Back to the gym

Well, I am now 9 days post PM implant and doing well. Mildly freaked out by the PM with this heart rate so much faster then I'm used too plus with the rate response just going up a couple of flights of stairs brings me to 100! Just not used to that. I went back to the gym tonight for a bit of running and had I'm sure some common problems. Anyway I thought I would throw out there and see if someone had a miracle answer!

1) Has anyone figured out a solution to the sports bra problem? I read some of the older posts and was wondering if anyone had a new break through because OUCH! Running has never been less fun.
2) I've read the warnings on not skiing but does anyone know anything about snowboarding? I had to take last winter off since passing out on a snowboard is never a good idea but I am eager to get boarding this winter.

Thanks for any advice you guys can give me!

-mobags

5 Comments

Go for it -but be careful at the start

by petemanning - 2007-11-07 11:11:59

Hi Mobags,
I am into fitness in a big way.I had my P.M put in back in March this year .I too was very keen to get back into stuff.
I was advised to hold back on the running for the first 2 weeks.I had the rate response kick in for a brisk stroll.
But they turned that off after my 2 week check and turned me down from 60BPM-50BPM.
My understanding is that the leads are at some risk of pulling out through a range of activities early on but the risk quickly decreases as scar tissue forms.
Sorry can't help about the sports bra being a boy and stuff...
3 months is the amount of time needed till you can go full boar again from all info I have seen.
I was probably over cautious and played my first game of Basketball just last night.Went ok and copped a wack right on the pacemaker scar which has formed keloid underneath....ouch!!! but no problems apart from a bit of stinging.I did my first 5k run about 1 month after.I was very nervous and had many palpitations as soon as I started running. but within about 1 month the went away and now I'm running up to about 1.5 hrs non stop.
In summary I would give you the advice that was given to me ,give your leads every chance to settle properly and avoid stretching and heavy lifting.I have heard many anecdotes about impact but not much in the way official advice against.Its a bit cliche , but your specialist is the best to give you advice on specific activities.
Hope this helps
Pete.

Can you feel the rate response kick in?

by axg9504 - 2007-11-08 05:11:12

(I'm putting off getting a PM as long as I can - maybe next year). Anyway, my rate going up stairs would be in the low 100's (normally). I was wondering what you meant by 'feeling the rate response kick in'. Is it the rate difference you are referring to, or is there an actual kick?

thanks guys.

by mobags - 2007-11-08 08:11:05

Thanks for the advice Pete and Cathryn I appreciate the words of wisdom. I actually oddly had problems with pacer capture today at work and on the monitor I was firing all over the place just not related in anyway to my complex! I ended up going and getting checked and my doc had to increase my output from 3.5 to 6. My cxr was fine the lead was not the problem. He said it had nothing to do with working out last night but I did do less running tonight and more ellipitical thats for sure :) I think he's a bit more liberal with activity because I only have a atrial lead maybe it's less at risk to dislodge? I didn't ask him about boarding because frankly I forgot since I was so nervous that i had messed it up. That's what I get for my "so what if I have a pacer I can do whatever I want" attitude!

axf9504: I guess I used a poor word choice when I say I feel the rate response kick it I mean I just am aware of a higher heart rate and mainly it's because I was living in the 30-40 range for a year. I've only felt irregular beats due to non capture but never the pacer firing itself sorry to confuse you

I'm for sure bringing up the boarding issue next time but as you guessed I do tend to fall a lot because I tend to carve and am a bit aggresive. I would be more than willing not to do jumps but would be crushed if told I couldn't board. I guess I'll have to see what he says since he had more experience with this than I do!

-mobags

i ski anyway...

by jimkirschvink - 2007-11-27 10:11:10

Oh yea, I've ski patrolled for over 20 years, and I live in Aspen. The doctors here are into skiing to, and NOBODY every said anything to me about not skiing. If you dislocated your shoulder, it could yank on the leads. I'm concerned about that, because I've dislocated my shoulder kayaking before. I noticed on my x-rays, that there is a loop in the leads before it goes into my pacer. This probably provides some slack (?) in case of some accident. Any Comments? Maybe it applies to a healing time period?

the bra broblem

by jimkirschvink - 2007-11-27 10:11:47

hi Mobags -

Check out the store link at the top of the webpage. I'm a guy (well hey, maybe I wear bras....) but they may have something designed to work with those problems.

I just ordered 3 of the seat belt things, one for each car i drive just in case I get slammed in a head-on to keep the belt off of the pacer.

PM's are great! I'm starting to run again after 3 years. I took my time letting the leads heal so they wouldn't yank out. Best Wishes!

Jim Jim

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.