Do I need to tell theCardiologist of what exercisi

I'm still waiting for my pacemaker implantation . Do I need to tell the cardiologist what exercising/activities I want to do after it? Does it make any difference to how it is set up?
Bryony

6 Comments

yes

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-06 04:01:54

I would. If it is too close to the skin or too close to the collarbone, it could get in your way when you are active. Some drs automatically put it a little lower and a little deeper, but it's worth having the discussion before. It also may affect your settings, but they generally have to adjust those later anyway so that's less crucial right now than where they put it.

Type of exercise

by lbdina - 2014-01-06 05:01:41

Some types of exercise, such as bike riding, benefit from a rate response feature that has both minute ventilation and an accelerometer. Not all pacemakers have both sensors. If you have chronotropic incompetence (I.e., your heart rate doesn't keep pace with your physiologic needs), you will need to use the rate response feature.

So, I think it is worth discussing your activity level, types of exercise, etc. you want to get a PM that meets your needs.

Hi Bryony.................

by Tattoo Man - 2014-01-06 06:01:37


................I know absolutely nothing about Settings and stuff ,..but my Rate Response is switched off.

What I do know though, is that my first PM...left hand ,..came out last January because it was poking out of my skin......Now , I am all for befriending your device..but not when its about to become Face-to-Face......

So...

New Rig in RH shoulder..here is the difference.....My Surgeon Mr Alistair Sandilands , Leicester, is a runner / Cyclist..ex Tri Guy...he understood the situation..So..

My RH PM is well sutured in..no bouncing..no poking out.

It seems to me that , here on PM Club, a constantly recurring issue is....Tell your Doc what you do ..Tell your Doc what you want..Ask your Doc what you want to know...

Keep us all in touch with how it goes..

Tattoo Man

Depends on diagnosis

by golden_snitch - 2014-01-07 07:01:16

Hi!

As Ibdina already pointed out, if you suffer from chronotopic incompetence it does matter a lot what kind of exercise you'd like to do, as this can influence the rate response sensor (and hence manufacturer) choice. Chronotopic incompetence is often seen in patients with sinus bradycardia, but is usually no problem in patients with heart block. Also, as Tracey said, you might want to have your device protected a little better - and less visible - by placing it in a pocket under the muscle. Angrysparrow, they could have done this in your case, too, despite the hardware in your shoulders; they can place the device under the major chest muscle and close to the sternum, so quite far away from the shoulder.

So, in case you'll need the rate response sensor, you should definitely inform your cardio about the activities you'd like to do. A pacer that has an accelerometer sensor only, will not provide a response (or only a really slow response) when you bicycle. A pacer that has minute ventilation plus accelerometer allows for a much better rate response, but there are only two manufacturers offering this combination: Sorin and Boston Scientific.

Limitations because the doctors feel that this and that activity poses a too high risk of getting hit in the pacemaker area is one thing; limitations because the rate response sensor doesn't respond well, are a completely different story.

All the best

Inga

Go fo rit

by gleesue - 2014-01-07 12:01:34

Bryony,

What do you do now? Guess what, depending on your condition, you can do it after. Here's my list of activities, bike, hike, golf, tennis, swim, jet ski, snow ski, coach soccer, snow shoe, cross country ski, play cut the pie (old snow game) with my 7 year old grand daughter and neighbor kids, etc. I could go on but my point is you can do everything you did before your PM implantation.

Oh, I can think of one thing I decided not to do. I used to let the kids stand on my shoulders and dive off in the pool. However I got concerned that their toes might hit my PM as the dove off. That's about it.

Good luck and don't worry.

Jerry

Tell your doc

by TJ319 - 2014-02-05 02:02:19

Bryony,

I went through all the exercises I do with my doc prior to the implant, and again at the 2 week post implant check up. It helps to know exercise by exercise since those that put stress on your arm on the implant side need to be avoided for several weeks.

You know you're wired when...

You have a high-tech ticker.

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I, too, am feeling tons better since my implant.