Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Anyone riding post valve replacement?

This might be better asked in the 50+ forum but as I'm no where near that age..
Note: Of course it is up to my cardiologist and all those other dr folks I know but it doesn't hurt to check around in the public.

Anyone here riding or know anyone riding post heart valve replacement? I've been thinking no but I figured I'd ask just in case. Of course to compound the issue I'll be having both a aortic root and an aortic valve replacement. Cartoonish image of pre-post surgery. i.e. not the one in google images that made me just hurl a little when I saw it. (http://www.massgeneral.org/heartcenter/images/lg_heart_composite.jpg) I'm not talking 200k or 400k or even 100ks or hills, which I've retired from now even though my cardiologist said it would be fine for now unless things got worse. I'm talking the local Mup and stuff. This would also explain my huge drop off in miles and putting 0's in the spinner saturday for the entire year :o

I was looking around and look I could go to New Zealand on that vacation I always wanted and have surgery there :rolleyes: (http://www.medtral.com/Your-Medical-Tour/Operations-and-Procedures/Cardiac-Surgery-and-procedures/Mitral-Valve-Replacement/default.aspx)

Yikes!

OK, I don't see any reason you couldn't ride after a valve replacement.

Many people post surgery are sedentary permanantly with no lifting >10 lbs and such. I don't know if that is the norm or people with other issues though.

My uncle commutes ~10 miles daily. I'm not sure how long he was off his bike, though. Didn't seem like too long.

I would talk to your cardiologist about this He'll have much better information than any of us, guaranteed. I'll shoot DrPete a PM linking him to this thread. He's a General Surgeon, but would heve beter info than most of us. I'm sure he can at least steer you to the right questions to ask your attending Dr.

My cardiologist seems a little too much in the positive outlook area and I might be looking for another which I guess you should do before someone goes and starting detaching your heart and replacing bits of it :) .
I'm at the point where I may need surgery soon yet when I asked him if I should stop riding 200ks or doing a planned 600k he said I'd be fine just don't push myself and stop if I feel any discomfort. I had just told him and his nurse that they aren't supported rides and your out in the middle of no where hours from even a country store by yourself. I also told me my only issue this year was some serious dry heaves at the side of the road because I was out in the sun/heat too long and I just took a nap for an hour and a half because I was all alone and I had no other option.

Yeah maybe I'd be find but I guess I'm not the gambling type.
@MilitantPotato.. Thanks for the info that is somewhat promising. As Tom said and my initial post disclaimered it is of course up to my Cardiologist and a host of other people who know my situation better but it is good to know someone is out riding a bike with a replacement valve.

HI,
being Iam a Lab Rat for the last 35 years , Ive seen alot of problems with people pushing there limits after heart surgery,even transplant.
1. People who have their valves replaced will be on blood thinners for life this makes them hemorage
when injured and nasty bruises.
2. Many valves are made from synthetic material that has a life expectancy due to wear .
3. be sure to wear a medic alert incase your nocked out on a ride,it needs meds listed and
medical history (valve repacement, bypass, so on)
4. Be sure your doctor feels the risk is acceptable.
I would carry a cell phone on every ride.
Finally balancing Na,K, Mag, calcium is rather tricky in normal people who exercise, dehydration. physical
fatigue are more of problem with history of heart disease your more likely to have irregular heart beats
most sudden death in atheletes are due to iregular heart beats or Tachycardia.
I would go slow and just enjoy the ride and leave the sprinting for the Kids.
Doug

Schrader or Presta valve? I always wind up replacing the whole tube....




:D




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HI,
being Iam a Lab Rat for the last 35 years , Ive seen alot of problems with people pushing there limits after heart surgery,even transplant.
1. People who have their valves replaced will be on blood thinners for life this makes them hemorage
when injured and nasty bruises.
2. Many valves are made from synthetic material that has a life expectancy due to wear .
3. be sure to wear a medic alert incase your nocked out on a ride,it needs meds listed and
medical history (valve repacement, bypass, so on)
4. Be sure your doctor feels the risk is acceptable.
I would carry a cell phone on every ride.
Finally balancing Na,K, Mag, calcium is rather tricky in normal people who exercise, dehydration. physical
fatigue are more of problem with history of heart disease your more likely to have irregular heart beats
most sudden death in atheletes are due to iregular heart beats or Tachycardia.
I would go slow and just enjoy the ride and leave the sprinting for the Kids.
Doug

1. Not necessarily--one of the nice things about biologic valves is that they don't require blood thinners--that's why those tend to be a better choice for active people.

2. Mechanical valves have an indefinite lifespan--the double-edged sword of the biologoc valve is that they may need repair and/or replacement within 10-20 years.

3. Agreed on the alert bracelet, mainly if you're on coumadin. Not as critical with a biologic valve and no coumadin, but still a nice touch. And honestly, if you crash your bike, I would check your INR as you hit the door and know as soon as I put a stethoscope to your chest that you have a mechanical valve too. ;)

4. The decision about level of exertion will be in the hands of your surgeon in the short term, cardiologist long-term. There's nothing that says you'll be sedentary for the rest of your life or anything--on the contrary, the best thing in most cases is lots of aerobic rehab. It's just a matter of making sure all the ducks are in a row before embarking on riding again.

5. The most common reason for sudden cardiac death in athletes is HOCM/IHSS, not electrolyte distubances. Your electrolytes need to be EXTREMELY wacky before dysrhythmias are an issue. And, as the OP's sig mentions Marfan's syndrome, we're not talking about run of the mill old-guy valvular disease or CHF.

The big discussion to have with your surgeon is the mechanical vs. biologic valve question. This is an area that's changing a lot and since the last time I did a valve was 2 years ago, I'm sure some or all of my info is outdated anyway. ;)

Yes 34 year old marfan's patient and right now that is the only factor causing the issue. Sooo with the whole lifespan of valves issues it'll definately be a big decision mechanical vs biologic. I've also seen about sparing(?) your own valve and putting them back in but right now they are saying that is <10 years before they might have to go back in so that doesn't sound fun to me. Plus my aortic root probably has stretched my valve so it is probably wouldn't work anyhow. I think right now I'd rather be less athletic then have to go back potentially 2-3 more times. Presta all the way preferably one with replaceable cores ;)

I wear a roadid now but will be ordering a new medic alert bracelet to wear at all times and in case someone doesn't recognize the road id.

Thanks for all the info of course all cases are different but it is good to know that I don't need to toss all my bikes just yet. Perhaps getting a new lightweight recumbent even though I won't be going very fast on it will be good. No reason to tax my heart to much by pushing around a heavy bike :innocent: May even be a reason to get a trike :thumb:

Yes 34 year old marfan's patient and right now that is the only factor causing the issue. Sooo with the whole lifespan of valves issues it'll definately be a big decision mechanical vs biologic. I've also seen about sparing(?) your own valve and putting them back in but right now they are saying that is <10 years before they might have to go back in so that doesn't sound fun to me. Plus my aortic root probably has stretched my valve so it is probably wouldn't work anyhow. I think right now I'd rather be less athletic then have to go back potentially 2-3 more times. Presta all the way preferably one with replaceable cores ;)

I wear a roadid now but will be ordering a new medic alert bracelet to wear at all times and in case someone doesn't recognize the road id.

Thanks for all the info of course all cases are different but it is good to know that I don't need to toss all my bikes just yet. Perhaps getting a new lightweight recumbent even though I won't be going very fast on it will be good. No reason to tax my heart to much by pushing around a heavy bike :innocent: May even be a reason to get a trike :thumb:

Now you're talking... If you need a doctor's note saying that your bike must weigh less than 14lb, let me know. ;)

At your age I wouldn't be surprised if your surgeon just flat out recommended a mechanical valve--a 34 year old with a biologic valve is potentially staring down 2-3 valve repairs/replacements, and trust me--coming back a second time is no picnic technically, never mind a third time...

As for the athletic vs. not issue--coumadin doesn't necessarily prevent you from riding, but the consequences of even small crashes/spills can be significant so you'll need to be more vigilant. I'd probably tell you to avoid crit racing, for instance. ;) At the end of the day, though, at the risk of sounding macabre the car traveling 50mpn that doesn't see me is going to kill me whether I'm on coumadin or not... know what I mean? Again, a discussion to have with your cardiologist and whoever's managing your anticoagulation, but you don't need to lay flat on the floor in a padded room while you're on coumadin, you just need to be a bit more vigilant than the average bear about bleeding.

I thought this was going to be a thread about using a presta tube in a rim drilled for a schrader valve.

Seriously, I hope it goes well for you. Take care and listen to what your doctor has to say.

Hi,

I had double valve replacement with aortic root replacement 5+ yrs ago. I have been riding since that time off and on.
I had a cadaver valve put in the pulminary spot and my pulminary valve put in my aortic valve spot.
The procedure was called the ross procedure. (My aortic valve was faulty).
My cardiologist and surgeon supported my riding.

I was back on my bike 2 months after my surgery.

be safe keep in touch with you cardiologist as you progress.

Good Luck.
Ghost