When can you drive after surgery.

I am scheduled for installation of a pacemaker in three days. I have been advised by my doctor’s assistant that I cannot drive a car for eight weeks!  Is this true?  I live alone and have to obtain food and other staples and occasionally my work requires that I drive. A response is appreciated.
dchap

11 Comments

Restrictions

by chili13 - 2010-09-24 02:09:18

Here's a link to another thread that may be helpful.

http://www.pacemakerclub.com/public/jpage/1/p/story/a/storypage/sid/15572/content.do

In my case, they told me two weeks

by Edouard - 2010-09-24 02:09:37

I think you'll find that circumstances change with every case.
The moratorium on driving depends on the medical situation of the individual as well as the legal jurisdiction in which that person is licensed. In my case, I was told not to drive for two weeks, although I have seen vastly different scenarios from other members in this forum.
Good luck with your surgery

Edouard

It Varies

by mikesmom93 - 2010-09-24 02:09:49

My discharge papers said four weeks, but the doctor told me it was up to me as long as I took it easy.

So I had the surgery on a Tuesday and was driving again on that same Friday.

But I'm a lousy patient. I never follow directions.

Be Safe

by Tarzan - 2010-09-24 04:09:01


Depends on what you driving, Car or truck with power steering okay after two three days unless doctor say no.

Swinging through trees bad idea. Doctor had to fix leads and Jane raised ruckus for me being dumb. Boy got mad cause he had do all hunting for long time. Cheetah not care but not understand why me staying in tree house and play with Jane so much and not hunting with Boy.

If you want real good answer ask doctor.

dockman

by dockman - 2010-09-24 05:09:15

i drove after 6 days

varies

by LS - 2010-09-24 05:09:41

Mine told me 24 hours.
Ask your Dr.
Liz

guida

by federico - 2010-09-24 06:09:21

io ho guidato il giorno successiovo all'intervento per tornare a casa.......

Driving....

by Pookie - 2010-09-24 10:09:26

Welcome to the club.

Perhaps you should ask your doctor as sometimes it's better to get it from the person in charge. And it all depends on a number of things like why you are getting a pacemaker, what medications you are on (if any) as they can have side effects and until you know what they may cause, it would be safer not to drive for a few days. It also can depend on YOU and how YOU feel.

Personally, I've never heard of an 8 week restriction, but then again, I don't know where you live.

It's one of those things that I'd double check as I wouldn't want to see you sitting in the house for 8 weeks and perhaps the assistant meant 8 days.

I was given no restrictions.

However, the first time behind the wheel, the seatbelt did bother me, so I bought a really thick oven mitt, and I used to tuck it inbetween me and the belt...worked like a charm. I suppose a small hand towel would do the trick too....or even a piece of foam.

Just ask the doctor ....to be double sure.

Take care,
Pookie

Depends on condition

by ElectricFrank - 2010-09-25 01:09:19

As you can see their is a lot of variation between doctors. The big issue is why you received the pacemaker.

The extreme example would be having passed out recently before getting the pacer (or even more so getting an ICD). It this case you want to take while to get the pacer optimized for you and to be sure no more light headed incidents happen.

I was at the other end of the spectrum where my HR dropped to 40 and then on down to 26 the night before implant. Even at 26 I could get up and walk around without any sign of light headedness. The problem was an AV block which was easily fixed by the pacer. So I just waited a couple of days and let my wife do the driving before getting back at it.

8 weeks seems pretty extreme.

frank

it depends

by justme - 2010-09-25 01:09:46

There are a lot of factors, like everyone has said. My first restriction was 6 weeks. I had the same constraints of needing to get to work and get food etc without public transit available etc. It sucked, but it was doable. My next restriction that ended up being a year (for loss of consciousness) made me remember fondly the emotions from those 6 weeks...

Driving

by racerjon - 2015-08-13 05:08:31

I'm having mine done in two weeks. If I'm not mistaken (I'll ask again of course) I think I was told three weeks before I could drive. I hope not.

You know you're wired when...

You participate in the Pacer Olympics.

Member Quotes

I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.