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

@shiloh376 hi , here is one of them, the most important:

The other video I have posted is from Dr Andrew Huberman’s channel and he and a guest explain why and how high BP increases when lifting heavy weights, but watch Dr Prakash’s he focus solely on aneurysms

Hope it helps!!

@kmailloux Hi. I am a 71 year old man diagnosed 8 years ago with an AAA that was 4.4 cm. I am very active and have gradually increased the intensity of my daily walks of about 2 miles walking at a brisk pace. I also lift light weights about 5 times a week gradually having increased the amount. I do lots of squats with no weight and pushups against the kitchen counter. In the gym I bench press using 25-35lb dumbells doing about 10 reps backing off as I begin to strain. I use exercise bands at home as well so I am exercising frequently. In 8 years my aneurysm has not grown at all. I have a CAT scan with contrasting dye to keep track at least once a year but more often lately since I have increased the amount and intensity of the workouts i do.

So I am curious. Here we are 2 and 1/2 years later and I am wondering how you are doing. Have you backed off on your exercise? Has there been any change in the size of your aneurysm? How are you doing? Brian

@azguy1

I remember feeling the same confusion when I first heard the words “aortic dissection.” Mine was already tearing by the time anyone realized what was happening, and in 2015 I ended up on an operating table for emergency open-heart surgery and a Dacron graft. Because of that, I pay very close attention now to what the numbers actually mean and what the body is trying to tell us.

A dilation of 4.0 cm is something to respect, but it’s not something that should steal the joy from your life. The fact that your doctor has cleared you without restrictions is reassuring. What I learned after my own dissection is that it isn’t the activity itself that’s the danger — it’s how we do it. The aorta hates sudden spikes in pressure. It hates breath-holding. It hates that heavy Valsalva strain we slip into without thinking. You can climb mountains, hike hard, and let your heart rate rise, but the key is keeping every movement smooth and every breath open. When the breathing stays loose, the pressure stays steady, and the aorta stays happier.

I still exercise every day, but I do it with attention instead of fear. If you feel good, if you’re breathing easily, and if your doctor has given you the green light, you’re doing the right things. Knowing your measurement and paying attention to the mechanics of how you move is what keeps you safe. That knowledge is power — and it’s power I wish I’d had before my dissection.

You’re not alone in this. Keep moving, keep breathing, and keep respecting that aorta without letting it run your life. Peace.

I absolutely agree with kmailloux. When found my aneurysm was a 4. I was told when it reached 5 we would discuss options. I ended up with an emergency dissection at 4.5 cm. Emergency everything just like kmailloux said. Be mindful, don't lift anything that causes you to grunt, moan, groan, hold your breath, or strain. ASK FOR HELP! I am a 71 YO female and this happened to me at 68. I am going in for another surgery for correction in February. I had no symptoms then and have none now.
Best wishes

@azguy1

I remember feeling the same confusion when I first heard the words “aortic dissection.” Mine was already tearing by the time anyone realized what was happening, and in 2015 I ended up on an operating table for emergency open-heart surgery and a Dacron graft. Because of that, I pay very close attention now to what the numbers actually mean and what the body is trying to tell us.

A dilation of 4.0 cm is something to respect, but it’s not something that should steal the joy from your life. The fact that your doctor has cleared you without restrictions is reassuring. What I learned after my own dissection is that it isn’t the activity itself that’s the danger — it’s how we do it. The aorta hates sudden spikes in pressure. It hates breath-holding. It hates that heavy Valsalva strain we slip into without thinking. You can climb mountains, hike hard, and let your heart rate rise, but the key is keeping every movement smooth and every breath open. When the breathing stays loose, the pressure stays steady, and the aorta stays happier.

I still exercise every day, but I do it with attention instead of fear. If you feel good, if you’re breathing easily, and if your doctor has given you the green light, you’re doing the right things. Knowing your measurement and paying attention to the mechanics of how you move is what keeps you safe. That knowledge is power — and it’s power I wish I’d had before my dissection.

You’re not alone in this. Keep moving, keep breathing, and keep respecting that aorta without letting it run your life. Peace.

My aortic dilation is 4.0 cm. I exercise a lot hiking and climbing mountains. Often my heart rate gets into the 140s-150s. I never know though if that bad or not. My doc told me no restrictions on exercise. Thanks for posting this thread.

@shiloh376 hi , here is one of them, the most important:

The other video I have posted is from Dr Andrew Huberman’s channel and he and a guest explain why and how high BP increases when lifting heavy weights, but watch Dr Prakash’s he focus solely on aneurysms

Hope it helps!!

@houston13 How can I find your videos? I am very interested. Shiloh376 Brian