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Just comeback from my check up

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derrick02146
derrick02146

Just got back from my yearly check up

Found out these check ups have been contracted out, not being done by the marvelous NHS, the staff have lost their jobs with the NHS, but are now with this new company

The same staff will still be doing the scans

My check up revealed mine has gone up from 3.5 to 3.6 now, nothing really to worry about

Now I don't know if there are anyone in these discussions to talk about exercise, but I still use the gym (yes even at 68 there is still room for me there)

Just waned to know about the types of exercise I can carry on doing, I use the rowing machine (30 minutes, fairly hard, 34-36 strokes per minute) then weights,

bench press 80 kilos, for 8-10 reps, 3 sets,

pull downs, wide grip, 45 kilos, 4 sets, 8-10 reps

flyes, 15 kilos, 3 sets, 8-10 reps

then to finish off leg raises, chest high, 3-4 sets, 10-12 reps

I also  do pull overs, 25 kilos, 8-10 reps, it really stretches my chest out

Now is this doing me any good or killing me ?

Meanwhile I am happy with going to the gym, just not the time I have to go (6 am) to avoid the trafic

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • derek76
    derek76 derrick02146

    Posted

    Where are you and what is the new company called ? Are they still being done at the NHS hospital?

    I have an AAA and I commented to the person doing my last scan that the national screening programme for men over 65 must have increased their workload. She said that they do not do it at the hospital and did not know where or who is doing it. I don't know if that is general or just in our area.

    Our hospital does not own the MRI scanner. The company who own it have about 34 others around S.E. England.

     

    • derrick02146
      derrick02146 derek76

      Posted

      Hi Derek76 & caroljb12

      I don't know the new company (I am in  the UK) but  anyone in the UK will get a letter

      I have mine done in a clinic, they are there once a week just to do these scans, but the people who did my scan I have never met them before, but still nurses

      I put myself for new staff to do further scans n me, just so they can get practice in and can log it with a known size (plus I get extra scansbiggrin)

      They cant get enough people to do these extra scans, so its nice to help them out, I don't have any problem getting there or parking, its about 2 miles from me

      With my exercises down the gym, its just what I have done over the years, okay I don't go as mad as I used to do, the years do take their toll

      I haven't had any doctor or nurse tell me not to do any exercise, I just use a bit of common sense, I used to bench 100kg, and squat 150kg, but no more

      I still use the rowing machine (I get regular emails from Concept 2, rowing machines website) they send me a workout every day, 3 kinds, easy, medium, heavy, just take your choice and how you feel on the day which one you use, I usually go for the middle one, I have no idea what Mondays email will be though

      In my mind the rowing machine give a whole body workout, arms, legs chest, bag and give the heart and lungs a good work out (I am 68, by the way) so I start and finish with it  (10 minutes start up, 20 minutes finish) the rest is with weights, I am generally in there just over an hour or so

      I don't take any medications, unless you include cod liver oil, vitamin C, iron pills

      My wife also use the rowing machine, and just light weights, but shedloads more reps, she also uses the running machine and stepper, lots of stomach exercises as well (trying to lose the gut

      I prepare all or food from fresh or frozen, lots of chicken, but food is a personal choice I thinkconfused

  • caroljb12
    caroljb12 derrick02146

    Posted

    Hi Derrick, sounds like you got a pretty good checkup. I have a question regarding your exercise regime. I have a thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm that measures 4.4 cm. I too go to a gym but my Dr told me not to do any bench presses or lift heavy overhead weights. I do lightweight curls and use the rowing machine. I have wondered about the rowing machine but have not ask my Dr about that. Did your Dr give you any recommendations regarding exercise? I am always interested to hear what others have been told. Thanks for your input. Carol
    • derek76
      derek76 caroljb12

      Posted

      He did not place any restrictions on it but as I'm 83 I don't do that much:-)  One problem I did have was that an osteopath did not want to treat me in case she burst it! I checked with the surgeon and he said that it was not a problem so I went to another osteopath.

      Are you taking any medications? I recently read that Losartan (BP med) slows growth down and that the Floroquinolone range of antibiotics can cause a burst within 61 days of taking it. Once past the 61 days the danger is evidently over. I use Google Alerts to send me reference to aortic aneurysms and other things that interest me.

      I did use a rowing machine when I was going to cardio rehab after my aortic valve was replace in 2012.

       

    • caroljb12
      caroljb12 derek76

      Posted

      I am not on any meds but check my blood pressure regularly. I think I will look into Losartan though and Google alerts. I asked the PA at my Dr office about the rowing machine and she told me it was alright as long as I kept the tension low. We just have to keep doing the best we can with the information that we have!
    • derek76
      derek76 caroljb12

      Posted

      I tried about every BP med when first diagnosed and all gave me bad side effects until starting verapamil (just constipation) and Losartan. Verarpamil was stooped after my second cardioversion as it brought my BP down too much.
    • derrick02146
      derrick02146 caroljb12

      Posted

      Hi Caroljb12

                          I always use the rowing machine in my gym, its pretty good for cardio and building stamina, but just take it steady if you haven't used it before, I'd say strokes per minute, about 30 would be fine, you could drop down if that too much

      I'd row 500 meters, 1 minute rest, then another 500 meters, try and do 3 sets, see how you feel, you should be out of breath but not panting

      My wife does 3 sets of 1000 meters, its something I got her into, but she don't have any triple A

      Sill haven't found anyone that can advise or tell me what I should or shouldn't be doing, so I can only assume there is no nurses, doctors or professional medical advisor in here, which to my thinking is kind of worrying, because all we are doing is advising each othercry

    • derek76
      derek76 derrick02146

      Posted

      Write to the vascular surgeon at your local hospital or the one where you have your scans.
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