Lifting

I had to lift one end of the couch yesterday. I lifted it with my right hand but am worried that I have done some damage. I had my pacemaker fitted nearly two weeks ago. Would I know if I have done any damage?

4 Comments

Does it feel

by rfassett - 2013-11-24 06:11:29

like you did damage? I was under very strict orders to lift nothing over 5 pounds for a month after my implant. The orders did not specify the 5 pounds limit only applied to one side. The lifting would put too much strain on the chest and could displace the leads, I was told. That was something that did not interest me in the least, so I obeyed. If you feel you did some damage, you should probably get to the ER, I would think.

I was told

by ohiolaura - 2013-11-24 08:11:30

Not to lift with the PM side for 6 weeks,nothing over 5 lbs,so I did just that.Depends if you lifted with PM side,and if so,how much weight you thought it was,and I agree if you feel bad or something,get checked out.
Laura

lifting

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-24 10:11:36

If you feel ok, you are ok! If you damaged the pocket, it would be very sore. If you pulled a lead out, you would not be pacing so you would feel like you did before the implant.

Everything after the first 48 hours is strictly precaution, and most dislodged leads are because they weren't in a good spot to begin with, not because we did something to move it. I was told 20# limit when I had a lead replaced a few years ago. When I had my first implant in 1994 with a different surgeon, I wasn't given any restrictions. Drs vary, but it's all precaution.

It's not really...

by donr - 2013-11-25 04:11:08

...how MUCH you lift, but HOW you lift it.

I had the following conversation w/ my Cardio's head nurse when we were talking restrictions:

Martha: Lift no more than 5 lbs w/ left hand for 6 weeks.

Me: How about 8 lbs - that's how much a gallon of milk weighs.

Martha: OK, that makes sense.

Me: How about when I lift with a "Curl" motion (Lift only w/ forearm - upper arm stays at side.) That doesn't involve the muscles of the shoulder & chest. Can I lift anything I can handle in the curl?

Martha (After a pause for thinking): Yeah, that's OK, also. Just so you don't involve the shoulder & chest muscles for the 6 weeks for the 8 lbs we discussed.

BTW: you can tighten those muscles all you want & will NOT cause any motion affecting the leads in the heart - that would take stretching the entire arm at the shoulder. W/ the couch on the floor, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to do a motion moving the upper arm above the shoulder while moving a couch. After a couple days, you'd even be hard pressed to open the incision just by tightening the muscles w/o movement. I had an abdominal incision fro sternum to pubic bone & i was rolling over & getting out of bed the next day w/o opening up my belly.

Don

Don

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I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.