Most Recent Messages in Exercise & Sports

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Rowing Machine

We are interested in purchasing a Rowing Machine but research indicates there are air machines and Magnetic Machines. Could we use a Magnetic Machine with a pacemaker?

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Swimming and bragging rights

I always knew how to swim, but only in past few months decided to learn to swim properly. I have been studying u-tube videos and learning from tips from the life guards.

Now I swim with a finger-ring lap counter & timer, and the lifeguards tell me my breast stoke is ace.

Yesterday, I sprinted the pool length in 49.38 seconds.

I swim 1/2 mile almost daily. My physique is changing so fast, I can't keep up.

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Which is best martial art for me

Hi All

I have only got my PM in for 5 days and I was wondering when I am better which is the best martial art I can do.I have been doing tae kwon do for a while but my Doc says I should give it up as there is too much of risk of a kick to the chest.I am 44, fit and healthy and I was thinking about Tai Chi Chuan,any ideas anyone?cheers

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Mechanical Bull?

I'm trying to figure out whether it would be a bad idea to ride a mechanical bull. Some friends and I are going out this weekend and I'm not sure whether I should attempt it with a PM or not. I've been told to avoid "impact" activities. A little too vague for me, I wish there was a definite list of things not to do :-) Take last winter for instance. I nearly did a polar plunge, not even thinking that I couldn't or shouldn't. It dawned on me the day before so I contacted my PA and he pretty...

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Bowling

I am an 81 year old male with a recently implanted St Jude PM2210 Pacemaker.  My only exercise is Bowling and Golf.  I would like to know if I will be able to resume bowling sometime in the future, as there is a lot of upper body movement throwing a 15 lb bowling ball down the alley.

kenearl

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How far can I go?

I'm a 24 year old Royal Marine, I had a pacemaker fitted in August this year and am now about to be discharged because apparently I won't be able to keep up with the arduous physical side of things.

I just want to know how much exercise I can do with this and I'm hugely into my fitness and don't want to lose that.

also, is it normal to have quite a large bump after 6 weeks of having it implanted, will it go down in time or has being young seen me off slightly?

ch...

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Firefighter or Boxer?, age 26, just got it

So I got my PM 2 weeks ago, i understand there's a recovery period, and that's all good and well, but can I one day box again? Can I be a firefighter? I know I'm supposed to ask my doctor, but the appointment is a little while away.

Training for the FDNY physical exam, I could box with the best of them, I used to lift 250 lbs (deadlift, squat), 185 (bench), like the same day i went into the ER 3 weeks ago cuz i was blacking out...PLLLLEEEAAAASE thoughts...will i be the same ever agai...

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Injuries

I have a 7 year old daughter who just got a pacemaker in February of this year. They told me no contact sports but they didn't say what would happen if she was hit in the stomach (her pacemaker is under her left rib) or what to look out for? Does anyone out there know?

Thanks,

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Got a copy of my pacemaker printout

My Kaiser cardio nurse would not share a copy and instructed me to submit a formal request to medical records. She gets my Ken Kesey award for least likely to engage in patient education.

I called St. Jude's and the nice young man emailed me a copy of a recent report.

It shows vertical stacked bar graphs, with a bar for each day in July. The bars show amount of time at >80% max heart rate, at 60%-80% max (target zone), etc.

Because I keep daily spreadsheet logs f...

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Sauna

Hi guys, I have an ICD - is it ok to go in a sauna?! Your feedback would be appreciated!
Darren

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New at this

Hi Everyone! I'm new at this pacemaker thing (8-15-11) and new at posting to a forum. And if I don't reply to a posting please don't think too unkindly of me as I have no internet at home so only sporadically check in.

I have been feeling a bit as though I was the only one around with a pm, even though I knew I wasn't, so it has been wonderful to find this site and read about others with implants.

My biggest concern is exercising. I didn't want to wait too long and hav...

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Struggling

As a new pacemaker recipient who is still struggling to get my breath back, I am curious to know what kinds of exercise are not recommended.

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I'm fed up with Dr. office

Here's my draft of an email. I could use some independent critique, cause this has finally driven me crazy. Any suggestions about how to phrase this in a seemingly sane manner?

Subject: Your standards of medical care and mine!

Our visits over the past 1.5 years entail you playing with the pacemaker control unit. Then you say something cryptic like "you probably won't feel this" and you leave the room.

Sir, you have learned only about 60% of your medical preactice...

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yoga instructor get a ICD

Ok so I am 38 just diagnose with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, I am so bummed but the show must go on. I am taking calcium channel blockers which make me tired and hazy, and dizzy, and I am awaiting my ICD to be implanted in a few weeks. I am really concerned that this will change my yoga workout. Since I teach I must beable to do. I love backbends, and hand and shoulder stands, I enjoy my overall workout. Does anyone know if my routine, or postures or holds will effect the ICD or if once i...

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Exercise Rate

Great info. My setting is:50 and 140. When i exercise i wonder if my pulse goes to 140 or above what happens? I get it up to high 130's Thanks
Ist time. 2nd degree probably went to a 3rd degree after a afib zap. 76 yrs old. Had pm 3 yrs.
Thanks for any info.

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Update #1 on Exercise Output Data

Get used to it ... I'm going to hammer and hammer on this.

My St. Judes unit uses Merlin to relay data to Kaiser cardiologist, who receives weekly data summaries.

For past 1.5 years, I have been exercising my little heart out, and they have withheld from me the info that they receive exercise relevant data on a weekly basis.

Asked St Judes for a sample copy of the weekly data --- "Go talk to your cardiologist."

Requested sample copy from cardiologist...

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Fitness and weight loss?

Hi all,

I'm a little confused my st Jude is set at max 125 bpm I'm 31 so
My max should be 189, so does this mean I will find it extra hard to loose weight and almost impossible to get physically fit/increase stamina?

Cheers

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Octopush

Hi,

I have recently had a pacemaker and wonder if anyone on this site plays or used to play octopush with one fitted.

Any info would be good as I'm wondering what exercise options might be open to me.

Kind regards

Fritz

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The better in shape, the more PM I need?

Hi,
I am a 33yr old active male with a PM since 1 year, due to dizziness attacks caused by AV Block III. I have it only kick in with a heartbeat lower than 45. Other than that I am healthy.

I am planning to train for a marathon and was wondering:

Usually if one is getting in better shape, the resting heart rate goes down. For instance a healthy amateur marathon runner can have resting heartrates of 40 easily. So does that mean that my heartrate will go down too and I...

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New to this

Hello,

I am a 49yr old male, US Army Combat Engineer. Until 11 September, 2011 I was an avid street bicyclist of 20+ miles atleast three times per week, located at the US Army Sergeant's Majors Academny (Student), Fort Bliss, Texas.

On 8 September 2011. I collapsed in the instructor's office without warning and was taken to the emergency room. The Sierra Medical (ER) El Paso, TX., told me nothing was wrong with me, but just in case go see a cardiologist.

Tha...

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Member Quotes

Today I explained everything to my doctor, he set my lower rate back to 80 and I felt an immediate improvement.