Running whilst taking beta-blockers

Ps im assuming you cant do CAPD ???

Head Gone,

Thanks for the info.

My problem seems to be that if I take the BB early, I can't get my HR *above* 110 BPM. How does your run feel at 110 BPM?

Anyway, I collected another data point yesterday. I did my long run (9.3 miles, 93 minutes), again only taking the beta -blocker once I finished my run. I then took the BB once I got home. It felt good again and my HR was 130-135.

So I guess we're all a bit different.

Cheers,

Mikey

Glenn,

good luck with your BP check today :-)

Cheers,

Mikey

The thought of running a marathon with a bellyful of CAPD fluid sounds thoroughly uncomfortable, but I suppose it's better than pushing a dialysis machine.

Glad benz brought the transplant thing up - my first instinctive response was "have a transplant now, and you'll be just about recovered from the op in time to start training for the marathon at the turn of the year". But it's not that easy.

I suppose it's going to mean a lot of checking of blood and trying to get an accurate estimate of your fluid and electrolyte losses in sweat and breath during heavy prolonged exercise before planning your marahon regime. Or doing the entire marathon at walking pace with a few medical checks along the way (and no reason why you shouldn't - you still wouldn't be last and you'd get the biggest cheer anyway).

Cheers, V-rap (who knows practically zip about dialysis, although I once worked with a nurse who had had a transplant and used his old dialysis fistula as a chat-up line - "Wanna feel my vibrator?")

Mikey

Thanks for the thought. It was 130/86 and they're on the verge of throwing me out as a timewasting malinger :-). After a chat we agreed one more check in a month to be sure, but I'm more or less in the clear. It was 150 something over 104 back in May.

Glenn

Hmm, not sure I know that much about dialysis.
Would be interested to know what strategies you're using robokidney
Is your website working yet

Glenn, that's brilliant. You've brought your blood pressure from high to normal by your own efforts. If you're a timewasting malingerer, I wish I had more timewasting malingerers on my list.

You know now that if you stop exercising and get fat your blood pressure will go straight back up :-(

My belief in what I do was restored somewhat this morning - I saw a nice young woman (40-ish) who has lost lots of weight, started to exercise and cut out added salt since her BP was found to be high on a routine check and we had a chat about lifestyle a few months ago. She's not out of the woods yet, but she's on the way. Then a young Bangladeshi lass, on the point of leaving the room, said, "You don't know my mum, but she's got diabetes and kidney failure..." and I thought, yeah, where is this leading, and she went on, "My brother and me, we were wondering how to go about giving her one of our kidneys." Given the attitude of our local Asian communities to organ donation ("We'll take but we won't give"), I almost had to ask her to repeat what she'd said to make sure I'd heard correctly. Big hugs all round today.

Great story vrap
I had a nice day too inbetween crises
One of my dialysis nurses gave me a bottle of gin--not sure why
She said it was for all my support
Hope theyre not trying to tell me something

Mikey

When HR is around 110 run feels quite slow and very easy. I can get up to 160+ at end o long runs but very variable. Did Cardiff 10k at weekend in 62 mins with average of 129 and max when sprinting for finish of 140.

As you say we are all different. I take my tablets as the first thing I do in the morning for no other reason than I would probably forget them otherwise and I think it gives me consistency.

Keep up the good work and best of luck.

V-rap why don't more GP's give patients the option of trying to reduce BP by exercise and diet than by just dishing out pills. Both of my sister-in-laws (different GP's) are on medication, they were given no advice about losing weight, cutting down on salt, exercise etc.

WW, I hope all GPs DO give patients the option of trying to reduce blood pressure by lifestyle adaptations before ploughing in with the pills - we are strongly encouraged by those who write the guidelines of such matters (the British Hypertension Society in this instance) to advise at least three months of trying exercise, weight reduction and salt restriction before using medication - and I allow a bit longer if the person is making good progress.

I see the opposite problem. It's dead easy to pop a handful of pills every morning (I am sure some people estimate their personal worth according to how many pills they "have to" take each day) and go along to the doc every month or two to have a blood pressure check, and if you've really got the abdication of responsibility off to a fine art you can roll all 25 stone of your tobacco-scented flesh into the consulting room, scattering sausage roll crumbs in your wake (well, it's so tiring sitting for half an hour in the waiting room...got to keep my energy up) and, when your blood pressure is no lower than it was last time round, blame the doc for giving you the wrong pills. It's very, very difficult to sustain a diet and exercise programme when you live in a society that is screaming "eat, eat, eat, and don't bother moving" at you.

And it's true that a lot of GPs and practice nurses know zip about nutrition. It's not a glamorous, high-powered topic. The problem then is that the alternativists rub their palms and hijack sensible dietary advice to piggyback on to their ludicrous panaceas.

I'm sure there are some overly paternal GPs out here who don't like patients taking charge of their own health, but most of us try not to be like that.

Yes it is far easier to pop the pills, than to eat a sensible diet and maybe take some fresh air and a walk every day, I could quite happily slap my sisters-in-law with a wet fish at their lazy attitude and sheer stupidity, specially when they have seen my husband do it with just a little effort. And your comment about practice nurses, one said it was ok to have OXO drinks as BP was down, aren't they loaded with salt?

I read the posting yesterday from Robokidney, what a star, as are the rest who are trying their best to get of the pills.

Sorry to be quiet - just spent the last 48 in Kettering General (abdominal adhesions).

Benz - no I can't do CAPD. 20 odd years ago I had a laparotomy to sort out a twisted intestine which left my peritoneal membrane in a bit of a mess (my insides don't love me anymore, they are always trying to finish me off). Your dialysis nurses might be nice to your face but do you know what they say behind your back? most nurses I have met are pretty withering about docs.

v-rap - I really want to do this pre-transplant, I know a number of people who have been waiting over 10 years for a graft. transplants are down 15% already this year (bloody speed cameras), if you wait for a transplant then you may well wait for a long time. Besides, keeping fit means that my immune system is very good - that is a bad thing for transplants (immunosuppressant drugs (cyclosporin etc) are toxic to kidneys - that is why all transplants fail sooner or later). When they call you in for a possible transplant, they have you 2 or 3 at a time and cross-match your cells with the donors, the people whose immune system kicks in first are sent home - it's a cruel but necessary twist.

web site still not working - they are moving it to a new server.
must go to bed - two nights in hospital leave me knackered

hey Robo, good to hear fromyou!
My dialysis nurse colleagues are rude to my face, and Im right rude back
Hope youre feeling better soon and running again
Ruthxx

Glad you're back, RoboKidney!

Three years ago I was over weight and unfit. I joined a gym where the initial assessment showed that I had high BP. I saw my GP, who put me on a low fat diet and encouraged me to continue with the gym. I lost 3 stone but my BP was still high. I was referred to a consultant who wired me up and took loads of measurements whilst I walked/jogged on a traedmill. I was then proscribed 50mg Atenolol. Gradually my BP came down.

I take my tablet after breakfast each morning but do not exercise until evening or late afternoon on a weekend. I have not noticed any difference and don't intend to experiment!! I alternate each evening between gym work and running (max 6 miles).

I'm lucky I have a brilliant GP, he tried everything before putting me on tablets and encourages me to keep exercising. He is also a member of the same gym as me where we occasionally work-out together.

I've read thru this thread with great interest. I've been a fairly serious competitive runner for about 20 years, am not overweight and have a good diet. About 5 yrs ago, following a medical check, my BP was found to be high. After several sessions wearing a 24 hr BP monitor (which in itself is enough to send the BP high!) I was diagnosed with Hypertension and prescribed a cocktail of pills, including a BetaBlocker. To cut a long story short, I am still taking them, and my BP is now in the normal range and under control. My GP, although a great Doctor, doesn't really understand my passion for running and the effect these pills may be having on me. But they seem to have dramatically affected my performances (running that is!). Up to now I've accepted it, and thought that maybe it was the aging effect or lack of training, but having read your thoughts I'm now back to blaming the pills!
Before I started the medication, I used to get my HR up to 160+ , but now struggle to reach 130. I also seem to tire very quickly on hills, mud and tough conditions generally.
I take the pills first thing in the morning immediately before breakfast. At weekends I often run before breakfast (before the pills) but weekdays I run in the evening (10 hrs after the pills). I cannot see any pattern as to when I feel good or bad.
But thanks for the list of alternatives to Beta Blockers. Next time I visit my GP I'll discuss them with him.