Recovering from pacemaker implant

Cycling

by Bostonbionic - 2016-08-18 11:26:09

hi vic

I too am a cyclist and just like you wondered this. I had my pm back in March this year. It depends on what you have the pm for?  It will take at least 8 weeks for the leads to settle so although cycling is ok you don't want the fear of falling off. If you have a stationary bike then again depends on why you have the pm go gentle 10minutes every other day and build up slowly. Don't push your heart too hard as it has to get use to this new device inside and you it. Sometimes pm needs tweaking if the settings are not right for you. All being ok after the 8 weeks go out and start cycling gently then build up. There is and shouldn't be no reason why you can't get back to cycling. 

Liz uk 

hope this helps

Go for it!

by GigiT - 2016-08-18 13:30:10

Hey! Welcome to the club! Honestly, the hardest part of the implant is waiting for it to happen. Everything after that is a breeze, and getting back on your bike should be no problem. I've had my implant for about a year and a three months, and at the beginning, my only restriction was to not lift my arm above my shoulder. As biking is mostly about your legs, getting back to your sport should be no problem. However, as Bostonbionic said, the amount of work you should put on your heart depends on the reason for your implant. I had my defibrillator put in because of arrhythimias, and so far, nothing serious has happend. Check with your doctor and figure out what your device's max heart rate is, and go from there.

Since you are only going in for the sugery, you should be out of the hospital in a day or two, and honestly, the best way to get back at biking is to stay active. Don't lay around in bed all day. Enjoy the warm weather and take a walk!

Best of luck,  ~ Gigi

Ask some questions before your implant

by IAN MC - 2016-08-18 18:29:30

Hi Vic

Like you, I am in the UK and am a keen cyclist ; nothing like the sort of mileage you are doing though.  Before getting your PM you really need to know how your heart will respond to exercise after getting your PM.

Are you " chronotropically incompetent " ?  If you are, this would mean that  your heart rate does not increase the way it should when you exercise  ?  Ask your cardiologist that question.  If you are chronotropically incompetent you will need the Rate Response feature of your PM switching on . Some pacemakers have  better RR functions than others for cyclists.

 Some PMs add extra heart beats only when they detect movement in the upper body which is very little when you cycle so you would become breathless fairly quickly. Other PMs detect increased breathing as well as upper body movement and those are better for cyclists.

If your HR does increase in a normal physiological way when you exercise then you will be fine no matter what make of PM you get but you do need to ask the question.

Best of luck

Ian

Biking better than ever

by Tac - 2016-08-18 19:14:27

Hey Vic,

I was asked to wait 6 weeks  before resuming cycling;  Dr concerned with falling.  Since I suffer from bradycaria the PM greatly improved my high end.

I stayed off the mountain bike longer but I never did fall off.

Best of luck,

Dave

Coasting

by Janenotarzan - 2016-08-20 21:45:42

Maybe the best thing to do would be to just ride downhill for a few weeks.