Most Recent Messages in Exercise & Sports

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Team Pacemaker

You know I am a cyclist and love this time of year. The TDF is one of my favorite sporting events and I was just thinking about how the Pacemaker Club functions a lot like a cycling team. Sometimes when someone is struggling with something his teammates will all come back to help pace him back to the group, the stronger members letting those that need help hang on their wheels as they climb, letting them ride in their slipstreams some things are a little easier for them until they are strong eno...

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Heart Rate Monitors

Hey guys
Can anyone tell me if with the pacemaker we are allowed to wear heart rate monitors have tried to get an answer from both doctors and manufacturers to no avail....Any pacer patient outthere wears one when exercising? Please respond if anyone knows??? The box says check dr an the dr said ask manufacturer????

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Portection

Had my PM for 5 years now and had it fitted when i was 23. i'm really active and play alot of sports but there is one problem when it playing football (soccer), I've had some knocks to my PM and wondering if any one knew of any small portections clothing i could wear? Keats

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Weekend Getaway II

I'm back from my family camp out. It was an awesome trip, but not without challenges. A little less than a quarter of the way there, I managed to sprain my ankle. With my bicycle pedals, I have to twist my foot to unlock the pedal from my foot. I think I somehow twisted my foot wrong. It didn't hurt until I got to the campground, then it made it almost impossible to walk. When I arrived, it was decided that I shouldn't ride home on that ankle, so arraignments were made for me to hitch a ri...

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Breathless during heat & humidity

Hi, I've had my pacemaker since May 3rd. I initially was still having trouble up & down stairs, with breathlessness. It seemed to get a bit better as I healed up and maybe regained some level of fitness. With the summer heat & humidity, the breathlessness is back when I'm up & down the stairs doing laundry. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking this may just be part of my "new normal". Something I will have to be aware of during any heat/humidity wave.

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Tough day...

For those of you who have been following my training you might remember today was the day I had been training for since I had my PM put in last June. I was going to be riding my bike on the Colorado Triple Bypass (http://teamevergreen.org/triple). Instead I am watching the first day of climbing for the TDF after an SUV driver decided to try and make me and my bike a hood ornament. Needless to say I am sort of down for the first time in many months.

Yesterday I did have my first app...

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thanks, all

thank you for your responses concerning 'light swimming'. i had great time swimming with my grandsons. i took it easy and had no problems. i have a st jude model pm2210 pacemaker. the rate response is not on and i do have problems with hills and any strenuous activity. is it possible that the pm2210 does not rate response ?
thanks again,
schobo

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Sky Diving

So i was wondering if anybody here has gone skydiving before? I wanted to know if the Harness gets in your way of the pacemaker or defib units. I know this sounds crazy coming from somebody that has a defib. But i live everyday as if its my last and i have been wanted to go sky diving for about 5 years now. Any advice or help would be great .
Sincerely, Half man Half machine :)

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light swimming

how long should i wait to do some light swimming in a pool?
i've had my pm for almost 3 months. it is a pm2210.

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Can I Use Polar HR Monitor?

Hi everyone. I had my pm just 1 year ago for sick sinus syndrome and it is programmed to work on demand if my rate goes below 60bpm. I have started running again, nothing strenuous, just 2x30mins per week. Things seem fine, no more issues after exercise with my heart stopping!!!
Can I use a HR monitor to help my training - interested to know how you guys cope? (I have my 1st year check-up in 2 weeks so I'll ask the doctors anyway before doing anything).
Had frozen shoulder for several...

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Pain in the implant area

I have a sailboat. Working on the boat to prepare it for sailing, I have more extreme movements, heavier than normal demand to lift, tighten, and wax. Will this type of physical activity cause pain in the area of the implant, my collar bone area, and front of my neck above the implant?
Just attempting to determine what might be normal, or should be cause for concern.
Tom

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Takes a licking and keeps on ticking

For those of us who wonder if the pacemaker can take a g force shock I did give mine a pretty good test last night and according to the docs it should be fine.

For those of you who have been following my training to ride the Triple Bypass first the bad news. I won't be riding the Triple. Now for the good new, I am alive.

Seemed that as I was riding home from work last night on my bike I got within about 4 miles of home when I got broadsided by an SUV that decided to tak...

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How long do I need to wait?

I had my pacemaker installed under my right collar bone in December because I have a heart deformaty. My doctor told me a few months ago to not lift over 50lbs and I don't know how much I can lift now because it's been a while and I always seem to be lifting/moving things around. Like my room, I always change it around. I also had a mitral valve replacement in July of 2005, but I doubt that effects the pacer.

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Gotta love technology

I am now 1 year and 4 days into having a pacemaker and last year after I recovered I set myself some goals. One was to participate in the Triple Bypass and I have been working my butt off to get there and I hope I am close to the fitness I will need. I have dropped almost 35 lbs and feel the best I have in 4-5 years except for occasional ticker hickups (like sudden HR drops). In June I got a new little toy, a Garmin 305 GPS/Bike Computer/HRM and thought you guys might be interested in what it...

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Triple Bypass Training update

For those of you who have been following my quest to complete this years Triple Bypass Bike Ride (http://www.teamevergreen.org/triple) here in Colorado just thought I would send out an update. Yesterday I used Bike to Work Day as a good reason to really push myself and see where my fitness level was (after losing the last two weekends to rain/sickness and sickness) and it looks good. Rode into work which was about 34 miles of with a little climbing, rode home over Lookout Mountain and several...

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Softball

I am 71 - excellent health - no meds - UNTIL 7 weeks ago I got the PM
I played tournament level softball (now over 70 league)
My question is anyone play softball & when can I play again
My fears are swinging the bat and extending the the left arm (glove hand)
My Doc just says to take it easy
Woody

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help

Hi, I need some help. I am fitness trainer who has a 60 year old client who has a pace maker. i am concerned with training him as he is very stuborn and doesn't listen to instruction well. i ask him to take it easier, but because he is in a group with fitter people, he tries to keep up. I am worried he is going to have a heart attack on my watch! I often tell him that i think he is training too hard (he literally looks like he is going to die) and that his heart rate is too high, but he shr...

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hiking in mountains

I am planning to go hiking in the rockies. We will start at 5000 feet and gain up to 1600 feet . I am in very good shape and walk regularly. I have had a Boston Scientific pacemaker for 3 years but I haven't exercised at high altitude with it. Any feedback would be welcome.
Thanks, Bonnie

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Sudden drop in HR

Okay, Almost a year ago I got a pacer due to heart naps where my heart would go 'asleep' for up to 10 seconds at a time. This caused at least two syncope episodes where I went down with NO warning and once ended up on the floor and once had my wife sure she was going to need to start CPR (she is a health care professional). After the pacer things were going well but twice in the last month I had cases where in the middle of vigorous exercise I suddenly saw my HR drop from about 150 down to th...

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to Ed, about sauna and heat

Ed, I read your message about the sauna. My cardiologist banned me from going to the heated 100 degree physical thearapy pool and my hot tub. Had to sell my hot tub, but I really miss doing PT in the water. I am more aquatic than terra-firma. Aloha Mary Ann

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You know you're wired when...

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

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99% of the time, I totally forget I even have this device.