Most Recent Messages in Exercise & Sports

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Setting Max Heart Rate; Is MRI-Safe Device Capped at 150 bpm?

Last November I passed out twice in a day, was diagnosed as having had arythmias, and was given a pacemaker. I'm 50, had run in high school and college, have continued running, and still often ran several times per week. For a variety of reasons, I hadn't been able to run or do other aerobic exercise, but had recently been trying to get back in to shape. But just trying to warm up at 11:00 mile pace--a few years ago I was doing basic distance runs around 7:30-8:00 mile pace--would lea...

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Lifting heavy post surgery

Hello all - I am a highland games athlete getting a PM in mid September.  I am trying to find some guidance on how long before I can lift heavy.  I normally do the norm of squats, deads, etc and in off season do a fair amount of strongman training for fun so pushing a truck, pulling one in a harness, sledge hammer slams, farmer's walk, tire flip, and so on.

 

Any guidance on that?  Thanks in advance

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Contact sport protection

Hi i’m posting from Ireland I need some advice. Preferably from a fellow sportsman.

I've had my pacemaker for a year now and apart from my initial surgery complications that set my recovery back a few months, I am 100%. I need advice for what sort of protective gear I should aim for when returning to my sport.

I have returned to an athletic way of life (power-lifting, cycling, body resistance) but am concerned about contact sport. Without going into too much detail, the...

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Implant pain after chest work outs - 6 years after implantation

I have not posted in AGES. Serioulsy I walked away and haven't checked in here for a long time. Sorry. 

I want to know if anyone can give me some advice. I am trying to get into better shape. I'm 6 years post implantation, I'm a 41 year old woman and I'm overweight. I'm doing yoga, and weights liek shoulder presses and bicep curls etc. 

Today I have considerable pain around my pacemaker, but not on the other side. 

How do you deal with this...

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Post exercise heart thumping

Hi everyone. It's been just over 4 weeks since my dual chamber PM for 3rd degree heart block. I have been gently easing back into running short distances at a slow pace and alternating other days using the stationery bike. Not over doing it and keeping it very low key with my heart rate. I went for a 4 km run this morning and felt good.I  Have been feeling fine for the rest of the day except I can really feel my heart thumping about in my chest since the run. No pain just t...

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Running watch that records pulse

Hi there. I am posting from the uk. I am thinking of buying a new running watch but want one that records my pulse from my wrist , not a chest strap. I'm thinking of the tom tom , I don't want it massively technicol . I'm looking for speed distance and pulse . Does any one have any ideas? 

My pasemaker is a boston proponent and I'm pretty new to the whole pacemaker community , and still unsure about mostly everything ! 

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Pacemaker usage

A recent visit to the doctor for a three month monitoring disclosed my pacemaker usage is 40% on top and 70% bottom. I'm shocked because three months prior she said I didn't use my passmaker (which I question) during that three month period.  I do exercise, however, this year I've only been able to exercise 80 of 211 days. Kaiser cardio now  says they will only be able to see me every 6 months instead of every 3 months. I can however set appointments when...

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Maximum Heart Rate Setting

Just a curious question.  What is suppose to happen once your heart rate reaches the pacemaker maximum heart rate setting?  I was on the stationary cycle, feeling good so I bumped up the intensity and might have hit my maximum for a couple minutes (not sure what the max is set at).  Anyway, my heart rate fell quickly and never bounced back forcing me cut the intensity.  Any ideas on what happened? I was thinking it might be some...

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Exercising with adaptive mode off

Hey-

 

I have a Medtronic CRT and it is pacing 100% of the time and does not have adaptive mode turned on. This means that even when I am exercising my heart rate stays at 85bpm. I have a couple of questions about this. 1. Do I still burn the same amount of calories when exercising or is it limited by my lower heart rate? 2. Will I be able to increase my aerobic threshold or not?

 

Thanks,

 

Thomas

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Recovery time for Climbing Gym

I am about to have pacer surgery (an upgrade), and I also climb at a local rock-climbing gym (nothing too difficult, top belayed).

How much time do I need to take off, post-surgery, to recover for climbing again?

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Cycling Question - can others relate?

Hi, I live in the UK 15mths out from my first DC PM, by far the best thing to happen to me at the ripe old age of 33, I'm back to full health and back to being an exercise junky! I'm training for London to Brighton charity cycle in Sept, I'm finding if I'm over two hours on my road bike, a few hours later I start to feel really sick with chest pain and heart burn symptoms, I tried to google this and cycle sites say acid reflux, stress, diet but I don't suffer with any...

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Settings compatible with exercise

Hello!

I am now about seven weeks since my dual lead Medtronic pacemaker was implanted. To re-cap: at the beginning of June, I went into complete heart block, never recovered, received no diagnosis, and now have 100% ventricular pacing.

The good news is that right now I am feeling pretty great, all things considered. The pain of surgery is gone, and I now almost forget the device is even there. I can walk as fast and as far as I want to. The problems begin when I run.

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Slowly returning to running

I have tried to slowly get back into exercise after having PM just over 2 weeks ago for heart block. It is rate responsive? I have been walking most days and yesterday thought I would try a gentle jog. My heart rate shot up to to 176 at that pace it would usually be 140. I stopped and walked and then started a gentle jog and the same thing happened. This happened for the entire 3 km always stopping at 176 bpm. (even though max heart rate was aparently set at 200 bpm) Am I...

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water exercise

I've been taking a water exercise class for about a year now. We do calisthenics to improve strenght and mobility and then jog in place for aerobic exercise. These days the calisthenics are so easy I find myself looking for ways to increase the challenge, but I have made no improvement in the aerobics.

It's hard to get objective data, being in a pool and all, but I try to take my pulse and I have the impression that my heart rate doesn't increase much, if at a...

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Swimming/Triathlons

Hi I had a PM 2 weeks ago due to 3rd degree AV heart block. I'm 52 and have for many years been involved in Endurance sport especially half ironmans. My cardiologist has told me I cannot swim anymore as this will cause too much stress on the leads. I swim in a squad 4 days a week 3-4 km per session and this news has been really hard to comprehend. I don't want to jeopordise or cause unnecessary harm to the pacemaker leads but I can't seem to find any information regardin...

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Mobility

I had my pacemaker installed on June 23 2016. I was told not to extend my left arm straight up or out. Can someone let me know when it is safe to do so, as I am left-handed and some actions are automatic. I do not want to cause any damage.

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Contact sports allowed

Hi got my pacemaker last year and got back playing contact sports few months ago. Delighted. I wear the Gilbert ladies body armour but my consultant said impact to pacemaker not the problem it's the chance wire loosening is the issue.  

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Medtronic Global Heroes

I just wanted to thank everyone again who supported my application for the Medtronic Global Heroes program. Unfortunately, my application wasn't successful. They said that they had received more than 250 applications for the 25 places this year, and it was very difficult to make a balanced decision (different medical technologies, people from many different countries, 10 miles or marathon etc.). They actually needed two weeks longer to reach a decision that expected.

I must say that...

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Blood clot from swimming?

Hi. Has anyone had any blood clots or circulation problems after having the pacemaker implanted?  I waited the 3-month period post-surgery to start swimming. As soon as I started swimming, my arm started swelling after swims and rides on my bike. Eventually, I developed a blood clot.  I'm worried that this is going to be an on-going problem, which is disheartening to a triathlete.  I appreciate your feedback!

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Resistance Exercise after surgical wound heals.

Is it going to be possible for me to resume some resistance exercise after my surgical wounds heal?  For years I have done pushups, situps and leg lifts from a Slant Board and bench presses using a Nordic Flex Gold Cable Machine.  I also do curls with dumbells.  Is the strength training component of my exercise program now history or are there ways and means ? Does anyone have any ideas regarding resumption of aerobic exercise?  How soon after I return home, assuming...

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I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.