Aviation cardiology discussion

RobertL18C wrote:

@Aware I sympathise, as the years roll on it isn’t that easy :) I can manage with a lot of effort to lose half a stone, but only a momentarily lapse on the pie quota and it seems to grow back on. While I definitely can’t out run, or out cycle my fork, a long distance cycle journey does seem to make a momentary dent on the scales, in the right direction. I only managed target weight when I had a 19 mile each way cycle commute, but that was a long time ago.

All true, but note that:

(a) if you only need to lose half a stone to hit your ideal weight, then that need (both from a health and a passing your medical standpoint) is not so great and achieving that last little bit is harder – diminishing returns

(b) if you need to shed four stone to get to a healthy weight, it is both more important (again for your health and your medical) that you do so and also easier to at least make inroads into it.

Everyone has a different view / preference / motivation / set of excuses. But ultimately if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you put in, and how you achieve that with a balance of exercise vs. eating better / less is up to you. No-one can make those choices for you. They are difficult to make, but if you make them then most / many medical issues go away – that’s the reward.

It seems to me that you are stressed because you are not confident you can pass the stress test. (in your case a treadmill).
So to gain confidence and lower the stress, my suggestion.would be to walk for about an hour every day. Walk as quickly as you can but don’t push yourself in the first few days. Just walk naturally. Gradually you can push yourself more by adding hills to your walk. You will find yourself gradually, over a weeks, covering
the distance faster than you thought you could and your breathing should become much easier and you will not stress the medical.
Running would be a bad idea at your size.
Don’t fret a change of diet but if you can reduce the sugar and fat content, so much the better.
At least cut out the ones you eat out of habit not because you are hungry.
If the breathing doesn’t improve you might need to re-learn to breath. Lie down take a deep breath through your nose. Hold for 7 seconds and then breath out through your mouth. Keep breathing out as if your stomach is a crisp packet that you are trying to take out all the air. Repeat the process several times and then turn and do the same on each side. You might find ot more difficult than you think at first.
All this however is subject to your cardiac system being in good shape. Which I think you said it was.
These are all exercises and advice given by a specialist sports cardiologist and associated physiotherapists following a double bypass.
It worked for me, now got low cholesterol, bp of 120/70, lost a bit of weight, good ECG readings, strong pulse. Only problem I trained by walking whereas my cardiologist puts me on a bike. My legs struggle after 7minutes and at 200watts.🙂

One other thing I am more than twice your age.

Thanks for the replies all constructive, anxiety is an interesting one I think most pilots would admit to some anxiety, I took to flying like a duck to water solo in 6 hrs etc PPL at that time as my driving licence , I have trained many pilots in 20 years as an FI Commercial and PPL. various anxiety issues with a lot of them the ones that showed no worry at all worried me to be honest, but you can’t be too anxious otherwise the training will be difficult as you progress through the ratings and flying for a living has lots of pressures, I was just a hobby pilot with a lack of funds and couldn’t really afford to fly as a hobby so had to become an instructor to keep flying. I have had many emergencies in those 20 years engine failures students freezing and parts falling off aircraft, I think the worst one worst trim wheel got stuck in the most rearward position and student and I flew ac back with all our weight and strength pushing forward to get ac back to airfield. Generally no anxiety in those situations other than a normal response.

The last post most accurate it’s a lack of confidence and yes I am probably too heavy, gave up the alcohol eating more healthily and have bought a treadmill now to practise. And yes the medical is there to help us all to keep us healthy. What I am struggling with is , is now under the med dec that to fly for pleasure as long as I can satisfy the DVLA class 1 criteria I can renew my SEP no checks whatsoever as there is nothing on the lists of conditions which effect me so we probably have quite a few pilots flying around which have had little screening. I though won’t be able to use any additional ratings. I will keep training. How does the system cope with fit large people ie rugby players BMI off the scale but very fit I guess and can run for miles.

My Wife said you have been flying since 1983 are you not fed up with it yet !

1983 was an excellent year for getting PPLs then !

I’ve spent my entire life training for one thing or another So while I may be fit,there’s much more work behind it than people realise, if indeed they even give a monkeys.

So here’s my advice. You need to start a cycle ( A fitness cycle, not a bike…). Gallois has it spot on that walking is the way forward at this stage. Not a wander but a purposeful walk. But to get the cycle started, I would advise you to walk for an hour a day for a month, then book a holiday somewhere like the Peak District with rolling hills,nothing too complex or hard, and then walk six hours a day for ten days. This will kick start you and will shorten the process of getting fitter by a country mile. It will propel you six months forward. As when you are home, your body will have worked a new routine and that’s the key.

The next thing is calisthenics. This you need to start very slowly. There are plenty of apps that can help. No need for a gym.

I’m not going to lie. It will seem like hard work, but it will literally add years to your life. But not just years. Years of being active.

And do not,under any circumstances, listen to anyone who tells you age is a factor. I’m 57 and have a VOmax of 46. I’m nothing special, I just work at it.

Imagine how you would feel being able to write on this forum that you dropped a stone, then another, then another. I promise you it will change your life.

All the very best, and if you need some help or guidance, ask for it.

Failing this medical could be the best thing that’s happened !

Go for it !!!!!!

J

Check whether you can self declare under CAA rules, you wouldn’t be able to do so in the USA with a failed medical history.

@Aware the post above from @Pig is fantastic and everything he says is so true (and so relevant) it’s unreal.

A couple of observations…

Firstly if you describe 16st at 5’11" as “probably a bit heavy” then you may not be fully grasping the magnitude of the issue. It’s four stone more than the midpoint of the ideal weight range for your height.

Secondly, and I am no physician but I do subscribe to Occam’s Razor, if someone of your weight and height struggled with their breathing during the Bruce Protocol I would be hesitant to conclude it was a case of anxiety, especially if as you say you usually cope well with stressful situations. I’d tend to conclude it was the expected performance for someone in that condition.

To answer your question about how the system deals with rugby players and others with very high muscle mass, it doesn’t. These folks know they are in good condition, so do their physicians, and I seriously doubt any AME is going to ding them over their BMI.

Good luck however you approach it, but I would focus on reducing weight and improving overall fitness rather than passing the medical. Sort yourself out and the medical will follow with ease.

A friend went on a huge weight loss and fitness program. Self structured and tightly self disciplined.
He waliked every day and as he lost weight, he added exactly that weight to his backpack.
He continued for a few months and the results were amazing.

Find a sport that is actually enjoyable to do.

He has its called flying. Many people take up flying because it can be done alone. Most other sports require more than one person.
Perhaps sailing and rowing might be exceptions. Golf is possible but not very satisfying. Which leaves walking running and swimming and cycling. All good for health but running when over weight can put a great strain on your joints. No point in being healthy if you can’t walk due to bad knees and ankles.🙂