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

I was Diagnosed 11/20/23 with Ascending Aorta Aneurysm…. Because my Ekg came back abnormal for Deviated Septum Surgery…. Then followed up with Echocardiogram & Cat Scan with my Cardiologist …. 63 year old Male…..6 4” 230lbs…. 160 Cholesterol…. 130/70 Blood Pressure…. Non Smoker… Social Drinks…. Healthy Diet… Pull ups, Push ups … Dips… Weight Training with 225 lb Bench Press 10/12 Reps & the list Gos on…. Exercise is my Mental Therapy & Stress Release & lifestyle…My Cardiologist told me he will Monitor me every 6/ Months… I need to have a Plan of Action for Elective Surgery & Repair prior to a potential Rapture…..I also realize 5.0 to 5.5 is the Let’s do Surgery #…. I’m very Blessed 🙏my Medical Condition was found…. I realize I have to Modify my Workout Routine drastically…. I’m spending Day & Night researching every Surgeon that Specializes in this field…, I wish you all & your Families Health & Happinesses in this Holiday Season 🎄🙏… Best Regards Ken

I know what you mean. Being strong and weight-lifting a lot of weight has been such a big part of my identity. I'd say this has been the most difficult part of the lifestyle change since my diagnosis last year. I've learned about the hundreds weight training method and recently asked about it at my last checkup. Here's some info: https://scarysymptoms.com/2014/09/aortic-aneurysm-safely-build-muscle/

Yeah you’re right. When you explain to your PCP what happened and he doesn’t respond then I should dump him. My laughing cardiovascular surgeon should go next. Especially when I asked him if it could burst and he nonchalantly said that it could. Then practically running out of the exam room. He wasn’t taking me seriously. I had questions I couldn’t ask because he blew me off.

The first hospital I went to said that they found a torn aneurysm and was being transferred to a specialized hospital for emergency surgery.
The second hospital, the cardiovascular surgeon agreed but said that since it wasn’t bleeding at that time I should call my jerky cardiovascular surgeon ASAP and he blew me off. That’s a ratio of 2 vs 1 dingbat.
I googled “Cardiovascular surgeons near me “and at least a dozen showed up with most having doctors hospital privileges at some of the best hospitals including a heart hospital. My cardiovascular surgeon never told me the size of it. Even if it was small I still want to know what size it is so I don’t get a surprise.

I poured over the trauma hospital’s portal which I downloaded years ago and there I found it tucked away in a doctor’s notes “History of aortic aneurysm, and it said 3cm.
You know how long I’ve been dying to find out and I finally found it? A year ago I began to wonder and I just forgot to ask him. That shouldn’t have to be my responsibility in order to find out He should have told me instead of “see you next year!”

Oh my goodness! I would be getting a second and third opinion as soon as possible. Number one that cardiac surgeon would have been fired! At least from my patient care. Mine had to go into an emergency surgery while I was there, which was totally understandable, I was not as high risk as you. And the PA had spent 45 minutes with me. I felt very confident that this was an emergency situation and I would be considering getting a new primary care physician as well. This is a serious condition. They should be calling you back they should be giving you guidance not walking out of the room!

I have a torn aortic aneurysm in my abdomen. It only measures 3 cm but it is torn. I went to a hospital emergency department for an unrelated issue and the doctor walks into my exam room and said “we are going to transfer you to a trauma hospital for emergency surgery”

I asked why and he said that a CT scan showed that I had a torn aortic aneurysm. I said ok then was transferred to a trauma hospital. While in the trauma hospital a cardiovascular surgeon said that I would have to come back into the hospital but right now it isn’t bleeding so we feel that you are stable enough to be discharged. I felt uncomfortable with that but I accepted it.

The cardiovascular doctor said for me to see my cardiovascular surgeon ASAP. I made the appointment with him for the next day and he laughed and said “I don’t see anything through a sonogram.”

He was obviously Annoyed that I dare visit him and he was quick to attend to the patients that had appointments that day.
He poo pood the whole appointment and he walked out saying “all hospitals say ASAP and we have ways to take care of these things!”

What if I’m briskly taking a walk and I collapse? Most people would think I had a heart attack and push on my chest. That would do nothing and I could die as burst aneurysms are usually fatal. As he was walking out of the exam room I asked him if could burst and he said “it could!” Then said “see you next year!” I made an appointment for a year from now.

I happen to have a replacement aortic mechanical heart valve and am on blood thinners which could cause me to bleed out. Should I seek a second opinion.
I messaged my PCP last week and he has failed to respond. I feel like a walk-in time bomb!

That make’s perfect sense!! Exactly how I felt. Being a strong woman is part of who I am!

Actually I am female…lol. 5’5” and 147 lbs. I certainly am not a hard core athlete but did enjoy the option to participate in activities. I feel like I am losing part of who I am…if that makes any sense.

I agree with you ... the "straining" and don't lift more than 50lbs same guidelines but I would bet we are very different in size - assuming you are male.. I am a 120-125 lb female that is 40% of my body weight. Same for you?? the general guidelines are so vague and seem to be the same for everyone. They do not take into consideration size, sex, past exercise age or anything.. to make this individual to the patient. It is super frustrating. My first scan came back at 4.3 cm - mine is caused by a bicuspid aortic valve - which they say I was born with. So if mine grows it will be valve replacement and portion of the aorta repaired. Mine was discovered in Dec 2022 - so my second scan is in a week and 1/2 - I moved it up when they called to reschedule. I am hoping it will give me piece of mind a little. Or it will have grown and we will have to figure it out from there. Oh - and totally normal with the snow shoveling... I always feel very acomplished when it was done! though I am glad I was not able to do the heavy stuff we got this last storm!! I have a good friend for that! Thanks for the feedback, I don't feel so alone in this unchartered land ..

I too struggle with what is safe and what isn't. It can be very frustrating. I was basically told to live my life...don't lift more than 50 lbs, and do not strain. What exactly does that mean....do not strain? Sometimes getting out of bed in the morning is a strain! Fortunately my BP is not high and really never has been. Have had high cholesterol most of my life and am now on statins, which have lowered it to normal levels. I question everything I do now. I low snow shoveling (I know I am not normal...lol) but that seems to be a big No in general. My dr said it would be ok as long as I am not straining and it isn't too heavy. There's that word again...straining. Obviously it isn't like lifting a pillow, but then again it doesn't feel like I am moving tree stumps around (which I have done). Right now I have been stacking firewood....and alternating between thinking I must be nuts and I am not straining or lifting more than 50 lbs so it is ok. I just don't know. Have heard that tennis, golf, baseball are all not good. Don't feel like any of those involve "straining". This whole thing has caused me so much anxiety. I am constantly taking my blood pressure and checking my heart rate. I wish there was some type of test that could be done on a monthly basis that checks the aorta. Waiting a year between exams is kind of scary. I was diagnosed about 18 months ago. Have had 2 CT scans and am stable at somewhere between 4.3 and 4.5 cm. Going for my next exam end of May.

That is my exact findings with this.. it's the "general " guidelines that I can find with an internet search.. nothing is customized for the person. Yes I am cleared to train for a 50k race.. but is that ok? my BP is very low and that is all they seem to focus on ... and not lifting 50lbs or "straining" . I will know more with my next scan as well - was on a 6 month but the doc moved it up to 4.5 months.