Running and Weightlifting

Hi everyone,

My cardiologist insisted on a pm after I passed out one day in April, '08 because of a low heart rate. I think it was because I took my metropolol pills to control atrial fib, too close together. My pm is set at 50 bpm.

Prior to this, I was running thirty miles a week and engaging in heavy lifting in the gym. (I am 69 years old and have worked out all my life) My question is: Dare I eventually go back to heavy dumbell presses and curls or should I fear injury and/or pace maker disfunction. I want to be sensible, but I am not ready for a sedentary life.

I would love to hear from those of you who have started lifting again after a pm installation. Thanks.

Herb

5 Comments

Just take your time

by Butch - 2008-05-09 10:05:00

Hi Herb
The most important thing is not to rush back into it to quick.. I started lifting again about 30-40 days after my PM was put in. BUT I waited over 2 months before I would even think about doing bench flys or over head lat pulls. Just because of the fact of the position of your arms when you are doing them. You know from lifting weights what happens after you do bench flys.
Curls are fine after a few weeks. Just be careful of the exercises you do that make you have your arms over your head or stretch to your sides..
Good luck Butch

Take your time

by boatman50 - 2008-05-09 11:05:26

After you get the docs ok, start back in and gradually build up the weights and the range of motion. The consensus is 6-8 weeks before starting up again. You don't want to jump right back in and pull a lead! Best of luck to you Herb,
Boatman

Powerful Pacer

by gevans - 2008-05-10 10:05:23

I know you will (or should) start off with much lower weights and will ease into it, but for those that think you can't lift after having a pacemaker installed check out this guy's stats since his implanation:

IPA World Champion, 1750 total at 220.
Best meet lifts to date: 725-pound squat, 350-pound bench, 675-pound deadlift.
Best gym lifts to date: 765-pound squat, 475-pound bench, 720-pound deadlift.

He goes by Powerman on the cardiacathletes.org site.

GE

Lifting

by heckboy - 2008-05-10 10:05:48

Hi,

I've lifted my entire life too and am 46. I waited 3 months before going back to the gym and took it very slow. I still am not doing many shoulder exercises or using much weight after 4 months as I have dislodged a lead in the past. It may take me another 2-3 months to get back to my full workout.

Herb - questions

by axg9504 - 2008-05-13 03:05:06

Are you sure you had (have) afib? Because I was initially incorrectly diagnosed with paroxysmal afib and prescribed toprol like you and it was a disaster. My sinus node was slowing things down and the toprol and other BB's I tried with shorter duration made things worse.

I wish there were a cause and an effect or logical explanation of how certain exercises might cause problems with the leads, which is the concern with weights. I have been told contradictory things by my care givers. The nurses said lifting overhead was not recommended, my doc gave me the OK. I still haven't mustered the courage to do lat pulldowns or bench presses with free weights (I use the machine). I'm at 4 months +. The area around my PM is still itchy at times.

You know you're wired when...

Jerry & The Pacemakers is your favorite band.

Member Quotes

In fact after the final "tweaks" of my pacemaker programming at the one year check up it is working so well that I forget I have it.