Swimming after 6 weeks

  Hi everyone, My dual chamber PM was implanted on 12/2, so tomorrow is the 6 week mark. I started walking the day after insertion and have been averaging 5-6 miles of fast walking a day, 6 days a week; yet swimming was my only form of exercise for years before my event, so I am excited to get started again. 

  I was told I could swim after 6 weeks and my doctor knew I was a swimmer before the PM was placed; yet he put it in the sub clavicle vein and I do not know if the leads are extra long which are considerations other posters who swim have mentioned, so I am concerned. 

  I am a little nervous about swimming this soon; yet I feel great so I am going to go for it. Are there any swimmers who can offer any advice. I swam 1 to 2 miles a day 4 to 5 days a week before the PM. I want to get back to that activity level. I have had 1/13 marked on my calendar since the day I left the hospital. 
 

 

2 Comments

Start slowly

by crustyg - 2020-01-13 03:41:03

You will almost certainly feel some stretching around the pocket that holds the PM, so you shouldn't try to get back to your full distance immediately.

PM leads come in various lengths so your EP doc will almost certainly have chosen leads of the correct length for the planned insertion-site-to-heart length.  These days almost everyone uses active fixation of leads (tiny metal helix-screw at the end which drills into the heart muscle itself) and that, combined with the growth of fibrous tissue around the tip of the lead, should anchor your leads very well.

Other than that, it's all the usual athletic/swimming stuff: proper warm-up, take your time getting back to your previous level (six weeks out will have lost you quite a bit of your usual muscle fitness), and *only* swim if your skin wound is completely healed.

Best wishes.

Swimming Tomorrow

by Johnny63 - 2020-01-13 06:04:56

  Thanks that was very helpful; especially the part about th EP selecting leads of the right length. The decision to put the PM in case very quickly; however I did tell the entire medical team I was a swimmer repeatedly, so I hope they proceeded accordingly. I think I will call them today and ask a few questions. If anyone has any suggestions regarding what I should ask it would be very appreciated. 

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