Most Recent Messages in Exercise & Sports

Masters Swimming

Hi all,
I have been involved with Masters Swimming since the early 1970's. I became attached to my PM in March 2005.
Would any of you doing swimming work-outs tell me about any changes you have had - compared to pre-PM? If you did experience any changes, how did you adjust?
I would greatly appreciate you comments. Thanks for your time and help.

Richan

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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 a...

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Has anybody gained weight after pm

After I got my PM I had gained over 40 lbs, and i'm having a hard time to loose the weight, I try to work out but I get tired easily, sometimes i don't even have energy to get out of bed, what can I do? has anyone had the same problem? I try to eat healty, sometimes i don't even have time to eat, and I haven't lost an ounce.

please help

Debbie

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Is my PM rate correct?

Hey,
I have a VDD PM. Some times I feel that it stops me to continue running, not sure if the settings are ok for someone who is running a lot.
Here they are:
Mode: VDD, Mode switch off, Rates: Lower:50, upper 150
AV intervals: sensed AV 120ms, rate adaptive AV: on
Start rate: 70ppm, stop rate: 150PPM min SAV 30ms
Refractory/Blanking
PVARP:auto, min: 250, pvab:150 VertRef:230 PMT Interv:off PVC resp:off

Artial High Rate Epsisodes:
detection ra...

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some issues with activity

Hi everyone
Just passed the first year of living with PM. I had only heart block problem and that’s why I received a PM. I can run and play soccer, but usually the day after I play my heart starts pounding and I feel lots of pressure on my neck. And it is on and off for a couple of days. A couple of times since last year I had to go to ER because of this issue, and they put me on monitor and even though that I had that feeling, they couldn’t see anything wrong with my heart. I even not sur...

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Heart Rate monitors

Question.....I have been trying to increase my running, I currently run 5 times a week 6 - 10 kms at a time....I am wanting to get a heart rate monitor. The reason for this is that when I use my stepper or the treadmill I notice that my heart rate fluctuates dramatically....I spoke with my PM tech on my last visit and she made some adjustments but she told me that maybe is was the machine not picking up my heart rate properly.....I thought that was a reasonable answer, until such time that I wa...

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Calling all firefighters

Hi,

I am a 39 yo Firefighter/Paramedic and got my pacemaker about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Recovery is going well and I am hoping to get off light duty and back to work by September. Are any of our members active Firefighters? My questions are about throwing ladders, pulling ceiling, lifting heavy patients and forcible entry. Have you had any problems physically with the site hurting or mechanical problems like a lead breaking with such physical work. One more question, does the intense...

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Firefighter again

Thanks for all of the feedback. For those who are worrying or concerned, I don't have my PM to keep me alive, on the contrary, it just keeps my resting heartrate above 50. I have no exercise issues and never have. I would not go back on the job if I were a hazard to my crew. I have discussed this at length with my specialists. My heart functions great when exerting. If I were to break a lead at a fire it wouldn't affect my heart rate because my reart rate would be above 50 due to the adrenal...

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Rowers and scullers

Have not seen any problems from anyone who row or sculls with pacemaker. I have had Medtronic Kappa KDR901 implanted in 2006. My running since the implant has caused me no problems but my rowing after 20min exercise my h/r would decrease.

After discussions and tests it would seem that the Medtronic unit has inbuilt motion sensor that detects the vertical motion of running okay but with the rowing not imparting this motion. Anyone out there had any experience?

Tonym

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military question

Hey peter
i've just read your message. OMG.... LOL.... as my wonderful teenage sons' would say. Actually, if they find out I just used them, they will NEVER say them again!
Always damn fine to read something that actually makes me laugh on this site
By the way, for some reason, your PM Club 'private' email is not working
Take care
Sasha/ Gonzi

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gees peter, bring a firefighter down

You SO have to be a Pom, or pommy born. Harsh, to the point, hold no punches, gees boy, lighten up a smidgin ( still made me laugh with the other comment tho!)
Gonz
by the by, my pacer is sub muscular
Gonz :->

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thanks Cathryn :->

Hey girl
Thanks heaps for your message. Yep, looks like the Australian Army takes ALL kinds!! Hope all is well in your world. Actually, where IS your world??? That's the weird thing about this medium. we are anywhere and yet at the exact same place. Sometimes you just gotta love the www.....sometimes!
Take care, talk soon
Gonzi ( or Sasha to my civi mates) !!!

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update on a soldier

hey all
Well for anyone out there that read my post almost exactly a year ago(Hey Hannah,Hey Cathryn), here is an update. It took me a lot of arguing, and a massive amount of support from both my doctors, my superiors and my partner, but we did it. I am now the first member with a pace maker who has been given the official ok to not only stay in the Army, but to chose the direction of my career with almost no restrictions. I still train hard, tho, at almost 39 now, and with the pacer doing...

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cycling after pacer

Well it has been one year since I had my pacer installed Medtronic ADDR01011D
I cycle up to 300 miles per week and have entered several races including a 200km just 18 days after the pacer was installed. I found out that the Doctor that did the install did just an "out of the box" install and had to go to a different doctor for 2 adjustments. That took care of the problems I had (minor)
I have noticed that my Polar heart monitor will show readings of up to 230bpm but have no feeling...

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St. Jude 5376 dual chamber pacemaker

Has anyone had difficulty adjusting to this pacemaker? After an extensive unsuccessful ablation for A-Fib, my A/V node was ablated necessitating the implant of this pacemaker, which was heralded to suppress A-Fib. For 9 months I could hardly walk from my car to my classroom ( a very short distance) while carrying a not so heavy bookbag and purse without stopping and leaning on the school building half-way. My doc said I was too anxious about it and it wasn't going to get any better. I went t...

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Pilates Machine

I wanted to know if anyone has a pilates machine. The range of motion when doing pilates ropes, do they hurt the muscles around the pacemaker ? Sometimes when I do light weight training, it is tender around my pacemaker. Also, in general does anyone have tenderness around the pacemaker ? I have had the PM since 2002, and now it is tender ? Who the heck knows ??

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Comment for sandy529

This is in response to Sandy 529 "having a hard time running now". I am 68 years young, very athletic, mostly a cyclist. 2 years ago I had an AV block necessitating implant of a medtronic dual chamber pacemaker. Immediately I was unable to achieve my former exertion levels, very frustrating. My cardiologist told me the pacemaker was limited to 150 bpm, and that I would have to live with that. I knew that I had prior been able to achieve much higher rates I was able to train my body to impr...

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having a harder time running now...

I've had my pacemaker for 2 years now and I started running again about 2 months after having it installed. Things were ok as far as running was concerned and I actually was able to run further than I had ever been able to do. Recently though, after my last adjustment, I notice that I get really winded after only about a minute of running and I have to stop and walk for awhile. I don't seem to be able to get any significant progress with this.
Any ideas? I was diagnosed with complete heart...

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biking

i just had my 2 week checkup post implant and everything seems to be going ok, I want to get back to exercising specifically biking, was wondering what precautions i should take. With my upright bike i'm not too concerned but with my mtn bike i'm a little hesitant because of posture ie more strain on shoulders, arms, and wrists. I'm pacing 100% in my ventricles. any information on getting back into an exercising program would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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atv

i have a friend, he is 68 yr,s old. just had a pm installed 3 weeks ago. his question is can he ride his atv?

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You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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