Can I ride a can am?

Hi! I'm hoping someone out there has a similar story and can share their experience!!
I had a pacemaker installed abdominally two weeks ago. I live in anchorage, Alaska. I went home with instructions and cautions on chest implants (no help to me)
I've been able to piece my way through most of it....except- we are avid outdoor enthusiasts! I see information on 12" from ignition or spark plugs. Does anybody ride ATV's or motorcycles with a abdominal implant? I'm a petite female so I have a "low" center of gravity! Like I may be pushing the 12" thing. How concerning is this?
Thanks for whatever info you can share!

2 Comments

EMI warnings

by Theknotguy - 2016-01-14 02:01:00

I'm on the "no problem" side. I know other members are quick to repeat warnings and repeat standard comments but I'm not one of them. I'm not afraid to try things out and see what happens. So take my comments with a dose of salt - not a grain.

The warnings I received and the ones that are on the Medtronic site say to keep your pacemaker between 6 to 12 inches from sparking wires, spark plugs, don't jump start cars, and stay away from anything that can broadcast EMI interference. For the most part I do that. However....

Forgot about my pacemaker and jump started the cars. Was leaning over two running engines. Not supposed to do that because of the EMI being broadcast from the alternators, but I didn't have any problems. Forgot about my pacemaker and was leaning on a running DeWalt electrical drill. Drilled about a hundred holes with my pacemaker lying on the running drill. No problems. Was helping my son with an electrical problem. Asked if he had turned off the circuit breaker - he hadn't and I grabbed a live 110 volt line. No problems with the pacemaker.

From my side I feel the warnings are very conservative and a way for manufacturers to avoid nuisance lawsuits. If something weird happens they can say "told you so" and go on with their business. Unfortunately for us with pacemakers it makes it really hard to determine which is a real warning and which is a CYA warning.

So even though you have a low center of gravity, it may not be a problem as far as the pacemaker is concerned. Question running around in the back of my mind is if you are in a greater danger of being yanked around and either pulling the scar tissue in the implant area or pulling something else.

So from my side, it means you'll need to try it out and see if anything weird happens. Just go easy at first.

Hope everything else goes well for you.

Do Not Sweat It

by PJinSC - 2016-01-15 03:01:56

I have ridden my ATV with the motor between my legs and not experienced any problems, also a front engine 20 HP riding mower and a 25 HP rear engine mower and had no problems. Also use a gas and an electric chainsaw and scads of other electrical equipment and never felt a thing.

Theknotguy and I have been trying for a while to calm fears people get from the overly conservative information that is mostly CYA lawyer-speak from the manufacturers. You can search for him or me by our user names to read our earlier posts. Nothing is 100% for sure, so you just have to try it. The worst that happens if your device does react to a magnetic field is that you feel weird and instinctively move away from what is making you feel that way. I have found nothing in three years of having my CRT-P that has made me notice something was happening.

Go out and have fun but be safe as far as crashing your ATV or snowmobile or getting eaten by a bear (The PM leads might be a choking hazard and you wouldn't want to hurt the bear)! I loved the two visits I was able to make to Alaska. Beautiful place.

PJ

You know you're wired when...

You can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.

Member Quotes

I've seen many posts about people being concerned about exercise after having a device so thought I would let you know that yesterday I raced my first marathon since having my pacemaker fitted in fall 2004.