[Mike_G]

I was trekking in Nepal till last May. I caught covid and was sick for 3 1/2 months. I recovered and resumed exercise and after a month am back in Nepal.

At home I go 1300m up a local hill for exercise once a week among other things. When I got to Nepal I started struggling going up hills getting breathless very quickly. It doesn’t seem related to fatigue or heart rate as it starts immediately as the gradient goes up.

I’ve been here five weeks now so feel I am well acclimatised.

I had two stents put in in February. There was no heart muscle damage and I actually went better afterwards.

Is this a post covid thing that is just going to hang on a while? Or is it old age catching up. I’m 73.

Thankful for any advice as it’s not getting better or worse but spoiling my fun a bit.

Thanks Mike

Topic

[Thomas Summer, MD]

Thomas Summer, MD on November 12, 2022 at 7:47 am #72592

Hi Mike!

Sorry for the late reply. I just came back from Nepal myself.
You where sick for 3,5 months?! ICU? What do you doctors say?
The stents must be a separate thing?!
Lot’s of things to consider here. The higher elevation will slow you down even if acclimatized. Also detraining is an issue.
Maybe you could share a bit more details about your medical history?!

Tashi delek!
Thomas

[Mike_G]

Mike_G on November 28, 2022 at 7:10 pm #73098

Sorry to be long in responding but have been in Nepal until yesterday and in a poor internet areas.

Still interested in solving this. I am hoping it is covid related because that means I can get over it.

So, more details. After stents were put in in February, I was put on 40mg statins later reduced to 20mg. Otherwise the stents improved performance as I lowered my 5km time by 5 minutes after.

Was trekking before getting covid in May and went well. After covid I returned to Nepal late Sept and was noticeably, dramatically, tired and went breathless on uphills. After 6 weeks mostly above 4000m, I never improved so I feel it is not acclimatisation. After 10 weeks of walking most days, still got immediately breathless when going uphill so felt it is not a fitness thing.

My first day home, as a test, I went up a local hill and felt good and climbed at a rate that I feel is normal for me and the breathlessness did not appear. I performed similar to how I went before leaving for Nepal in September.

My amateur diagnosis is that it is related to altitude because I felt the effects even at 2700m, after the Lukla flight, and felt worse as I went higher. Went I got home at basically sea level, the symptoms did not appear.

Local doctors have not had any ideas. Of course, I’ve looked on the Internet and there seems to be post covid things that might explain this. I write here as I am hoping someone has an experience with this that might shed some light on it.

Thanks – Mike

[Thomas Summer, MD]

Thomas Summer, MD on November 30, 2022 at 2:09 am #73184

Hi Mike,

Do you regularly check you oxygen saturation? If not I would recommend to do that. At rest and also while exercising. There are these small devices for the finger: https://www.amazon.de/Pulsoximeter-Fingeroximeter-Sauerstoffs%C3%A4ttigung-Fingerpulsoximeter-Pulsmessung/dp/B086MBRPT8/ref=asc_df_B086MBRPT8?tag=bingshoppin0b-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80882935787499&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584482466451125&psc=1
Maybe you still have, what is called “silent hypoxia”!?

I hope I can help you in solving this!
Thomas