heart condition but i want to run. can anyone help?

MizElzy
MizElzy Posts: 5 Member
in Motivation and Support
I need to lose alot of weight because i want to be healthy and my husband and i are looking forward to having a baby. I signed up for the Neon Splash Dash and i am super excited about it. I have three months to get my self to the point that i can run 3.1 miles. I walk about an hour a day and go about 3 miles but that walking. i want to be able to run. the only thing is i have Ventricular tachycardia and it could make me pass out or have a heart attack. I am only 26 and have never had that happen before but thats because when i feel an attach coming i have to damn near meditate and concentrate on slowing my heart down. (its a skill i posses lol) so any advice and help would be awesome!!

Replies

  • My0WNinspiration
    My0WNinspiration Posts: 1,146 Member
    Is running really that important you'd risk your life ? Talk to your doctor!
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Yeah for sure this is one for a doctor. Preferably a specialist who knows you and your condition very well.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Is running really that important you'd risk your life ? Talk to your doctor!

    I agree... I would be asking your doctor this. No one here is qualified to give you any advice on this. You need to speak with your doctor and follow their advice. It could kill you if you do something wrong ... running may be too much for you to handle.
  • MizElzy
    MizElzy Posts: 5 Member
    i have talked to my doctor and he said my condition is a mild one and if i excersize it will help but to start slow. i just dont know where to start.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I would specifically ask your doctor about running and not exercise in general - it's quite a specific stress on the heart and a lot of young, fit people die of undiagnosed conditions during races every year.

    If and only if you're definitely sure you have medical clearance, do a programme like Couch TO 5k (C25K) BUT take it extra slow - both do the running intervals much slower than you think you're capable of, and I'd do each week twice over to take it really steady.

    Here's a link to all the C25K resources:
    http://www.c25k.com/

    And here are my beginner's running tips:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

    Bear in mind point one:
    When you start out, it’s HARD! Even if you think you’re fit, running is so different to anything else you’ve done before you will get out of breath quickly. Stick with it. Can’t manage a minute? Go slow. Still can’t? GO SLOWER!

    Finally, make sure the race organisers are aware of your condition and wear an emergency bracelet.

    If you don't get clearance to run, is there any reason you can't power-walk the race?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Your doctor might be able to help. Just a thought.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    Oh my dear. You need to go to the doctor and get a complete check-up and recommendation for the exercise you are allowed to do. I too have a mild heart condition, and I used to be a runner. When I had my physical last January my doctor forbade me from running. She said I can walk. Now I can walk pretty fast without triggering any heart issues but apparently when I run I gallop and my heart can't take it. Now that I'm significantly lighter perhaps I'll be able to resume running but I will wait until I see my doctor again to determine that.

    If at all possible when you see your doctor get a cardiac stress test. Then you will be able to see for yourself, this is how my heart reacts when I'm walking, running, etc.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    i have talked to my doctor and he said my condition is a mild one and if i excersize it will help but to start slow. i just dont know where to start.

    Ok so you have talked to your doctor. Have you had a complete physical?
    Losing the weight will help your heart issues for sure, because your heart will no longer have to labor under the strain of so much excess weight. But you don't need to run to lose weight. You can walk, you can swim, you can bike, you can hula hoop, you can lift weights, etc. All sorts of exercise, that combined with reducing your calories, will result in weight loss.

    Definitely reccomend the stress test, please ask your doctor about that.
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    Is running really that important you'd risk your life ? Talk to your doctor!

    Yeah I agree with this...

    But after talking to your doctor and getting the okay to start running, I'd start out walking for longer periods, then jogging, then running for short periods. Work your way up slowly. Definitely under your doctor's supervision.
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Talk to your doctor, but that arrhythmia is not a contraindication to running. I would suggest starting out by running for 30 seconds every 1/2 mile and if that goes ok then try running for 10 seconds and walking for 50 seconds ... then just increase it slowly.

    If you feel light headed or dizzy, stop your activity and do what you need to do. Never sprint, just a nice gentle run. Only push yourself to 75% of your maximum.

    Do you have a defibrillator in place? I have a heart arrhythmia myself, and I have managed to learn to how to run! :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    I need to lose alot of weight because i want to be healthy and my husband and i are looking forward to having a baby. I signed up for the Neon Splash Dash and i am super excited about it. I have three months to get my self to the point that i can run 3.1 miles. I walk about an hour a day and go about 3 miles but that walking. i want to be able to run. the only thing is i have Ventricular tachycardia and it could make me pass out or have a heart attack. I am only 26 and have never had that happen before but thats because when i feel an attach coming i have to damn near meditate and concentrate on slowing my heart down. (its a skill i posses lol) so any advice and help would be awesome!!
    Your cardiologist will determine for you if it's safe or not. DO NOT RELY ON AN ANSWER HERE.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • MizElzy
    MizElzy Posts: 5 Member
    its a run, walk , or whatever. its not really a race just something to have fun. mainley a goal for me to work twards.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    First things first. The obligatory. Talk to your doctor. This is my experience.

    I have the same thing. Mine is very mild the last time the Dr talked to me about it.

    I ran over 1200 kilometres last year. 20 kilometres yesterday alone.

    Start with something like the couch to 5k program which starts with 30 seconds of running at a time. And go from there.

    If you start getting light headed or dizzy then stop and walk.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    i want to be able to run. the only thing is i have Ventricular tachycardia and it could make me pass out or have a heart attack. I am only 26 and have never had that happen before but thats because when i feel an attach coming i have to damn near meditate and concentrate on slowing my heart down. (its a skill i posses lol) so any advice and help would be awesome!!

    OMG!! If you have a heart condition ask your Dr. for advice on running (or any exercise). Do you really think people on this site are qualified to advise you?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Your cardiologist will determine for you if it's safe or not. DO NOT RELY ON AN ANSWER HERE.



    SECONDED.
  • Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt
    Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt Posts: 226 Member
    I have tachycardia too (Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia) and Mitral Valve Prolapse to boot - I saw a cardiologist to see how much I should be allowed to do. He gave me a limit of 30 minutes vigorous aerobics at a time. It's fine to do more than 30 minutes a day, though, if I rest in between. Your type may be different though - I would definitely get a professional opinion on it (and not just random folks on the internet, like moi).
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    its a run, walk , or whatever. its not really a race just something to have fun. mainley a goal for me to work twards.

    I think it's great that you set a concrete goal to work towards... you go girl!

    Now, I would recommend speaking to your doctor (preferably your cardiologist) about what your limits are and perhaps have him/her set up a starting program for you? You may have to undergo a stress test to figure out how to get going.

    That said, starting with an interval training program such as Couch to 5K (C25K) is a great idea.
  • kelfromhell
    kelfromhell Posts: 25 Member
    It's definitely between you and your doctor. I have heart conditions and I work closely with my cardiologist. if you get the okay to "run"...go to RunnersWorld.com or google beggining running programs or couch to 5k programs. You'll get a plan to slowly adjust your run/walk percentages each week until you can run (job) for a half hour....but please talk to your doctor first. Good luck!
  • sandip69
    sandip69 Posts: 20
    Well, I am a doctor and this really needs a one to one between you and your Cardiologist. Extremely unwise to ask this question on a forum. VT potentially fatal and often managed with an ICD device.
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
    You definitely need to consult your doctor! If you go slow it may be safe but perhaps not, and it isnt worth the risk. If you can't run, maybe just jog a couple minutes at the start and jog the final stretch before the finish line and walk the other 3 miles.
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
    Cardiologist + Couch to 5k definitely sounds like the right way to go. Err on the side of safety!
  • Arleigh7
    Arleigh7 Posts: 150 Member
    Hi there...I was diagnosed with Atrial Flutter earlier this year and put on medication to control it which made me feel lousy and then stopped working. So in October I ended up doing a Heart Ablation procedure.

    During this whole thing I was also very frustrated with the cardiologist becuase I was not getting clear information on what kind of excercise I could do. Prior to the diagnois I did heavy weight lifting and also very hard cardio in a 2 hour classs of rowing and spinning. But I stopped that when I hit a hear rate of 240 during a rowing session.

    So what I've been doing after the heart ablation is allot of walking and slowly worked my way back to 1 hour sessions on the Elipitcal. I wear a HR monitor and if I notice anything weird I stop immediately. However everything has been good and when I started my HR would stay in the 80's but now is high 90's to low 100 since I slowly increased my speed and lenght of workouts (I'm on a medication that keeps my HR slow).

    I've checked back with the cardiologist several times during this period and he was fine with everything as long as I didn't drive my heart rate over 140 and that I didn't see or feel anything abnormal. I'm hoping in February to be taken off my medication and hopefully the procedure will be 100% successful and I'll be cured of the irregular heart rate (Ablations don't always work and sometimes you have to have it done 2 or 3 times).

    So my advice is talk to the doctor and let him knokw what you would like to do and get his blessing. Also wear a HR montor (I use a polar) AND everyone seems to think walking is the way to go. You can walk at a fast pace and for a long time and it will help your fitness while not putting allot of stress on your heart. But ask the DOC!!

    Good Luck!

Categories