Brand new to Pacemaker/ICD

Exercise

by The real Patch - 2017-10-03 13:24:53

First tell your husband to get a grip for heaven sake. Sitting on your derriere doing nothing is a good way to die young, or at least wish you would. Now for the benefit of my wife who periodically reads this, doing housework is however very bad for heart patients and should only be done by spouses or loved ones.

Cardiac rehab is a must. Get your Dr to prescribe for you and get going. Remember too walking is one of the best exercises for us whether treadmill or just on a track. Do what you can and build up endurance and stamina. If you have issues discuss with your Dr and setting changes fine tuning may be necessary but no big deal. Always exercise with a friend for safety. Cardiac rehab is under a medical setting and they monitor you closely with a program customized for your specific needs and capabilities.

Additionally they will provide nutritional information on the types of meals your spouse should make for you.

Good luck and welcome to the club

Wrong approach to Husband!

by donr - 2017-10-04 02:13:43

1.  Go to kitchen.

2. Get a 12" cast iron skillet.

3.  Heat it up just hot enough to sear a rump roast.

4.  Go to living room where Hubby is probably watching football in underwear.

5.  Whack him up beside the head w/ skillet several times on both sides.

6.  Tell him I say he's a Cretin & you need the cardio Rehab!

7.  Toss the still cherry red skillet into his lap & stalk out of the room & head for the rehab place.

There are stages of cardio rehab - 1,2,3.  You need Stage 3.  1 & 2 are for patients who have had open heart surgeries, etc & start off while the patient is still in the hosp bed & proceed to very controlled work in the gym while connected to a telemetry system that records your every heartbeat.  Stage 3 is done on your own at your own rate, while a team of gimlet-eyed  nursesd watch you from afar.  they will taske your BP at regulat intervaals.

I started out in a stage 3 program, three machines per day - treadmill, recumbent bike & regular exercise bike.  Would you believe that I started out at  three 30 second sessions separated by a full minute per machine?  That was all I could comfortably handle.  Worked up to over 15 min per machine at a relatively high output - 3 miles per hour.

At one point a young chippy woman trainer chided me for progressing so slowly.  My response was - "I'm 77 yrs old.  have the rest of my life to work out on this.  I'm not aiming for an Olympic team in  anything in 4 years!"

Donr

Cardiac rehab

by LORIAAA - 2017-10-04 15:48:15

I agree Cardiac rehab is a must!

It saved my life!  Talk to your doctor.

Use it or lose it!

by Artist - 2017-10-08 00:38:48

I am 76 years old and have had my PM for two years.  I have returned to the same exercise level I was at before my PM was implanted,  I exercise at a health center 5 days a week, do between 2 and 2.1 miles in 32 Minutes on the treadmill or like exercise on an elliptical trainer.  M, W and Friday I participate in a 45 minute exercise class.  Tuesday and Thursday I set my own schedule and do 240 abdominal crunches at 50 lbs,  use weight machines to lift weights ranging from 10 to 50 lbs.  I can't describe all of the machines I use.  My heart seems to function better when I raise my HR through exercise and my PM doesn't have to kick in to keep my HR from falling below 60 BPM.  We are not invalids, so don't let your husband treat you like one.  Gradually increase your exercise.  It definantly helps self esteem to feel more physically competent and exercise has many benefits such as reducing stress and controlling weight.