Fatigue, Heart Problems and lack of oxygen

[Pumpupthejam]

Hi everyone.

I'm a 24 year old guy and have had the worst 2 years of my life (2007 and 2008) with a heart problem, which is Atrial Fibrilliation.

Yes I've been to the doctor and been put on every kind of pill you can imagine and they just made me worse, sick and feel real shitty. I lost alot of weight. I lost faith even in the Cardiology Department at Christchurch Hospital. They just wanted to try every sort of damn pill on me. So I havnt been to see them since and have gone 'natural' to try and beat this pain in the arse of a problem.

4 months ago I joined the gym to get healthier and stronger and to put on some weight, I am now weight training.

Every day varies......very often while I'm lifting weights I'll become knackered real quick, and fail to recieve an adequate supply of oxygen to finsish a set. Not to mention the pounding of my heart after every lift.

THe doctors have failed me and I refuse to let this problem destroy my goal to get bulked up and fit.

I have been a fit young man all my life but my heart went awol 2 years ago after I had a puff on a joint. I ended up in an ambulance feeling like I was going to die from a heart attack.

I have no family history of heart disease of any kind.

Its pathetic. I now avoid any fizzy drinks and tea, coffee etc as it aggrivates my heart.

I was just wondering if anyone else who goes to the gym has any heart problems and if theres anything I could take, supplement wise etc to get rid of this fatigue and breathlessness, or at least something that would give me some energy before I start lifting.

Food is not enough, its not providing me with any real kind of 'energy buzz'.

I'm really sick and tired of hitting this brick wall each time. Its getting on my tits.

I'm considering taking creatine. Any advice?

Cheers and thanks for reading.

[atlam]

Don't muck around with your heart! If you are not happy with the docter find another. I don't think you should get advise for this off a message board. The consequences could be horrid

[teamfatboy]

:ditto: Much as I hate to say it, there's a coupla things I'd really recommend sticking with the experts on - and the heart's one of them. Sure, there are some talented, experienced folks on here, but all I know about hearts is that when it goes wrong, it goes wrong bad, and real quick.

Get a second opinion, if you don't like it, get a third...but get professional help until it comes right.

[Pumpupthejam]

Thanks for the replies.

I understand where you are coming from.

I was told of 2 options I could take:

1. Shock treatment (they attach electrodes and shock your heart to try and get it back in normal rythm)

2. An operation where they burn certain spots in your heart.

As you can imagine, I'm a bit hesitant on the scond option as there are risks.

I think I'm going to try the 1st one.

But the heart aside, can you guys recommend any supplements etc for energy and anti-fatigue?

[biggurl27]

ha ha straight answer is no, you are pretty much not allowed to take anything unless it is first ok'd by your doc, too dangerous

[Pumpupthejam]

ha ha straight answer is no, you are pretty much not allowed to take anything unless it is first ok'd by your doc, too dangerous

Hi, I'm referring to something bodybuilders take for energy, i.e some sort of protien drink or something. I'm sorry if I didnt make my question that clear.

[INSPECTOR64]

ha ha straight answer is no, you are pretty much not allowed to take anything unless it is first ok'd by your doc, too dangerous

Hi, I'm referring to something bodybuilders take for energy, i.e some sort of protien drink or something. I'm sorry if I didnt make my question that clear.

Mate,no one here wants to be responsible for you dropping dead during your workout let alone flaking out while traveling to the gym.You need clearance from your doc first......Oh yeah welcome aboard to :grin:

[2guns]

welcome,

are u after sum energy pills?

[INSPECTOR64]

welcome,

are u after sum energy pills?

Sick cnut :shock:

[Pumpupthejam]

ha ha straight answer is no, you are pretty much not allowed to take anything unless it is first ok'd by your doc, too dangerous

Hi, I'm referring to something bodybuilders take for energy, i.e some sort of protien drink or something. I'm sorry if I didnt make my question that clear.

Mate,no one here wants to be responsible for you dropping dead during your workout let alone flaking out while traveling to the gym.You need clearance from your doc first......Oh yeah welcome aboard to :grin:

Cheers. My issue with my doctor is over the BS pills he wants to flog me, probably to get money.

As with my heart, I can take ANYTHING. What I'm saying is, if I drink cafenated drinks etc it irritates it.

Im fine to take supplements I'm already on Mutant Mass but I'm not getting much energy from it, if any.

Would creatine help me get some pep to lift some weights? Cheers.

[Pumpupthejam]

ha ha straight answer is no, you are pretty much not allowed to take anything unless it is first ok'd by your doc, too dangerous

I can take anything I just refused to take any new bullshit pill he was offering me, as they are complete crap and dont work.

I know my body better than him.

Since being off the pills ive felt so much better. But my heart will still go out of rythm. Im used to it.

[Pseudonym]

The problem is that a lot of energy supplements contain heaps of caffeine, synephrine and other stimulants that you absolutely should steer clear of. Most of them have lengthy warning labels saying "DO NOT USE IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING..."

Creatine is probably something you could try with no ill-effects. As far as I know, it has nothing to do with heart function - but please ask your doctor first! Don't expect to see massive improvements either. It won't stop you getting out of breath, but it might help the muscles recover quicker between sets. The other thing to be wary of is the creatine+stimulant combo which is quite popular. Make sure you just get plain creatine.

Hope that helps. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for you.

[Varven]

Im with the rest here, dont touch ANY supplements which alter your metabolism or give you energy. Mainly because anything that gives you energy uses stimulants that increase your resting heart rate ...

whey, creatine and EFA's / L glutamine should be ok.

However the tiredness you experience as I understand cannot be countered with any supplements because it is caused by irrythmic heart contractions.

I suppose using a 100% oxygen feed could help but that is not very practical when working out is it ?

Why don't you give the cardiology department in Auckland a chance?

Also, did this occur on your first hit off the joint?

Cannabis is known to cause fluctuations in blood pressure.... so I think it just triggered it.

What did the doc say?

Did you participate in intensive sport prior... like in school or similar?

Hope things clear up!

[Flex]

Unfortunately I don't think there's any way of naturally fixing the problem however you should be able to manage it well enough. I gather you've been using beta blockers to help regulate your heart rhythm. They tend to make you feel quite tired and don't do much for training. My brother has the same heart condition as you and uses beta blockers, he still manages to weight train, however drinks a ton of coffee to keep himself going.

I know he doesn't feel particularly flash on them 100% of the time, but it's certainly better than feeling like he's having a heart attack.

Your best bet for having a fighting chance in optimising energy levels is to make your diet 100% and ensure adequate recovery - no simple sugars (white sugar, white bread, refined carbs or anything that comes in a box), no soft drinks or energy drinks, eat small regular meals with healthy protein in each meal, no hydrogenated or trans fats (essentially no fast foods, biscuits, protein bars, margarine etc), good healthy fats like flaxseed, fish oils, avocado, olive, nuts and seeds, plenty of water, and lots of fruit and vegetables. Plenty of sleep - at least 8 hours a night every night. After getting all this right, Coq10 and B Vitamins may help with general energy levels.

I think you also need to ensure that your training volume and intensity takes into account your heart condition and perhaps you need to regulate your training around how you feel. There's plenty of great athletes around with dodgy hearts so don't think you have to become a couch potato because of it, however you can't expect to gain or train the same way as someone with out your heart issues. If you choose not to use your medication, unless you can find something else to moderate your heart rhythm then you're training is probably always going to go bung.

[biggurl27]

Thank you Dr Varven :pfft:

Hi, I'm referring to something bodybuilders take for energy, i.e some sort of protien drink or something. I'm sorry if I didnt make my question that clear.

Pumpupthejam you'll be sweet incorporating a protein powder in your diet to assist with recovery and may help with energy levels. When you are excercising regularly in conjunction with a good healthy diet (6-8 small meals per day) and protein powder you may feel your energy levels lift, the fitter you are the healthier you feel. I use the PVL Weigh MAXX which is quite nice and not too expensive.

What's your diet like ATM?

[auck_builder]

Did your cond get picked up on a ECG test?

[Pumpupthejam]

Im with the rest here, dont touch ANY supplements which alter your metabolism or give you energy. Mainly because anything that gives you energy uses stimulants that increase your resting heart rate ...

whey, creatine and EFA's / L glutamine should be ok.

However the tiredness you experience as I understand cannot be countered with any supplements because it is caused by irrythmic heart contractions.

I suppose using a 100% oxygen feed could help but that is not very practical when working out is it ?

Why don't you give the cardiology department in Auckland a chance?

Also, did this occur on your first hit off the joint?

Cannabis is known to cause fluctuations in blood pressure.... so I think it just triggered it.

What did the doc say?

Did you participate in intensive sport prior... like in school or similar?

Hope things clear up!

Hey Varven. Cheers for the advice.

I have smoked weed a few times and its always made my heart go abnormally fast. I guess one night I thought to myself "bollocks to it, I'm gunna have a puff, I'll be fine, maybe I was just nervous or something last time."

And BANG. I completely shit myself. (Figure of speech.) My heart went so fast it was horrible. "Ended up in hospital wriithing in agony.

I have been playing soccer since I was 7 years old, I'm a very sporty person, or was until I reached 16. Yeh I played for every local team where I lived and in school.

I'm gunna play soccer in Jan (training) and my heart is just a piece of shit. It always hurts. Doctors cant figure it out and reckon its to do with my chest muscles which is complete crap...its my heart!

Since then I've had nothing but problems with it. Cant figure it out. All my mates smoked weed like troopers and I have 2 poncy puffs and I feel like I'm having a heart attack.

I wish I could rip the f*cker out.

[Pumpupthejam]

Did your cond get picked up on a ECG test?

Hi. Yes several times. But it proves inconclusive each time. I've lost count the number of ECGs I've had. I've had a heart scan, the echo scan thing and my heart is fine in terms of having no serious problem.

But I was told Atrial Fibrilliation, which is what i have, can cause blood clots leading to a stroke. Fantastic!!!

[Pumpupthejam]

The problem is that a lot of energy supplements contain heaps of caffeine, synephrine and other stimulants that you absolutely should steer clear of. Most of them have lengthy warning labels saying "DO NOT USE IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING..."

Creatine is probably something you could try with no ill-effects. As far as I know, it has nothing to do with heart function - but please ask your doctor first! Don't expect to see massive improvements either. It won't stop you getting out of breath, but it might help the muscles recover quicker between sets. The other thing to be wary of is the creatine+stimulant combo which is quite popular. Make sure you just get plain creatine.

Hope that helps. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for you.

THanks. Yeah its a royal pain in the bum. THe worse of it is when I am sitting down not doing anything and its worse, this knawing pain.

[Pumpupthejam]

Unfortunately I don't think there's any way of naturally fixing the problem however you should be able to manage it well enough. I gather you've been using beta blockers to help regulate your heart rhythm. They tend to make you feel quite tired and don't do much for training. My brother has the same heart condition as you and uses beta blockers, he still manages to weight train, however drinks a ton of coffee to keep himself going.

I know he doesn't feel particularly flash on them 100% of the time, but it's certainly better than feeling like he's having a heart attack.

Your best bet for having a fighting chance in optimising energy levels is to make your diet 100% and ensure adequate recovery - no simple sugars (white sugar, white bread, refined carbs or anything that comes in a box), no soft drinks or energy drinks, eat small regular meals with healthy protein in each meal, no hydrogenated or trans fats (essentially no fast foods, biscuits, protein bars, margarine etc), good healthy fats like flaxseed, fish oils, avocado, olive, nuts and seeds, plenty of water, and lots of fruit and vegetables. Plenty of sleep - at least 8 hours a night every night. After getting all this right, Coq10 and B Vitamins may help with general energy levels.

I think you also need to ensure that your training volume and intensity takes into account your heart condition and perhaps you need to regulate your training around how you feel. There's plenty of great athletes around with dodgy hearts so don't think you have to become a couch potato because of it, however you can't expect to gain or train the same way as someone with out your heart issues. If you choose not to use your medication, unless you can find something else to moderate your heart rhythm then you're training is probably always going to go bung.

Hey Flex. Yeh I've been on most beta-blockers-Sotalol, Propanalol etc.

Yeh, they all made me feel like shit and lowered my blood pressure. THey do keep your heart more or less in rythm but I had a constant pain from them, and could hear little crackles in my heart beats when I listened with a stethascope. (I bought one haha.)

I find that I have less pain when working out.

Cheers for the advice.

This sounds really stupid, but the 'knawing' pain I have gets me so wound up sometimes that I literally punch my chest where my heart is, screaming at it to sort itself out and give me a god damn break.

[Pumpupthejam]

Thank you Dr Varven :pfft:

Hi, I'm referring to something bodybuilders take for energy, i.e some sort of protien drink or something. I'm sorry if I didnt make my question that clear.

Pumpupthejam you'll be sweet incorporating a protein powder in your diet to assist with recovery and may help with energy levels. When you are excercising regularly in conjunction with a good healthy diet (6-8 small meals per day) and protein powder you may feel your energy levels lift, the fitter you are the healthier you feel. I use the PVL Weigh MAXX which is quite nice and not too expensive.

What's your diet like ATM?

Hey. My diet is not too flash at the mo.

I have just got my visa extended so have been out of work for a while. I know all the good foods to eat I'm just waiting for Jan 2009 to roll round so I can crack on with it.

I think its just a case of biting the bullet and riding thru it.

[biggurl27]

Eat better and you won't feel as tired, its that easy

[Pumpupthejam]

Eat better and you won't feel as tired, its that easy

Cool.

[agent86]

I have the same problem as you and have ended up once in hospital with heart rate of 180 which took 2 hours to bring down. Thought I was going to die . Have had it all my life and the hospital said it it is quite common and sent me home with some Beta-Bolockers. Dont use them as they have bad side effects.

I regularly have irregular heartbeats where the heart seems to stop for 5 seconds and then give a few strong beats and then go back to normal.

It gets worse with stress and sickness especially lung infections. After doing an overseas trip with a lung infection and getting jet lag my heart was in trouble for a full day. Rest and antibiotics cleared it up.

You are not alone with this problem so don't get too worried. True there are possible effects such as death but they are very rare. Sometimes it can be a sign of heart problems but if you have had tests then it is probably just something you have to live with. It shouldn't be causing problems of breathlessness all the time unless the palpitations are happening while training. Are you doing cardio to help with the extra demands of weight training?

[Pumpupthejam]

I have the same problem as you and have ended up once in hospital with heart rate of 180 which took 2 hours to bring down. Thought I was going to die . Have had it all my life and the hospital said it it is quite common and sent me home with some Beta-Bolockers. Dont use them as they have bad side effects.

I regularly have irregular heartbeats where the heart seems to stop for 5 seconds and then give a few strong beats and then go back to normal.

It gets worse with stress and sickness especially lung infections. After doing an overseas trip with a lung infection and getting jet lag my heart was in trouble for a full day. Rest and antibiotics cleared it up.

You are not alone with this problem so don't get too worried. True there are possible effects such as death but they are very rare. Sometimes it can be a sign of heart problems but if you have had tests then it is probably just something you have to live with. It shouldn't be causing problems of breathlessness all the time unless the palpitations are happening while training. Are you doing cardio to help with the extra demands of weight training?

Hey. Yeh I too have ended up in hospital several times with racing heart etc.

I do alot of running now. I'm going to really sort things out for 2009 i.e top notch diet more running etc.

Yes I do alot of cardio and it really helps my heart. When I am not doing exercise thats when it mostly hurts.

I get those pauses in my heart beats then it thump thumps and goes back into rythm.

Before I used to go to gym, I would wake up with a racing heart gasping for air. Id have to sit up and sometimes hang my head out of my bedroom window.

Yeh the beta blockers dont do anything for me. They are horrible. Are you on beta blockers now?

Any history of family heart problems?