Newie geezer Jock 68 with new st Jude pacer

Hi! All: I was a triathlete until age 65 then A- fib sidelined me since 2007 to now. Just received a St Jude 2210 Pacer and hope to get back doing Sprint Tri's soon.

Any recommendations for this new old jock with a pacer on how to start a training program?

I have been on the sideline for 3 years! Walk bike and swim casually daily?

It is now 29 July 2010 and I received my pacer implant yesterday.

I am a retired Navy Diver of 33 years among other retired occupations as well.

I would love to hear from someone as I just joined the website today. With Regards, Jim Malloch E-mail malltura@earthlink.net

6 Comments

Hello.

by qwerty - 2010-07-29 04:07:44

Welcome to the PM club.
First. Mike was right. Take your time and be patient. Everyone recovers differently, but it is important to let the healing process take place. Don't lift your arm up.
Other than that, when you feel like it, and of course if it is OK with your Dr. you should be able to start light training real soon.
I am not a athelet like you, but I did start walking after about 4 days. I was still real sore and it wasn't hard for me to remember to keep my arm down.
Just take it easy and if you have any questions, this is the place to come. These folks on here are great!
Again, Welcome.
Cherell

Best Wishes

by mike thurston - 2010-07-29 04:07:45

Hey Jim,
Not sure what you got your PM for but it won't correct A-fib per say. If a slow heart rate was leading your heart into a-fib it might help in that way I suppose. Anyway I am totally PM dependent and had my AV Node ablated 3 & 1/2 years ago. Although I am in permanent A-fib it no longer gets passed on to the Ventricles - my PM runs them via a CRT setup (cardiac resyncronization therapy) . I no longer feel any of the sensations of rapid, irregular heart rate even though it is still occuring. I bike (1,050 miles this year), rock climb, lift weights and swim a little. I get very tired sometimes and uphill stuff is hard since my max heart rate is set at 140 bpm. All in all it has been a blessing. Hope everything works well for you and you can get out and do your activities. Take your time and be patient.
Mike T

Start slow... and watch you arm

by COBradyBunch - 2010-07-29 06:07:32

No lifting and no above the head stuff until you doc says you are ready to go. As for cardio training, listen to your body and let it tell you how you are going. You are going to need to get used to your pacer, you might find you need some adjustments but I started with zone 1-2-3 training, HR almost always below 80% for the first few weeks. As I got stronger, my infection that caused some issues got taken care of and most of all my head got into the game I started to push a little more until I was pretty much back to where I could push beyond my theoretical max HR and was feeling really well (until my little incident with the SUV that is, but that is another story).

Anyway if you were a tri guy you know how to listen to your body already. Just make sure you hear what it is telling you and realize your mind and body don't always agree and right now you body should have the deciding vote.

Thanks guy's and gal's for the info!

by Malltura - 2010-07-29 07:07:43

I just got out of the hospital today. Pacer incision is very sore! All is new to me.

I was on and still am taking 80 mgs of sotalol twice daily, but I could not stay in a normal sinus rhythm and my quality of life was deteriorating after 3 years of various meds and Cardio conversion. My Dr. Decided on the sotalol and a pacemaker to control my A-fib which was occurring almost weekly.

My last and best Tri was 3 years ago in August 2007. Then the A-fib started. This is a big step for me!

Any lessons learned by the pacemaker pros will be greatly appreciated!

Never had a heart problem until 3 years ago at 65 after completing my best tri.

Seems like a great website! Thanks for all the tips and info!

The very best to all!

Thanks again for the responses!

Jim Malloch, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Exactly same!

by jaykay - 2010-07-29 10:07:06

Same 80 mgs solatol and newbie as of Thursday July 15, the same day they supposedly plugged the oil leak in the Gulf!! ha ha
This pacemaker club has helped me with so much information and you will also benefit for sure.
Good luck!

A-Fib

by biker72 - 2010-07-30 04:07:42

I had A-Fib for almost 20 years. It was not really a problem till 2006. The episodes became longer and more frequent. Januarary of 2008, it was almost constant.

I tried a cardioversion and solatol with no lasting results.Tried a heart ablation but due to pre-existing scar tissue from bypass surgery in 1987, that didn't work either. I wound up with a pacemaker.

The day I got out of the hospital, my EP told me I could go ride my bike. I did go around the block a couple of times but that was enough for day 1.

The techs tell me that my A-Fib has been greatly reduced but still there.

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