Fifty Plus (50+) - Good report from the cardiologist:

I got the results from the nuclear stress test today and it seems that while the damage has not been repaired from the LAD artery having scarred over, I have made progress, and have twice as much blood flowing to my heart muscle as I did eight months ago.

On a scale of one to ten with one being the sickest I have been and ten being "well", they are calling my progress at a four or five out of ten, and are expecting another year of physical therapy before I will start feeling "well".

Also, there is a certain amount of blood your heart will pump. This is called the "ejection fraction", because there will always be a certain amount of blood left in your heart waiting for the next beat. My EF is at 68% (which means that only 32% of my blood volume in the left ventricle is left in my heart waiting for the next beat) up from about 50% a couple of years ago, which was just barely out of heart failure range. Today my EF is in the normal range.

I have a long way to go but I am encouraged. For a while there I had given up hope of ever being "well" again but I just may be able to do this, with God's help.

I have a long way to go but I am encouraged. For a while there I had given up hope of ever being "well" again but I just may be able to do this, with God's help.

Congratulations on your good news. It is great to hear of success stories, especially for those of us with heart challenges ourselves.

Best wishes for a continuing recovery, Michael. Exercise and a positive attitude are powerful medicines.

I got the results from the nuclear stress test today and it seems that while the damage has not been repaired from the LAD artery having scarred over, I have made progress, and have twice as much blood flowing to my heart muscle as I did eight months ago.

On a scale of one to ten with one being the sickest I have been and ten being "well", they are calling my progress at a four or five out of ten, and are expecting another year of physical therapy before I will start feeling "well".

Also, there is a certain amount of blood your heart will pump. This is called the "ejection fraction", because there will always be a certain amount of blood left in your heart waiting for the next beat. My EF is at 68% (which means that only 32% of my blood volume in the left ventricle is left in my heart waiting for the next beat) up from about 50% a couple of years ago, which was just barely out of heart failure range. Today my EF is in the normal range.

I have a long way to go but I am encouraged. For a while there I had given up hope of ever being "well" again but I just may be able to do this, with God's help.
Keep at the fitness stuff just take it easy,Ihad a heart attack just on 1 year ago and are now starting to fell resonably well.Use your bike,but only high(spinning)gears and lots of 30-40 minute walks.Something I had trouble getting my head around was paranioa at every little pain or ache,especially in the chest area,listen to your body but dont baby it,
k4s

Good Luck Sir!!!!!!

Keep at the fitness stuff just take it easy,Ihad a heart attack just on 1 year ago and are now starting to fell resonably well.Use your bike,but only high(spinning)gears and lots of 30-40 minute walks.Something I had trouble getting my head around was paranioa at every little pain or ache,especially in the chest area,listen to your body but dont baby it,
k4s

I have pretty much come to grips with cardiac paranoia. In my case I think it was a matter of just having gotten sick of worrying about it. Going to a cardiac rehab course was a big help.

As far as the bike goes it's taken quite a bit of technique adjustment and concentration to get to the point where I can ride pretty much without angina. I am not breaking any speed records, but as some of the guys have pointed out, most people our age can't do this at all!

Best wishes for a continuing recovery, Michael. Exercise and a positive attitude are powerful medicines.

In fact, I have a book that says that your mental outlook has more to do with how well you recover than anything.

I have pretty much come to grips with cardiac paranoia. In my case I think it was a matter of just having gotten sick of worrying about it. Going to a cardiac rehab course was a big help.

As far as the bike goes it's taken quite a bit of technique adjustment and concentration to get to the point where I can ride pretty much without angina. I am not breaking any speed records, but as some of the guys have pointed out, most people our age can't do this at all!

An oldy but a goody is..."your only as old as you feel" kinda like mind over matter...the mind is possibly the most powerful medicine of all,combine it with positive attitude and you will hardly ever get sick!
A bold statement but try it and see if i'm not right.In my case no colds flu's or illnesses of any kind since my attack.Probably should fess up to the fact that I'm only in my early 40's so my short aquaintance with death has really made me look at this kind of stuff from a new angle,my kid helps too.
K4s

Just got into this forum and saw your message about riding with heart disease.

Thanksgiving was the 7th anniversary of my triple bypass. Biking is one of the best ways to stay in shape and healthy.

Be smart about your own particular condition, but go for it!

Wheelheart

An oldy but a goody is..."your only as old as you feel" kinda like mind over matter...the mind is possibly the most powerful medicine of all,combine it with positive attitude and you will hardly ever get sick!
A bold statement but try it and see if i'm not right.In my case no colds flu's or illnesses of any kind since my attack.Probably should fess up to the fact that I'm only in my early 40's so my short aquaintance with death has really made me look at this kind of stuff from a new angle,my kid helps too.
K4s
Had mine at 42. Wake-up call, and I was very, very lucky with no heart muscle damage, and no treatment other than draincleaner and an angiogram (which isn't treatment anyway).

The episode was the trigger for taking up cycling.

PS: DnvrFox... you tell anyone I posted here... well... I WILL know where you live.