4DP on a double lung transplant

I’m new here. I had a double lung transplant last year. It’s a joy to suffer again with lungs that work. Thank you. I just completed the Full Monty, and gave it my all but the results say that they’re not confident in the results of my 5 min test because they’re too close to my 20 minute test, I think. But I promise I was at my limit for the 5 minute test because I nearly puked at the 2:30 mark. I am wondering if anyone knows anything or has any experience about transplanted lungs perform and respond to this kind of intensity. I’m thinking that my body was so weak and deprived of oxygen for so long that the processes for getting oxygen into the muscles need to be rebuilt and that is why I have virtually no MAP power. But I’m not a scientist.

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No, you’re a @#$% science miracle. Kudos to you and welcome!

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@David_Terry You note that you completed the Full Monty but did you mean to say that you completed the Half Monty or the Full Frontal? If it was the Full Frontal your experience isn’t that much different than the rest of us - especially the 1st time doing the test. It is a very difficult test and take a few times to really dial in. Best of luck to you - keep us posted!

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Thank you. I am truly so happy to be here. It is a freaking miracle that I can once again enjoy the suffering of cycling. It is a privilege.

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My mistake! Yes, I did the Full Frontal this morning. It makes me feel better that my experience is not an anomaly. Thank you for the support.

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The fact that you are not only a survivor, but you’re also now doing The Sufferfest and Full Frontal to boot?

You are an absolute legend.

I second @CPT_A and doff my cap to you, sir.

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@David_Terry my first two FF results were like yours, suggesting an anomaly between some of the data. I have now done 5 tests and seem to have figured it out. Wanting to vomit is normal! Huge kudos to you.

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I did it - Full Frontal - right this time. All my results got the “OK.” No warnings. Thank you @Teresa_Dray @JSampson @emacdoug @CPT_A . The article on how to properly pace for each test set me up for success, and also committing to all out unpleasantness for the 5 minute test. Apparently I’m a strong sprinter with a weakness for sustained efforts, and that assessment reflects my outside experience - I get dropped on every long ascent. With regard to training plans, I am planning on just jumping into the 12 week all-round road cycling plan. I know there are specific workouts to strengthen my weakness, but are there training plans that specifically target one’s weakness - namely a training plan for sustained power?

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@David_Terry Congrats! When you chose the All Purpose plan it will be tailored to your 4DP metrics so each workout will help you work on your weaknesses. I would recommend going ahead and starting with All Purpose and then if you feel you need extra time on sustained then perhaps pick the FTP Block.

Note that you are still in the adaption phase so just let your body get used to the workouts. The improvement will definitely come but it is important to adapt properly including the recovery. If you haven’t added yoga I would recommend that you do that. Strength and the MTP program are also helpful - especially the MTP workbook which will help you to set some goals - weekly, monthly and your Mt. SUF goal.

Mental Toughness Plan Workbook

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Bravo!!

@David_Terry,

First, thank you for sharing your story- it is so inspirational and we’re honored to have you in the SUF Community!
Second, I’m glad you were able to perform Full Frontal and get good results. It is a test that takes some practice to learn and nail the pacing aspect.
Third, I just wanted to remind you to be patient with yourself as you take on this new training plan. I’m sure your body has already adapted to your new lungs for daily living, but training with this new ability to push yourself will also challenge your body to adapt and recover. Enjoy the process and take care of yourself along the way!
Cheers and happy training!

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Not a sentence you hear often. :exploding_head:

@David_Terry wow… just… wow… that is just freaking amazing!!!

As for the MAP : FTP thing - I get a similar thing. Basically I end up dry retching in the MAP block and getting asthma, unless I’m really careful managing the intensity of the MAP block. I’ve learnt that I can sustain a level just below my MAP threshold for far longer than “expected”, and so in general my MAP:FTP ratio is weird in 4DP.

The numbers I get from Half Monty give me a much better feel for MAP and FTP - they’re significantly higher, but more importantly they actually reflect the desired RPE in the workouts. So for example when you’re doing 9 Hammers, my 4DP numbers are just too easy and I have to manually increase, whereas my HM numbers put me in a box on the 9th Hammer.

I think in my case it’s a mix of rider type (I like long endurance rides), and asthma / inflammation. When I get to my MAP threshold it will trigger asthma - it’s just a question of how far into a MAP block I can go before it happens. I don’t know, but I’d guess that with a transplant that inflammation might be a risk too.

I’ve been focusing almost exclusively on MAP in my training sessions however. My MAP number have steadily improved over the past few years, as well as my ability to read / manage when I’m going to push too far - and that limit is substantially higher than it’s ever been before.

And lastly… wow!

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Hello, I’m a new dbl. transplant recipient, I received my new lungs 3 months ago and I just wanted to talk to people who have had the same experience as I, I know I’m only 3 months in but I’m having a bit of a hard time with pain and water on the lungs, I was hospitalized a week after my release to be drained and for

rejection, I’m told this is normal but then I filled up again and had to be drained again and the pain on my right side is crazy, so I guess I just wanted to know if anyone is experiencing the same thing. Thanks for any input, I would really appreciate it.

Also what is this full frontal and 5 minute tests?

Hi @stogi555, I’m wondering if youve chanced on this forum by googling “double lung trransplants” ? This forum is for who use Wahoo hardware and software for cycling training. The post you’ve posted on here was one of our community who had a double lung transplant and was looking to get back into cycling training post his transplant.

You are of course very welcome here, but its specifically a cycling forum not a lung transplant forum, so just thought I’d check and see if you’d realised that. The 4DP, FF and HM tests everyone keeps talking about are tests we do on our indoor bicycles to see how fit we are, and to help us plan how to train to get fitter going forward. Might not be what you are looking for.

Hope that helps.

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Hello Roxanne, I believe @DameLisa is correct. You must have found your way to this post via searching for a community of post lung transplant patients. I am the source of the post. I am both a cyclist and a post-lung transplant. If you want to talk about the latter and not the joy of suffering on bicycle, I’d be happy to connect in another format. David

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