Doc told me to stop lifting??!!!??

BigVrunga

BigVrunga

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Let me make a long story short...

Went to the doctor last month, first checkup in like 10 yrs. (Im 27 now). My blood pressure is a little high 134/78. I had a heart murmur (something else I didnt know about), but when in for an echocardiogram and everything turned out normal.

So I go back in for a follow up today, get my blood pressure checked. Same deal. After talking with the doc, he says Im hypertensive and suggests medication. (Norvasc 5mg). Im not surprised. My mother, and her mother and father, all had high blood pressure. My old man's got type 2 diabetes/high blood pressure.

I dont have a problem taking a little pill to prevent problems down the road, but then the doc told me I should stop lifting.

Now, I cant do that. Ill stop maxing out on leg presses and deadlifts every month or so, but Im not going to stop bodybuilding. Ive come way too far.

I know that my BP isnt that high, I havent reall done any cardio in a long time (Ive started this past month, however). I watch my diet like a hawk...Im thinking a good cardiovascular regimen should bring it down some.

But what the hell! Stop lifting altogether? Dosent that sound a bit extreme? And these friggin pills are $30 a month even with my insurance...

First I have to start life an ecto, now this. Boy, did I get the shitty end of the gene stick:)

Im off to the gym...

BigV
 
TheChosen1

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Your health is more important than lifting, bro. And trust me, I'm in the same boat as you.

Back in Dec., 1994, I had a 2nd surgery on my left knee for torn legiments and cartilege. My doctor advised me to stop powerlifting and, by all means, no more squats. He suggested to begin bodybuilding instead.

Well, no offense to you or any of the other bodybuilders on the board but I used to do it when I started lifting but have since lost interest and preferred powerlifting. As suggested by the doctor, I began bodybuilding and stuck to the workouts without squats and only did lighter leg presses. But that stuck with me for only a month. I felt that I've built alot of strength and was wasting it on light weight lifts. So gradually, I began increasing the weights until I pretty much worked my way back to powerlifting. I even started doing squats again, or rather partial and half squats. The training worked out for 9 years.

Now, I am suffering with my right knee. I just got word from my doctor that the MRI shows torn meniscus. I've been out of the gym for 2 months already (suggested to avoid any workman comp investigations) and IT SUCKS ENORMOUSLY. It pisses me off because I expect to be out of work and the gym for about a half a year more now. And I'm sure that upon my next doctor visit, I will be advised to do bodybuilding again. That's if they allow me to lift at all now.
 
destro19

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Doctors are in business just like everyone else. No one goes to school all those years just so they can save people. They want people to be fat and out of shape so you can keep coming back. There just like high-class drug dealers. Doctors never fix you up on the 1st visit. They want you to keep coming back again and again. Ok so now you know the consequences if you lift. If you still want to than do it. If you’re scared then don't. It should be YOUR decision.
 

LunaHotel

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I dunno Vrunga. Seems to me like it is very extreme. Docs will have people quit lifting for no good reason IMO. I think for hypertension it is a little bit ludicrous to tell someone to stop doing exactly what keeps him in shape in the first place.

Personnally, I had a very bad hernia in my lower spine 10 years ago and the doc told me that I might very well end up in a wheelchair if I didn't quit lifting right away. I deadlifted my personal best 4 years after that. :D OK so that's one thing, everyone is different, etc. etc.

Still... I think you're MUCH better off doing some cardio and keeping on training just as you intend, and NOT going for PRs all the time on the heaviest lifts does sound like a good idea... I think you're spot on in your reasoning.

Also someone posted an article in the Nutrition forum about the causes of hypertension (remember, genetics is a PREDISPOSITION but in the case of hypertension it is by no means a GUARANTEE that you have to have it)... Which states that it is something like the ratio of sodium/potassium/calcium/magnesium which is more of a determinant in someone's blood pressure.

OK what I'm trying to say is... Why don't you just switch all salt to non-sodium salt equivalent, i.e. potassium chloride... That might very well fix you up good. ;)

Well that's just my 0.02 $ 'course.
 

msclbldrguy

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Vrunga,

I agree with Luna....and 134/78 isnt hypertensive. borderline hypertensive is 140/90. I know because about 10 years ago mine was 160/110. Now that is high. I think doc jumped the gun putting you on bp meds...i went to doc about a month ago and mine was just about like yours and they said it was fine.

I'd get a second opinion for sure...

and it cant b your age either....i see several guys in my gym in their 50's 60s and even 70s who lift and do just fine. and i'll b 30 in feb and still goin strong.

i had a torn rotator cuff and one doc told me the same thing. i went to another ortho on recommendation of a pt friend, had it fixed and shoulder is still doin great. same doc will repair a torn bicep tendon for me tomorrow. and his goal is to get me back lfitin like i want.

good luck bro and i would definitely keep liftin.
 

msclbldrguy

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Doctors are in business just like everyone else. No one goes to school all those years just so they can save people. They want people to be fat and out of shape so you can keep coming back. There just like high-class drug dealers. Doctors never fix you up on the 1st visit. They want you to keep coming back again and again. Ok so now you know the consequences if you lift. If you still want to than do it. If you’re scared then don't. It should be YOUR decision.
some of 'em are but not all. some are too trigger happy to tell ya to stop liftin when its the very thing you need tho.
 
BigVrunga

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Thanks for the responses guys. I remember when I got my BP taken in highschool it was high, and a few years ago I took it on my Dad's tester and it was high. I didnt think anything of it at the time, but as Ive become more involved with bodybuilding Ive become more involved with my overall health as well.

Ive always stayed away from salt, LunaHotel. I really dont put any on my food, I think the highest sodium-content food I eat would be the can of chunk light per day. Although, Ive been putting down 3000 - 4000 calories a day now for over a year and a half...Im sure at double the normal caloric intake, I may be exceeding the 2400mg/day suggested limit for sodium. I already track cals/pro/carb/fats religiously - looks like Ill start tracking cholesterol and sodium as well.

Damn, if this isnt an excuse to buy that $400 PocketPC, I dont know what is! (Have you SEEN what you can do with those things? They're a bodybuilder's dream come true!!):)

I agree with desto19 - medicine is an industry. And the prime goal of an industry is to make a profit. Ill go on these meds now to get the BP under control fast. But, Im definately going to look into other means of lowering it. Stress reduction, mineral ratios, etc.

I mean, if my BP was 170/130 or something crazy like that, Id definately think about putting the weights aside. But sheeit, Im just a hair above normal - I think to just up and quit something Ive been passionate about for the past 2 years would be overkill.

Well - I was looking on Ebay for blood pressure monitors, but they only fit arms 9 - 13" in circumference. Damn. Looks like Im going to have to get the supersize model:):)

Thanks,
BigV
 
BigVrunga

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Oh and another thing - I was considering one last 4-week cycle of T1 for a final bulking phase before cutting down in the spring. (Hopefully to a lean 210-215. Im a bulky 225 right now. Ive only done one 4 week cycle of 1test (4 weeks post with 6-oxo/nolva) and had awesome results. But, with my blood pressure in mind, should I stay away from androgenic hormones?

BigV
 
TheChosen1

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The replies that you guys have given may apply more to BigV. But in my case, I may be able to continue lifting. I've even considered either working only my upper body, working both upper and lower w/o any squatting, or doing only cable workouts (since doctor advised me not to lift more than 30 lbs.).

But most importantly, workman comp insurance investigators often videotape WC abusers and I would hate to appear on their videos and lose my WC case. I've seen that **** on A & E one evening. In fact, they caught a fitness competitor on tape as she was curling 75 pounds at a Gold's Gym though she claimed that she had a bad back and could not lift heavy weights. She lost her case and her job and had to pay back $2,000.
 

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Stop lifting?

Hey BigV. OK, so it's my first post, but I hope you don't mind me offering an opinion. I only just decided to join this forum on the recommendation of NPursuit at BB.com. He said you guys really know your stuff :)

Anyway, point is, my Dad was diagnosed with a heart murmur way back in his early 20s. He was the typical skinny kid who'd done the whole Charles Atlas thing, got right into BB, and had worked like stink to change his body. Of course, the doctors said 'no more BB'. In fact, they practically said he should never exert himself at all. Bugger that. Let all that hard work melt away? He decided to trust his instincts and listen to his own body. For him this meant being sensible on 'power' lifts.

The punchline is that, decades later (after years of annual heart check-ups which were routinely all clear) his heart valve had to be replaced. In fact, he's been real unlucky and had to have 3 ops in 10 years (long story, but not his fault). What did the doctors say? 'Good job you did BB all those years!' Yep. Attitudes change. Now they're telling him to get back to it ASAP! Doctors! I ask you...

Good luck, bro.
 
BigVrunga

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Paddrias, Im honored your first post is in my thread bro:) Do you know what your Dad's heart murmur was due to? I freaked out completely when the doc told me I had a murmur. Went home and got online, read up on all these crazy heart diseases, and convinced myself I had everyone of them. Seriously! The anxiety was so bad, I started getting all kinds of chest pains, I was dizzy for nearly two weeks straight. Any symptom I read about would manifest itself. It was like a two week long panic attack. I finally ended up buying this anti-anxiety stuff at the health food store, which helped to calm me down a bit. I finally convinced myself I was OK...
I felt like a friggin' idiot. But it was really terrifying.

I kind of feel like the doc just looked to the drug as the only option to bring my blood pressure down. Like I said, I havent really done any cardio in a long while. But, then again, maybe he wanted to bring it down immediately. Based on my genetic history, and the fact that its probably been high since my teens, I could see his reasoning. Exercise could bring it down, BP meds WILL bring it down.

I am going to get my own blood pressure cuff, and monitor it myself. Once its down to 'normal', maybe Ill go off the meds and see if its stays down with diet/cardiovascular exercise.
I have read that even moderately high blood pressure can lead to organ damage later in life, and the doc did say that even though it may seem like nothing now, getting it under control early was key to avoiding long term problems when I hit my 50's, 60's, etc.

But as far as not lifting weights...Ill never stop. Ive learned too much about my body, and transformed my entire life through weight training. I dont think doctors realize how much our lifestyles mean to us when they say 'youll just have to stop lifting weights'. As if any of us could just give up like that. Sure doc, Ill go back to being a sissy. No prob.:)

Chosen1, I hope that you get through your injuries bro. Just use the WC money to build a gym at home:) You said you were thinking of going to just cables...maybe buy a bowflex or something similar so you can stay away from the spy cams. I wonder if some kind of static, or isometric exercises would help you work those legs and not aggrivate your knee?

BigV

Here's a great site with good info on sports injuries:
http://www.sportsdoctor.com/articles/heart2.html
 

Paddrias

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My Dad's murmur, I believe (it was a l-o-n-g time ago, and I can't ask him right now), came about as the result of an excessive growth spurt when he was in puberty. Subsequently he was diagnosed as having aortic stenosis incompetence (apologies to you med guys if I've mangled that a little :)). Basically, he had a leaking heart valve. Or at least that's what it turned into. But it was under control (without any medication) for 35-40 years.

Interesting link, btw, thanks for that. And to address your comment about reading up on symptoms, I always think that can be counter-productive. Don't get me wrong, I agree you should be armed with the facts. BUT, as soon as you start reading about ANY disease, you see dozens of symptoms you can identify in yourself and come away feeling like you ought to be at death's door :)

One quick note, my Dad has always found that some doctors are not familiar with the specific characteristics of an athletically conditioned heart, e.g. enlargement and residual 'murmur' that are nothing do with disease but a direct consequence of excercise above and beyond the 'norm'. It's always worth seeking a more informed opinion. Try not to get too stressed. Take care...
 

LunaHotel

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Heh, Paddrias, I'm with you about the medical community not acknoledging the difference athletic training makes. 2 years ago I underwent surgery. At some point, the nurse listens to my heart, her eyes go wide, she takes a sharp breath in, holds it, her eyes get wider, and I'm going like "Uh, oh... Doesn't look good" and she asks me in an edgy voice "are you an athlete?" then I go "Errr, well, you could say I am, yeah"... Well she seemed OK after that. :D

Vrunga, most meds for hypertension have only ONE mechanism of action : they keep the body from excreting the potassium. That's why I suggest ADDING potassium, which does reduce blood pressure. And don't worry too much about the possible "side effects" of higher-than-optimal blood pressure. The studies were made using "normal people" who aren't athletes so they don't mean anything for you. And you're doing so much good to yourself lifting. Good luck, not that you'll NEED it. ;)
 
TheChosen1

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Originally posted by BigVrunga
Chosen1, I hope that you get through your injuries bro. Just use the WC money to build a gym at home:) You said you were thinking of going to just cables...maybe buy a bowflex or something similar so you can stay away from the spy cams. I wonder if some kind of static, or isometric exercises would help you work those legs and not aggrivate your knee?

BigV

Here's a great site with good info on sports injuries:
http://www.sportsdoctor.com/articles/heart2.html
Thanks for the website and the advice, Big V. Although I doubt if I'll be pumping Bowflex anytime soon. The iron flows through my blood and that's the only thing that gets pumped by me (Well, that and women.....LOL). I live in an apartment so putting a gym in here is out of the question. Fortunately however, I get alot of static treatments during my physical therapy.

As difficult as it may be, I'm just going to wait it out.
 
lifted

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Doctors are in business just like everyone else. No one goes to school all those years just so they can save people. They want people to be fat and out of shape so you can keep coming back. There just like high-class drug dealers. Doctors never fix you up on the 1st visit. They want you to keep coming back again and again. Ok so now you know the consequences if you lift. If you still want to than do it. If you’re scared then don't. It should be YOUR decision.
Oh is that so? So tell me, how do you compare drug-dealers to docs? The PH/PS ban is really getting to your head my friend.

The doc never fixes you up the first visit? That's personal experience bro, not fact. They will do whatever they can to fix you up and NOT COME BACK.

The assumption that docs don't feel a relation to their patients and want to help people is such an underminded remark, it disgusts me.

My father isa doc well as 4 and soon to be 7 of my other close families are docs/nurses, I take personal offence to your comments as well as others here.

And when you get older and need medical attention with a quickness, be sure to tell your doc that you don't care what he says and if you want to do it, you will. :rolleyes:

Sorry to hijack your thread bro, but the truth must be told here. I'd advise to get yourself another opinion and try to get to the bottom of this. and to clarify, docs say and diagnose what they believe, theres of course exceptions, but dont think of docs as being the bad guys, my god
 

LunaHotel

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Jergo, destro19, I think it's just a little bit more complicated than that. For example, blood pressure medication works by interfering with the elimination of potassium. Now, of course, you may ask, why not just add potassium? Well it works perfectly well and it is OBVIOUSLY much safer to add, say, sea salt to a diet than to take something with screws with the natural functioning of the body. Thing is, there's no money in sea salt. What you say? Docs are paid?

Yes they are. When they go to school, they're trained to diagnose and treat. They have a conception that health is the absence of disease, and there are treatments for all ailments, courtesy of your good ole pharmaceutical company. Of course, pharmaceutical companies don't make money by telling docs to tell their hypertensive clients to eat sea salt. Nope. they make money by selling the pressure pill.

So what's a doc to do? On the one hand there is the pharmaceutical rep who has the treatments, there are patients that have the disease, everything is rapidly changing ALL THE TIME and the guy is busy seeing his patients and of course he has a life outside the clinic, meaning he is NOT going to go out of his way to make sure that he gives his patients the BEST care of ALL, but the best care that is READILY AVAILABLE to his filled schedule. It's the system : pharmaceuticals make the treatments, and docs prescribe them.

Of course, that is the very reason why people aren't fixed up all that well by going to the doc: more often than not, the "treatment" screws with something that is going well in the patient's body and sooner or later trouble springs anew, seemingly unrelated. We all lose. But we can't point a finger at anyone.
 
lifted

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Jergo, destro19, I think it's just a little bit more complicated than that. For example, blood pressure medication works by interfering with the elimination of potassium. Now, of course, you may ask, why not just add potassium? Well it works perfectly well and it is OBVIOUSLY much safer to add, say, sea salt to a diet than to take something with screws with the natural functioning of the body. Thing is, there's no money in sea salt. What you say? Docs are paid?

Yes they are. When they go to school, they're trained to diagnose and treat. They have a conception that health is the absence of disease, and there are treatments for all ailments, courtesy of your good ole pharmaceutical company. Of course, pharmaceutical companies don't make money by telling docs to tell their hypertensive clients to eat sea salt. Nope. they make money by selling the pressure pill.

So what's a doc to do? On the one hand there is the pharmaceutical rep who has the treatments, there are patients that have the disease, everything is rapidly changing ALL THE TIME and the guy is busy seeing his patients and of course he has a life outside the clinic, meaning he is NOT going to go out of his way to make sure that he gives his patients the BEST care of ALL, but the best care that is READILY AVAILABLE to his filled schedule. It's the system : pharmaceuticals make the treatments, and docs prescribe them.

Of course, that is the very reason why people aren't fixed up all that well by going to the doc: more often than not, the "treatment" screws with something that is going well in the patient's body and sooner or later trouble springs anew, seemingly unrelated. We all lose. But we can't point a finger at anyone.
What makes you think that pharm companies pay docs their bills? This is what I am not understanding. What do the pharm comps have ANYTHING to do with their paychecks?

The answer is NOTHING. I don't know how you can get that twisted. It doesn't make any sense if you just stop and think about it. The people who give the docs the MAJORITY of their income is insurance companies. All others are through personal payouts through personal checks. Now, this is speaking of private practices. But if you are a surgical doctor, you still have to perform SOME surgeries at your hospital. You have a choice for the most part, but try and keep it close to your office of course due to patients not having to travel.

As for residents, and HMO-related practices, you must go through unionized-TYPE primarily to get treatment. Now the only thing that pharm comps. hyave to do with all of this is that they MIGHT, and I'm emphasizing MIGHT, contribute to certain funds if the practice(s) agree to give out free samples of their products, THATS IT!! NO more!!!

If a patient is given a med. the insurance company pays for it, or the person themselves. That doesn't mean that thay are related, and I just proved that.

I would really like to hear your expanation on it, because I don't see where your getting this at. And I stand by my statement that if a doc knows his $hit, he will fix you up lickety split, and yes they care.

Also, let me give you another view on it. Say perhaps pharm companies didn't exist ok, becuase in some countries they don't or lack massively compared to the US. do you think that HMO's, inusrance plans, docs, etc, etc. would lose ANY MONEY WHATSOEVER? Nope, not a chance, becuase thye aren't related that way bro, no such animal.
 

LunaHotel

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Hey Jergo, stay cool, bro. ;) I didn't mean to say docs get paid by the pharms... Other than "convention" (cough) vacation trips around the world... What I am saying is that the pharm is there to provide the treatment and the doc is submerged with patients, yes they DO care but they gotta make a living so they don't spend all their time trying to see if what the pharm is giving them as a treatment is the best possible scenario in each individual case.

They can't, that takes too much time. The docs trust the science that goes into the meds. They have to, no choice. My point is that many times, the pharma's treatments are of LESSER quality than a NATURAL solution available out there, but of course a natural solution CANNOT be patented and so there is NO MONEY to be made on it. So instead they make an artificial treatment that INTERVENES in the body's functioning rather than SUPPORT something that is weak. That is where modern medicine wreaks havoc. No finger pointed at docs and heck, no fingers pointed at the pharmas either... They really do their BEST and *SOME* of the stuff they put out is simply amazing.

Thing is, it's very far from perfect.
 
BigVrunga

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I dont have a lot of experience with doctors...but the doctor I have now seems like a really good guy. But, I have to say his waiting room is always packed and he's always in a hurry. He takes time to answer my questions and his always up front and honest, but I can tell he's in a rush. Im sure he is prescribing me a solution that will fix the problem he's identified, and be safe. It may not be the only solution or the best one, but I definately dont think its made without my health as the first priority.

Take ADD, for example. Do you really think ritalin is the BEST way to control an overactive kid? But thousands of kids are on amphetamine-related drugs, because they treat the problem, and are cheaper/less of a hassle than actually getting to the root of the problem.
 
lifted

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I dont have a lot of experience with doctors...but the doctor I have now seems like a really good guy. But, I have to say his waiting room is always packed and he's always in a hurry. He takes time to answer my questions and his always up front and honest, but I can tell he's in a rush. Im sure he is prescribing me a solution that will fix the problem he's identified, and be safe. It may not be the only solution or the best one, but I definately dont think its made without my health as the first priority.

Take ADD, for example. Do you really think ritalin is the BEST way to control an overactive kid? But thousands of kids are on amphetamine-related drugs, because they treat the problem, and are cheaper/less of a hassle than actually getting to the root of the problem.
I understand what your sayin' bro. But in all honesty, docs don't just go off prescribing drugs just to save time. They will speak to you about your concerns, try to do the right thingsfor the patient, and if that means that you will have to comeback again, fine. Do people really think that they will diagnose you run tests evaluate the tests run more tests, etc, etc all in one visit? That would be impossible. So, they do what they can try something out, and play a hit-miss situation. Most of EVERYONE I know, NEVER gets a problem/dillema resolved w/o a few visits at least if its more serious. They are in a rush because they have a lot to worry about, under a lot of stress.

The very last thing they wanna do is give some dude a script for some $hit just to get 'em the hell out of the office. That doc would be out of business 5 times before they were ten years into their practice from people suing them.

And you brought up a very good point with the kids that got ADD/ADHD. The only profession that I've ever heard a lot and actually experienced was the psyc. docs and counselor MD's. They do have a bad history of doing exactly what you say, its sad too. Hopefully things will change up a bit soon. And of course there's a'wyas gonna be those docs that have that ego, and are shameless, but thats a stereotype these days that just goes wAy too far, and I'm sick of hearing it. I could go on for hours about this, but I'm boring myself now as well as everyone else.
 
BigVrunga

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As difficult as it may be, I'm just going to wait it out.
Sometimes thats what must be done bro. I believe I pulled a ligament in my chest a while back - I tried to stay off it but I just couldnt stay away from those beloved weighted dips. Well, it got worse to the point where I couldnt even to a dip without weight without pain in the sternum. So I didnt work chest for 3 weeks, and it nearly healed. I messed it up again when my truck broke down and I had to push it:). Im going to make an appointment with a sports doctor next week and get it looked at, so I know exactly whats wrong.

Your injury sounds quite a bit more serious, but a year off with some moderate exercise to maintain what you have - you might lose a bit, but youll come back strong. Rather than struggling and making things worse. Good luck!

They are in a rush because they have a lot to worry about, under a lot of stress.
Totally agree. I cant see someone saying "Hey! I want to be a doctor!" and going through 8 years of schooling, plus more interning and training just so he/she can finally get their own practice, for the sole purpose of ripping people off. You would have to be passionate about medicine and helping people. There are plenty of other, much easier ways to run scams:)
 

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