swimming

how long should i wait before going back to swimming pacemaker fitted 10/8/2011, i understand butterfly will be out is that forever?

4 Comments

Moral of the story

by ElectricFrank - 2011-08-13 07:08:40

A statement like that just before surgery when you had made your needs clear is a good reason to question the reliability of the medical team. In the future QUESTION such things and don't let them start cutting until it is cleared up.

frank

Oh, I don't know about that!

by Edouard - 2011-08-13 12:08:51

Hi LizB
Welcome to the club. I got my pacemaker on May 25, 2010. I have been swimming competitively with the (Provincial Champions) Westmount YMCA Masters for several years now. I am a 59 year-old male.
I collapsed in May 2010 and was diagnosed with Sick Sinus Syndrome, although I had been followed by a cardiologist for a few years before that because of Bradyarrythmia.
At the hospital, I told the cardiologist, the electrophysiologist, the floor supervisor, the head nurse, the night nurse, the cleaning guy, the cleaning guy's dog that I was a competitive swimmer. Everyone assured me that my swimming would not be affected.
20 minutes before the operation, I was told by the surgeon, a young girl fresh out of kindergarten, that "in life, tough choices must be made" and that I could forget about competitive swimming. My reaction was not good.
After a few minutes of "discussion" she finaly checked with her supervisor and returned to inform me that she would perform a cephalic vein insertion instead of the usual sub-clavian entry.
I was beached for 6 weeks, but eventually resumed training.
I have since participated in several competitions including Quebec provincial championships and Canadian Nationals. I did rather well in my age group.
My races included a 400 IM and a 100 Butterfly.
Obviously, lead placement is important and the Butterfly may stress the position and or resistance of the leads.
Check with your EP. He may try to discourage you from doing the Fly, but if you are really keen on that stroke, you may want to push him to see if he is being overly cautious.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Edouard

Pacemaker/Defribrillator - Butterfly

by randall - 2011-10-05 03:10:24

I am a 70 year old male.

I had a quadriple by-pass in 2004 and the doctor inserted a pacemaker. Settings - low-60 and high-120. I weighed 265 lbs. at the time of surgery.

I did not swim on a team in high school or college. I started swimming 6 weeks after the surgery.

I started swimming competitive with the Seniors in 2005. I won a second place medal in the breaststroke.

In 2006, my electrophysiologist informed me that my ejection fraction rate had dropped from 42 to 35 (66 is at 100% efficiency). A pacemaker/defribrillator was inserted and since I told him about the swimming, he raised the high end from 120 to 140. It made a hugh difference!

I still swim Senior events but really enjoy swimming with the Masters team in Texas.

In 2008, I won a medal in the butterfly in U.S. Masters National Championships in Austin, Texas! This is a guy who has one-third less oxygen the the nornal swimmer. I plan on swimming the 50 meter butterfly in the U.S. Masters Championships in July 2012. I now weigh 185.

Don't let them tell you that you can't do it! My doctors are thrilled that I can do this. You may need to change doctors. I think they are more interested in their malpractice insurance than the well being of the patient.



Randall














Swimming 6 weeks after pm implant?

by Heartfelt - 2016-08-08 20:27:41

 My question was also how long must I wait before swimming in chlorine again?  Two of you answered 6 weeks which sounds good to me.  I had my implant 6.5 weeks ago. I am just concerned about the wound area; I won't be doing the fly.  

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