After seeing the cardiologist and the pulmonologist I felt emotionally better if nothing else. Yes, the cardiologist freaked me out a bit with his focus on my wacky heart valve, but after Mike talked me down and made me realize my symptoms don't line up with heart failure, I decided that kicking it up a notch wasn't going to kill me. After all, the cardiologist wanted me to do a full on stress test, getting my heart rate up into the 130's, so clearly he wasn't afraid I was going to drop dead from a little cardiovascular exercise!
I was feeling the best I've felt in a long time a week ago Friday...couldn't help singing in the car even (funny how simply not being scared will make you feel better!), so I kicked it up last week. Wednesday was cardio day. For the last few weeks I've been doing LOW level cardio (keepin' the old heart rate under 100), but last Wednesday I let it hover 115-120 for about 15 minutes. My lungs did start to tighten up, but I concentrated on relaxing, not letting them be in charge, and they settled down. Felt good. Also let my heart rate drift to 120 when weight training. I kept it civilized, making sure I rested between sets, but allowed myself a little exertion. Felt great afterwards.
Thursday I trained my Pilates teacher (I know, that sounds backwards), and she was teaching a Reformer class after our session and asked if I wanted to take it. I didn't have my heart rate monitor with me, but said "Fuck It! Yes!". I could tell I was pushing it a couple of times, and I stopped myself before getting crazy, but I'm guessing again I was pushing it into the 120's. At one point my teacher if she was getting me up there and I said yes, she was, but I decided I was pissed off and my body was just going to have to deal! That's my new attitude toward my lungs...deal with it you lazy fuckers!
After teaching my private client on Friday morning people started to drift in for the noon Reformer class at the studio, but hmm, no instructor. I called her to see if she was on her way and she thought the class started at 12:30. Oops! I asked if she wanted me to teach the class for her, which she appreciated. That, as it turns out, was my big mistake. Not pushing it with cardio on Wednesday. Not pushing it with Pilates on Thursday. Teaching that fucking class on Friday was the killer. First of all can I just say I hate teaching classes? No time to correct people's form, I didn't have time to prepare and had to think on my feet which I also don't much care for, and I have to TALK TOO DAMNED LOUD!
One of my Saturday clients didn't show so I worked out instead, again without my heart rate monitor (thought I'd be teaching, not doing!). That was not a bright idea. An hour later it was clear I should have rested. Not that I felt terrible, but the body was saying "hey! dumbshit! You just taught that stupid class yesterday after pushing it 2 days in a row and now you expect me to work out? WTF?". Sorry, wasn't paying attention! My "spot" in my chest wall returned, tightness like someone was pressing on me returned, just general "oh shit, I overdid it" feeling returned. Oh well, nothing a little (or a lot) of rest won't cure!
Rested the remainder of Saturday and all of Sunday. Chilled the fuck out. And didn't work out yesterday in preparation for the breathing test which I knew would be a little stressful on the old lungs. Pulmonary Function Test in the next post.
Here I am, the health nut, and whammo! Suddenly my lungs don't work. WTF? This is a chronicle of my drug-free recovery from whatever the hell this is...my ups and downs, my search for answers, my battles with the traditional medical biz. If you suffer from asthma or other breathing issues, I hope you'll find some information and inspiration in these postings. There can be recovery without steroids and bronchodialators!
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