Limitations

limitations

by Tracey_E - 2019-04-29 09:08:30

Once we heal, we have very few limitations. Some doctors are more conservative in their advice than others but I've always been told to live my life and don't worry about it. I ride roller coasters, do Crossfit, kayak, zipline, love ropes courses and obstacle races. I've been paced 25 years next month, have never had a problem, and my doctor loves that I don't let it slow me down. 

I would wait 6 months, perhaps a year, before riding a coaster or anything with a lot of centrifugal force so the leads have plenty of time to get in tight but after that go for it. The only ones I avoid are the ones with magnetic brakes, tho to be perfectly honest I'm not always careful about checking and have probably ridden more than a few with them. Magnets won't hurt us. If we are close enough, it can temporarily put us in test mode which feels funky but it stops as soon as we get away from the magnet. Whatever you do, don't ask at the park! The signs say no heart conditions for pretty much everything faster than a carousel. It's a CYA world and the lawyers write that, but the park will have to enforce it if you tell them. Talk to your doctor about what's safe for you, but just having the pacer shouldn't mean many restrictions. The underlying reason why you need it may, but the pacer it's self is a titanium and leads are thin and flexible, designed to move with us. 

If you pace with rate response, bumpy rides will trick the pacer into thinking you are working out and raise your rate. Feels weird but it's harmless, just be aware that's what it is if you get off the ride and your heart is racing for a few minutes.

Talk to your doctor about placement. Some doctors put it closer to the collarbone and just under the skin, others go lower and deeper. If you are very active, you will want it out of your way. 

Not true!

by EilishBow - 2019-04-29 14:01:26

Dam who is your friend? Do they even know about pacemakers?! I have been on loads of rollercoasters! Even naughtily ones that say no pacemakers but maybe don’t do that...  all rollercoasters tend to warn against people with heart conditions as they don’t want you to get unwell and then them get the blame! But I have never had any problems. When I used to have my rate response set in a way that sensed my vibrations I used to get my friends to shake me up to get my heart rate up higher before I exercised competively. Really gave me an edge :p  Maybe just avoid ones that specifically say no pacemakers as these may be because there’s magnets. But like I said I have gone on non pacemaker ones by accident. Only a couple of times I have been aware when it’s the seat where the thing that comes down over your shoulders kinda bumps my pacemaker. But I am 22 and most people don’t even know I have a pacemaker. That’s how unlimiting it is! I have never not done anything because of it. I have swam competively, been an army cadet, done my gold duke of Edinburgh’s (hiking, expedition stuff), sailed, ran, and I am a paramedic. It will make your life better not worse! 

Thank-you

by Wickes8 - 2019-04-30 07:42:00

Thank-you both for your responses!

I am so pleased to hear from someone so young aswell they have done nothing but bombard me with negativity about getting one so young as I am only 24. Pleased to hear that someone younger than me has one and is living life to the max! I assumed that the limitations would all be companies trying to protect themselves which is good to hear as I am a real adrenaline junky (3 bungees & a skydive so far) and I'm hoping to run the marathon next year! Hopefully the pacemaker will sort everything out because my hearts holding me back at the minute!

limits

by ROBO Pop - 2019-04-30 20:10:44

Tell your well meaning friend she should get medical malpractice insurance...she's gonna need it based on her medical knowledge.

The only limit is what you choose

marathon

by Tracey_E - 2019-05-01 18:20:09

I was 27 when I got my first one and it opened up a whole new world to me!  Pacemakers aren't limiting for us, they are enabling because they give us a normal heart rate so we can keep up. People have a lot of crazy misconceptions but tune them out because most of them are wrong. We have quite a few members who run marathons. 

Limits

by davbrn1765 - 2019-05-02 18:20:10

It depends on what kind of devise you have? Just a PM, then there are really no limitations as the PM just is there to keep your heart rate from going too low. There are some limitations on movement due to that you have a hunk of metal in your upper chest now. Also, you need to limit yourself post surgery so as not to dislodge the leads. However, your active lifestyle won't be affected by the addition of the pacemaker. As for myself, I have a BV ICD, and have to be careful as to not be around things that could set off the debrillator part. You are going to be fine.