Most Recent Messages in Exercise & Sports

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CrossFit open - heart rate stayed low and couldn’t catch my breath

I participated in the CrossFit open last night (90 snatches, 90 burpees over the DB with 15 minute cap).   I struggled aerobically and it took me quite some time to get my breath back. My lungs were burning. I checked my heart rate on my watch after the event and it peeked at 129.  I easily do 30 minutes + on the rower, bike, treadmill, elliptical when not at CrossFit and my heart rate ranges between 150-170 and I never feel so damn winded.   I've noticed before t...

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Backpacking

Does anyone have suggestions as to how to use a backpack with chest straps as they run across the area where my Pacemaker is implanted..

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ICD's and Waterskiing

Hi,

I'm a 67 yo male who was recently diagnosed with HCM and had a Medtronic Cobalt dual camber device (defibralator and pacer) implanted 4 weeks ago as Preventative for VT/VF. I've had NSVT and other atrial arrythmias and have other markers in risk stratification which is how I now find myself "in the club". I'm on two antiryhthmitics which I hate but understand the reason's why.... I'm an avid advanced waterskier who's out on the water...

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to ski or not to ski

I woud like some opinions undestanding there is probably no right or wrong answer.

My husband grew up skiing.  I did not. At 30 years old I started skiing on an anuual ski trip with my husband, friends, and our four daughters that came along over the years.  I was a decent skiier, not great.

We did this for about 20 years then stopped when schedules for children did not allow the family trip. 

I have not skiied in 14 years. 

We are pl...

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Settings for Boston Scientific .. Cross country skiing

Are there any cross country skiers out there with a BS pace maker ?   We are having a hard time coming up with some Accel, MV settings that work . ( I had a race last week and spent 35 min at a Heart rate of 170 , had to come to a total stop to slow the heart rate down !!! )  HELP !!!

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Pacemaker Settings

I am a Cycle Guide and I had a Biotronic Evity 8 DRT Pacemaker fitted on October 23rd. I am now training hard on the bike for the 2024 season and I am struggling, probably inevitably, with my fitness. I used to race at a top amateur level. My surgeon has set my Pacemaker to 45-130 and I was wondering if the upper level is inhibiting my progress. As a Cycle Coach, I record and monitor all my stats and I have done nearly 50 rides since the operation with my average Heart Rate being around...

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Athlete with various types of heart block

Hi, I'm new to this forum but am finding it enormously useful.
I'm 45 and scheduled for pacemaker insertion on Monday and wanted to see if anyone has similar experiences to my own.

I'm an avid cyclist and runner, cycling about 100miles/ week and running about 15miles, the cycling volume has reduced from 200miles per week prior to the covid pandemic. I've always had a low heart rate, typically in the 50s and high 40s but over the last 4-5 years this has reduced to mi...

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Non response from pacemaker during exercise

I ride quite a lot. All too frequently I experience the situation where my pacemaker simply doesn'y respond during effort. I can be riding and my heart rate won't budge from low to high 80's even if riding uphill. This can last for an hour or more and then spontaneously move to a more appropriate rate. Even riding on flat roads is a chore and unpleasant.

I've discussed this with my cardiologist and the Biotronik technician and invariably their response is to try and adju...

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Working out post pm

I was never much of a weightlifter, but 4/2022 I started and trained for a fitness (bikini) competition which I completed in 8/2023. I became obsessed with weights/working out. Fast forward to 12/2023 and I was found to have complete heart block and now have a pacemaker. I was first told that after 6 weeks I could do "everything" I could before, including working out. But at my 2 week checkup I was told that there would be some exercises I couldn't do, such as some shoulder...

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Milestone and adjustment

Well it's has been 10 days since Pacemaker 2.0 - a removal and reinstall .

The capacity for the human body to heal is amazing !!  When I got home I could not get out if bed without help - 10 days later ? Incision is all but healed and pain minimal . I drove yesterday and it felt great . Amazing what a difference time makes and the healing power of the body .
 

pre PM in 2019 I was a competive RB player - then a PB player/instructor .

I am thinking about di...

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Paddling the ICD

Hey all. 

8 months on from having a latest Tech Medtronic ICD put in, recovery seems to have gone quick and most all seems normal.

The question I have is now when walking on level ground, I can, as before, pretty much walk indefinitely. But add in a gentle incline, or stairs, where the pace is the same, but the difficulty of excercise has increased, I find myself quickly out of breath. Such that I need to slow way down, or stop for a quick recovery break. Recovery is quick an...

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Backpacking with S-ICD

Hi there,
First time posting, new member of the club. Got a S-ICD implanted a few months ago and have been struggling finding backpacks that are compatible, or hacks. I'm sure this question is somewhere on the forum but wondering what others have done. Specifically about long distance backpacking packs with some weofjtt. It seems the device is right on the money spot. 
 

I don't want to let this thing prevent me from doing safe physical activities. I know my...

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SPO2

Hi everyone,

I just bought a Wellue O2 ring to wear during the night. I'll probably return it due to accuracy issues, but thought I would ask here first.

I am paced at 60-130, and use CPAP.

According to the graphs generated by the ring, my pulse will dip down to 46. If I am paced at a minimum of 60, is it possible for my pulse rate to go down that far below? I trust the PM more than the ring.

Thanks.

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Heart rate with a new pm

First I'm 77, and do the treadmill every day at 2.5 mph.  Ok, no speed demon here. I had a St. Jude pm and routinely had a heart rate on the treadmill of 125 to 133. Two years ago I had it replaced with a Boston Scientific pm. Now my heart rate only goes up to 110 with the same speed of 2.5 mph. Is this a pm adjustment issue? 
M'Liz

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How do you know when your Minute Ventilation is set right?

I started out with MV @ 10, then 12, then to 14, now back down to 13.

When set at 14 I felt it was way to sensative and would go to my Upper Rate Setting of 140 to easy and stay there. 

Trying to pay attention to my breathing (aerobic threshold) with breathing thru nose & talk tests. I use Power Meters for all my rides, but I recently changed from a Single Sided Meter to dual: I discovered I had a Power Imbalance. (Left leg was dominant @ approx 58/42%) So that threw...

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Smart turbo trainer (cycling)

I had my CRT-D implanted last week and already thinking about cycling again. To start again I want to get on my Elite Smart turbo trainer with Zwift. Does anyone know if there are any issues using a smart trainer with the pacemaker? Thanks!

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PM lagged response

Had a Biotronik Eluna 8 DR-T implanted in 2015. I'm now 77 and have had good results. Includes work outs walking and jogging. I still ski mostly blues but some blacks. Now, in the last year or so I have noticed a lag in response of the pm. When I go out for a walk I often get short of breath for the first 10-15 minutes. When I check my watch it shows a beat rate of from 65-75. But not always. Eventually it rises to anywhere between 115 and 135. I have discussed this with the PA who is ass...

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Ablate or not Ablate... that is the question

My last 7 days Holter monitor showed very low burden of Afib/Aflutter (0.17%) and AV Node irregularities: AV Block 1, Mobitz 1, BBB. Just back from my appointment with EP, expecting my ablation to be scheduled soon. I understand that early ablation intervention in Afib is recommended, however, i am very concerned that AV issues i have can be made worse as a result of ablation and require PM as a result. I only had 2 episodes of Afib in the last year, one lasting 2 hours and another...

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Closed Circuit Stimulation (CLS) for Athletes

I am a 54 year old endurance cyclist, cycle guide and coach, who, 6 weeks ago, had a pacemaker implanted for 3rd degree heart block. The pacemaker is a Biotronic Evity 8 DRT.

I will see my operating physician shortly and I was wondering if it would be necessary to have the upper pacing limit engaged (as this is currently disabled).

After 2 weeks, my physician told me that only my lower limit is set at 45 bpm (my resting heart rate is 38) and my upper limit is not engaged.&nbs...

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Recovery Exercise Options

46 year old male very active and fit all my life and had arrythmia since I was young with no noticeable issues until the last few years, now after a junctional block forever grateful to the medical professionals and technology giving me back my lifestyle with a PM 2 weeks ago.

For rehab (since 2nd day after surgery) I have been doing a mixture of hill/step walking, assault bike (just legs) and lower bodyweight workouts (squats/lunges etc) trying to minimise any upper body movement...

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