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Aortic Ascending Aneurism - Share Growth Rate
Hello Everyone, I look for any thread that talk about Aortic Ascending Aneurism with Bicuspid valve and its growth rate. I got diagnose by accident for Aortic Ascending Aneurism of 4.5CM at the age of 50 and have bicuspid valve as well. My next CT scan is in June 2024.
If anyone in the same boat or diagnosis, can you please share your experience with growth rate of this Aorta over time with bicuspid valve?
I will appreciate your input and help. Thank you.
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@indigo1955 Thank you for the insight, Ive just recently been diagnosed with a 4.5cm Thoracic Ascending Aorta Aneurysm and do not have high blood pressure, when you say reasonable exercise, what does that look like for you? I’m an avid walker, moderate weight lifter for tone and to keep my bones strong. Since I have been diagnosed I’m afraid to move. 😃Your right mindfulness is important.
I fully dissected at age 50. I have survived the last 11 years after two Open heart surgeries and an aortic graft. In terms of exercise, I suggest you consult very carefully with your thoracic surgeon, keep your blood pressure down, no planking, no dead lifting, no grunting, no valsalva maneuvers. Walking and swimming are fine. After 11 years with a Dacron aorta, I can tell you that I avoid heavy lifts and I avoid anything over 85° outside. most people don’t realize that the heat can skyrocket your blood pressure. I was out in 118° in Southern California in the desert the day before my aorta dissected. I’m convinced that it had some impact on what happened to me the next day. Your job is to relax and keep your blood pressure down. Take care of yourself, but I would not suggest any triathlons. You’re gonna be fine. Peace. (Here’s me with my 20 year old who’s glad I’m here. That makes two of us!)
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Hi: I’ve been alway active my entire life with high level sport so strength training and VO2 Max training has always been part of my life. It was only at an annual checkup at 62 years old that my Doc insisted I get an Echo to check out my heart to ensure I wasn’t elevating my HR too high. So it was diagnosed at 4.5 cm and a Bi-cuspid valve. My Vascular surgeon suggested I limit my HR to under 150 (my max was about 175) and to keep an eye on my blood pressure which average about 120/70.
So the last 8 years (I’m now 70) I followed his advice with HR limits but kept doing medium to heavy weights with the intent of building strength for a 200 meter race. Then this last year I was training pretty high for the World Master’s Canoe Kayak Championships. This included pull ups; pushups; 5-7’ planks; Bench Presses, etc etc. All things I shouldn’t be doing with my condition. Thought I wasn’t informed of this. It was only after that I started reading this chat that I’m learning. This. I also starting taking 10mg creatine about a year ago; put on 5 lbs and started seeing some great gains with muscle growth and strength.
So then when I was told my aneurism has increased to 4.7cm is when I felt it times to get more info on what I was to expect. So now I still train; reduced my kayak workouts to 70 of max and have kept my highend in zone 3. To put that in perspective my on water workout would be 12 x 3 min at 70% with a 1 min breaks. Then followed by 30 min in my gym with sets of 50 reps with weights about 40% of what they were before. So now working more on endurance rather than strength.!
I alternate days so that one day it’s 50 min of kayak and the next day 50 min of walking on a treadmill at a 15 degree incline at a speed that keeps my HR in zone 3. This has been going on now for 3 months and I actually love how I feel.