Training with a pacemaker

[JoshMorris]

Hey guys.....just seeing this thread. DB....i have done inclines for many many years and have had no issues. Dumbbells of course. Great to see your still at it though! Due in for a replacement in the next 12 months i think. Got the call for an office visit next month. Not the normal time i go in for my yearly. Not looking forward to the down time afterwards but oh well. I am going to insist on a new main lead replacement as this one is almost 20 years old. I am 100% reliant on it. The replaced the secondary lead the last time as it had a crack in it. Hang tough guys and keep lifting!!!

Hi batteryrequired,

It's great to hear from you. Before I got my pacemaker, I did a ton of research and your name came up a lot. Your posts from the past were very helpful.

You and Duracell Bunny are really inspiring to me. You guys gave me a huge boost of confidence that having a pacemaker doesn't mean you have to stop lifting weights.

[AtomikStrongman]

A couple months late to the party. Been searching around for like "powered" strength athletes. The list is short and uninspiring

Just had my first PM implanted 4 weeks ago. Vasovagal, sinus arrhythmias and bradycardia leading to Stokes/Adams attacks, to syncope, to asystole (flatlining for 30 sec at a time). Single atrium lead w/ a backup V lead I've yet to pace on. Loving this ****... Coming up on 40 y/o and a 15 year all-natural 231/265# strongman veteran; 400+xReps overhead press, 700+lb SQ and DL. One more week until I'm "allowed" to throw caution to the wind.

Talks cheap, but I've given this many long nights of thought and these are my 2 cents- I have a long resume in strength athletics, physical rehab and high performance athletic training. I'm aware of the risks and what to watch out for. I'm also very aware that I might have 10 years left of athletic/competitive potential so I have no plans to f- w/ my training beyond a few minor form tweaks. The PM looks like **** and it feels like **** but that's where it stops; I own that little titanium bitch, not vice versa. No different than my truck. It helps me get work done and I work hard. I'm aware of it's limitations, but the nature of my work all but guarantees that some day I will f- something up in it. And when that day comes, I'll fix it; just like I would my truck.

[Narts]

I'm on my second ICD implant. The VA put one in after my 5th heart attack. Dr. told me next time I got a heart attack not to call 911, call the coroner.
I still workout but not with barbells. Dr.'s won't let me. I use dumbbells, stretch bands and do cardio. The fact is I can still exercise and that's the main thing.

[Boris320]

Hiya Josh

Yes, I'm still training. I had my first one implanted 15 years ago and I am now on my 3rd, which was implanted in October.

As far as training goes, it's all about the leads (the box itself is titanium and you would have to be seriously injured to damage it) and you really need to look at 3 things.

1) direct impact/pressure
2) peak internal pressure
3) continuous internal pressure

1) you can't allow a bar to hit/rest on your collarbone/upper pec. What that means in practical terms is that shoulder press, cleans, front squat etc have to be suspended slightly above your shoulders at all times, they can't rest on them. The other thing you need to look at is chest supported machines. Depending on the machine and your individual build, you might have to avoid certain machines where the edge of the pad presses on where the wires enter the box or adjust the seat height so that the box clears the top of the pad

2) the infamous "clavicular crush". Depending on your precise physiology and how the surgery was performed, it is possible to pinch the lead between the tendon of the pec and the collarbone. This typically occurs with overhead pressing and the long lead. You only have the short lead implanted (the atrial one), so your risk should be lowered anyway. The risk of this can be minimised by the surgeon making a more lateral percutaneous incision to the subclavian vein, avoiding shear forces where the lead passes through the subclavicular musculotendinous complex or in simpler terms, moves it over a bit.

As you say you have been training for 20 years, I assume the surgeon will have taken note of your physical activity and modified the surgery accordingly.

3) the greater the muscle mass of your upper pec, the greater the pressure placed on the lead during everyday activity, as well as lifting, due to there being less free space around the clavicle.

It's worth checking out cardiacathletes.org, which although being more runner biased (it was when I last looked anyway) is full of athletes with a variety of cardiac issues (as the name would suggest).

Stay away from the website pacemakerclub.com as many of them adopt the invalid/victim mentality and they will drive you crazy.

As long as you take sensible precautions, you can continue substantially as before.

When have they told you that you can resume training, 30 days or 40 days? (it varies between countries).

Hey DB thanks for reply my pm, this thread has been very informative and useful. But I've got a few more questions.
1. Doesn't Back squat put a lot of pressure on the upper body? So far I am only doing legs press but I want to start squatting again
2. I tried doing chest machines a few times but the area around the pacemaker feels really weird so I am really afraid to get back into bench pressing.
3. My doctor told me I can start doing pushups a month after implantation but the pacemaker technician told me to wait at least 2-3 months so I am not sure when I could resume proper training.

Thanks!

[DuracellBunny]

Hey DB thanks for reply my pm, this thread has been very informative and useful. But I've got a few more questions.
1. Doesn't Back squat put a lot of pressure on the upper body? So far I am only doing legs press but I want to start squatting again
2. I tried doing chest machines a few times but the area around the pacemaker feels really weird so I am really afraid to get back into bench pressing.
3. My doctor told me I can start doing pushups a month after implantation but the pacemaker technician told me to wait at least 2-3 months so I am not sure when I could resume proper training.

Thanks!

Squatting loads your back and spine, but mechanically doesn't do much in regards to the pacemaker. The only real problem with squats is that moving your arms back that far will press the box against the inside of the scar. I'd give it 12 weeks to fully heal before squatting.

The area around the pacing unit will feel weird when doing chest for a while. You now have a metal box sitting on the muscle fascia and everything has to adjust to it. Most people tend to be hypersensitive with their first pacemaker and you are going to be very "aware" of it for a while.

The leads from your pacemaker have barbs/screws on the end that attach to the wall of the heart. Your heart scars over where they attach, fixing them in place. You will have been told not to move your elbow above your shoulder for the first 4-6 weeks. That is to stop you pulling on the leads before they are cemented in place.

When it comes to different advice from docs and technicians, I would go with the doc re whatever your heart issue is, but the tech re the pacemaker itself. If the doc says 4 weeks and the tech says 8-12, go with 8.

[SerratedScalpel]

I'm going to revive this old thread. There's so many sources for pacemaker advice (But not so much that caters to heavy lifters), so I'm wondering if anyone here is still around the forum that's paced? I would love to voice some issues that other pacemaker recipients here would most likely relate with...

I'll start with my biggest peeve.... The cardiac division at the local university hospital doesn't seam to cater to paced athletes. When I go in for a checkup, I'm the youngest by 20-30 years. That doesn't bother me but what does is anyone that listens to my problems either plays it off as no big deal, or gets a doctor to tell me I shouldn't exceed a minimal activity level. My problem now is when my heart rate gets high the pacemaker fights it down to a rate that prevents me from functioning. Two years of appointments trying to calibrate it to perform better and I'm still dealing with the bs. How do I get the point across to the staff (who clearly never been active their whole life) that I need my device setup to function with my activity level?

My own physician is a teaching Dr. at the university here in town and he's an industry leading professional. He's also a fitness professional but because he's not an electrophysiologist, he's hesitant to suggest anything pacemaker related. I'm glad I have his support but that doesn't get me past the barrier I'm dealing with at the pacemaker lab.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[DuracellBunny]

I'm going to revive this old thread. There's so many sources for pacemaker advice (But not so much that caters to heavy lifters), so I'm wondering if anyone here is still around the forum that's paced? I would love to voice some issues that other pacemaker recipients here would most likely relate with...

I'll start with my biggest peeve.... The cardiac division at the local university hospital doesn't seam to cater to paced athletes. When I go in for a checkup, I'm the youngest by 20-30 years. That doesn't bother me but what does is anyone that listens to my problems either plays it off as no big deal, or gets a doctor to tell me I shouldn't exceed a minimal activity level. My problem now is when my heart rate gets high the pacemaker fights it down to a rate that prevents me from functioning. Two years of appointments trying to calibrate it to perform better and I'm still dealing with the bs. How do I get the point across to the staff (who clearly never been active their whole life) that I need my device setup to function with my activity level?

My own physician is a teaching Dr. at the university here in town and he's an industry leading professional. He's also a fitness professional but because he's not an electrophysiologist, he's hesitant to suggest anything pacemaker related. I'm glad I have his support but that doesn't get me past the barrier I'm dealing with at the pacemaker lab.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Problems at high levels, as opposed to low levels of BPM, aren't quite as easy to manage, as you are deliberately doing something that a pacemaker is designed to prevent. All I can suggest is to look at the more rate responsive pacing units, as some have less rigid thresholds and more inherent flexibility.

I don't know if it's still around, but you can try cardiacathletes.org .

[SerratedScalpel]

I'll be doing my research for another few years. My unit has at least five years remaining so the manufactures have until then to also develop something that accommodates the lifestyle. Cycling is the worst for me. I use a bike to commute and my PM forces my rate down after 10-15 minutes of riding. Best way I can describe that to the non-paced folk is that it's like doing an hour stair climb session. If I don't do a quick warm up and get my rate up before I start, I'll have a low rate for the first few blocks down the road.

Sucks from having full control of my cardio, to having a mini dictator implanted. If I had a chance to do my research before my surgery combined with other paced athletes opinions, I would of been able to navigate my experience a little better. At least we can make changes every time the unit gets replaced.

[TWTSS]

Hi guys,

My name is antonio and I also have an ICD. I do not speak English very well because I'm Italian. I use a translator

I started doing weight training for a week to increase my muscle mass. I would like to increase by 8kg.
My doctor says there are no problems to lift weights.
I have no pain or discomfort with the ICD.
I have no heart problems. My heart is structurally healthy. I've never had fainting or anything. The ICD was put only for prevention. I am suffering from the long qt syndrome (symptomless).

However I am a little afraid of breaking lead's.
I read the whole post and I'm a little bit comforted.
Is there anyone doing weights with an ICD (2 catheters)?
Can I do weights safely?

Thank you very much,

Antonio