How Soon can I get back to working out

I had my pacemaker put in Feb 4 2015. No issues and after 3 weeks was allowed to start lifting my arm above my head and lifting things over 10lbs. I see alot of different info about when to start working out. Some sites say 12 weeks other say 4 weeks.
I plan to start slow but wondering, whats the average weeks people on this site have waited

Thanks
Kevin

8 Comments

varies

by Tracey_E - 2015-03-04 04:03:08

We all seem to get different answers! The average is 6 weeks before lifting and raising the arm. My dr said 3 months for vigorous movements like a full golf swing, 6 weeks for everything else. After the first 48 hours, it's all precaution. If you are going to dislodge a lead, it's unlikely to happen after the first few days, and if it doesn't it's generally because it wasn't in a good spot, not because of anything we did.

Varies too

by Theknotguy - 2015-03-04 05:03:23

As TraceyE said, we all get different answers. Typical is six weeks. I was lifting 90 pound 4x8 sheets and my cardio said 90 days. Because of other problems it was seven months. Anyway...

Depending upon what you are doing, I'd suggest taking it easy and seeing how you feel. When I did get back to lifting weights, for the first couple of weeks it felt like the PM was a sharp disk inside the pocket. Then there was the pulling of the tissue around the PM pocket. I used tylenol and hot and cold compresses. Depending upon what I did I didn't go back for up to a week. Mostly just went on how sore I felt.

I did pull a lead and it hurt like hell. Ended up taking about six weeks for that pain to go down. So once again I'd just suggest you take it easy.

Problem is, you feel really good because you're getting a good blood supply. But waking up the next morning is another story altogether. I learned to go up to where it felt good, then stopped. Hard to do sometimes but the morning paybacks helped temper the enthusiasm.

After one year, I can do all the exercise I want as far as the PM goes. I've got another problem we're trying to diagnose. So I keep working until I start to hurt, then quit.

Hope your exercise regimen goes smoothly.

Thanks

by kevbo311 - 2015-03-04 09:03:34

Thank you for the help.I planned on going back this week but maybe ill wait the full 6 weeks.
I am a crossfitter so I know it will be a long road ahead to be back to what I was doing. Wont be doing any overhead lifts for a month but wanted to start running/jumping and non overhead moves.

KnotGuy, when you pulled a lead did you have to have it repaired? I was afraid I pulled something but it may just be paranoia and fear of not wanting to be back at the hospital. PM was my first time for surgery and in the hospital, dont plan on going back. I dont feel any huge pain like you said so Im sure its all in my head

Thanks for the help

??

by IAN MC - 2015-03-05 03:03:38

I'm not sure what " pulling a lead " means and I don't see how you can say with certainty that you've "pulled" a lead unless you dislodge it . If you dislodge a lead,either at the heart end ,or at the box end, you would know about it as you would revert back to the way you were before having a PM.

There should always be enough slack in the leads at the shoulder end to allow a normal range of movement . It is bad to have either too little or too much slack . I guess with the range of competence in PM implanters it is possible that some do not leave enough slack but hopefully this is rare !

Cheers

Ian

Crossfit

by Tracey_E - 2015-03-05 05:03:59

I CF also. Just ease back into it. You should be able to do the cardio as soon as you feel up to it. I'd give it at least 6 weeks before doing anything overhead, longer than that for anything heavy or on the pull up bar.

Be careful when you clean the bar once you're healed. You don't want the bar putting pressure on your device or leads, or if your device is just under the collarbone you need to be careful about pressure on the collarbone that might crush it. So, some people need to be careful about cleaning. Mine is lower than that so I don't worry about it. Other than that, anything goes. I do everything except ring rows. I could, but they get so deep in the pecs that they aggravate my scar tissue and I end up holding back for a few days, better to modify. You know your body best! Just use common sense. You will probably find that your stamina improves now that your heart is beating like it should.

Crossfit

by kevbo311 - 2015-03-15 03:03:11

TraceyE, thanks for the info. Do you use any kind of protector pad for your PM? I bought an Evoshield Shotgun shirt, which is basically a hard plastic that covers my shoulder and 98% of the PM. Im going back to CF tomorrow so we will see how it work but wondering if you use anything. I am going to avoid cleans entirely and heavy overhead for the first 2 weeks but I think everything else will be good.
I did start some basic pushups, Yoga this week and felt a small burning sensation around the PM. Is that normal? It wasnt painful but a quick weird feeling. Have anyone had this feeling the first few times they workout?

Thanks
Kevin

Protection

by Tracey_E - 2015-03-27 07:03:39

Sorry, I was away on vacation and didn't see you had more questions!

I don't wear any protection,it just gets in the way and doesn't really protect anyway. Pressure is the problem, the shirts are designed for impact.

Mine is low enough that cleaning the bar is not a problem. Start light and see how you feel, if you feel it's putting pressure on the pm or not.

The burning is likely fresh scar tissue pulling. Ice helps. Back off then try again in a few days. It took me about 3 months until I could bend/pull/stretch/lift in any direction without any discomfort. That's not saying it hurt for 3 months, just that it took that long until nothing aggravated it. Push ups were the last thing that got comfortable for me, but I was just doing free weights when I had my last replacement, not CF.

Protection

by kevbo311 - 2015-03-31 05:03:04

Glen
The Evoshield shirt I have been using has been working great. Its akward when you go over head since the pad moves but I got used to it. I have been doing cleans with about 75-95 pounds and its catching the pad each time. the only downside to the shirt is its basically a sauna shirt. Its a compression shirt to its tight and it traps the heat. In winter that will be great but as its starting to get warmer I may have to find something else.

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