Jogging

I have had the implantable device three weeks. Can I jog now?
I am 70 and fought the vagus vagal syncope but the fainting episodes that started last summer just continued every 6-8 week intervals. I have a hard time getting my head around the situation I am in: i.e. if I am jogging will the pacemaker prevent me from going to the ground if I have a syncope episode or will the pacemaker merely shorten the amount of seconds I am on the ground. If the syncope occurs when I am sleeping at night there would be no knowledge at all that I had an episode. It is jogging that worries me, I could be anywhere.

6 Comments

syncope

by Tracey_E - 2013-03-27 08:03:35

The pm will prevent your heart rate from dropping too low. If drops/pauses are what caused your syncope, then theoretically you won't pass out again. If it was a combination of blood pressure and heart rate, then it could go either way. I would start exercising on a treadmill with others around, not out and about alone. Start slowly and see how you feel, if you feel good push a little more.

If you have an episode while sleeping, the pm will record it so they'll know when they interrogate it next.

As for when to start up again, ask your dr. If your only problem was fixed with the pm, then it's probably ok to start back to aerobic exercise but you'll want to avoid anything with impact a bit longer. Running might shake it up a bit at this point, make it ache. I started walking the day I was released, increased time and speed then added stationary bike. Running made me sore so I stuck with things that were low impact, but we're all different. By 6-8 weeks I was back to everything I did before.

Neuro Cardiogenic Syncope

by Grateful1 - 2013-03-27 08:03:44

Hello,

I had a pacemaker put in for Neuro cardiogenic syncope which is often called vaso vagal syncope. With my condition my BP drops and I could pass out. My last syncope episode caused my heart to stop 40 seconds for 3 times. My pacer is in place to keep my heart from stopping. It will not help my BP issues. I have had my pacemaker since May 2012. I had some complications but, I just graduated from Cardiac rehab which Guevara me the confidence to feel safe working out on my own. The rehab I think is more for our confidence and to regain trust in our bodies. I am spinning and doing lots of cardio and weights. Ask your Cardiologist if you could do cardiac rehab. I stay very hydrated and drink Gatorade which my cardio suggests. Best of luck!

Caryn

Ruby Responding Again

by rubyyyyy - 2013-03-28 01:03:24

Tracey E.:
Biotronik sent me Cardio-Messenger IIS,a monitor that as long as I am laying in my bed more than 6 inches but less than three feet from the monitor which sits on my bed dresser,will send to my doctor the history of my heart activity and pacemaker activity while sleeping (or taking a nap). Nothing from the Cardio-Messenger is attached to my body. The information is being sent over the airwaves like two smart phones talking to each other. So I guess with the Cardio-Messenger the pacemaker does not need to be interrogated. It looks like a continuous,live, picture is being sent to the doctor. Since I was a computer programmer a long time ago I could guess that some piece of smart software flags any abnormal activity and prints it out for all her patients with Cardio-Messenger. This is really state of the art.

even better!

by Tracey_E - 2013-03-28 03:03:22

That's great! Then you'll know right away if there's a problem instead of waiting for the next appointment. They don't usually bother to tell us if the pm simply kicks in, only if something is irregular. Technology continues to amaze me.

VVS/NCS and Jogging

by jenny97 - 2013-03-28 09:03:45

As the others mentioned, VVS often consists of a combination of low pulse and low BP. While a PM typically does not help the BP problem, there is a newer one (biotronik evia) that is FDA approved for treating VVS. The studies I've read about it show really promising results and my dr and I have decided that my next PM will be one of those if something better doesn't come along. Even for old school PMs that are not FDA approved for this condition there are settings that can be used to help prevent or minimize syncope, aside from just keeping your pulse going at a regular rate. In some models, there is a rate drop response mechanism that senses when the pulse drops by so many beats a minute and then kicks the heart in at a higher rate. The theory is that this will increase the BP quickly and prevent syncope. In my case, when my settings have been set appropriately (rate drop response, AV synchronicity, and a low bpm of 70), I've generally not fainted at all. However, when the settings were tweaked to save batteries or minimize ventricular pacing, I fainted numerous times while running. So, from my experience, a lot depends on the type of PM you have, the settings, and how well you maintain open communication with a knowledgeable dr you trust.

As far as timing of beginning to run, this is something you can discuss with your dr. Some get right back to it pretty quickly, while others take a little longer to heal. But in general, physical exercise (aside from upper body weightlifting) is possible relatively quickly after implant. Be aware, though, that the settings on your PM may not be fully adjusted for your condition or your lifestyle, so you may experience some discomfort in exercising at the same level you did pre-implant until after a settings adjustment.

Several people suggested not running alone at first and I think that's a great idea. However, for myself, I prefer not to run on a treadmill if I have any concerns about falling because it seems to me that a fall on regular ground would be less painful and injurious than a fall on moving ground from a higher height. That's just me, though.

As far as overall jogging, there are a number of runners on this site, so you are in good company! Hopefully the PM will help you get back to where you were and even surpass that level (if you want), while minimizing the risk to you.

Best of luck to you!

Jenny

Ruby Responding

by rubyyyyy - 2013-03-28 10:03:12

I really appreciate the detail in the responses. What a big help this information is from all three of you.
Jenny,in fact the Implantable Pacemaker my doctor selected for me is a Biotronik EVIA DR-T. She said she selected this device for me based on the information I gave her, particularly those intense nausea and/or vomiting periods that preceded each and every fainting episode.My pulse and BP decrease and that small window of time allows the EVIA to respond.The FDA approval of the EVIA for VVS I would guess had alot to do with her decision.
The month of April will be significant for me since the episodes had been usually six weeks apart. The last Syncope and the surgery were at the beginning of this month. I've walked two-three miles with short jogging and feel good. But the idea presented that I shouldn't do it all by myself is sensible,at least not for awhile.My first Syncope occurred just outside my bathroom. I was going there because of the intense nausea but never made it. There is a weight scale standing on its side just outside the bathroom and the edge is as sharp as a razor blade. I cut my wrist really bad. When I regained consciousness the blood was everywhere.Of course I was unconscious when the cut occurred so it is a guess that the weight scale is what cut me. At the emergency room the admitting nurse asked me how I got there. I said I drove. She was quite surprised."You just fainted and you drove here?" The wound required 8 stitches. So I know the risks when you are alone. A very good suggestion!!!

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