveland will actually understand yoga and communicate with me

Katherine Austin  @Shannon Gray - what do you mean popping the valve? That seems rather radical after healing say 6 months out? Is there literature or studies on that?

Shannon Gray  Great question... it’s the force of blood through the valve... pops it, strains it, all things we do not want on the valve. Hopefully that makes sense. If you research yoga and heart valve patients, it could be helpful to give more insight.
As for your Doctor in Cleveland... is this your surgeon or your cardiologist? I haven’t seen my surgeon there since I left the hospital... but I do continue to be seen with my cardiologist. I communicate with his nurse with questions that arise.

Marie Myers  I, too would like to read more on the popping the valve thing. I am wondering if you mean the Valsalva maneuver, like when you hold your breath and do something forceful or difficult. Like straining when lifting a heavy weight...

Shannon Gray  Marie... you always know the exact thing to write... I don’t know about Valsvalva maneuver, but it is similar to the straining... Weight.

Joy Vera  I'm a yoga teacher too, Katherine. I'm 67. I went back to teaching & my usual practice 3 months after my valve surgery last May. My surgeon wanted me to be careful with lifting my arms high over my head so I followed that advice until after the sternal precaution period which was 12 weeks in my case. For several weeks after surgery, my practice consisted mostly of yoga nidra which helped me sleep at night. Best wishes with your recovery.