10k on July 4th!

Good evening my healthy heart friends!

I had my 3 month check up on Monday and my upper limit was changed from 130 to 170! Woo Hoo, now when I run and I hit the 170s, I won't have to stop. I don't stop anyway because that always happens at the hills and I just want to get it done. Once I get passed the hill, my beats slow a bit and my breathing remains helpful.

Anyway, I "practiced" today by walking/running 6.2 miles. I finished in 1. 5 hours. 2 years ago I did it in 1 hour and know that I'll get back to that in a few more months.

It's so great to feel good again. My breathing is so much better, my body remembers how to run, now I just have to get my brain to remember, too.

To all those who don't feel great right now, it will come. I didn't think it would happen for me, but it did, partly because I'm healing but mostly because I want it! I see myself running, I see myself becoming strong and more healthy, I see myself becoming what God intended and it feels GOOD! "I feel good, Nah, Nah, Nah, so good, so good!"

Wishing you all well and GOOD!

8 Comments

Thanks!

by ronilee - 2012-06-20 09:06:45

Nata,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. What a great spirit you have! You are a true inspiration!

I FORCED myself to walk about a block today & I was right proud of myself, but you are making me ashamed...not really. I think it is wonderful that you are doing so well. Will look forward to hearing about your continued progress...

Running is the best!

by natandhop - 2012-06-21 03:06:17

Thanks Ian for the info. I'll be shopping for a watch in the next few days.

Wishing you well,
Nat

Thank you!!

by Tasht - 2012-06-21 07:06:31

Hi Nat,

I have had my pm for 7 weeks today. I love to run and was running everyday up to 100klms a week before pm and also did Bootcamp everyday.

I have had heaps of trouble when i get my heart rate up in the higher end.. I don't really understand how that part works.. Mine is set at 130 and I go back in two weeks and Im hoping they put it up to 170 to see if that makes a difference.

I did a 10klm fun run 2 weeks ago that I'm very proud of in 59.27. I was doing 12klms in 59 up hills before pm so I'm hoping it gets better when its put up like yours. I have a 30k run in a month but don't think I will be doing that on (entered before pm)

Thank you so much you have gave me something to look forward to.. Can't wait to run faster!!

Tash

10ks

by natandhop - 2012-06-21 09:06:12

Wow Tash, you are much stronger than I am. You'll definitely reap the benefits of your upper limit being 170!

What did it feel like when you were above your upper limit? I know everyone is different but there must be some similarities. I've got to learn how to keep myself safe and just don't know how to do that just yet.

Happy Thursday,
Natalie

pushing past

by natandhop - 2012-06-21 10:06:37

Hi Frank,

I will heed your caution about pushing past my upper limit.

I'll need to use a watch that monitors my heart rate so I can slow down before it gets to that upper limit. I don't have one yet. I've been using the one on the treadmill but not during the entire walk/run time. My HR does quickly recover as I slow down so I know I can do it safely.

Do you have a suggestion for which watch is best and won't interfere with my pm?

God wants me to live fully and joyfully, I know it's not time for me to go to heaven, so I'll be mindful of my heart rate, as well as doing all the other safe and healthy events/ideas/things. :0)

I wish you well today,
Natalie

It is good to run again

by IAN MC - 2012-06-21 10:06:43

Like you, Nat , I can now run again and know how good it feels. What worked for me was having the upper limit raised to 165 bpm and the Rate Responsiveness switched off. I find a Polar HR monitor works well and doesn't seem to interfere with the PM .

I do occasionally push past the 165 and am still alive ( I think ! )

Best Wishes

Ian

Pushing past the upper limit

by ElectricFrank - 2012-06-21 12:06:37

That's not a good thing to do. At the point where your body (and heart) need the increased blood flow your heart goes into a reduced output. It doesn't just flatten out at 130 for instance. It can actually start skipping every other beat.

Now that you have it set for 170 things are much better, but the same situation, only worse, lies waiting for you when you decide to push past 170. Of course if what God intended is for you to drop dead then....

cheers,

frank

Upper Tracking Limit operation

by ElectricFrank - 2012-06-22 03:06:52

Tasht,
Here's how it works. The pacemaker measures the time interval since the the last atrial beat. If the time is less than that set by the upper limit, that beat is not passed on to the ventricles, effectively causing a skipped beat. Because out heart beats aren't exactly the same the skipping is irregular when we are in the upper limit range. So with your upper limit set to 130 as you exceed 130 your heart will erratically skip beats. Then as you push further it will skip every other beat. If you push to an atrial beat of 140 your ventricle rate will be 70. At 160 it would be 80. At a time your body is calling for 160 bpm it is getting 80. No wonder you have heaps of trouble.

Mine was set to 120 at implant. I couldn't even walk briskly into a desert wind without feeling lousy. I demanded it be set to 150 which at my age solved the problem.

You may have to be insistent to get it raised to 170.

By the way at my current age of 82 my natural upper limit is around 135. On my recent mountain trip I experimented with pushing my rate up. I found a definite point around 130 where I began to feel different. I pushed on to about 135 and felt that is about my limit. With the pacer set at 150 it is out of the picture for me as far as control. That's the way I want it. Like I told the cardio, if I'm being chased by a bear I would rather die of cardiac arrest than be eaten.
LOL

frank

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