Heart Disease Community

I walk or ride a bike for 1 hour a day , 5 or 6 days a week but gaining back weight.

Congratulations!

How about the diet. Are you eating the wrong foods or too much?

In my case it was portion control.

Hi:

......"but gaining back weight"

Worth mentioning here, as applicable to the patient, some prescription meds, especially beta-blockers, unfortunately may/can prevent weight loss, or encourage/promote weight gain, reported as being presumably by either increasing/stimulating the appetite, slowing the metabolic rate, or causing fluid retention or build-up (edema, such as in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, face). Also noteworthy, the chance of this side effect has little or no connection with how much weight one is likely to gain.

Here's some good info/resources for you.

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

USFDA

People look at food labels for different reasons. But whatever the reason, many consumers would like to know how to use this information more effectively and easily.....

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/NFLPM/ucm274593.htm
Heart-Healthy Foods

Nothing complicated, just plain and simple

AVOID foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. CHOOSE skim or low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and reduced-fat cheeses. Eat more fish and poultry. LIMIT servings to five to seven ounces a day. TRIM visible fat. Limit egg yolks. SUBSTITUTE two egg whites for one whole egg or use an egg-substitute. Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, breads and cereals. USE LESS salt and fat. SEASON WITH herbs and spices rather than with sauces, gravies and butter.

"It's been 5 months since my 5 bypass surgery."

The bottom line

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is jsut a clever way to temporarily circumvent the problem (atherosclerosis) as it doesn't address the disease process and what drives the progression.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a lifelong unpredictable (may/can exhibit periods of stabilization, acceleration and even some regression) condition requiring a continuum of care, as well as good doctor-patient/patient-doctor communication and understanding at ALL times.

Best of luck down the road of life.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)

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Be-well informed

WebMD

Living with Heart Disease

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

CAD is a chronic disease with no cure. When you have coronary artery disease, it is important to take care of your......

This is especially true if you have had an interventional procedure or......

Recognize the symptoms. Reduce your risk factors. Take your medications. See your doctor for regular check-ups......

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/living-with-heart-disease

Coronary artery anatomy

Starting with the left anterior descending (LAD), the most critical, next to the ultra-critical left main (LM).

http://www.heartsite.com/html/lad.html

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Good to know, for the primary and secondary prevention of heart attack and brain attack/stroke

Epidemiologic studies (EDS) have revealed risk factors (encompasses some new, novel or emerging) for atherosclerosis, typically affecting the carotid, coronary and peripheral arteries, which includes age, gender, genetics (gene deletion, malfunction or mutation) , diabetes (considered as being the highest risk factor), smoking (includes second and thirdhand), inactivity, obesity (a global epidemic, "globesity"), high blood pressure (hypertension), Low HDL (now questionable, according to recent studies) high LDL, small, dense LDL, RLP (remnant lipoprotein), high Lp(a), high ApoB, high Lp-PLA2, high triglycerides, HDL2b, high homocysteine (now questionable), and high C-reactive protein (CRP/hs-CRP).

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As applicable to the patient

Cardiac Rehab

WebMD/Healthwise

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/tc/cardiac-rehabilitation-topic-overview

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Quote!

"Be a questioning patient. TALK to your DOCTOR and ASK QUESTIONS. Studies show that patients who ask the most questions, and are most assertive, get the best results. Be vigilant and speak up!"

- Charles Inlander, People's Medical Society

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It's your future......be there.

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WebMD/WebMD forums DOES NOT provide medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment.

I eat too big of portions of foods that are good for me. When i eat things that are bad for me like a hamburger, i only eat half and dont eat frys. but I eat somthing bad for me every day along with the things that are good (oatmeal)
I really dont have a clue how to eat right. My wife had a car accident 5 years ago and had a massive head injury, she does pretty well taking care of house and such but can not cook anymore. I work 10 hours a day and just try best i can to eat right. best i can is a cop out.

Thanks for all the info. I have swelling in legs (both) . they only took vein out of one leg but both still swelling 5 months later. My regular doctor told me I will have to take lasix the rest of my life. I am 47.

I really dont have a clue how to eat right

I think that you do, or at least have a good start.

Few foods are really bad when eaten in moderation.

Like 1/2 hamburger, sans fries. And if you can get it on a whole grain (whole wheat bun) or even not eat the bun.

And learn the portion sizes and only put that amount on your plate and put the remainder away.

I like a Mediterranean style diet. It is not a low fat diet, but rather low saturated fat diet.

Lean protein mostly from chicken, fish, low fat dairy, and beans.

Good fats from things like olive oil, nuts, and avocados.

Limits refine and simple carbs - sugar, white flour products, potatoes.

And lots and lots of vegies and fruit.

Your post is a fascinating study of how a person "transitions" from one lifestyle to another, more empowering, one...


It's clear (to me) that you have a sufficient understanding how lifestyle can have a profound impact on full (not, half-assed) recovery from heart bypass surgery...

By saying you wish you could be as "disciplined as a lot of you guys", clearly, tells me that you know what you should be doing and it ain't what you are doing, now. Also, the fact that you're participating in this forum says you are looking for information to help you make a move.

That comment, " I work 10 hours a day and just try best i can to eat right. best i can is a cop out", really says it all. Its gotten to the point that even you can't stand the denial, anymore. You mentioned a comment your doctor made to you... "I will have to take lasix the rest of my life."

and, you're only 47?

Doesn't that sound a little fatalistic to you? Doesn't that sound the least bit "defeatist" coming from your own doctor?... The chief adviser of your "recovery" team?

Again, you wouldn't have mentioned it, if you did not know that's a load of pig hooey. That, you can still turn the tide and take charge of your life, if you wanted to...



I don't know what you will do, 47andcounting, but I sure hope you won't be counting time the rest of your life. Especially, when you damn well know what the right thing to do is...and, you can't figure out if you're deserving.

btw, sounds like you have a wife who wants to try. Lucky you, my friend. Lucky you!

Congratulations on keeping up a consistent exercise regimen after surgery - that's fantastic.

While some people find it more straightforward to stick with an exercise program, a healthier diet can sometimes be more challenging.

A few ideas to get you started:

1) Given that you have a busy schedule, try to reduce the variety in what you have for breakfast and lunch. If you put together just a couple of heart-healthy meals that you can prepare ahead of time, then you don't have the temptation to make spontaneous decisions which aren't as good for you. Bringing lunch from home will be a lot healther than getting food from take-out, drive-through's, or vending machines.

2) Avoid liquid calories. In general, no one needs to get calories from liquids - I'm thinking about juices and sodas primarily here. If you like coffee, try to transition to drinking it without sugar and creamer. Skim milk should do the trick.

3) Write down what you eat for a week - you will be amazed at how some unhealthy foods find their way into your routine without you even realizing it - then you can focus on those things while continuing the things that work.

Even though you are 5 months past surgery, you might find it helpful to talk to your doctor about cardiac rehabilitiation - less for the exercise component but more for the counseling regarding diet - alternatively a referral to a dietician or nutritionist could be really helpful.

Take care -
Dr. B

I will chime in, too.

If gaining weight, you are taking in more calories than you are using. Might not be pedaling that bike as hard as you could.

Calories to reduce ? Best choice are those with few nutrients. And that would be the fats. Aim to eat more foods high in anti-oxidants. That's the best way to stop progression of artery disease.

Not eating that whole wheat bun ? Less calories there than the burger, and no fat. You are better of with the bun and no burger. Go for a grilled chicken sandwich instead on a wheat bun, with lettuce, tomato and onion. Mustard yes, hold the mayo. Eat the bun. Fiber and other nutrients.

DMW
On a very low fat, very high anti-oxidant diet for 6 1/2 years since a Friday the 13th emergency triple bypass, January 2006. With trouble maintaining weight, and high fitness.

You're welcome.

"I have swelling in legs (both) . they only took vein out of one leg but both still swelling 5 months later."

Focusing in general on the leg in which the greater saphenous vein (GSV) was removed for use as coronary artery bypass conduits, more often than not, there are no major problems, as there are many so-called "redundant veins" in the leg, thus other veins take over/are suppose to take over, perform the same function.

Swelling (edema), leg pain, or both, can occur after the paticular surgery and continue on for a variable length of time (as everyone is unique), in some cases, being quite difficult to resolve.

As applicable to the patient, if say, one has clinically significant or severe peripheral artery disease (PAD), this can make matters worse and delay or prevent full healing and recovery.

My father had quad bypass in his late 70s to avoid a major heart attack, and the only lingering problem he had after recovery was that part of the long incision area (where the GSV was removed), where the knee bends, never healed properly, was reddened, slighly swollen, and somewhat painful.

Take good care,

CardioStar*

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It's your future......be there.

Thank you all for the info and insight. I am going to take it one day at a time. Eating has always been a problem in my family, my entire family mother , father, sister , uncles , everyone is over weight. I played football on into college and it was always eat eat eat gain weight get sronger and bigger. Then all of the sudden its all over your 30 somthing then 40 somthing and still eating like im in college. I am determined to change for the sake of my unborn grandchildren. My dad died at 49 of heart attack 23 years ago and never got to know his 7 grandchildren. Thats not going to happen to me.