Well, all I can say is that it is highly unusual that a man in your excellent physical condition would have a heart problem like that. It must be genetic is all I can conclude. I stop at 160 BPM. I'm 54. Right now, I focus on cardio: ski machine, weighted jump rope, and stationary bicycle. I'm also on Testim, which is a God send.
I sure hope you get better soon.
I made it to 61 before being replaced by someone less than half my age, at less than half my salary.
I didn't have any retirement plans either, and also liked my job, come on, a fat salary to build prototypes and design stuff that hasn't been invented yet, what's not to like......but management made it clear that the older, long term employees with fat salaries were the target group, so I took the buyout offer, packed up my stuff and left Florida....it's too expensive there.
I worked 41 years for the same employer. I will get a small pension, but it won't pay all the bills. The pension plan got killed in the 2008 financial crisis.
I have recently left the big city for small town life, but there is no work here for an old engineer, so it's retirement time.....
There is mounting evidence that excessive cardiovascular exercise can cause cardiac damage over time. I have had two friends check out of this world early from aortic aneurysms.
One was a 37 year old bodybuilder (no steroids) that dropped dead during a morning jog. Autopsy revealed rupture of the main aorta. It had stretched to about twice normal size.
A couple of years ago a 67 year old retiree was in the gym at work jogging on the treadmill preparing for yet another marathon. He dropped dead on the treadmill, same diagnosis. This guy ran several marathons a year for a dozen or so years, and poof, drops dead on a treadmill while watching TV?????
The trainer in the gym showed me several articles on "excessive cardio" induced heart damage. Some cardio is good, even necessary, but too much for too long can have a negative outcome. I'm sure that Google can find some of this, but I haven't looked for that research myself.
I too, have managed to earn a trip to the cath lab, after two failed stress tests, but I still have no idea, nor do the experts, why I turn blue on occasion. It's been happening for about 15 years and I have given up trying to figure it out. It seems to be triggered by exertion, dehydration, or both, and often I don't know it until someone else points it out. The only symptom is a slightly reduced, but not abnormal BP. I just slow down or take a break and drink some Gatorade when the blue spots appear, and they go away.
I no longer try to keep up with the young guys in the gym or on the bike. I just take a leisurely 10 MPH ride on my recumbent, and stay under 20 miles a week.....no blueness.
I call it... died healthy.
Diet and excercise...... Eat healthy: means eat less than 20% of daily calories in meat products (<8 oz) and rest in vegetables and some fruit. Minimize the 'white' food groups and grains. When available, eat non-genetically modified foods.
Excercise means.... fast walking for 30 minutes at 110-120 bpm. Then moderate weights -- three sets. Die of old age. Rather than from over exercising and wrong diet.
-RM
Diet and excercise...... Eat healthy: means eat less than 20% of daily calories in meat products (<8 oz) and rest in vegetables and some fruit. Minimize the 'white' food groups and grains. When available, eat non-genetically modified foods.
Excercise means.... fast walking for 30 minutes at 110-120 bpm. Then moderate weights -- three sets. Die of old age. Rather than from over exercising and wrong diet.
-RM
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I used to ride a touring bike on the street until I got hit head on by a car (1998) and gave up exercise for about 15 years.
Three years ago I was up to 210lb when I went into the ER with chest pains. Stress test showed a 'shadow' on the back of my heart, so Cath Lab was next. Stint in the LAD (Left Anterior Decending artery) and according to my cardiologist I had a classic LAD heart attack (aka Widow maker) and am lucky to be alive.
Since then I took riding again, but not on the street. I'm hitting 20-30 miles a week riding a bicycle on a riding trail. Average speed is around 10-11mph with a typical ride going 13 miles and lasting a bit over an hour.
I don't eat much commercial bread, preferring home made sourdough bread.
I'm down to 165# and trying to get down to 155#, although beer seems to be my biggest hurdle now.
I've got 5 years to go to retirement, given that I can manage to remain employed that long.
Three years ago I was up to 210lb when I went into the ER with chest pains. Stress test showed a 'shadow' on the back of my heart, so Cath Lab was next. Stint in the LAD (Left Anterior Decending artery) and according to my cardiologist I had a classic LAD heart attack (aka Widow maker) and am lucky to be alive.
Since then I took riding again, but not on the street. I'm hitting 20-30 miles a week riding a bicycle on a riding trail. Average speed is around 10-11mph with a typical ride going 13 miles and lasting a bit over an hour.
I don't eat much commercial bread, preferring home made sourdough bread.
I'm down to 165# and trying to get down to 155#, although beer seems to be my biggest hurdle now.
I've got 5 years to go to retirement, given that I can manage to remain employed that long.
I do 50 to 100 miles per week on a Trek2. I had a gal open her car door as I sailed past and took a pretty bad tumble. She came over to help, was crying and beautiful so no f-bomb came forth from my lips! There are specific time of day I won't bike -- have to avoid distracted drivers and know when pedaling with the sun in the wrong place makes you invisible.
The first time I tried to retire I was 29 years old -- I made an offer to my employer to buy the business I was running for them (overhead was crushing). They refused so I quit. They had to shut it down a year later, but wouldn't even sell me the trademark!
The first time I tried to retire I was 29 years old -- I made an offer to my employer to buy the business I was running for them (overhead was crushing). They refused so I quit. They had to shut it down a year later, but wouldn't even sell me the trademark!
By the way since many except ret plans stated also economics
Living in Greece even in a crises time comes with a few more privileges except sea and sun
I own my house no loans '
I own a second smaller house also no loans
Soon i will own the building of my shop
still i have to pay taxes for the things i own
but some of the money i make is black
I can still cook a bit of my books so taxes are getting lower
there is an intention from costumers to pay black if possible since they thing is better for me to take the money than the tax company .
as we speak i am 30 years on the market and only the last year i have faced a growth of almost 300% and last year we hit the target of 1000 audio devices repaired in a years time ...
Things have been good to me
Thank God and my family for that
Living in Greece even in a crises time comes with a few more privileges except sea and sun
I own my house no loans '
I own a second smaller house also no loans
Soon i will own the building of my shop
still i have to pay taxes for the things i own
but some of the money i make is black
I can still cook a bit of my books so taxes are getting lower
there is an intention from costumers to pay black if possible since they thing is better for me to take the money than the tax company .
as we speak i am 30 years on the market and only the last year i have faced a growth of almost 300% and last year we hit the target of 1000 audio devices repaired in a years time ...
Things have been good to me
Thank God and my family for that
Yeah, but unfortunately kids and grandkids live in USA and plane fare is expensive for visits.
Let them come to you. They'll have jobs and can afford it. You'll be retired.
IMO.... After a certain age, kids dont need us as much as we would like to think. When grown, they do not have a strong need to see their parents. Ditto their kids (grandchildren).
-RM
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All this bicycling for many miles.... it does not help. Its mostly the diet.
here is proof. Years ago, I didnt eat well... just what tasted good. high blood pressure etc etc. BP meds etc.
Last year I was on the tread mill with a cardiologist and nurse standing by. max'ed out the stress test. result... I have the heart of a 50 year old instead of a 68 year old. Havent used any BP meds in years.
You do not need to do strenuous cycling to improve the cardio. Normal level of excercise improves the immune system mostly. But the diet is what will keep you from a stroke or heart attack. Eat crap but exercise your *** off.... ?? That is not working at all.
-Richard Marsh
here is proof. Years ago, I didnt eat well... just what tasted good. high blood pressure etc etc. BP meds etc.
Last year I was on the tread mill with a cardiologist and nurse standing by. max'ed out the stress test. result... I have the heart of a 50 year old instead of a 68 year old. Havent used any BP meds in years.
You do not need to do strenuous cycling to improve the cardio. Normal level of excercise improves the immune system mostly. But the diet is what will keep you from a stroke or heart attack. Eat crap but exercise your *** off.... ?? That is not working at all.
-Richard Marsh
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richard:
you forgot to add "no wife who wants to throw out all the parts you've collected over the years for your retirement projects"
🙂
mlloyd1
you forgot to add "no wife who wants to throw out all the parts you've collected over the years for your retirement projects"
🙂
mlloyd1
I dont' consider 11mph bicycling to be strenuous. It is a nice cardio/areobic workout.
When I was riding on the street I could do 15mph for three hours straight in pretty hilly terain (1000ft elevationchange). That was strenuous.
I know I feel better riding the way I do.
Eating well is important as well, but weight loss is easier with more vigerous exercise than just walking a couple times a week for a mile or so.
When I was riding on the street I could do 15mph for three hours straight in pretty hilly terain (1000ft elevationchange). That was strenuous.
I know I feel better riding the way I do.
Eating well is important as well, but weight loss is easier with more vigerous exercise than just walking a couple times a week for a mile or so.
A quality infrastructure paid for by what looting, plunder, graft?
As opposed to what? Plenty of nice farm country people here in the mid-west and living can be cheap.
Done it both ways, collapsed in a heap at a car's opening door, and had the driver staring down at me and the mess on the ground ... and, driving a rental car in NZ, with somewhat dirty windscreen from the muddy roads earlier, turned right into the setting sun at an intersection - bummph! Chap was completely invisible, being a Kiwi he apologised profusely for getting in front of me, 😀 !! No harm done to any participants, everyone got back on their bike, 😉, and, carried on ...
Better won't happen. Right now I'm as good as I'm ever going to be. The trick is to not get worse.
Unusual? Oh yeah, I'm in a very small group. The cardiologist that runs the cardiac rehab program told me "I can't say this never happens, because it obviously happened to you, but in general this never happens. Nobody could have predicted it." I had two stress tests in the years prior to the attack, they showed no problems.
Gimp,
My last ride pre-attack was 53 miles in 3:26, 3000 ft of climbing, and 16 MPH average. Average HR was 154 for the day, and 160 BPM for the outbound 23 miles of climbing. Strenuous to say the least. Pretty fun, too. I miss days like that. But as others have commented, years of that kind of abuse probably contributed to some 'remodeling' of my heart tissues, and here I am. Now, my usual Saturday ride is 30 dead flat miles in 2 hours, HR in the low 120's.
When I was in the ICU after the angiogram, every time I would try to drift off to sleep my HR would drop below 50 and set off the alarm waking me up, and sending my HR back up so all looked normal by the time the nurse arrived. After three repeats I got her to turn the alarm threshold down. I tried to sleep again, and got another alarm because I was taking fewer than 10 breaths/minute. Didn't need to breathe more than that. She turned that alarm off too. Hospitals aren't used to seeing reasonably fit people.
I'm trying like heck to get set for retirement. We owe on the house, but the banker is my father-in-law from whom we bought it, and from whom my wife will someday inherit it back. I save 28% of my gross income every check, and my company's pension fund is still strong. I have enough time in to retain my health benefits even if I retired tomorrow. We drive oldish cars, carry no debt outside the mortgage and a small car loan that I could pay off but that carries no interest. 60 is looking pretty doable, and if I can go earlier I will. Got to accumulate some toys now while I can!
Bill
There seems to be some common themes here amongst us.....I also got whacked by a car. I was crossing a 6 lane road IN the pedestrian crosswalk at an intersection when an 84 year old senile citizen who was stopped at the light suddenly moved forward into my path. I hit the right front fender at speed landing me on the hood, which prompted the driver to hit the brakes dropping me in in the path of the cross street traffic. After all of the cars came screeching to a halt, I realized that not only was I still alive, I was not seriously hurt. The hurt came later.
One of the cars that stopped just short of crushing me was driven by an off duty policeman from a nearby city. He gave a statement to the local cop, passed me his card, and left. The cop started talking to the old guy who wound up yelling at the cop, then at me, then he left. The cop then proceeded to give ME a ticket for being hit by the old guy who had told me and the witness that his foot slipped off the brake. The cop then got on his Harley and rode away leaving me and my busted bicycle still in the median.
About a week later I get a call from the old guys insurance company asking for my insurance info because the cop hadn't written it on the accident report. They wanted $2000 for damages that my "vehicle" caused to the old guys Maxima. I refused to talk to them until I got a copy of that accident report.
It was completely incorrect and it did look like I was in a car. The vehicle make was Huffy, but written so poorly that it looked like Honda, the vehicle model was "green." The report made it sound like I was IN the cross traffic lane, which IS where I landed, but was moving the opposite direction from my direction. It also stated there were no witnesses.
By now the insurance company was talking lawsuit, so I did some checking. The old guy was an ex city councilman. I called a lawyer and the witness. Then the lawyer explained to the insurance that I was riding a Huffy, not driving a Honda, and that there was a credible witness (the cop that almost flattened me), and that she was prepared to sue for a back injury......
The insurance company went away, the traffic ticket for the accident was dismissed because the cop didn't show up for court, the old guy died a couple of years later, but the crooked cop that wrote the ticket still writes laser tickets for speeding a few blocks from the site.....I won't miss that crooked city.
Good luck. You may not get any "better" but avoiding the excess cardio stress may keep the arteries from further expansion.
I came to the same conclusion. I had failed two stress tests which landed me in the cath lab. To the people in the lab, I was just another patient, but the prep nurse, who was a marathon runner, asked me "why are you here?" I explained the stress tests, and she told me that I was a false positive. Why? I asked. She said that about 20% of all stress tests show up false positive and it is usually in men with muscular chests, or women with large breasts. She was right.
We have relocated to a small town, arriving 8 days ago. Yesterday we went to a local fitness center which is run by and located in a hospital to inquire about signing up. Since we are both over 50 we would have to get a doctor to sign a form that we were in good enough condition for physical exercise. Sherri had to go through some testing, about an hours worth. I got my BP measured and the form signed....3 minutes. "We don't get many here that look like you."
Keep up with the company chatter about health care. Many companies are dropping their retiree coverage, scaling back the coverage, and increasing the out of pocket costs. Health care is the biggest wild card in retirement. The costs for someone with prior issues can be staggering. I have received quotes that are higher than half of my pension.
Be aware that the federal government has recently rewritten the funding criteria for pension funds. The recently passed MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act) act talks about improving highway infrastructure, but it also has provisions for obscuring pension underfunding. Google "MAP-21 pension" to find the details. It allows some unachievable interest rates to be used in the calculations. The new regulations allowed our pension which was 70.5% funded to magically become nearly fully funded and all previous restrictions were lifted.
There is a fine line to be walked here. I may have collected a few too many toys over the past 30 or so years. I had to get rid of about 100,000 tubes, and maybe a ton of transformers before I moved, but nobody except me knows just where all the toys are hidden! Lets just say that all my trips north in a passenger vehicle were a wee bit overweight, and all the rented trucks subject to weighing were just under the limit. My last truck weighed 25860 pounds against a 26000 limit. It got 5 MPG and could only manage 45 MPH floored through the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky. Now about all those projects.......
Sssss... Yeah... About that pension fund. A friend of mine flies for United Airlines. He was all set with a nice company pension and all. When United went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few (10?) years back, they liquidated the entire fund. As if that wasn't bad enough, they also slapped the employees with a 40 % pay cut.
Nothing is secure. The only thing that's absolutely certain is death. The only question is whether you'll run out of money before death.
~Tom
As apposed to nice people in a country where you dont loose your home if you get ill.
-Richard
11 miles is fine and so is 100, I suppose, if you like it. It isnt necessary though for good health..... and that it doesnt trump a healthy diet.
-RM