First 10 minutes are agony!

surabhit

Hi all,

I find the first 10 minutes of my cardio exercise absolute agony! I feel a tightness in my chest, out of breath, and often I feel like I should just stop! After that, it gets much better, and I can go on the x-trainer for 45mins. I've recently restarted my gym routine (after 3 years of NOTHING).

I have a sneaking suspicion the below reasons might explain some of the pain, but does anyone else feel this?!

1. I was diagnosed with a hole in my heart (left ventricle) when I was about 11yrs old. I was then told it had closed when I got tested at 13/14yrs old. But this gave me a lower than usual level of stamina.

2. I was a smoker until 3 weeks ago (smoked for 4yrs). I've recently stopped (YEY!) and have already seen some improvement in my breathing. It used to cause me some chest pain when I was still a smoker. Could this just be after effects?

Should I be going to the doctor? This is also the reason I feel I can't run. I've never had the stamina to run, and I'm scared to try. So X-trainer it is!

Is anyone else in the same situation?

Thanks!
Surabhi

Sagelit

Have your heart checked anyway to be sure (don't need medical emergencies cropping up...), but when I quit smoking my chest hurt like mad when I did anything more than a walk. It does get better as your lungs heal from the smoking damage.

TruckerChick

Two reasons come to my mind... the first is the smoking... As an ex-smoker, I can tell you that I felt those pains at nearly everything I did after quitting for about 4 or 5 months!!! (I quit just this past January)

The second is perhaps anxiety. I was told that a lot of the pain I was having was my own anxiety at wanting to feel better. The body will adjust in time.

But, you know your body better than anyone else does. If you are genuinely concerned, you should seek the advice of a doctor - preferably a cardiac doctor.

mrsher2

A major part of the feeling you are having could also be that your body is warming up. I huff and puff for the first mile of my run, for the first few points of an ultimate frisbee game, etc, but then once I get into the flow, my breathing settles, even if I am pushing myself faster. So I would suggest going easy on yourself for the first few minutes- if it takes you 10 minutes to warm-up, let it! Then push yourself once you are ready to go.

MarshallLuke

There is something known as the "toxic ten" that I have had described to me a few times. You are starting to push your body with no real (physical) motivation for it to go (if someone were chasing you with a knife, your body would go from standing to sprinting with no problem). Your body is revolting. After about 10 minutes, your body realizes this is something you WANT to do and releases endorphin and other chemicals that make your body move better at that intensity. Having been a smoker myself, I can tell you that the lung thing does get better over time. SLOWLY, but it does get better.
Also, get your heart checked out. I don't want to see you drop because of something you could have fixed!

surabhit

There is something known as the "toxic ten" that I have had described to me a few times. You are starting to push your body with no real (physical) motivation for it to go (if someone were chasing you with a knife, your body would go from standing to sprinting with no problem).

Thanks Marshall! You've described pretty much how I feel - physically and mentally. It's often a struggle to keep going past those 10 toxic minutes. After that I have a really good time.

surabhit

The second is perhaps anxiety. I was told that a lot of the pain I was having was my own anxiety at wanting to feel better. The body will adjust in time.

It gets worse when I want to make the pain go away and I feel that i can't. You're right. I should just give it time. I heard it takes 10-12 months for circulation to improve after quitting smoking.
Thanks Denise

surabhit

Thank you all!
I'm going to get myself checked out, but I do think it's to do with the smoking.
I used to feel pain when I walked up a flight of stairs before - atleast that's much improved!
Onwards and upwards