Cold!!!

Hi All, newbie here (7 weeks out) very excited to be a member (not...)

Anyway-58 yrs old-physically active all my life. Had the pleasure of experiencing 3rd degree hear block. Flat line 10-11 times. What a way to spend a Saturday night.

My question: any issues with cold temps? Winter is just starting and I will be hiking/skiing/snowmobiling/etc. Was out walking tonight temps in single digits (F). I swear I could feel a cold/tight spot at my device. Is COLD an issue? As any metallic will be a heat sink, should I take any special precautions with this thing? I could potentially be exposed to -20* F at some points this winter. Tonight was the first I thought I could actually feel this device. Anyone else climb/ski/snow sled in cold temps? What is your experience?

Thx, Bill 

8 Comments

cold weather

by Tracey_E - 2021-12-19 21:38:29

It's internal so it will always be body temperature. I've skied below zero with no issues. 

Temp

by JanineL - 2021-12-19 22:03:58

I have had that feeling. I know it was internal body temp and maybe in my head, but I get what you are saying. It passed after about a year....but in that first year I definitely noticed temp changes. Mostly when I slept on the damp ground camping...it's hard to explain, bit it just feels cold. 

Cold!!!

by AgentX86 - 2021-12-19 22:29:13

I know all about the theory that we're 98.6F inside but, really, that's our core temperature. Out pacemakers are just under the skin, which may be somewhat cooler.  It still doesn't explain the cold.  My sternum wires still ache in the "cold" (as much as it gets cold in Gerogia).  Since my PM implant, the ribs on my left side from my sternum to PM ache in the cold, sometimes more than a little. I'm sure glad I don't live in Vermont anymore!

Since I broke my arm it too hurts in the cold, particularly if it's exposed to a breeze. It doesn't take much, either,but it's only been a few months.

Again, I know all about the theory but in theory, reality and theory are the same.  In reality, theory and reality aren't.

cold

by Julros - 2021-12-20 00:42:30

I sense an ache over my pacer in the cold. My pacer is just under the skin. I did a Polar Bear Plunge on New Year's Day last year, jumping into a 45 degree lake. Yeah, I felt that until I got warm again. 

Cold

by BillTex - 2021-12-20 08:53:56

Thanks All, there is def a learning curve. Quite honestly the docs did not provide a lot of guidance. They tell you what you can't do...but not so much what you can do. 

Happy to find this forum and learn from other's experience.

thx again, Bill

Take precautions?

by Gotrhythm - 2021-12-20 11:15:03

Although several commented that they felt the cold in their pacemaker, I noticed that no one specifically answered your question.

The answer is no. Exposure to the cold will not affect your pacemaker's function. No precautions are neccessary.

Implants and Cold

by Stache - 2021-12-22 13:38:16

I had a 3rd degree complete heart block and vapored locked as well in the ER beaten and shocked back to life.  I shattered my clavicle bone with a titanium plate.  The titanium plate was always cold and I had it removed a year later.  Now I have the titanium inclosed pacer installed right below my previous broken clavicle bone and it gets cold all the time.  Hot showers helps and I wear a pad over the pacer to insulate it now.  I use a thermal temperature scanner and my pacer is colder than my forehead when it is cold and I am outside.  It is a bit unconfortable.

 

dry skin

by dwelch - 2021-12-24 05:56:31

The only real issue I have in the cold is that the humidity may be lower and skin gets itchy around the site.  Otherwise there should be no issues.

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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.