My mother just got a pacemaker a week ago. It is unclear why her heart stopped and any causes. I cant seem to get a clear idea on what she can and cant do. Every website seems to say a different thing. My mother is 50 years old. So when she heals I am wondering about things like walking her dog who is 115 lbs and sometimes pulls, lifting and moving big objects, vacuuming, shoveling snow, changing the cat litter and what issues an airport might have for her. We still have to see the doctor again and take out the staples.
What things can most people do after a pacemaker? what questions should be asked?

 

 

I have my pm for just a little over 6 months.Mine came on pretty suddenly and the doctors are unsure why it happened. Nonetheless, it did. So, except for the initial healing process (6 weeks or so...each person heals at his/her own pace) I am doing pretty much what I did before.

My dog is only 15 pounds but she can pull! It would probably be wise to have someone walk the dog until she is better.

I continue to exercise as I have done in the past, vacuum, garden, clean the house, etc (I just had a little setback a week ago that is getting checked out this week, though I feel much better today).

Make sure you and your mother write down the questions you need answers to before you see the doctor. Oh, and once your mom feels up to it have her visit this site and feel free to ask any question or just come on to commiserate with others.

By the way, I will be 54 in 5 days!

 

Once she heals and the leads have had time to settle in (6-8 weeks), she can do pretty much anything she wants except competitive karate, tackle football and arc welding. As long as her dr clears her for activity, anything else should be fine! I hike, ski, clean my house (you know, when I can't get out of it, lol), roller blade, lift weights, have traveled all over... it hasn't slowed me down at all in the 16 yrs I've had one.

She should not walk through the metal detectors at the airport, courthouses, etc, and we can't have the wand either because it's the same technology. I always get a pat down, and a few airports have the full body scanners now which are safe for us.

 

So when she heals will her be able to left heavy things and walk the dog and all that? My mom went on line and read some stuff that scared the hell out of her and now she thinks she wont be able to do anything she use to...
And I will def try to get her to join this site with me!

 

I am so happy to hear all this! My mom is so worried, like I just said. I didnt see much in guide lines. I told my mom that I know someone who works really hard as a carpenter and has a pacemaker and she just kinda seem to think that he was going againest doctors orders!

 

Hello Rosebug,

You ask "What are things can most people do after a pacemaker?" My answer to that is "the same things they were doing before they got the pacemaker after healing process which can take from 2 weeks to 6 or 8 weeks" except they will now be able to do them without most to the discomfort they had before getting the pacemaker.

Walking her dog, pulling, lifting and moving big objects, vacuuming, shoveling snow, changing the cat litter will be the same. While she can use the arm on the side of the pacemaker after a few weeks, she may want to use the arm on the opposite side of her pacemaker for a few weeks more. That is just to let the pacemaker leads get settled in good. Her doctor is the best source of information on what is needs to do to safeguard the leads.

As for the airport, all she needs to do is show the person at the security check point her pacemaker ID card. That will probably get her checked in with a hand-held wand. However, if she walked through the scanner all that will happen is that the pacemaker will most likely set off the alarm. One word of caution. Should she stop moving for more than a second or two while passing through the scanner it may feel like her heart is skipping a beat or two. Bur as soon as she clears the scanner the heart beat will return to normal and no harm will have been done to her or the pacemaker.

From what I see in your message, I think I see your mother doing the same thing that 99%+ of us do at first with our pacemaker. We do not have a good understanding of the device and we are prone to give it more credit for the good and the bad things than happen than it deserves. If your mother got her pacemaker because she had a low heart rate at times and she is not pacemaker dependant (few people are dependant and the doctor can tell her if she is) then her pacemaker is simply a helper for her heart. By that I mean it monitors her heart function and steps in to help only when her heart rate gets below the low set point on her pacemaker. As I said all other times it just monitors her heart and does nothing. Another question, or fear, many have is what happens to me if this thing quits working? If it quits her heart will revert back to doing exactly the same thing it was dong before she got her pacemaker.

If it is any consolation to her, I got my first pacemaker in 2000 at age 71. Other than having a little difficulty at first getting the optimum settings for me I have had no problems with mine and seldom think of it unless I happen to pass my hand over the implant site.

As time goes by, your mother may have more questions. She can get answers for most of them here from some of our many members that have had similar questions about their pacemaker. So tell her to never hesitate to post her questions.

I wish your mother the best,

Smitty

 

I got my first pacer for my 50th birthday and have had four since. There are bumps in the road but get a life back. That,s what it is for,

 

In general, after healing you can do many things you have become unable to do prior to the PM. However, it depends on the diagnosis and reason for the pacemaker. I have limitations, under doctor's orders, so please be sure that the doctor agrees with resuming normal activities and the timeline. Everyone is different from diganosis to complications, to prognosis. Your best bet is a long talk with the doctor and asking all the questions.

 

except getting MRI's. Even doing some things I never did before the implant, like taking SUV assisted flying lessons (not recommended for implantees or non-implantees...)