For those of you who wonder if there is exercise after Pacemaker implant got 57.5 miles in on the bike yesterday riding with mostly younger folks. Was an easy ride (most of the group only did about 36 miles, I rode to the meeting point and then back home {Why did I pick a house at the top of a hill anyway?} so I got my extra miles and extra climbing in.

Anyway, just want to let everyone know that my goal of riding the Colorado Triple Bypass is on track. Yesterdays ride was about half the distance but only about 1/10th the climbing. Have 4 more months to get ready for those 3 mountain passes, 10,000 feet of climbing and 120 miles.

 

 

Ask you a couple of questions please?

How long since your PM implant?

How long after did you start training?

Do you do any other training?

How old are you?

What was your PM implanted for?

How long have you been cycling for to get up to the distance you are currentl doing?

Thanks for any answers you can provide. I am about 7 months post PM implant. Had it done twice because lead came out. I suffered lots of anxiety (still do sometimes). I am finding it really difficult to motivate myself to do some training but am sure it would help if I could get myself motivated again.

 

Before my pm implant on Feb 24th, I used to do 15 miles a week on the treadmill walking 4mph doing hills, plus walked the dog about 2-3 miles a day, did Pilates and yoga about 5 times per week, and some moderate weighlifting 3 times a week.

I was proud of myself just walking 1.5mph for 12 minutes the other day (no hills lol!) on the treadmill.

I know that once I can do more exercises I will feel like my old 53 year old self again. It is just getting to that point again.

Thanks for letting us know your accomplishment because it givesus hope!

 

Implant was in June of last year so we are talking about 9 months post op.

I started training (eliptical and LifeCycle bike) 2 weeks post implant.

Mostly cardio and some basketball and some running but with old knees and a bad ankle don't do too much things that are high impact. Also do some mountain biking when the trails get the snow off them and are a little drier.

I am 51 as of 2 weeks ago.

I was diaged with syncope due to brady episodes where my HR would bottom out and even stop for pauses of up to 10 seconds causing me to pass out. Official diag is Sick Sinus Syndrope. Docs have no idea what caused it but I did have Rheumatic Fever when I was young but had never had cardiac issues before I had the syncope episodes and they admitted me overnight and a crash team got to visit because my heart stopped for about 9 seconds but restarted on its own.

I used to cycle a LOT and have done the Triple Bypass in the past about 5 years ago was my last one. As for how I got up to my 60 miles I was doing 1 - 2 hours of cardio just about every day, a month ago I started working hard on the spin bike and going out for some shorter rides but this weekends ride was twice what I had done previously post op.

I also had issues getting myself motivated and confident enough to work hard. Still find myself paying too much attention to my HR but now that I have taken it to and beyond the theorentical MaxHR I at least feel my heart can take the stress. Docs also said from all other tests and such my heart is in great shape, just have a screwed up electrical system.

 

My new "40 miles" is 50 to 60 on my bike at least 3 days per week. Have been riding for a long time, both mountain and road. Long distance is my forte rather than hills or going really fast with the younger riders in the local group I ride with. I can stay with them for awhile but since the HR is set at about 150 I encounter a wall that requires I back off and get more oxygen. When I recover then I can ride faster. Normally, I just try to keep my own pace and set my cadence so that I can do 50miles without bonking. Takes 3 to 4 hours maximum so that is a very good workout.
I have SSS with almost 100% AV block so I am paced pretty much all the time. Had my first pacer (single rate at 60bpm) at 36 on March 29, 1986, four days before my daughter was born. First dual chambered, activity regulated pacer was implanted two years later which was THE first in the US, second in the world.
Riding keeps me in shape, keeps me thinking about eating right and not gaining weight, keeps my blood pressure down, and I am stronger and happier and I don't think about the pacer as much. I keep my mind occupied with other things and I prevent myself from dwelling on the health issues.
An active mind has kept me from sweating the small stuff. Instead, I just sweat on the bike. So keep up your riding and I sure hope you do well on that long pass ride. I will be riding the Hemet Century ride in April so I am also training for that. Good luck and
watch out for the potholes, sand, and water on the road.

Gary
in Hemet, CA

 

Amazing!!!

Thanks for such a GREAT report!
Andi

 

What an inspiration. I can't wait to start moving again myself!

 

That's an incredible accomplishment. I went 248 miles on a mustang this week-end. Unfortunately I had to keep the top up due to rain.

Great accomplishment

 

Way to go!!!!

 

Hope it was a classic mustang and not one of those new fangled ones.

 

Set the PACE. Don't forget your Lance face! Keep the shiny side up!

Gary