What Should I Do - More

• by jodafo
• 2013-06-19 03:06:48
• Exercise & Sports
• 1152 views
• 0 comments

Thank you for your helpful advice and opinions following my question “What should I do”. Just to recap, following my first pacemaker, a Biotronik dual chamber, my usual GP (General Practitioner) the Doctor I usually see at my local Surgery – this is how it works here in the UK; he was opposed to my starting at the Gym again. The two Physiologist at my first PM check after seven weeks had assured me that there was no problem and no restriction on what I could do at the Gym.

I decided – with your responses and encouragement, to just go to the Gym and give it a try. However, my attempt was rejected and I was told to get a letter from my GP to support my return. I explained to my GP what I had done and eventually got a letter stating that I could perform “regular controlled gentle to moderate exercise”. This was acceptable to the Gym and I am now enjoying my twice weekly exercising doing what I feel is OK which is pretty much what I was doing before.

I use a Sportline heart rate monitor with chest strap which produces loads of information. No doubt because I now have a PM and being on beta blockers, the resting heart rate is now normally slow, around 60 to 64 and during a workout is in the range 70 to 113 where previously, on days when there was no AF, it was typically 85 to 132. Bear in mind my age is 80. Previously, when AF was present, the Sportline, and I understand all other similar monitors, could not measure heart rate correctly and would record random results like:119 to 198.

Hope my experience may be of help to others.