Anyone here also has a heart condition?

[nasmoio]

I suffer from arrhythmias that make me black out, and sometimes my heart reaches a very very fast rate for no reason lol. My doctor keeps saying I need to lose weight and exercise, but I dont understand how both my issue and exercise would go well together.

Anyone else here have a heart condition and got the OK from their doctor to go cycling?

[Slick]

Not quite the same I know, but my brother has always been a bit of an amateur athlete, gym during the early days but running and cycling when it became obvious the girls were not that impressed. He didn't actually take a heart attack, but last week he did have 5 stents fitted, and it's been difficult to get him to stay still since. He did his first solo 20 mile on the bike today, and I'm going with him for an all be it very flat and fairly steady 40 mile ride tomorrow. Loosing weight sensibly, proper nutrition and exercise, is exactly what is needed to help strengthen the heart muscle. There will be lots of advice on here, but the truth is only you and your doctor know what you need to do to get back to fitness. Good luck.

[mnichols]

Yes, I have a similar issue my heart rate regularly goes over 250bpm, and I my waking rate is sometimes +120. I also sometimes blackout, but I'm also epileptic so it's not normally possible to know which causes the loss of consciousness. Ive had the conditions since I was 18 and am now 48. I try not to let it stop me anything but I do listen to my body. That said, last year I rode Canada to Mexico over 26 days at around 100 miles per day, and this year did a 5 day Lejog at around 200 miles per day. I find shorter faster rides more problematic, but am normally ok if it's steady, did 100 miles in 04:07 last year, but that was a constant speed and effort, it's intervals and heavy weights that seem to cause me a problem. That said I was unwell on Day 3 of Lejog, and should have pulled out but carried on

[georgew]

I've had two heart attacks and have lost a third of my large heart muscle. My Consultant was clear that I shouldn't give up cycling but should continue as before and as soon as possible so I was cycling two weeks after my second stent was fitted.

[Vorpal]

There is a long running thread on ICDs here viewtopic.php?f=49&t=47805

And a few other threads around the forum about heart conditions, like viewtopic.php?f=49&t=93269 or viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71300

[Audax67]

Not quite the same I know, but my brother has always been a bit of an amateur athlete, gym during the early days but running and cycling when it became obvious the girls were not that impressed. He didn't actually take a heart attack, but last week he did have 5 stents fitted, and it's been difficult to get him to stay still since. He did his first solo 20 mile on the bike today, and I'm going with him for an all be it very flat and fairly steady 40 mile ride tomorrow.

My immediate reaction to that was "Jesus wept!" Standard procedure here is 2 or 3 weeks off sports and go easy on heavy lifting, then start again gently. Stents need to bed into the artery wall and scar over, and until they do there is an elevated chance of thrombosis. He'll probably be on clopidogrel and aspirin, either separately or in a single pill, and that will reduce the risk of a clot by around 50%, but he'd do best to keep his heart rate down for a couple of weeks yet. It'd be a shame to spoil such an extensive plumbing job.

I'm just getting back into cycling after my third stent went in, BTW, so I've been through the antsy bit three times. You have to take it as something you've brought on yourself, something that has to be borne. If he kicks up about it, remind him that 50 years ago he would have been dead by now.

[Slick]

He knows that, we all know that and we have the family history to prove it. I'm no expert, but they tell me, as the 5 are all in one side and the other is as clear as a bell, there was very little he could do different to avoid it, as opposed to something he brought on himself. I know what you mean though regarding the effort he is putting in. I've tried to tell him, but he assures me it's under doctors orders. I suppose every individual is different.

[axel_knutt]

You don't say which arrhythmia you have, I have atrial fibrillation which is the most common arrhythmia, in which case some of the following references may be of interest:

ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation
NICE Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation
ESC Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation
ESC Recommendations for participation in leisure-time physical activity and competitive sports in patients with arrhythmias
ACC Recommendations for Athletes with Arrhythmia

[munroad]

If you are blacking out you should not be driving a car or cycling.
You need an urgent cardiology opinion.
Go on a diet and walk in a safe environment.
If you have some or all of diabetes, high blood pressure and are over 65 you may need to be on anticoagulants for stroke prevention.

[PeterJ]

Yes, I have a similar issue my heart rate regularly goes over 250bpm, and I my waking rate is sometimes +120. I also sometimes blackout, but I'm also epileptic so it's not normally possible to know which causes the loss of consciousness. Ive had the conditions since I was 18 and am now 48. I try not to let it stop me anything but I do listen to my body. That said, last year I rode Canada to Mexico over 26 days at around 100 miles per day, and this year did a 5 day Lejog at around 200 miles per day. I find shorter faster rides more problematic, but am normally ok if it's steady, did 100 miles in 04:07 last year, but that was a constant speed and effort, it's intervals and heavy weights that seem to cause me a problem. That said I was unwell on Day 3 of Lejog, and should have pulled out but carried on

That is absolutely inspirational!

[Flinders]

If you are blacking out you should not be driving a car or cycling.
You need an urgent cardiology opinion.
Go on a diet and walk in a safe environment.
If you have some or all of diabetes, high blood pressure and are over 65 you may need to be on anticoagulants for stroke prevention.

That might depend on how much warning the op gets of the blackouts, for quiet cycling, possibly on a turbo at home if there was someone else around, and if the OP had a few minutes warning to get off the bike, it might be okay, but that would be something I'd take my GPs advice about.
Driving is another matter. I'd imagine both the GP the DVLC would say No to that regardless of the circs, wouldn't they?

[axel_knutt]

I'd imagine both the GP the DVLC would say No to that regardless of the circs, wouldn't they?

The DVLA used to say that you must notify arrhythmia, but they changed the wording to:

You must tell DVLA about your arrhythmia if one of the following applies:
#you have distracting or disabling symptoms
#your arrhythmia has caused or might cause incapacity

I've notified my AF and they let me keep my licence, presumably because I only feel faint whilst standing, and then only if I'm not on meds.

[Moss]

Yes a Heart condition; and poor circulation .. 11, years ago I had 7, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts; my heart was lifted from my chest to replace a double branch artery behind the heart. I've not suffered from a heart attack; and 4, days after the 7, hour Op. I was walking a mile or so; I was back running and cycling within 3, weeks. BTW I've never smoked; not overweight and always exercised, although I do enjoy the occasional Single Malt Whisky. I was just one of the unlucky healthy people that had a heart problem.

[arnsider]

I have a minor heart condition. It became apparent some nine years ago when I experienced giddiness coming up from a squatting position.
An echo Cardiogram was inconclusive, but my low blood pressure was highlighted.
It occurred again recently and further EEG and ambient heart rate monitoring failed to prove anything worrying.
I think we must concede that heart irregularity is just another of the myriad of ageing and subjective disorders we face.