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Supervised Exercise Shown to Be Beneficial to Patients with PH
Exercise has a wide range of benefits for people with pulmonary hypertension, but should only be performed under the guidance of a specialist, a recent review study reports. Click here to learn why: Supervised Exercise Has Variety of Benefits for PH Patients, Review Study Finds
Is exercise a part of your treatment plan? Do you find it helps you? How?
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6 Replies
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Yes. I have been in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program for the last several months. Last week I completed my 30th session. It was nice to get back to a consistent program after about a year off from exercising. Last year at this time I worked out in my pool, but began noticing I was “off”. I was diagnosed with PAH last September, because of an excellent Nurse Practitioner who put all of my symptoms together quickly. After diagnosis, I was fearful to exercise on my own and probably shouldn’t have as I began taking my PH meds. So in the spring as I started having some relief, I began asking about starting Pulmonary Rehab. I started slow, but every week we increase time or level. I have improved my six minute walk by a lap and have a LOT more stamina. I’ve lost ten pounds, too, a nice side benefit! The best thing is it has helped me mentally, I feel a LOT less hopeless than I did initially. I highly recommend getting into a program for that reason alone. ❤️
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Hi Robin,
I am so glad to hear these positive benefits of pulmonary rehab! That is great that your walk has improved and the side perks of exercising help too! I feel that exercise, even if it is “lighter” exercise than I was once used to helps me mentally so much too. It’s a great stress relief and a way we can do something good for our bodies and maintain some type of control! Keep pushing forward 🙂
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Those older patients with pulmonary hypertension Group 2 and have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) won’t be able to get much supervised activity as Medicare will not pay for it. If you have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) you CAN get physical therapy. Hows that for government logic? However one of your treatment teams may be able to get you help under another diagnosis. For example, you’ll be encouraged to get physical therapy if you need to lose weight. Many patients with HFpEF don’t really qualify for pulmonary rehab so they have to be serious and pester your providers.
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My name is Ron Cole, I have been having a real hard time with many issues, and trying to solve them without family, it hard. I have not much more to say except I read Brittney’s Column, she is my friend and I pray for her nightly. I have bought my 4th expensive Mattress in 1 year, hard to find support for my horrible military related Back. I just wanted to say hello to Brittney and all the rest of my friends here, God Bless You all in your fight to live.
Ron Cole
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Hi @texas2018 Thank you for reading my columns and I hope they helped to remind you that you are not alone in how you feel. I appreciate the support and prayers so much. Remember, we are all here for each other. That is the great thing about forums is that it can connect us to everyone, people we otherwise wouldn’t “know”. ! stay strong, Ron!
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Hi Beverly,
It’s so hard when insurance will approve for some people and not others. It makes not getting approved feel like we are not “sick enough”. From my experiences, it is worth fighting with insurance companies and most doctors are willing to write it up so that you will get the approval to go. If you have a doctor that is a good advocate for you then you can do this. I know they have done that for me with certain medications that they really thought would benefit me even though I technically didn’t qualify to get it approved and covered. It is terrible that we have to advocate so strongly to do something that we know could improve our quality of life.
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