Pacemaker Club: Any climbers out there

Any climbers out there

by Rolf
2007-08-24 12:08:38
Exercise & Sports
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1 comments

I am new to this site and have posted this thread on two other forums before I found this sports thread. Sorry
I just got my ICD defibrillator 8 days ago for Vtach diagnosed last year, VF two weeks ago and external defibrillation . 55 years old . I have been a avid rock climber for over 30 years having enjoyed all aspects of the sport. The last few years I mainly sport climb (5.12a/b)and boulder. Does anyone still climb as hard as they did before surgery? How about indoor training , any thoughts ? Climbing is such a big part of my life , I can't see giving it up. Is there any risk of pulling the wires from over gripping or pulling too hard? The sun is shining here on the West Coast and I feel like a prisoner in my own body. Help!!!!

1 Comments

climbing

by mike thurston - 2007-08-24 10:08:56

Rolf,
Interesting. I am 55yrs. old and have been climbing for about 16 or 17 years, although no where near 5.12.
I built and owned a climbing gym in Bloomington, IN. called Hoosier Heights. My son now owns and operates the gym. In Oct. 2000 I suffered a big heart attack and lost about 1/3rd of my heart. I received a stent and also suffered from A-Fib. I got back to climbing and took up biking and although dealing with the A-Fib was hard I did o.k. Long story short the A-Fib became permanent, my EF went down to 20% and I went through a failed mini-maze that resulted in me going into shock and having my chest cut open to finish the mini-maze. Bummer. Anyway I had my AV Node ablated and the ICD/Pacer installed on May 15th. of this year. EF went up to 45% and I have slowly returned to biking and lifting. So far I can ride my Mtn. Bike on the road for a couple of hours and feel pretty good. I want to start climbing and my EP and the Medtronic Reps. actually do not discourage this. I am fairly big for a climber (5'10" at 220lbs.) so I will lose weight and climb easy stuff. I to worry about lead damage but the Doc says it is difficult to predict what will and won't cause problems. Over the years I have come to realize that climbing for me is as much about relationships as opposed to how hard I climb. I will be more than content to climb a 5.3 at Seneca and 5.8 sport at the Red.
If harder stuff comes and is easier than that is o.k. too.
I once hiked from my hotel in Boulder up to the 1st. Flat Iron in 95% heat and then soloed up about 400 feet of easy rock to the right of the flat iron. I was in vicious A-Fib and I have had this happen on many, many occasions while leading, t-ring and biking. I am hoping that I will feel better than ever now that I am totally pacemaker dependent. I wish you all the best in your climbing and hope you get to live out your dreams.
Mike