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am I exercising too much with a 4.3 ascending aortic aneurysm?

Posted by kmailloux @kmailloux, Mar 15, 2023

I am a 60 year old female, who has been very active her whole life. I was a very competitive gymnast, then moved to triathlons, then to cycling and running, strength training has always supported these activities. I am a certified personal trainer, and the aneurysm is a new diagnosis as of Dec of 2022. it was shocking - I now have a heart condition. I ran a marathon 2 weeks after I turned 60. My Cradic surgeon has stated that I can train for a 50k (31 miles) race, as well as a 150 mile bike ride. I have a 50 lb lifting weight limit. My BP is low and I am on no medications. My questions are .. is the activity too much? I run 5-6 days a week plus strength training and biking. I have mild chest pain - all of this has been told to my doc. they keep telling me everything is ok - I am just so nervous about all of this - but want to keep doing what I love. Any input will be appreciated.

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andytheman | @andytheman | Jan 25 8:30pm

Correct. Last I heard my aortic artery aneurysm was at 3.9 cm. Not bad except for one thing. It has a tear in it and I’m 72 with an aortic mechanical heart valve and on permanent blood thinners. If my blood gets too thin I could bleed out. Thin blood with a torn aneurysm means I could leak out as my blood’s INR is below range and could bleed even from shaving. That’s what bothers me thin blood and a torn 3.9 aneurysm.

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mikeneverwired | @mikeneverwired | Jan 26 7:55am
In reply to @tcrowe "@andytheman absolutely get a second opinion. November 9, 2025 I was getting ready for church, my..." + (show)
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@andytheman absolutely get a second opinion. November 9, 2025 I was getting ready for church, my family had gone a head of me because I was running late. Shortly after they left I felt a stabbing pain that went in through my chest and came out my back. The pain was indescribable. I can’t imagine pain being any worse than losing a limb or a burn. Something kept telling me it was not a heart attack, we went to the ER and after a 3 hour wait I was finally taken back, asked a few questions I was taken to have a CT scan. The tech immediately told me I had an aortic tear. They rushed me back to the exam room and told me I was about to have emergency surgery. An hour and half later I was under the knife. They told my husband that patients with this type of tear don’t make it to the hospital but those that do have less than a 1% chance of survival. But guess what I made it. I am healing well physically but struggling emotionally. I am a firm believer that ever doctor cannot know everything and apparently this doctor did not. I am an advocate for Aortic Dissections because they are over looked more times than they are diagnosed. Find yourself a thoracic surgeon, get a CT San and there be no more guess work. Go with the working signs you body is giving you. Cardiologist don’t know what they need to know about Aortic Dissections.
Do not wait!

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@tcrowe Wow! You are indeed very lucky to have survived that aortic tear, but now that you are on the other side if it, you should be ready to get back to exercising and strengthening yourself. I am almost 2 years post surgery and doing great. I agree it is always good to get a baseline CT scan when you get to be a 'certain age' so any structural problems in the heart can be addressed before they become an emergency.

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