Going to a gym/weights

I have had my pacemaker .. dual lead Boston Scientific .. for 15 months and all going well. I walk for exercise but wondered how others go by lifting weights etc at a gym ??? Appreciate feedback,. Patricia

8 Comments

Weights

by Tracey_E - 2014-03-10 06:03:58

Drs vary and some are more conservative than others, but my dr said if it doesn't hurt, it's ok.

weight training

by jimsactive - 2014-03-10 09:03:38

My DR gave me the OK 60 days after the implant. Did you do weights before the PM? If so you should be able to begin using weights again.

I would recommend using a personal trainer for setting up a workout routine.

Honest to Pete -

by donr - 2014-03-10 10:03:27

- my cardio's exact words were "Lift all the weights you want, but just don't try out for the Bulgarian Olympic weight lifting team."

One other comment he made to me was "What good would it do me to tell you 'NO!' you'd go out & do it anyway." Spoken as he rolled his eyes, turned & walked out the door, white coat flapping in the breeze.

Don

Dizzytiltingwoozy

by Tracey_E - 2014-03-10 10:03:42

I've always gone with the better to beg forgiveness than ask permission theory of being a heart patient :o) I also thinks it makes a huge difference if your dr is active vs sedentary. The active drs are more likely to find a way to make it work than tell us to take it easy. I started boot camp (crossfit) without telling my cardio, but held back on things like weights overhead and pull ups. He had said do whatever I felt up to but I'd never pushed like that before. When I told him about it, he seemed surprised I was able to do it but smiled and said have fun, just don't do anything stupid. So, now I don't hold back and I'm obsessed with doing an unassisted pull up. Every time he sees me now he asks is if I still go right after he asks about my kids (I was his first pregnant patient)

Gym/weights

by Jun - 2014-03-10 10:03:49

I also have a dual lead Boston Scientific and it's been about 9 months. I was very active pre-pacemaker (run, swim, weights). I do everything still. I just started slow and worked my way back to my original form.
When I asked my tech about weights, she had no problem with it as long as I don't drop them on my device! The only issue I had was occasionally the pacemaker would rub against my clavicle and it would be a little sore afterwards. (I have the big version for longer battery life!) No big deal though.
I'm only 44 so I wasn't going to limit myself just because of the pacemaker.

Thanks for your feedback.

by Unexpected Changes - 2014-03-11 06:03:47

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate each comment. Happy days ahead for each of you. Patricia

Excersise

by sallybags@email.com - 2014-03-14 09:03:26

I had mine put in 3 years ago..play bball 3 times a week and lift 2 days a week. No limits..don't even think about it, and I'm 60 years old

Exercise

by LTaukiri - 2014-03-30 11:03:17

I've had my pacemaker since I was 10 weeks old, growing up, I was always an active(ish) kid and I had no problems with exercise, though once I hit the teenage years I was less active then I was as a kid.

I started going to a gym in 2012, the lady there told me that they have had people with pacemakers train there and they've done well, and that I would be fine, just so long as I knew my limits.

In general, with both weights and cardio machines I did just fine, I had no problems with either. Pushed my limits a bit, but no changes as far as I was concerned.

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