Post Op Recovery

recovery

by Julros - 2021-06-17 18:13:19

Once my arm restrictions were lifted I was free to do any activity I wished. I still had some pain so I avoided jarring movements like running. It took a few adjustments to my settings to optimize the response to running and biking. 

It varies a lot

by crustyg - 2021-06-17 18:29:47

PM in (under local only) on Wed, out on road-bike on Sunday.  Excellent dressing, showed no signs of coming off from skin moisture, wound took two weeks to really heal up, but excellent sub-cuticular absorbable sutures to keep the skin edges together.

There were no activity restrictions, apart from the L-arm raising above shoulder height - but there's plenty of slack in my leads (clearly visible on the two post-implant CXRs).

I have SSS+CI so need PM to get HR up: I was stuck on factory default (for maxHR) of 130BPM until about 5.5weeks when had it adjusted to 50/160BPM.  But for me, having survived on a junctional rhythm for ages, just the return of A=>V synchrony made a noticeable difference to my athletic ability.  Got MV tuned on static bike (1hr session) as that's the one that makes a difference for me.

Not everyone is so lucky.

Resuming normal activity

by AgentX86 - 2021-06-17 23:28:29

After the inital 4-6 weeks you'll be able to do pretty much everything you could before.  There are a few exceptions.  Most EPs will proscribe a full golf swing, or tennis swing on that side for three to six months.  Those are pretty rough motions.   Full contact sports aren't smart, ever.  Getting hit on the PM will hurt like hell.  There is a small chance of damage to the PM (the leads, really) but the impact will double you over. Ny EP doesn't want me pressing free weights.  Resting (or worse) the bar on the chest might fracture the leads.  I'd be in real trouble so he's quite conservative.  Your situation seems pretty straight forward so you'll have few long-term prohibitions.

It's all new isn't it!

by cardifflass - 2021-06-18 08:57:17

I had mine in August last year.  Rather a surprise, totally expected another cardioversion and getting sent home.  

Anyway, that was a monday afternoon.  Saw the nurse at my doctors on the friday morning and she said leave the dressing off and carry on.  I am a very good healer, your mileage may vary.

On the ward before discharge, I mentioned my rowing and the cardiologist just told me to wait 6 weeks and then start slowly.  So I did.  15 mins a day the first week, 20 the next etc. up to 30 mins.

As well as the 'not lifting the left arm', golf and tennis swings I was also advised against backstroke, for similar reasons.  Do keep the arm moving though, to avoid a frozen shoulder.

My PM is just to stop my HR dropping and I'm on beta-blockers to stop it going too high.  The main problem I have is they work very well and I can't really go all out and sprint - it just won't happen.  Hay-ho, I've just rethought how I train and just try and keep the mileage up.

Good luck!

Activities post implant

by Prof P - 2021-06-23 10:36:58

If you were in good shape before surgery, you still are.  I'm about about 8 weeks post-surgery and have been a runner (etc) for 40 years.  So, no L-arm raising for a while and, similarly, no weight training that would affect the healing for a while (I'm told that this is 60-90 days).  Activity is important, although I would go slow for at least a couple of weeks (I did a lot of walking and no running).  Keep asking about what is next as you heal up.  I want to play golf again, but I think that will have to wait several more weeks.