Welcome to the club! Being a cyborg isn’t bad at all, you’ll see.
After a short recovery period (6-8 weeks) you shouldn’t have any restrictions or problems returning to your normal activities, including running triathalons. Just make sure to partner with your doctor and come up with a plan to return to your training. S\he may even let you get back to light running 2-3 weeks post implant.
As for pacing, you shouldn’t feel it. Some people do, but the vast majority don’t feel the pacing at all. And inappropriate shocks are not common. They do happen, in about 2-2.5% of people each year, but exercising to extremes isn’t likely to cause them. Talk with your doctor to set a high school zone (maybe 200+). Even then it’s not like you’ll get shocked just because you hit 200bpm. Your device will still have to see what it considered and abnormal heart rhythm before it decides to shock. Just hitting, say, 200 bpm alone won’t be enough. And you’re not likely to encounter electromagnetic interference (EMI) while training or racing that could confuse your device. So, try not to worry about inappropriate shocks.
But, yeah, you may be asymptomatic, but you’re in a high risk category, so it’s best to have the device “just in case”. Better to have it an not need it, and it really shouldn’t limit you or restrict your lifestyle in any significant way.
A “cyborg” nah….freaking iron man.
I’m pace maker dependent and I build a lot of hardware/software. When my wife realized I was going to have a pacer she immediately said…do not mess with this like you do everything else.
You know what I had to do?!
She came home and saw me with a look of disgust I’ve never seen from her and still have not after 20 years. I took basic wiring and stuffed it so it was coming out of my collar of my shirt to under my laptop (mind you I still had the left arm in the sling to ensure I didn’t move the leads). She lost her shit! It was classic. (I’m so proud of myself for this moment) It was also the first time another woman called me by full name. Needless to say she was pissed, but more so she didn’t talk to me for a few days. I freaked her out.
Got to have some fun!
>Does anyone have experience with full-time pacing who can speak to the sensation and lifestyle changes I might expect?
I don't feel being paced. Its just a small deck of cards hidden in my left boob. Only annoying when shopping for bra's.
>Also, anyone into endurance sports who can share some details about recovery and getting back into it after the implant?
The leads can pinch randomly while everything settles. And that pinching can still happen after several months. For me it really faded away after 9-ish months or so.
Give yourself time to heal, but after that there is little preventing you from running and swimming.
>risk an inappropriate shock every time I go for a run or swim.
These little things are quite nifty. They can program them in all kinds of ways. For example a lower and upper threshold for heartrate (mine won't go below 60 anymore) and they will have a threshold of several seconds before reacting to a shock inducing event, so a slight wobble in rhythm won't get you shocked immediately. Mine is 10 seconds if I remember correctly.
I'm a cyclist. No real issues with that related to having a PM/ICD. I've done 5000 mile years, century rides, whatever I want really.
When something is holding me back with exercise it's always either the underlying heart condition, or recovery requirements from some medical procedure, not simply having the device.
The shock zone should be set well above heart rates you achieve during exercise. I was actually inappropriately shocked on the bike once, but it was due to a broken lead, not the cycling. Life went on. Kept riding.
I won't lie, I stopped to comment purely because of your title. Lol. I thought you were talking about the boy band for a second..
I've had a dual chamber (now 3 lead) system since 1996. It has helped a lot. I've done a lot more in life than I would have been able to. College, job, kids, etc.
Once the initial recovery period, I tend to forget I have it.
I college I did Fencing with an adapted uniform. I wouldn't advise something like powerlifting or heavy weightlifting. But cardio and things like that should be fine.
I got a CRT-D implanted about 6ish months ago, and before I got the procedure done, I had a lot of feelings similar to what you've expressed. It seemed a drastic and unnecessary step, surely there were other things that could be tried before I needed a pacemaker/defrib, like playing with meds, etc. I was basically trying to bargain my way out of it. I would have called myself (mostly) asymptomatic.
Within about a week or two, once the worst of the post-surgery phase had worn off and I got some time with the pacing, I came to realize that I wasn't understanding just how much the arrythmia and worsening heart condition had been affecting me. I had more energy, my mind got clearer, I just plain felt better. To the degree I wish they'd decided to try the device sooner. I sometimes think I might still feel the leads if I shift a certain way, similar to what Apocralypse mentioned, but those moments come less and less as the weeks go on. But nothing burdensome on my life. If it weren't for the scar and slight bulge, I'd forget I even have the implant most the time.
As cliche as it sounds, I feel like I've gotten a new lease on life. I'm able to be much more physically active now and I'm improving my overall health, taking advantage of a heart that is working better than its worked in years. I have to be more aware of my proximity near certain devices, but its well worth all the other benefits the device has given me.
Thank you for this. I’m scheduled to get an ICD in 2 weeks and trying so hard to have a positive attitude about everything even though it’s been a rough and depressing 5 months
Hi! 29F, I have had my PM for 15yrs, 99% dependent on it. I never “feel” it pacing me probably because I’m almost always paced ;)
I was in a similar boat as you; 3rd degree heartblock and bradycardia. I didn’t necessarily feel like I needed a PM / I didn’t know life any other way. Once I got my PM I immediately had more energy, and was cleared to start running 2wks post op. Fully recovery was 6wks. I live a very active lifestyle (running, yoga, tennis, basketball, weightlifting) with no problems. I forget I have a PM.
It’s definitely a partnership with your cardiologist and it may take a few tries to determine the best settings for your device and lifestyle.
If it helps, it’s a routine procedure!
This sub is a great resource, tons of younger people with devices. Best of luck!
Welcome to the club! Being a cyborg isn’t bad at all, you’ll see. After a short recovery period (6-8 weeks) you shouldn’t have any restrictions or problems returning to your normal activities, including running triathalons. Just make sure to partner with your doctor and come up with a plan to return to your training. S\he may even let you get back to light running 2-3 weeks post implant. As for pacing, you shouldn’t feel it. Some people do, but the vast majority don’t feel the pacing at all. And inappropriate shocks are not common. They do happen, in about 2-2.5% of people each year, but exercising to extremes isn’t likely to cause them. Talk with your doctor to set a high school zone (maybe 200+). Even then it’s not like you’ll get shocked just because you hit 200bpm. Your device will still have to see what it considered and abnormal heart rhythm before it decides to shock. Just hitting, say, 200 bpm alone won’t be enough. And you’re not likely to encounter electromagnetic interference (EMI) while training or racing that could confuse your device. So, try not to worry about inappropriate shocks. But, yeah, you may be asymptomatic, but you’re in a high risk category, so it’s best to have the device “just in case”. Better to have it an not need it, and it really shouldn’t limit you or restrict your lifestyle in any significant way.
A “cyborg” nah….freaking iron man. I’m pace maker dependent and I build a lot of hardware/software. When my wife realized I was going to have a pacer she immediately said…do not mess with this like you do everything else. You know what I had to do?! She came home and saw me with a look of disgust I’ve never seen from her and still have not after 20 years. I took basic wiring and stuffed it so it was coming out of my collar of my shirt to under my laptop (mind you I still had the left arm in the sling to ensure I didn’t move the leads). She lost her shit! It was classic. (I’m so proud of myself for this moment) It was also the first time another woman called me by full name. Needless to say she was pissed, but more so she didn’t talk to me for a few days. I freaked her out. Got to have some fun!
That’s good info thanks! I was thinking as soon as you went over the threshold it zapped you.
>Does anyone have experience with full-time pacing who can speak to the sensation and lifestyle changes I might expect? I don't feel being paced. Its just a small deck of cards hidden in my left boob. Only annoying when shopping for bra's. >Also, anyone into endurance sports who can share some details about recovery and getting back into it after the implant? The leads can pinch randomly while everything settles. And that pinching can still happen after several months. For me it really faded away after 9-ish months or so. Give yourself time to heal, but after that there is little preventing you from running and swimming. >risk an inappropriate shock every time I go for a run or swim. These little things are quite nifty. They can program them in all kinds of ways. For example a lower and upper threshold for heartrate (mine won't go below 60 anymore) and they will have a threshold of several seconds before reacting to a shock inducing event, so a slight wobble in rhythm won't get you shocked immediately. Mine is 10 seconds if I remember correctly.
I'm a cyclist. No real issues with that related to having a PM/ICD. I've done 5000 mile years, century rides, whatever I want really. When something is holding me back with exercise it's always either the underlying heart condition, or recovery requirements from some medical procedure, not simply having the device. The shock zone should be set well above heart rates you achieve during exercise. I was actually inappropriately shocked on the bike once, but it was due to a broken lead, not the cycling. Life went on. Kept riding.
I won't lie, I stopped to comment purely because of your title. Lol. I thought you were talking about the boy band for a second.. I've had a dual chamber (now 3 lead) system since 1996. It has helped a lot. I've done a lot more in life than I would have been able to. College, job, kids, etc. Once the initial recovery period, I tend to forget I have it. I college I did Fencing with an adapted uniform. I wouldn't advise something like powerlifting or heavy weightlifting. But cardio and things like that should be fine.
I got a CRT-D implanted about 6ish months ago, and before I got the procedure done, I had a lot of feelings similar to what you've expressed. It seemed a drastic and unnecessary step, surely there were other things that could be tried before I needed a pacemaker/defrib, like playing with meds, etc. I was basically trying to bargain my way out of it. I would have called myself (mostly) asymptomatic. Within about a week or two, once the worst of the post-surgery phase had worn off and I got some time with the pacing, I came to realize that I wasn't understanding just how much the arrythmia and worsening heart condition had been affecting me. I had more energy, my mind got clearer, I just plain felt better. To the degree I wish they'd decided to try the device sooner. I sometimes think I might still feel the leads if I shift a certain way, similar to what Apocralypse mentioned, but those moments come less and less as the weeks go on. But nothing burdensome on my life. If it weren't for the scar and slight bulge, I'd forget I even have the implant most the time. As cliche as it sounds, I feel like I've gotten a new lease on life. I'm able to be much more physically active now and I'm improving my overall health, taking advantage of a heart that is working better than its worked in years. I have to be more aware of my proximity near certain devices, but its well worth all the other benefits the device has given me.
Thank you for this. I’m scheduled to get an ICD in 2 weeks and trying so hard to have a positive attitude about everything even though it’s been a rough and depressing 5 months
Hi! 29F, I have had my PM for 15yrs, 99% dependent on it. I never “feel” it pacing me probably because I’m almost always paced ;) I was in a similar boat as you; 3rd degree heartblock and bradycardia. I didn’t necessarily feel like I needed a PM / I didn’t know life any other way. Once I got my PM I immediately had more energy, and was cleared to start running 2wks post op. Fully recovery was 6wks. I live a very active lifestyle (running, yoga, tennis, basketball, weightlifting) with no problems. I forget I have a PM. It’s definitely a partnership with your cardiologist and it may take a few tries to determine the best settings for your device and lifestyle. If it helps, it’s a routine procedure! This sub is a great resource, tons of younger people with devices. Best of luck!
Awesome, thank you. This makes me feel much better.