Hello! I'm 31 and Just Received a Pacemaker

First off, let me say that I was absolutely relieved and elated to find this site. A lot of my questions have been answered yet I know I can come here in the future when other questions arise.

Anyway, I'm 31 years old, run/ride bike daily and had a pacemaker installed on May 17th.

Since the age of 5 years old, I would pass out and convulse with the onset of extreme pain or the sight of my own blood. For many years the doctors believed it was a form of epilepsy as it runs in the family. Through many tests, they never could prove this diagnosis.

Fast forward a month ago when I passed out after getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. My girlfriend took me to the ER were I was then admitted and went through another barrage of tests. This time, they suggested the dreaded Tilt Table Test. I didn't pass out during the first 10 minutes until they sprayed the nitroglycerin under my tongue. Within 30 seconds, I began to feel faint. I was out like a light.

Upon coming to my senses, I noticed the entire staff of nurses, 6 in total, around the table with panicked looks on their faces. They informed me that my heart had stopped for 45 seconds and that they had to perform CPR to ensure that I my heart started beating again. The doctor came to the side of the table with an excited look on his face and expressed that I needed a pacemaker. Apparently he was so excited because my Vagus nerve reacts in the extreme 1% of patients. I was his medical anomaly. I probably made his month.

Now that I'm 6 days post op, I can finally shower today and wash my hair. It's about 7 inches long, so you can only imagine how greasy long hair looks.

That aside, and I'm sorry for the lengthy introduction, does anyone have any exercises they recommend to help work my left arm?

As with the rest of you, I've been restricted 4-6 weeks from lifting over 10 pounds or raising my left arm above shoulder level. I guarded my arm until I had to go for an echo yesterday and the nurse told me I needed to start moving it more or risk frozen shoulder.

I've been doing things like folding laundry, washing dishes and other menial tasks to help get the arm moving, but does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thank you, and I hope you're all doing well!

-Scot

5 Comments

Tennis ball workout

by MWilson - 2013-05-23 05:05:20

- Scott

What i did was bounce a tennis ball off the ground or off the wall. Im not saying throw it or pitch it like a baseball, but simply bouncing the ball on the ground or even juggling will help keep the arm warm and also pass time!

Also refrain from riding your bike and running until you're 100% healed. Although its mostly leg work, the last thing you need is to fall.

tennis ball also

by ford truck guy - 2013-05-23 05:05:40

I grabbed a tension ball and kept it handy the whole time. It was harder for me as they could not get the leads in place,, had to go back in the OR 2 days after, the doc put me in a sling for 2 weeks.

Hi

by Jax - 2013-05-23 09:05:18

I held on to a chair with one arm-- stand with feet apart a little-- kind of shoulder width-- bend over and take the pm arm and pretend that you are stirring soup. First one way and the other. It's a very gentle exercise but it works.

arm movement

by Alma Annie - 2013-05-23 09:05:29

The day after my pm was put in the nurse gave me a list of arm exercises which would have made me lift arm above shoulder. EP was horrified and told me not to do them, that 6 weeks was not long and I would not get a frozen shoulder and to make sure arm did NOT go above shoulder. I obeyed and had no problem with shoulder or arm after the 6 weeks. I was moving arm gently and then when pain had gone, more so , just not lifting it or doing anything that may have pulled out the leads.

My exercise consisted of just brisk walking and climbing steps that down to our beach. (116 steps!)

At least now you have been diagnosed and treated you will be able to have a much better quality of life. Hope all goes well for you.

Alma Annie

Same, same!

by Addlia - 2013-05-24 07:05:25

I am Vasovagal also and 31yrs old. Been having the passing out since I was 12 and flatline for about 18secs each time.

I had a PM inserted last month and found that any gentle (not above head) movements of my arm kept my shoulder nice and loose. Just leaning over and letting your arms sway gently back and forth in each direction is a good one.

I hope you heal well. Enjoy the no fainting :-)

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

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