Newbie

Hi I just got my pacemaker a week ago and I am afraid to do anything that could race my heart. I don't know too much about a pacer yet and I want to learn as much as I can. I am 54 years old and have a Medtronic pm because my heart suddenly slowed down. How long does it take to get active again?

6 Comments

Why ?

by IAN MC - 2013-04-08 04:04:02

Hello imart58 Your problem was your heart going too slow at times and having a PM will take care of that. Why do you think you may have problems when you raise your heart rate ?? Exercise, which raises your HR, is good for you

Maybe I'm missing something but have you also been having episodes of tachycardia ? I'm not certain what you mean by "racing your heart "

You should be active NOW in terms of walking as far and as fast as you wish or any other activities which don't involve raising your PM arm above shoulder level.

Best of luck

Ian

At once!

by Selwyn - 2013-04-08 04:04:24

PM inserted one afternoon, next morning, had a walk around the hospital for some fresh air, whilst waiting for a chest X ray, then they let me go. Next day out riding my bicycle ( legs do the work arms steady!). Spent 1 week riding 20 miles per day as banned from driving car and working!
As long as you don't tug on the electrode wires by fully extending the arm and shoulder for 4 weeks you should be good to go: the longer you go without exercise the longer it takes to get fit. Why not try some walking and increase the rate and energy in a gradual way, or try the cycling.
You will be better off with the pacemaker which will increase your heart rate according to the exercise you take without any harm ( it is 'top rate limited' and has settings to increase the heart rate at different onset speeds). If you like sprinting - get the fast onset setting.
Swam 80 lengths of the baths today. A little more than I was swimming before getting my PM. There is no reason why you shouldn't be fitter with a PM than before!
Hope this reassures you to get going.

I felt the same way

by Grateful Heart - 2013-04-08 04:04:26

I didn't know what I could or could not do as far as moving or raising my heart rate. I didn't know about this site, I wish I did. Your pm is very reliable. I was 52 at the time I got my ICD, 4 years ago.

The best thing I did was to go to Cardiac Rehab. Find a good one. The Nurses monitor you while you exercise and you learn to trust your device. You learn what your heart rate target should be when exercising. You will meet others with similar conditions and it is very reassuring to know the Nurses are there in case anything happened. My Nurses were the best, we worked hard and laughed hard...we had a lot of fun.

Keep us posted,

Grateful Heart

now

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-08 04:04:37

Go for a walk! Get some fresh air and start getting active again now. The sooner you try it out and take the pm for a test drive, so to speak, the sooner you'll realize it's a completely dependable bit of technology, much more dependable than our wonky hearts and you can trust it to take care of you. Trust comes with time.

take it easy tho!

by cb - 2013-04-09 05:04:33

I am just 7 weeks post PM insertion...the doctor told me to go back to the gym after 10 days...as a diversion from being hyper sensitive to all the new sensations, I think. Keep the arm down for the first week! It is important and keeps you from freaking out when you reach for a falling glass and feel a tug at the insertion site. Let others do the lifting....I kinda enjoyed that part. And like everyone says...walking is the best movement. Today I feel "normal" and would not know I have a pacemaker but when I think about it....all will be well!

cardio rehab

by lubro - 2013-05-03 09:05:19

hi imart58...

I went to cardio rehab after my pm was installed.. best thing you can do... as Grateful Heart mentioned, you will be monitored while exercising, and that will build your confidence...you will have nursing staff helping you... I was afraid to go for walks for fear of having my heart rate go up and not come back down...confidence does take time... find your comfort level... start slow...before long, you'll be active and feeling better about things...lost of people here to help you along...

Lubro

You know you're wired when...

Friends call you the bionic woman.

Member Quotes

Pacemakers are very reliable devices.