Back to exercise.

Hi all, I am new here......
My Bio will give you a clue to my back ground, my pacemaker, or the need for it has all been a shock. 2 months ago I thought the best part of me was my heart. Resting pulse 48 . It went out rhythmn while out jogging and was dropping to 26bpm. I ended up in hospital next day but it went back into rhythmn on its own. It did the same thing a couple of more times while cycling, but went back on its own. 2 weeks ago, after seeing Consultant he said a PM was the way forward as my sinus node was causing problem.
The next day it went out of rhythmn again while on a cycle ride. I ended up with my Boston Scientific Altrua 60 dual probe fitted on the 16th April.
9 days on I am feeling physically fine. Trying to come to terms mentally with the PM appears more challenging.
How careful do I need to be ? Consultant says no driving for 4 weeks. No cycling, no motorcycling, no running, dont lift arm above shoulder height, no lifting etc until the 6 week check.
I can manage that (just) !
Will I be able to exercise at the same levels I am used too?
Will I be able to work myself to the max !
Any comments, thoughts from the many who have had a similar condition rectified appreciated...... And how lucky to find this site, which is already allaying some of my fears.

3 Comments

healing

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-25 09:04:46

Once you get past the 6 weeks, you should be able to do anything you did before, only without the trips to the hospital ;o) You may find that you have more energy now that your heart is beating like it should. The plummets are harder on our bodies than we think.

Other than lifting or raising the arm too high, you can do what you want now, walking and light cardio should be ok. I walked the day I got out of the hospital and was on the stationary bike the next week. It's important to move the arm normally so your shoulder doesn't freeze.

They talk about the physical healing but rarely the emotional. It takes a while to adjust to all this, to accepting that our hearts aren't as healthy as we thought and that we need some help. I found that once I started to feel better and get back to regular activities, I gradually forgot about it. I'm on my 4th now, have been paced since 1994, and rarely give it a thought. It does not affect my day to day life, other than giving me an energy level I'd never have without it.

Hi Matkat

by IAN MC - 2013-04-25 11:04:49

I've just read your bio and see that you achieved very high levels of success in many of your sporting activities. Now you have a dodgy sinus node!

Will you be able to exercise at those same levels , the honest answer has to be "maybe" / " maybe not "

Regardless of having the PM you will still have a sinus node which is not functioning properly. The pm will take care of one of the symptoms of sinus node malfunction i.e. the bradycardias; it will stop you from falling to 26 bpm in future ...but you may still be in a situation where your heart doesn't respond to exercise in quite the same way that it used to.

You may be one of the lucky ones where you carry on as you did before ... and I hope you are ... but you need to face the fact that the electrics of your heart are not as they should be and this MAY adversely affect your future athletic performance !

I hope I'm wrong in your case

Best of luck

Ian

Under load

by Matkat - 2013-04-27 07:04:28

Hi, and thanks for the comments !
Has anyone else had the same symptoms as me?
My heart first went out of rhythmn end January, I was running and heart rate was 132bpm. 18 hours later I went to hospital and after admission it went back into rhythmn on its own 18 hours later. i was discharged with appointment for Consultant.
1 week later it went out again at same heart rate while cycling. Went back on its own after 90 mins. It did the same again in March.
On the 13th april it went out again under the same circumstances I went into Hospital again, 18 hours later and was then kept in and again it went back into rhythmn on its own after 12 hours. At thia point I was kept in and had PM fitted on the 16th April.
Has anyone else had the same symptoms as me, and if so, how does the heart now respond to exercise, and has the heart ever gone of rhythmn except when it is being worked a a higher rate ?
My resting pulse is around 48, used to be 42 when I was fitter.

You know you're wired when...

You invested in the Energizer battery company.

Member Quotes

My pacemaker has ultimately saved mine and my unborn child’s life for which I am thankful.