My mom is 75 yrs. old and was hospitalized for fainting last year. To make a long story short, she was diagnosed with atrial firbrillation, and the doctors considered giving her a pacemaker if the drugs didn't make her heart rate more stable. It turns out the pacemaker wasn't needed. The medicine induced stress test indicated a slight blockage in one artery, the doctor would not put her on the treadmill test because he said her heart would never go up to the target heart rate.

She takes Coumadin, high blood pressure medicine, Provachol, and was given
a nitro patch to use if she gets chest pain. Her heart rate is maintaining a good level.

Last week she told me she was unhappy because she gained 7 pounds over the winter and she joined the gym. I told her maybe she should go to a medically supervised exercise center, but she thinks I'm being ridiculous.

She claims her doctor said it was ok to join, and just to walk on the treadmill slowly. I don't necessarily believe she asked him anything. She also plans to work on the weight machines, like the lat-pull downs (i'm not sure what you call them). I was under the impression that forms needed to be filled out in the gym and if you have a medical problem you need a doctor's note to attend. She said since she had joined in the past before she was diagnosed
with a heart problem, and filled out the application then, the gym did not require another application when she re-joined.

Anyway, I was wondering if the exercises she is doing could have a detrimental effect on her blood pressure, or cause a heart attack, or stroke,
etc. Please don't tell me to ask her doctor, because she does not tell the truth about what she tells him, and if I call him, she will never speak to me again!

Thanks in advance for any comments or advice.

Hi,

My mother is 69 (70 in August) and she has suffered with A-Fib for many years. It has gotten worse over the years and the medication she used to take had to be changed as she had what they call a "Break-through" (Medication no longer worked)
My mom looks great for her age and is otherwise pretty healthy. She too has put on a few pounds over the past year and refuses to buy bigger pants! :D
Her doctor told her to buy a good pair of tennis/walking shoes and do the "Mall Walk". Many people go to their local mall (usually first thing in the morning when the main doors open, but before the stores open) and walk the mall. It helps keep them active without causing their heart rate to go too high. You might want to buy your mom a heart monitor. I have one that I use when I exercise. It's a band that goes around your chest with a wrist device that indicates your heart rate, minutes exercised and calories burned. That way she can monitor her numbers. You can buy these at any sporting goods or athletic store.
I would definately tell her not to over do it. She doesn't need to become a marathon runner or the next olympian, but light exercise (even really light weight work) would be good for her.
As long as she takes her medication (my mom's on Coumadin too) and has her blood levels checked on a regular bases, she should be OK. If she is stubborn and just has to go to the gym, I would go with her so you can keep an eye on her! ;)

Hi,

The monitor is a great idea, and I don't think she would object to it.
Forget about me going to the gym with her, I have a bad back and can't
do weights or treadmill. She runs out of the house early in the morning to go to the gym and to get away from me because I nag her about her health!

I am the one who insisted the doctor's perform a stress test when she was hospitalized, the cardiologist said it wasn't necessary, even with all her risk factors (high blood pressure, family history of heart disease, high cholesterol).
I told him you must be kidding me, I'm 52 and had a stress test with no risk factors, and you aren't going to give her one. After I opened my mouth,
he agreed to test her in two weeks.

Another cardilogist was at the test, and she was taken off the treadmill as soon as she started because her blood pressure skyrocketed and she had a fast heartbeat. At that point the cardiologist figured she had atrial fib. and
if it wasn't for me insisting on testing, she still would not know, or could have had a serious event.

Thanks so much for your response and best of health to you and your mom.

My mom tried to do the stress test too, but didn't last long. They chemically induced it and ended up doing it that way.
I unfortunately don't live near my mother. She is on the west coast and I am on the east coast. We are very close though, and I wish I was there to watch over her.
She's not much of an exerciser, but she does walk the mall. She is doing better now and hasn't had an A-fib episode in awhile.
Good luck with your mom - I know how hard it is when they are being stubborn!