apesrunner58

I am 51. I put 3200 miles on my bike last year. I did several century rides. I took a routine stress test and failed it. I was surprised!!! I had bypass on the Dec 11. My goal is to ride like I did last year. Has anyone had bypass and continued to ride? What kind of things should I expect? Thanks.

overthehillmedi

Stapfam,you're being paged.

overthehillmedi

Thanks,Sir Fox, for pointing out the errors of my ways.

Speedskater

A speedskating friend of mine, won the age group (60 to 69) Nationals and NA's. He had a little problem at an end of season skating party which resulted in a triple by-pass (I think). One year later he was back winning the Nationals.

stapfam

Depends on you and your doctors but you could be back riding fairly seriously in 3 months or so. But not straight off. The pain of the op will still be hitting you but you should be walking seriously by now (As per Docs orders) 3 weeks after the op I was walking the mile into town -having a coffee and coming home--every day. at 4 weeks I was putting some effort into it and not having the coffee. So exercise is your first thing and that will be limited to walking as the chest will still be painful.

At 5 weeks I sat on a bike and discovered that I needed a more upright position. Only went 200 yards but a good mate of mine adapted the bike To bring the bars up and back. Following week and a "Gentle" 5 mile ride and then it was the 5 mile ride whenever my mate was available (Don't ride on your own ). At around 8 weeks I went on a gentle 30 mile ride on the road. It had to be gentle as I could not get the HR up above 130. The beta blockers were stopping it so I came to an agreement with my doc in that I could take a BB the night before a ride- and then take another at the end of a ride- but only once a week and I must not try and get the HR up high. It was only to enable me to get the hr up to working level (130--ish) without being knackered.

I may have done it too soon- but at 13 weeks I entered an organised ride. Only 40 miles and on the road ---but If I knew how hard it was going to be- I would have trained for it. Have to admit that the HR did reach my max of 165 at one point but I did not push myself too hard. Took it steady and just turned the legs really--- except up those steep hills that suddenly appeared without me realising that I was pushing too hard.

So a bit of effort on your behalf and you could be doing a metric early in the year- But do it with the agreement of the doc. If you get yourself into training- then the only limiter will be the BB's- but you need those for about a year. Do not suddenly come off them as that will be dangerous. The bike may have to be adapted to take the strain off the chest- and if you do not have one get a heart monitor. The monitor is not for training -it is to give you confidence in that the heart is still working- you are not pushing yourself too hard- and to give you a measure that you are improving.

Good luck but all a bypass is going to do to you is slow you down a bit for a while. You now have a reconditioned heart that may not be as good as a new one- but is a lot better than your old one was.

Edit-- My bypass was done when I was 52 and I was probably at the fittest I had been for several years- Took a little while- but I did a ride in 2003 that I had last done in 97. It was probably the hardest ride I have ever done in my life so after a few years- you will probably have no lasting effect from the bypass.

bobthib

My buddy who got me into Roading last march just turned 70. 10 yrs ago I was with him in the ER when he had his heart attack. Later he had a quad bp. He took up walking and other exersizes, but he decided to try the MS150 last may. He did 75 mi as planned. He's now training 5 days a week for a marathon next year.

He rides 30 - 50 miles 3 or 4 x per week. Not fast, but steady.

apesrunner58

thanks for the info. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks. I am walking on my treadmill a mile and 1/2 it takes me 30 min. I am wanting to do more. I see my cardiologist Friday. I hope to start cardiac rehab Monday. I want to do the MS150 in Aug. I did it last year and had a good time. We ave 18 mph in 95 degree heat. Actually it was 180 miles. 100 miles on the first day and 80 miles back.

apesrunner58

I passed my stress test!! I was not happy that I ran less now then when I failed the one on Oct 28th. I think I ran for 15 mins on the one I failed. But I will get my vo2 max up in no time. I am also not happy that my heart rate is higher than before the surgery. My resting heart rate was 52 now it is 72. I am going to ride my trainer for the first time today!!!!!!! I will use my heart monitor.

apesrunner58

I rode my bike for the first time since the surgery!!! ( on the trainer ) I rode for 20 min. I ave 13.7 mph. My ave heart rate was 131 and my max was 145 but I am on Beta blockers. I feel good. It is so good to sweat!!!

overthehillmedi

baby steps.

Wanderer

Just make sure you behave - otherwise your riding days will be over!

Good Luck, and Godspeed.