Myocarditis

**jhawkin1** · 12-21-2007, 10:19 AM

I have recently come down with myocarditis which is the inflammation of the heart muscles (which acts much like a heart attack in the early stages). I've been in the hospital the past 5 days, and just got out. I need to preserve my muscle as much as I can, but obviously it's going to be tough to do that with restrictions of no lifting for 2-3 weeks and only able to walk as my cardio. In terms of my calories, how should i decrease them? little day by day or what? I do not want to gain too much body fat during this 3 week process, and loosing muscle is inevitable. any thoughts/suggestions?

**NordicNacho** · 12-21-2007, 12:28 PM

Hope you get better man. I would just try to eat a diet with enough protein in it don't stress the small shit like your build to much.

**jhawkin1** · 12-21-2007, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

Hope you get better man. I would just try to eat a diet with enough protein in it don't stress the small shit like your build to much.

Thanks Nordic, I will. Any suggestions on how I should taper off my calories? Should I decrease daily, weekly- I just don't want my body to go into catabolic mode where I'm either burning my muscle at a more rapid pace/increasing my body fat by starving my body. I think my plan of action is to gradually reduce my calories. Let me know what you think. I am still able to walk so I need to figure out a way to get a little bit of cardio in.

**tucker01** · 12-21-2007, 12:41 PM

I think the main concern should be getting your health back and eating adequate calories to help your body fight off any virus that caused this.

**P-funk** · 12-21-2007, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

I think the main concern should be getting your health back and eating adequate calories to help your body fight off any virus that caused this.

x2

You really need to be concerned with bringing inflamation down. I would ask your physician if they can refer you to a registered dietician who specializes in heart problems so that you can make sure you are eating proper foods to help decrease your symptoms.

The last thing you should be worried about is the preservation of muscle mass.

**jayp1us** · 12-21-2007, 08:31 PM

I am a cardiology tech and a medic in the military so i see myocarditis on a daily basis. First and formost be smart. Allow your body to rest. I know this sucks but your heart needs rest more than your body may feel like it does. Myocarditis is nothing like a heart attack but it can feel like it. If you start to notice swelling in your feet and hands or if you have a harder time breathing let your doc know ASAP.
Be easy on the caffiene and salts. These can aggitate the effects of myocarditis. Just a heads up.

**P-funk** · 12-21-2007, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by jayp1us

I am a cardiology tech and a medic in the military so i see myocarditis on a daily basis. First and formost be smart. Allow your body to rest. I know this sucks but your heart needs rest more than your body may feel like it does. Myocarditis is nothing like a heart attack but it can feel like it. If you start to notice swelling in your feet and hands or if you have a harder time breathing let your doc know ASAP.
Be easy on the caffiene and salts. These can aggitate the effects of myocarditis. Just a heads up.

As a cardiology tech, what do you do? Cardiac rehab or assist the doctors, like a physicians assitant would?

**jhawkin1** · 12-22-2007, 11:22 AM

No exercise whatsoever for 3-4 weeks minimum (which obviously includes lifting with my Cardic Cath. I had done). The doctors told me that this stemmed from a viral infection along with the increased amount of cardio intensity. I really fucked up. I was in great shape and thought my health was untouchable so I decided to do HIIT training daily for about 20-25 minutes a day. I've learned something from this, and I will just get stronger from it. Should have taken advice given on this website. I was getting great results too, but health should never be waiverd for good looks and physique. I know better, and starting TODAY (not the new year) my life style will change on a perminant basis. Thanks.

**P-funk** · 12-22-2007, 01:52 PM

you did that daily?

**sensamilia** · 12-22-2007, 02:05 PM

keep your cals up, id suggest using liquids, and ur muscle will stick around for 3 weeks without training, longer than that im not sure.

**jhawkin1** · 12-22-2007, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by P-funk

you did that daily?

I used the HIIT method with a variety of different exercises- stairmaster, stadiums, and with reg. sprinting either on the tredmil or outside. Sometimes I would go to 2-a-days depending if I was lifting or not on that day. 3x a week on the resistance training.

**P-funk** · 12-22-2007, 05:14 PM

*sigh*

nobody ever listens.....there is such a thing as overtraining.

**jhawkin1** · 12-22-2007, 07:22 PM

It's too bad I had to find out the hard way, just glad to be alive. I've got my whole life to get back into shape the right way, I just need to be patient and get healthy again, which is easier said than done. I think I'll just walk on the tredmil at about a 3 mph pace.

**jayp1us** · 12-23-2007, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by P-funk

As a cardiology tech, what do you do? Cardiac rehab or assist the doctors, like a physicians assitant would?

Echocardiograms, Electrocardiograms, cath preperation, myocaridial perfusian scans, pet scans, ect. The hospital i work at is a teaching hospital so i really get to go beyond my scope of practice and learn a great deal.

**jhawkin1** · 12-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by jayp1us

Echocardiograms, Electrocardiograms, cath preperation, myocaridial perfusian scans, pet scans, ect. The hospital i work at is a teaching hospital so i really get to go beyond my scope of practice and learn a great deal.

The hospital i was at was also a teaching hospital...maybe that's why it took them 5 days to finally diagnose me.

**jayp1us** · 12-24-2007, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by jhawkin1

The hospital i was at was also a teaching hospital...maybe that's why it took them 5 days to finally diagnose me.

Not really. Myocarditis is very hard to diagnose especially on a young person (under 50) Symptoms present themselves very similar to alot of other diseases, hence the myocardial infarction symptoms. 5 days to diagnose that is actually pretty average, imo. It's not like pericarditis which is easy to diagnose with a echo. There can be ekg chances and they are a bit decieving. ah well, at least you got it figured out though man. Stay safe, seriously. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. If i don't have an answer i will find them out for you.

**jhawkin1** · 12-24-2007, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by jayp1us

Not really. Myocarditis is very hard to diagnose especially on a young person (under 50) Symptoms present themselves very similar to alot of other diseases, hence the myocardial infarction symptoms. 5 days to diagnose that is actually pretty average, imo. It's not like pericarditis which is easy to diagnose with a echo. There can be ekg chances and they are a bit decieving. ah well, at least you got it figured out though man. Stay safe, seriously. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. If i don't have an answer i will find them out for you.

Thanks for the help man, I just realized that myocarditis is the inside lining of the heart, so the ekg's and ct's would only show that pericarditis. Thanks for the clarification. I am feeling much better, and I did my first workout on the treadmill since the Sunday before last, walked for an hour 3.5 mph with incline increase every so often. No pain at all. Just waiting for the okay to be able to lift and run. Maybe in the next couple of weeks if i'm lucky.

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