CRT Pacemaker recovery

I have a question about recovery time for implantation of my CRT pacemaker. I now have a two channel St. Jude pacemaker and am going to be swapping it out for a three channel, or CRT pacemaker because of conduction issues and increasing frequent PVC's. My question is this, what is the recovery time before I can go back to work this is put in? I do pretty strenuous work that is mostly upper body related. I climb wind turbines and fix them, sometimes climbing hundreds of feet of vertical ladder. My EP cardiologist says that he will clear me to go back to work with full release after a week. I remember I was out of work for almost two months after my last pacemaker was put in. Is recovery of the CRT pacemaker really that much faster? I do not want to risk climbing after a week or two and have the third lead rip out before it is healed. Maybe its just me being paranoid, but I would appreciate any input that I can get. I am also going to talk to my normal cardiologist.

Tracy

3 Comments

recovery

by The real Patch - 2017-09-21 19:50:14

I spent the extra few $$$ and got cable with mine so channels are unlimited. Watching headline news now.

I was out and about the next morning living life. It's easier when they just replace a device in the same pocket and add a third lead for the left ventricle which actually is fed on the outside back of the heart in an artery and not into the ventricle

Climbing with the CRT pacemaker

by tdm5032c - 2017-09-23 01:17:45

I appreciate your info, just want to make sure it heals correctly. 

What would be the difference climbing towers with a CRT pacemaker versus climbing with the old St Jude two channel pacemaker that I've been climbing with for five years? St. Jude rep said that the EMI would be identical to the older one, and hasn't been any problems with that one up until the PVC's started.

CRT-P

by tdm5032c - 2017-09-24 00:39:21

Well, I don't have to worry about that for a while hopefully. The CRT-P that I am getting put in Wednesday is just a three channel pacemaker basically. It is NOT a defribillator. That is the CRT-D, if that makes any difference. My company has been really good about the whole thing. The only thing they were concerned about was any electrical or magnetic interference on the job because of the industrial machinery I work on and around. They had an independent company come out and check everywhere I work and they didn't find any problems that couldn't be avoided easily and they were happy with that. 

You know you're wired when...

You fondly named your implanted buddy.

Member Quotes

Try to concentrate on how you’re able to be active again and feel normal, rather than on having a machine stuck in your body.