Exercise Strategy

Hi Guys,

Please note I also posted this message under Surgery & Recovery-

I am two week PM owner as a result of thorascopic maze surgery that inadvertently ablated my SA Node. I am essentially 100% atrial paced. Would appreciate any comments on development of an exercise strategy. I have been a runner 40 years and I have attempted jogging only to find that even though the PM increases pulse I have no stamina at all. I expect this is due to being 18 days post maze surgery but I wondered if anyone else has similar experience. I am 56 old male in good health otherwise.

Thanks

4 Comments

SA Node

by tlindon - 2012-02-08 05:02:36

Just courious how did your SA Node become ablated?

SA Node

by ebfox - 2012-02-08 05:02:38

The procedure is a call a 5 Box Thorascopic Maze- the surgeon is burning very specific lines in a pattern on my left atrium. The SA node is located on the right atrium.

During one of the burns, my heart went into a junctional rhythm- when you are in junctional rhythm the AV node is controlling- kind of a backup when the SA node is not working. According to the surgeon this happens 3-4% of the time during this procedure and in about half of those case the SA node re-establishes rhythm in a day or two. It did not for me.

My junctional rhythm was too low to live with; we waited 3 days- So I ended up in the lucky 2% with a PM.

If it cures my afib (and it has so far) then it is worth it.

2 weeks....

by Pookie - 2012-02-08 06:02:59

just my opinion, but I think you should stick to walking for now. this is something that you really should be discussing with your doctor who implanted your device.

give yourself some time to heal. our scar on the outside may look fine, but inside still has a lot of mending yet to do.

take care,
pookie

SA Node

by tlindon - 2012-02-09 01:02:07

The reason I had asked how your SA Node became ablated is because my son who is 12 went in to have an extra patway ablated. We was told it was a simple procedure. He would go home that day and start playing basketball the next day, well that did not happen. My son's dr said he "accidently" burnt his AV node so now my son is pacemaker dependent. We took him to another cardiologist where he said my son didnt need the surgery to begin with and that his problem was no where near his AV Node. Im a little upset. That happened in October. I just dont understand how such a thing could happen. That is why I was courious..

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

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