Travel right after implant

Travel Right after Implant

by IAN MC - 2022-03-24 07:26:41

Hello .... and welcome to the club. I hope your incision is healing well.

Your post brings back memories because on Day 7 after implant I had to drive over 600 miles on a pre-booked vacation to the South West of France.  I set off from the UK with a fully laden car containing large  suitcases etc.

I was a little apprehensive but in fact had only very minor problems .....travelling by air will be even easier.

I found that lifting suitcases etc only with  my " good arm "  worked fine.

You obviously need to avoid raising the arm on your pacemaker side much above shoulder level  for the first few weeks  but, apart from that your travel should not create any major problems..

Have a good trip !

Ian

Traveling after PM implant

by TAC - 2022-03-24 16:41:19

The main problem travelling by air after a recent PM implant, is not raising the arm on the side of the PM, above the shoulder. Make sure you don't use the overhead compartment in the plane to store a carry-on piece of luggage.

Traveling after PM implant

by AgentX86 - 2022-03-24 18:45:06

Don't forget the weight restriction.  The common limit is "a gallon of milk", or about eight pounds (4kg). I was told that the restriction was for either side because even lifting with the opposite arm causes the pecs on the PM side to tense.

This is a general recommendation.  Obviously it makes no sense that, on day 30 it's certain death if you lift a gallon of milk but magically on day 31 it's all fine. The biggest issue is to makse (real) sure the incision is completely healed and that there is no infection.  Ripping it open willl not be a fun time.  Infections are deadly.

You should be good to go after four weeks. After three?? Two??? Your call.  Ask your EP for more details.

Going through security

by LondonAndy - 2022-03-25 02:00:25

"April" is next week, and last for 30 days, so the further into April obviously the more you will be healed.

You say that you are not allowed to take luggage on wheels - is it worth speaking to whoever you are travelling with and explaining your recent surgery, to see if they will let you use luggage on wheels? It would certainly make life easier, or they may offer assistance.

Finally, you say you know about going through security, and in case not aware, these days we don't really need to do anything different to everybody else - our devices are well screened and I just walk through the arch like everyone else. I was about to say that I always carry my pacemaker ID card just in case, but have just realised that when I flew last month I didn't remembet to take it! Nobody has ever asked to see it, even when I did say I had one in the early days.