exercise after PM implantation

I got my pacemaker 11 days ago. What did the rest of you do for exercise after you got yours and how soon after the surgery did you do it? I just had a weird phone call from the cardiologist's nurse, repeating stuff I already knew, and I mentioned that I was going to walk on a treadmill but hadn't done it yet. She said maybe I shouldn't because what if I fell on it, and grabbed onto something, thereby reaching my left arm up higher than I should. I said, but if I walked on a sidewalk and I fell, my pacemaker/incision could be damaged and wouldn't that be worse? I probably should have simply said that I have never ever fallen on the treadmill. So then I asked her, OK what do you normally recommend people do for exercise after a PM? She just parroted the usual line about no sudden, vigorous, pulling, or chopping movements with your arms, and said it was up to me. Surely they don't want me to sit around doing nothing!!

7 Comments

exercise

by kulpinchina - 2014-07-21 08:07:03

i'm sure going for a walk is perfectly fine... take a buddy just incase. I rehab pt's after pacemaker and walking, gentle stairs, gentle stationary bike, standing heelraises or light squats to tolerance should all be fine i would think... if you want more guidance on exercise see if they will refer you to PT or cardiac rehab.... it's not really needed...but if they aren't giving you the answers you want and you feel you would like more guidance that could be the way to go... good luck

Questions re: Walking etc.

by deeheart - 2014-07-21 08:07:50

I am by no mean an expert as I'm new to this too--5 weeks from the procedure. I also had questions about when is it OK to start walking and moving on to other activities. When I was about 10 days out I was told by my MD/ RN that it was fine to start walking and actually a benefit to recovery. The most important thing is to start slow, listen to your body and don't do any harsh receptive arm movements/or push it. And don't expect to perform at the same level you did before surgery. Everyone is different and it takes longer for some than others which is logical. I was by no means ready to start walking after 2 weeks, but I was having palpitations, shortness of breath and other side effects from meds etc. Just walking across the room caused me to feel tired and my heart to beat very fast. It's been frustrating for me to be patient as I was very active and a runner before the PM surgery. For me I didn't feel up to attempting to walk until about 4 weeks out. Last week I started my first walk at a slow pace on the treadmill and was able to go for 35 mins. Each day I've been able to increase my speed and distance to up to 60 mins. and started running a bit yesterday / today. So, I guess if you feel you're ready to start walking it's probably fine, just pay attention to how you're feeling, don't overdo it and know things will improve! I was a skeptical at the beginning of this but am happy to say the advice others on the site have shared about things getting better are true.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you're doing!

walking

by Tracey_E - 2014-07-21 09:07:32

Sounds like she's afraid of a malpractice suit! If falling was that big a risk, we'd all be bed-ridden for the month after.

I walked the day I was released from the hospital. Actually, I tried walking before I was released (can you say stir crazy?? I was feeling great after months of constantly being dizzy and exhausted) but the nurses chased me back to bed. Spoilsports. Anyway :) I added speed and distance, then hand and ankle weights in the weeks before the restrictions were lifted, some recumbent bike for variety. If you feel up to walking, then walk.

I walked immediately

by NiceNiecey - 2014-07-21 09:07:38

As soon as they let me up from the bed, I was doing laps (walking - not running) around the nurse's station. I haven't missed a day since. I don't how how old you are or if you've been use to these activities but especially if you did them pre-PM, I'd go for it.

Walking

by PeteFindlay - 2014-07-22 07:07:02

I had one day full rest post-op, then started walking. I walked every day for about an hour at quite a brisk march. This also kept my arm moving in a gentle controlled way, without any vigorous swings.

I started running again at 4 weeks (with approval!). Initially, I could feel the pm 'bouncing' a bit, bit this quickly settled once I'd been moving for a couple of minutes. My PM is sub-pectoral which may be easier in this respect, although worse in others in terms of speedy recovery. Ice packs and pain killers might help, but my discomfort wasn't bad enough to warrant them.

6 weeks, back to the gym gradually working back to full range of motion, and back to serious work-outs after 8 weeks. At 10 weeks, I feel I'm almost back to normal in terms of exercise.

I went back to the PM clinic at 3 1/2 weeks to get a bit of a re-tune, at which point they said I could start running. Their main concern at that stage was vigorous or heavy arm and chest movement, rather than the jarring from the impact of running.

I had no symptoms myself pre PM, and have had no other treatments or medications, so I'm coming from a very neutral strating point. Clearly, everyone is different, depending on underlying fitness and other conditions.

Moving has got to be good though, at what ever level you can manage or are allowed to!

Pete

Exercise after PM

by WillieG - 2014-07-23 03:07:48

Hi! I was given permission to do any exercise with my legs. I was visiting my son out West and hiked 9 miles with a 1200 foot elevation 10 days after the surgery. I biked with the bike group doing 18 miles the 3 rd week. Returned to racquetball after 4 weeks (although they suggested 6 weeks but I play right handed). So you can probably do about anything as long as you don't get your left arm over your head and lift more then 10 lbs. I didn't have any symptoms before other than some palpitations when biking up steep hills, yet they say I have Mobitz II heart block. So maybe my situation is different.

Good luck with your recovery and getting back to normal exercise. It will make you feel better!

Willie g

report on exercise

by megsam - 2014-07-24 01:07:45

So I walked on the treadmill yesterday, but my heart felt weird, and I couldn't seem to go very fast, so I only did 15 minutes. Today I went back to the clinic because I thought there was swelling around my incision. They turned on something called "rate response" because they said the PM data showed that my heart rate isn't going up as much as it should when I do things. After that, I went and walked on the treadmill again and it felt much better. I must be weaker than I realized from lack of exercise ever since I had the 6-second pause that made them say I couldn't drive and had to get the PM (about three weeks now). Anyway I'll increase the walking by adding a few minutes every day. I must have needed that rate response thing.
Thanks for all the responses -- it's obvious that they're all over the place, some people exercised right away, and some waited a while, some people exercised quite a lot, others not. I'm going to build up slowly but am encouraged by this rate response thing. I can definitely feel the difference.

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