Out of breath when exercising

[silverdolphin]

I had surgery July 05 to remove a 3.5cm acoustic neuroma.  Then I had a 2nd surgery Oct 05 to stop a CSF leak.  My balance is okay but gets worse when I am tired.  Also feel sort of dizzy when I am tired. My problem is that I get very out of breath when I do aerobic exercise.  I can walk with no problem but if I move faster I get out of breath in about a minute .  This was made very clear to me recently.  I have my dog in an agility class and have to run (not fast) along with him as he goes over and through various apparatus and jumps so I can poiint out where he should go next.  Last week for the first time we ran a whole course of about 18 jumps, etc.  I was not sure I would be able to watch the dog - i.e. look to the side to see him instead of looking where I was going but so far that's okay. I had to stop about 4 obstacles from the end though because I was dying for air.  Also my legs felt like lead.  It was several minutes before I could breathe normally.  I decided I need to do more aerobic exercise, like jogging, to improve.  BUT then I started wondering what  experience other acoustic neuroma patients have had with exercise this far out from surgery.  My problem can't be related to the surgery can it?  It wouldn't affect me this long would it?  Surely by now I am completely recovered.  If anyone has had a similar problem I would really like to hear about it. Thanks.

[Battyp]

Completely recovered you say?  You do realize that it can take up to 3 years to "completely recover"?  I notice when I try to walk fast I get out of breath real easy.  Part of it I know is from anxiety and part is how hard I have to work at being able to walk fast.  You are still recovering.  You had a major operation that takes a minimum of healing time of one year.  I had a friend who had open heart surgery and pushed to go back to work within 12 weeks who's having a tough time now who was told that brain surgery and heart surgery are considered major surgeries and you should give your body at least a year to heal.  Unf. life doesn't stop for us so we keep plugging along. 

[Jeanlea]

I had my surgery on 9-6-05 for the removal of a 3.5 cm.  I also have noticed being out of breath.  The other day I was walking up a rather steep hill and noticed that I was breathing heavy by the time I got to the top.  I think it takes time to build up our endurance again.

Jean

[Captain Deb]

It takes A LOT of time to build endurance again after AN surgery and the most I've been able to get back is about 60 %. That is my own opinion for myself.  When I work out, my residual balance systems do double-duty just to keep from falling over, so excercise is twice at fatiguing than it used to be, for me.
Capt Deb

[Static]

Everyone is different.  I had my surgery just over 2 years ago.  Worked my way up, slowly, to being active again but have major problems doing only certain things.  Steps kill me and my legs have always been the strongest part of me.  Even when I'm not tired and I go up steps I lose my balance frequently and get extremely winded.  Keep in mind that I have been walking 3 flights of steps when I go to and from work, or if I go out for lunch during the day  (I used to work on the 3rd floor, got laid off today) for almost a year now and get winded like I haven't done it in years!  I'm in my 40's and never had a problem with this before surgery.  Doctors said I have nothing wrong and shouldn't be having this problem, nice answer huh!  So, enough of my run on, just wanted to say, basically, that everyone is different and while we can make comparisons, that's all they are, everyone's situation is a unique one but it's nice to be able to see who else has same/similar problems so we don't feel all alone out there!  Hang in!