Some Doctors

recommend 3-4 weeks, before you can get on with sporting life post PM op some recommend 6 weeks.Is the difference for 1 lead or 2 lead pmakers?

3 Comments

I went 6

by dward - 2008-01-03 04:01:04

I had several nurses, 3 PM Techs, 2 Cardiologists, and a Partridge in a . . . wait, Christams is over.

Seriously - My own Doc and a PM Specialist (in addition to those mentioned above, minus the Partridge) said no golfing, no swimming, and no heavy lifting for six weeks.

I was also told not to lift my left arm over my head for 10 days.

I have seen others who were told 3-4 weeks, but when you think about how long the body takes to fully heal - and the fact that you WANT to fully heal around your Lead(s) to help keep it in place - I would take the six weeks.

My doc also recommended 4

by kim75 - 2008-01-03 10:01:43

And actually, the printed guidelines they sent me home with said 2 weeks!!!! I have a 6 month old baby (who weighs a whooping 20 pounds!) so it is going to be VERY DIFFICULT for me to not pick her up for 2 weeks, not to mention 4-6!

My EP doc said the main concern in recovery is allowing the incision to heal, as the leads are sewn down very well. So I was a bit surprised with the stricter guidelines many are given on here.

I know it's better to be safe than sorry, but I have a baby to take care of!!!!

Why risk it?

by ela-girl - 2008-01-04 12:01:00

No difference as far as I know for letting your leads heal regardless if you have a single or dual pm--I would think it will take the same amount of time for one lead to heal as 2 that were implanted at the same time. I can think of one person on the site that started swimming after only a couple/few weeks and had a lead pulled. Seriously...wait the 6 weeks and then ask your doctor if you can be cleared for your activities (and make sure to tell your doc which activities you plan on doing). Who wants to be cut open again to have leads repositioned and then have to wait AGAIN to be able to get back to normal. It takes time to make sure that the leads are entrenched into the heart wall. I was also told not to lift anything over 5-10 lbs for those 6 weeks, too. And while it is important that your incision also heals well and doesn't get infected, in my opinion, it is secondary to the leads.

Isn't the age old adage "patience is a virtue"?
ela-girl

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