[pct-l] Bypass Surgery and Hiking

[Larry Tyler]

Interesting topic here.  I can speak to it on a personal level as I am a retired physician who had a 4 vessel coronary artery bypass in 2010.  So I have been on both sides of the table as a physician and patient.

I have a family history of coronary artery disease.  My dear old mum had a 2 vessel bypass at age 62.   I self diagnosed my problem when I was 47 via a treadmill test.   I subsequently underwent a catheterization which showed a 90% stenosis and two lesser lesions in the 50 % range.  

I then began the Dean Ornish program for reversing coronary artery disease.  This involves meditation, visualization, exercise, group therapy and a rigid low fat diet---very little saturated fat and 10% of total calories from fats primarily mono and polyunsaturated fats.  It is a vegetarian diet.  I followed this program for 13 years with the exception of the group therapy.  My treadmill improved and reversed back to normal.  During this time I continued to hike with my wife. We did several shorter hikes like the Wonderland trail, the Tahoe Rim trail and JMT.

My wife Annie and I hiked the PCT from Mexico to Canada in 2006.  This was our first long hike.  I got Giardiasis but overall my heart held up pretty well with the exception of some minor rythym problems (PVCs).  I was unable to continue the Ornish diet on my hike.  As my caloric needs progressed, I had to increase my fat intake.  After completing the PCT, I resumed the Ornish diet.

Although I remained asymptomatic for the next few years my disease progressed in spite of following Ornish's program.  I subsequently underwent  bypass surgery in June of 2010.  Usually I have pretty good recuperative powers.  Two months after surgery I  resumed hiking and revisited the PCT.  I remember climbing Dick's Pass at around 10000 feet in the Desolation Wilderness and feeling like 'I am back'.  I subsequently spent about a month hiking in the Sierra. This gave me the confidence to proceed with a longer hike.

In February of 2011 about 8 months after surgery Annie and I began a trek which was approximately 1500 miles long from Mexico to Moab Utah via the Arizona trail and Hayduke route.  This was a rugged hike. 

This summer I continued to hike, albeit solo with about a month in the High Sierra and then a late season hike on the Colorado trail.  I completed a little over 400 miles of the CT which is about 80% of the trail, before I got Giardia again.  This knocked me off the trail.  The Colorado trail has a significant vertical element to it and there is a segment around 30 miles long in the southern portion where one is continuously above 12000 feet.  This was a pretty good test

So, yes it is definitely possible to hike the PCT or any other trail after undergoing bypass surgery provided that you had a good result from the surgery and that you have not had any serious damage to your heart.

As always check with your Cardiologist before undertaking a hike of this magnitude.

I am now 63.  I feel good, especially on the trail.  I was disappointed that I had to have surgery, but am grateful that I was able to continue hiking.  I no longer have PVCs.  My cardio fitness level is decent.  In fact if the snow levels aren't too high next year Annie and I are planning to attempt another thruhike of the PCT.  Hope to see you out there.

Desert Nomad