What kind of exercise is okay for a hcmer?

[Angelawoods]

I am have been wanting to start a Yoga class. Since my diagnosis I havn't been real fit. I have been real cautious about exersise. I need to do something. I have a hard time walking to far some days and other days I do just fine.

Another question I am really confused still about hcm and don't understand most of this condition. Why is it that one day I could be symptomatic and the next perfectly fine. I have no obstuction, My thickness is only 2.6cm. I just don't have any bearings on this at all.

My last question for now What kind of jobs do some of you have? I'm currently working with voc rehab. I'm taking some computer classes etc.
I love going to school but some days it is real hard for me to get going when I become syptomatic. Mainly the chest pains. How do you keep a job when you are able to work part time. I have 3 kids and having a real hard time. I need some good advice.

Angela

[Reenie]

I think yoga is usually ok with HCM because you aren't doing a lot of strenuous or weight-lifting exercises. Tai Chi is another way a lot of people here get some exercise and relax.

Most people with HCM have good days and bad days. I'm not sure what causes it to be that way, but I'm guessing overdoing it and stress have something to do with it. If you work really hard one day you're likely to pay for it for a day or two later.

Everyone here has different jobs. Some have full time jobs, others have part time jobs, and some are unable to work at all. I can tell you that my husband, for instance, is retired from the Air Force and manages a small computer store. However, he has very few symptoms. I hope others weigh in soon.

Reenie

[Pam Alexson]

Angela,

It is good to hear from you here on the board. I am glad the voc training is going well for you.

Yes like Reenie states it is common to have those OK days and then bad days as well . We all seem to share various arrays of the same. I too am no longer obstructed : I had a myectomy in 2003.

I can not speak for the yoga although I think I use a various form of it to relax and try and settle myself down. I do find that if I do too much which seems to be the rule for me , I am always paying it back with worse days and especially nights following. I sometimes think I am a little retarded in that I will not give in and I push as much as I can and won't back down until it kicks me down, which occurs with most activities. My motto is not to allow myself to think too much about how I live my life with limitations , just try and live it and don't give up and give in.

I think it is very important to have some sort of activity and keep oneself mobile daily. When I am actually doing a task in the AM when my heart seems to respond better then later in the day I sometimes feel fair. The payback occurs later. If I get too tired then I try to quit and rest as the payback will be bigger if I try to push through it. Sure I get troubled as I often view tasks as normal for others and think" HEY I'm normal...NOT " and often try to factor out that they really are biggie activities for me.

I am at a luxury here and do not work outside the home. I used to think there would be a time that I would be able to return , but realize that that is not my reality . Who says work here in the home is not work? For me , it is an athletic event everyday. Chaos abounds in spite of my attempts to build a level of stamina or endurance . My kids say I need those Englsh ladies on TV to help me get organized.

The problem lies in how long it often takes a symtomatic HCM individual to complete a chore. If we are not alone and have others compounding the chores it could take us days or weeks to get things put back and organized. Sound somewhat familiar? My realistic goal for each "normal HCM " day is to at least maintain the regular daily household chores. The rest is on a list and is chisseled away at very gradually.

I hope others can offer you some suggestions as to what type of work is best. Since art is not something many people pay for and I am no Picasso , and artists abound, I do it for the sheer escape, relaxation, and pleasure it offers me. It helps me feel more normal. People still call and ask for my advise and say I should start a column called "Pam Says". Kind of funny huh. Being a moderator here is sort of like that.

Keep in touch and hope others offer you some good ideas.

Pam