New Member, V-Man

[V-Man]

My name is Vito and I’m 47 from Illinois. I came across this sight from Pesty. I’ve been spending time on it for several days and have been amazed by all the nice people. No one is criticizing, tons of information and regular guys who are building totally great physiques with bodybuilding. He encouraged me to post so I decided to give it a try.

My story is I started lifting at 150 pounds after having multiple heart surgeries. I have cardiomyopathy a weakening of the heart muscle and a pacemaker and defibrillator. I started lifting, had a lot of ups and downs like a lot of begineers do. But I hung in there and now weigh 178.

I would like to try and compete one day and the only reason is cause I want to inspire others who have health problems that they should get in the gym and get in shape. That it’s never too late for anyone.

I‘ve been working with a trainer whose also a bodybuilder and owns his own private gym. He says I have potential and he knows that when we train I put it all out there and based on that he trains me. He doesn’t take any client unless serious, he has another full time job and doesn’t need to depend on training for a living. So it‘s an honor working with him and we‘ve become great friends. If I get depressed or want to quit he pulls me right back. I’ve recently come off a month hiatus from the gym for I had my pacemaker replaced, now I’m back in the game. I took some pictures this past weekend. There not that good cause I took them myself in a few months I’ll have my trainer take some once I’m no longer embarrassed about taking my shirt off in front of him.

I work full time and also take care of my 83 year old mother. I don’t have any time for a social life so going to the gym is all the enjoyment I get out of life and when I’m at home I’m on the bodybuilding boards

I’m not sure if I can ever get myself in contest shape but I will do my best. I recently cleaned up my diet of all the crap foods. Training is easy for me, the diet is the hard part. I’m natural and I use only protein powder, multivitamin and glutamine.

I think I might use this thread sort of like a journal and everyone can watch my progress. This should give me the necessary drive to finally build a better body without me backing down. I’ll be accountable to all of you and if I give up or you don’t hear from me you can give me slack for it. It's gonna be tough.

Again I want to commend all of you. There are so many great people with fantastic physiques which I also hope to have one day achieve. The site has been a source of inspiration for me.

Vito

 

[V-Man]

another one

 

[royal]

Good job & welcome.There is a pile of info & lots of inteligent people on the best board on the net.

 

[pesty4077]

Glad to see you over here Vito! You are absolutely right, it is never to late to do compete. I commend you for taking care of your mother. My wife and me take care of her mother(she lives with us at 74) That is a good trait. After all this medical conditions, most would have gave up, but I see you are a fighter. After 18 years, I am competing again, if I can do it, so can you. Take in the knowledge of this forum, plenty to learn and realize that you are at professional muscle forum, where we respect each other.

 

[maldorf]

Good job. I am like you. I have an implanted defibrillator/pacemaker. I had a massive heart attack last July and my ejection fraction is now 28 when pumped full of 80 mg coreg/day along with the other drugs. Whats yours at? How do you feel when you push yourself? Do you get dizzy and upset stomach? Wondering if you have set off your defibrillator yet while you are lifting. I have not yet, and hope to keep it that way. I hear it hurts bad.
What did your doc say about you lifting wieghts? Mine was ok with it as long as its light. Heck even when its light I still feel like crap. Kinda sucks for me since I was a bodybuilder before my heart attack. I cant do anywhere near what I used to but I keep at it. Im determined not to let my body turn into total crap.

 

[jackdiggler]

great job

Awesome results ! Keep up the good work.

 

[V-Man]

Thanks

Awesome results ! Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the compliment. I really appreciate it.

Vito

 

[RONJON]

welcome aboard!

 

[V-Man]

Thanks

Glad to see you over here Vito! You are absolutely right, it is never to late to do compete. I commend you for taking care of your mother. My wife and me take care of her mother(she lives with us at 74) That is a good trait. After all this medical conditions, most would have gave up, but I see you are a fighter. After 18 years, I am competing again, if I can do it, so can you. Take in the knowledge of this forum, plenty to learn and realize that you are at professional muscle forum, where we respect each other.

Pesty,
I really want to thank you for the warm welcome. In the short time I've been her it already feels like family.

I think I'm gonna set a goal of another set of photos in 8 weeks. If I maintain this thread it should keep me on track.
And as people read it if they see I'm doing something wrong or slacking they can get on me.

Again thanks for the welcome and I hope I can help others out as well.

Vito

 

[V-Man]

thanks

Good job. I am like you. I have an implanted defibrillator/pacemaker. I had a massive heart attack last July and my ejection fraction is now 28 when pumped full of 80 mg coreg/day along with the other drugs. Whats yours at? How do you feel when you push yourself? Do you get dizzy and upset stomach? Wondering if you have set off your defibrillator yet while you are lifting. I have not yet, and hope to keep it that way. I hear it hurts bad.
What did your doc say about you lifting wieghts? Mine was ok with it as long as its light. Heck even when its light I still feel like crap. Kinda sucks for me since I was a bodybuilder before my heart attack. I cant do anywhere near what I used to but I keep at it. Im determined not to let my body turn into total crap.

Maldorf..
Now on to you. First of all thanks so much. I didn't think there was any one else out there like me. I means a lot that you took the time to write. I hope I can answer your questions or share things that have happened to me.

Here goes. First of all we both have suffered permanent heart damage, yours from a heart attack, mine from the cardiomyopthy, probably caused by a virus, I had the flu which I thought it was for three weeks before going to the ER and being diagnosed.

My ejection fraction is 15% which is in the range of a heart transplant but my quality of life is near perfect.

I actually have 2 devices. The first one I got was the defibrillator cause I had some small periods of fast heart rate tachycardia. Back then these were put in the abdomen and attached with patches to the outside of the heart.

Then later on my heart rate dropped to 40 I went to the ER and the put in a temporary pacemaker and the next day a permenent one in my upper chest.

As technology improved they developed a bi-ventricular pacemaker, so when mine needing replacing this is the one I got. It was designed for people with heart failure for it has wires on both ventricles and so it stimulate those chambers to contract simutaneously which gives me a better cardiac output. You might want to ask your doctor about that one if it would benefit you down the road when yours needs replacing. Mine has done wonders for me.

As far as shocks go they are designed to save you during a cardiac arrest so technically you wouldn't be awake for it. Because my fast heart rate isn't that fast I have gotten shocks when awake. It is not fun. You know how if your putting the lights on your Christmas tree you accidentally touch a live connection, that's what it feels like. It's not unbearable but a quick kick. Right now my medications are adjusted so I most likely will not get a shock. I take an anti-arrythmic drug amiodorone which keeps my ventricles real quiet. The down side of the drug is that it makes me photo sensitive so I cannot go in the sun for long periods of time.

Coreg I take 25 mgs twice a day, it will lower your blood pressure big time. I workout in the morning so I hold that one pill till my workout is over. Low blood pressure and say squatting is not a good thing and I certainly don't want to pass out. I have no stomach upset from any meds.
My other meds are digoxin 25 mg day, furosemide 40 mg daily sometimes 80 if I'm holding a lot of water, monorpil 10 mg twice a day, and amiodarone 200 mg daily.
I also take co-q10 which studies show have helped people with heart failure.

For workouts I use protein powder, a mens multi-vitamin, and 2000 mg of glutamine a day. Sometimes I take a round of tribulus too help boost my testosterone due to my age. I don't mess around with anything else like fat burners or hormone things.

As far as lifting goes. My doctor knows I lift light weights. However if he saw me he would probably object. Although my weights really aren't that heavy
compared to some of the guys on here but they are challenging. But I do everything safely, using a trainer or spotter, excellent form, and I don't do anything crazy just for the ego sake of it.

The way I see it is that the way my life is it's the only enjoyment I get out of it. I take care of my mother and work full time, so I don't go out with friends or have many of them, no girlfriends or wife I'm not that good looking, no movies, dinner out, vacations, drinks, theatre or other hobbies.

So the only enjoyment is lifting weights which I do safely, bodybuilding and following the sport. I suppose to a lot of people that sounds pathetic but its my life as it is. I have a brother and he flew the coop so everything depends on me. I cook, clean house, shop, do laundry, run errends, chaueffer her around. At times I think of leaving cause I do get depressed and starting a whole new life, but that's not how I am. I will do this till she dies. So basically you have to do what makes you happy.

Enough about me. As far as you're concerned you don't have to let your body got to pot, unless that's what you want, and I have a feeling that's not what you want. So get in the gym and play it safe. Again talk to your doctor. I don't know your age or how much heart damage there is for you to feel so bad. Ask about bi-ventricular pacing, but also some people who get them don't feel any differently so there is no guarantee.

If there is anything I can do to help please don't hesitate to ask. Watch my thread this week as I will post my workout numbers, believe me there not that heavy. Or if you want challenge yourself and put up a thread up, or join mine and we'll get in shape together.

Believe me I already checked you out. I saw your progress thread from way back and it blew my mind away, you had an awesome physique at that time.
Your gonna get that way again, believe it, as we all believe in you.

Hang in there. I will PM you my email address and will send you my number if your ever want to write, talk or ask questions.

Vito

PS: To the rest of you I hope I didn't put you all too sleep with this story.

 

[maldorf]

What we have for treatment is very similar. I have the dual chamber device also with the pacemaker and defib. Mine is boston scientific and I was lucky enough that it was a new model just released about 3 months or so before my I had it put in so its the "latest and greatest". Im on these meds for my heart condition: 80 mg coreg, niaspan 500 mg, lisinopril 20mg, aldactone 25mg, co Q10 400mg, coumadin 6mg. with so much coreg I cant get my heart rate over 135 when exercising, so it seems almost impossible for me now to go into tachycardia! After my heart attack I didnt get the defibrillator or take a beta blocker because my EF was measured at 45% at the ICU. I also have asthma and didnt want to take the beta blocker because it makes it worse. My EF later fell down to 22% 2 months later. One week after that reading I was doing squats and went into a lethal tachycardia and had to call 911. They got there just in time to shock me 2x to get my heart back into rhythm. I did pass out, and didnt feel a thing like you said. I had no idea I had been jolted with electricity.
Anyhow now I am much safer with the beta blocker and implanted defib. Sounds like you are doing well as well. I continue to lift and do what I can, but it is nowhere near what I used to do. Because of this there is noway that I can come close to looking the way I did. Im just trying to hold onto what I have. I am not able to make any progress with bodybuilding, but I have been able to maintain what I have now. Im down about 10lbs in bodyweight but am about 10% or more addition bodyfat. I figure ive lost about 20-25 lbs muscle. Still weight 217 at 6 foot tall though.
Here is a link to what happend to me, you can read along in time. http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/professional-muscle-forum/37736-just-survived-heart-attack-age-38-follow-up-phils-post.html
I am now taking the coumadin to prevent any further blood clots, as that is what nearly killed me. You will read that I was using AAS, and I hope now that you are bodybuilding that you do not even consider their usage considering your condition. You sound like a smart guy, so Im sure that not in your plans. Glad you joined the site and I look forward to seeing more of your posts.

 

[V-Man]

What we have for treatment is very similar. I have the dual chamber device also with the pacemaker and defib. Mine is boston scientific and I was lucky enough that it was a new model just released about 3 months or so before my I had it put in so its the "latest and greatest". Im on these meds for my heart condition: 80 mg coreg, niaspan 500 mg, lisinopril 20mg, aldactone 25mg, co Q10 400mg, coumadin 6mg. with so much coreg I cant get my heart rate over 135 when exercising, so it seems almost impossible for me now to go into tachycardia! After my heart attack I didnt get the defibrillator or take a beta blocker because my EF was measured at 45% at the ICU. I also have asthma and didnt want to take the beta blocker because it makes it worse. My EF later fell down to 22% 2 months later. One week after that reading I was doing squats and went into a lethal tachycardia and had to call 911. They got there just in time to shock me 2x to get my heart back into rhythm. I did pass out, and didnt feel a thing like you said. I had no idea I had been jolted with electricity.
Anyhow now I am much safer with the beta blocker and implanted defib. Sounds like you are doing well as well. I continue to lift and do what I can, but it is nowhere near what I used to do. Because of this there is noway that I can come close to looking the way I did. Im just trying to hold onto what I have. I am not able to make any progress with bodybuilding, but I have been able to maintain what I have now. Im down about 10lbs in bodyweight but am about 10% or more addition bodyfat. I figure ive lost about 20-25 lbs muscle. Still weight 217 at 6 foot tall though.
Here is a link to what happend to me, you can read along in time. http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/professional-muscle-forum/37736-just-survived-heart-attack-age-38-follow-up-phils-post.html
I am now taking the coumadin to prevent any further blood clots, as that is what nearly killed me. You will read that I was using AAS, and I hope now that you are bodybuilding that you do not even consider their usage considering your condition. You sound like a smart guy, so Im sure that not in your plans. Glad you joined the site and I look forward to seeing more of your posts.

Sorry I'm not sure what AAS is, I guess it's a steroid. I would never do that.

Still check on a bi-ventricular pacemaker. Your dual chamber only means it paces the upper and lower chamber. A bi-v has three lead wires into the heart, they go to the atria and both of the lower pumping chambers which are the ventricles.

I also work in a hospital in the cardiology department. It doesn't pay much but I need it for the insurance. I just had my device replaced in an overnight stay. The bill was $122,000. And in 6 months I have to change the ICD.
I train at the hospital's gym and my trainer's private gym.

Already having a cardiac arrest, listen to your doctors, and if you have to lift light then so be it. You do have as family to worry about.

I wish you the best. I do hope you'll be following my thread and please chime in whenever you feel like it or if I screw up.

I'm just gonna work hard and see where it takes me. Thanks again.

I will post tomorrow night my Monday quad workout.

Vito

 

[maldorf]

Sorry I'm not sure what AAS is, I guess it's a steroid. I would never do that.

Still check on a bi-ventricular pacemaker. Your dual chamber only means it paces the upper and lower chamber. A bi-v has three lead wires into the heart, they go to the atria and both of the lower pumping chambers which are the ventricles.

I also work in a hospital in the cardiology department. It doesn't pay much but I need it for the insurance. I just had my device replaced in an overnight stay. The bill was $122,000. And in 6 months I have to change the ICD.
I train at the hospital's gym and my trainer's private gym.

Already having a cardiac arrest, listen to your doctors, and if you have to lift light then so be it. You do have as family to worry about.

I wish you the best. I do hope you'll be following my thread and please chime in whenever you feel like it or if I screw up.

I'm just gonna work hard and see where it takes me. Thanks again.

I will post tomorrow night my Monday quad workout.

Vito

Yeah, I forgot about the bi ventricular versus dual chamber. Im pretty sure mine is just atrium/ventricle on the right side. My damage was all in the inferior portion of the heart and some septum I think. My right coronary artery was blocked by the clot. It affected the conduction system it seems. I seem to be doing pretty good with what I have now considering what ive been through. I dont even seem to have any arrythmias and when they evaluated the data from my ICD it all comes back normal. Do you have the monitor at your bedside that send the data periodically to the doc?
The cost of your stay sounds like mine. The first stay was $110 k and the second one was $130 k when I got the ICD. I looked on the bill and it looks like just the ICD hardware alone was $60k.
Glad to hear you are doing well at 15% EF. Have you had it measured recently? I go today to see my hematologist. I had a series of tests run to see what is raising my hematocrit so. I dont have polycemia caused by factor or anything like that. A mystery right now. My endo seems to be convinced its my HRT and we had to lower that dose back to 100mg/wk. Been feeling rather crappy since then.

 

[Thick1]

Vito, glad to have you here. Your physique is outstanding considering your medical condition, you certainly will inspire others. Glad Pesty convinced you to join PM, Pesty is one of our great competitors so you are in good hands.

 

[NWMUSCLE]

Welcome brotha!

 

[V-Man]

diet

I'm not good on dieting but I am eating clean now. Here is a sample. I know it's not that great and it probably isn't properly structured or organized but it's got no junk.

Wake Up 7 AM - Oatmeal with one scoop protein powder, fat free yogurt. I can't do egg whites, I even tried liquid ones in my shake.

8 AM - Workout

After Workout 9:30 - protein drink and can of tuna.

1:00 Lunch - 1 chicken breasts, brown rice, or vegetable which is broccoli or carrots, banana.

4:00 - Protein Drink

7:00 PM - Steak or chicken breast, vegetable, salad

9:00 PM - 1 Fruit

10:00 Bedtime - Natural peanut butter, protein drink

BEVERAGES: Water or Lipton sugar free green tea.
SNACKS - Almonds or nuts

 

[V-Man]

thanks

Vito, glad to have you here. Your physique is outstanding considering your medical condition, you certainly will inspire others. Glad Pesty convinced you to join PM, Pesty is one of our great competitors so you are in good hands.

THICK thanks to you and NW muscle for the compliments.

Pesty is a class act. I hope he does well with his contest. I'm rooting for him big time.
Chime in and kick my butt anytime okay?

Vito

 

[V-Man]

Leg Day

Hello,
Today was a quad workout. I used to do legs all in one day but it got to be too much for me. After working quads it was hard to get in a good hamstring workout so I seperated them.

Please don't laugh at my weights. I'm getting some big legs which is all that matters.

BARBELL SQUATS - 135x18, 255x13, 255x15, 205x16

CYBEX LEG PRESS (does not include the carriage) 400x12, 510x16, 600x13, 700x8
drop set to 510x8. First time hitting 700 since surgery July 22nd.

HACK SQUATS - real slow on the negative. 180x12 for two sets

LEG EXTENSIONS
120x12, 150x14, `50x12 drop set 90x5, 135x11 drop to 75x5, 120x15 drop to 75x7

Tomorrow is hamstrings and calves.
Wed. shoulders and traps
Thurs. chest
Fri. Back
Sat. Biceps and triceps

Keeping this thread is actually quite hard I wanted to go to the hospital cafeteria today but I remembered my thread so I had to stay away from there.

Vito

 

[V-Man]

Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009

HAMSTRINGS
Lying Leg Curls 100x15, 150x15, 200x15, 200x16 drop set 120x8, 150x18

Seated Leg Curls 100x14, 120x14, 120x12 drop set 80x10, 110x15 drop set 70x14

Single Leg Curls 45x11, 45x13, 45x14

CALVES
Standing calf Raises 100x25, 150x25, 180x20 drop set 100x14, 180x20 drop set 100x12

Seated Calf Raises 90x20, 115x25, 135x22 drop set 90x12, 115x28 drop set 115x12

Calf Raises on Vertical Leg Press 90x18, 90x16, 90x22

Tomorrow shoulders

Vito

 

[V-Man]

Today was shoulders and traps.

BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS
65X12, 95X12, 105X11, 115X10

DB UPRITE ROWS
20X13, 25X12, 30X12, 35X10

SEATED LATERAL RAISES
15X12, 20X12, 20X8, 25X8 DROP SET 15X8

REAR DELT CABLE
15X126, 20X15, 20X16, 25X12

DB SHRUGS
45X16, 50X18, 50X20, 55X13

BENT OVER REAR DELT ON BENCH
15X12, 20X13, 20X12, 25X8

Tonight I have to find something healthy at Culver's to eat. I have to go there for a fundraiser for a little girl that's sick. They should have grilled
chicken.

Thursday is chest.