BB with pm?

I'm recommended for a pm due to av node complete block, my question is whether, with a pm, I can continue to play over 40 pickup basketball, I play 4-5 times weekly, full court, some of the games are fairly serious, because if you lose, you sit.
2nd question, will my cardiac condition improve w/ a pm, my ejection fraction is 55% w/ a resting hr of 33-37, max hr during exercise of 105-108.
I'm 62 and still have a few years left in the over 40 games before moving to the retiree games. Aside from the block, my arteries are clean and no mechanical cardiac conditions.
Thanx,
Dave

4 Comments

Going well for a 139 yo

by arty - 2009-01-31 07:01:00

Keep it up, seems to be doing you some good

Town/City:
Year of Birth: 1870
Occupation:
Interests:

go for it!

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-31 07:01:03

Your EF is fabulous and it sounds like you're in great shape! You will probably find that you recover quickly and that you have considerably more stamina after you get your pm. I also have complete av block, though mine is congenital. I've been able to do things since I got my pm that I never could have considered before the pm. My energy and stamina were much improved.

AV blocks are the easiest thing to correct with a pm. Our natural pacemaker works just fine (SA node in the atria) but the message doesn't get through the the ventricle all the time (that's the block) so the atria wants to go faster than your 33-37 but the ventricles aren't getting the message. The pm just steps in and completes the circuit. You are fortunate that you don't have any structural or plumbing problems to hold you back from a fast recovery.- you're really an ideal pm candidate in every way.

Your resting rate is very low. The pm will keep it at least 50 or 60 (depends how they program it) which will give your body a lot more oxygen, which should have a positive impact on your overall health.

Glad to see that.....LOL

by Angelie - 2009-01-31 07:01:34

someone else was born in 1870.
And, gee, I thought I was the ONLY one. Darn!

LOL!

Dave,
Good luck. From what I hear from folks around here, you should be able to do most if not all that you were doing before your pacer implant. Pacemakers are suppose to enable you.....not disable.
Keep us posted, please.
Angelie

All my broken bones were from basketball

by BillMFl - 2009-01-31 10:01:38

Nose, wrist and ankle over many years starting back in high school until my 40's. Imagine taking a hard elbow . Not uncommon in basketball. But if an elbow just happened to deliver a hard shot to your pm, you could be looking at a lead change procedure. You might consider a flak jacket!

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I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.