Activities

What is everyone's age and current activity level like ? Do you feel good when you exercise ? Do you think your meds make you feel tired or not want to exercise ? How hard to you push yourself ?

Thanks

8 Comments

Activities

by ReneeV2.0 - 2013-11-05 09:11:17

I'm 33 and I exercise a couple times a week. I personally don't push myself too hard, but that's not because of the pacemaker, it's because I've always been a bit of a geek..more interested in PCs and video games then sports.

My beta blocker used to make me super tired, but the doctors lowered the dose and I'm a little better now.

If you want to really talk to very athletic people with pacemakers there is a facebook page called "Paced (pacemaker enhanced) athletes." They really work and play hard. Lots of stories of marathons, triathlons, etc.

exercise

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-05 11:11:27

I am 47 and reasonably active

I feel good when I exercise, get very cranky when I miss a day.

I think I'd feel a lot better/have more stamina if I didn't have the beta blocker. Without the bb I can't work out so I suck it up and don't whine. Much. :) It may slow me down but I never let it stop me.

I go hard, deliberately chose a gym with classes/coaches that push me harder than I would push myself.

Exercise

by Geordie Flan - 2013-11-06 09:11:40

I'm 64 and had a pacemaker implant last April. Prior to the implant I was very active but the pacemaker gave me lots of breathing problems at first. After having 4 different tweaks to the settings I can now exercise as I wish. I currently do strenuous stuff about 6 times a week which includes long-distance running, spinning, circuit training and walking the Lake District hills.

Daily workouts

by JerryG - 2013-11-08 06:11:11

I am 66 years old and do a minimum 40 minutes brisk walking on my treadmill every day. I get my heart rate up into the 60-70% zone where I want it to be and I feel great. I have been doing this for about a year now and can't understand why I didn't start this habit when I was a lot younger!

My PM was implanted mid-September and it has made me feel 30 years younger! My SSS was diagnosed with the help of my experiences during my workouts so I believe there is a lot to be said for regular exercise.

I am flying up for an appointment with my cardio next week with a Medtronic technician in attendance as some of my PM settings need to be changed. There is nothing seriously wrong but as my body has adjusted to a properly beating heart, settings need to be tweaked.

Exercise

by Cliff - 2013-11-09 04:11:23

Hi,

I'm 28 with HOCM, ICD. In regards to the my current level of exercise, it is minimal, my cardiologist won't sign off on Gym membership. I have been advised that a brisk walk is the best given my underlying condition.

in regards to medication, I personally found that beta blockers made me very tired. I got switched to ace inhibitors which are definitely better, however there is a residual tiredness, that I am putting down to the condition itself.

Don't know if that helps, all exercise levels are dependent on the underlying heart and specific to each patient.

Exercise

by lmthames - 2013-11-16 07:11:52

Hi. I am 41 and have had my PM for 6 months. I have exercised primarily on a treadmill and do a brisk walk. However, I am still having some anxiety just from having the implant and the adjustment so I am scared to push myself. My Dr. Assures me that I would be ok, but I am just not emotionally there yet. My beta blocker made me extremely tired so right now we are trying me without it. We will see how that goes. Hope you feel better!

Recovery

by LeeT - 2013-11-21 04:11:46

Hello, I am 71 yrs old and have been athletic and physically active most of my life. There have been some breaks 1 yr then a 2 yr . When your body becomes acclimated to vigorous exercise (some people say muscles have memory) your body will immediately respond when you return and very soon you will reach your previous peak. It's rather amazing but it has worked for me every time I have separated from work outs. I now work much harder on my legs and arms. I don't do push ups heavy pull ups or heavy chest work as I did before my PM. I do them light weights for tone. Admittedly I feel slight sensations in my cheat never dizzy but find I am short of breath upon quick starts stairways etc. Thanks

@ ReneeV2.0

by cra1970 - 2014-04-04 02:04:09

Thanks for the heads up about the Paced athletes Facebook group! How did I not find them before!
I am about to turn 44, have had my PM for 4 years. I would say I am very active, weightlifting 4-6 days a week, skate skiing in winter (nordic skiing, very aerobic), mountain biking, occasional running (ran a 1/2 marathon last September in Aspen), and just returned to my beloved sport of ice hockey. The weightlifting thing is an ongoing debate that drives me crazy, especially since there is so little consensus. I gave up trying to find a definitive answer on what's OK, and just basically do whatever I used to do before.

You know you're wired when...

You always have something close to your heart.

Member Quotes

I am a 58 year old woman, race cars, ski at 13,000+ feet, work out daily, have become a second-degree black-belt in Karate, run a business - no limitations.