Settings with exercise

Maximum heart rate,

by Selwyn - 2017-09-28 09:27:45

Your maximum heart rate can be calculated as ( 220 minus your age). Your date of birth is 1970, you  say. 

The upper threshold rate  for pacing can be set. After that your heart does the rest. 

The exercise rate response of your PM can be set for speed of onset and offset. 

To achieve a maximum heart rate is a matter of fitness. I wonder is it wise to drive your heart flat out? If you get unduly short of breath on exercise you may need to reconsider your options. The idea of exercise is to keep fit, not to kill yourself! In fact, heavy exercise is associated with an increased mortality and a decreased life expectancy. No exercise, likewise. Perhaps Goldilocks had the right idea in life? 

Selwyn

This isn't mickey-D's

by Theknotguy - 2017-09-29 00:27:54

Getting a pacemaker or heart device isn't like walking into a fast food restaurant and ordering a meal.  It takes time for the body to heal and adjust.  

I wasn't able to do cardio after getting my pacemaker because of the additional heart medicine kept my heart rate below 120.  It takes the doctors time to "tweak" both your medication and your pacemaker because it takes time for your body to adjust to medication - sometimes up to a month.  Then you have to work with the doctor while he/she tries to determine which medicine will work better for you - which can take another month, etc., etc.  So the adjustments aren't an instant fix.  

I think it was five months before I was able to get an adjustment done on my pacemaker.  The doctor wanted to make sure everything had settled down before he started tweaking the machine. 

If the doctor makes an adjustment to your medication and an adjustment to your pacemaker which adjustment made the difference?  

In the first two years there were constant changes and what I told you from week to week changed as my body changed.  So it takes time.  

Hang in there.  

patience is a virtue LOL

by Tracey_E - 2017-09-29 13:05:07

It's not going to come back overnight, however I would not wait another 5 weeks to be seen. By 4-6 weeks you should be closer to your old self, tho probably not able to do what you were doing before just yet.  Document when you have trouble so they know where to look in the pacing  reports. 

The pacer is a gas pedal, not a brake pedal. If you got up to 160 on your own, you can get up to 160 paced. 

Thank you guys!

by Turbo - 2017-09-29 18:11:23

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful information. I have never really had any health issues in the past(minus the passing out episodes) and have not been on any medications AND I am very active and have been for several years now so I had nothing to compare this with. Also, I went to work like any other day and then ended up in the ER and getting pacemaker the next day so I didn't really have time to do a lot of research on it. Honestly, when I had my cardiac ligation last year for SSS I really thought it had worked and didn't think anymore about the possibility of a pacemaker. I guess I had my  head buried in the sand. Ignorance was bliss.... for a year. I just start getting nervous because I don't really know what to expect, when I should ask about tweaking, will my max heart rate that I was used to before be different now and having you guys fill in those gaps is very helpful! Thank you all so very much!!!

PM and exercise

by ityw - 2017-10-08 14:26:25

Thanks for the info. I am only 3 weeks post op and don't know what to expect. I am 68 and have always been very active....lifting weights, fly-fishing, hiking and any other outdoors stuff. I took a hike 2 weeks post op and really could feel my heart beat on the uphills. Doc says go for it but didn't tell me they will need to adjust it according to my activities. This club is very helpful and I look forward to getting help and, in the future, offer any help I can. Thanks again.

Welcome!

by Turbo - 2017-10-10 09:26:58

Welcome, ityw!

I haven't been here long, but I have learned so much and received an enormous amount of support since being here! Take care!

Training after pacemaker

by peter.harridge - 2017-10-23 14:48:56

Seems like you were running very soon after pacemaker fitting. So, what I did may help. I had a pacemaker fitted last year in March 2016 but my Appt was cancelled as A and E used my cardiac bed. So had to pressure them to give me another as was already flying to the US 5 weeks after Pacemaker fitting. So now had only 3 weeks. As this was a cycle training holiday had to ride just a few days after Pacemaker so that I could train in the US adequately. 

As for running, I wouldn't have tried it as the problem is the wound has to heal and this takes 6 weeks. But I assume it was ok for you. Still, I was able to ride after 3 days, but couldn't pump a tyre up so bit of a risk if i Punctured. Would have to ring a taxi. After 3 weeks could pump a tyre up. 

So did intervals in the US, and a lot of miles. Physically I knew I'd be ok because it is warm in Texas in March/April and this is why I was going. This year it is not been so good, but have tried to get a run in lately. It is clear i have a major problem as my Ramipril dose has been increased and it has helped. But has caused calf pain which is apparently caused by the Kidneys not getting rid of Ptassium effectively. So have cut down on dairy. If you ever calf pain, be aware it could be Pottasium level.

Peter Harridge

Dunoon, Scotland.