wayno wrote:anyone here walk with a heart pacemaker?
a friend just had one fitted and needs to know if he can still safely walk with a full pack on with one.
you can PM me if you dont want to discuss on the forum, any response much appreciated and treated in confidence.
I'm not fitted with a pacemaker but I did have a major heart attack about 5 years ago that I survived by the skin of my teeth.
Recovery after a few stents were fitted involved a slow steady process of increasing activity and fitness under the guidance of a great rehab crew and weight loss (about 30kg) through a much better diet.
My real point is that it was step by step, keeping very aware of how I was feeling physically, watching my heart rate with a heart rate monitor and from time to time checking my SpO2% with a pulse oximeter.
I suggest the best way for your friend to find out would be to take a step by step approach. Try some less arduous walks, with less weight, in areas where he is not too far from emergency help and take it from there.
Diving in head first..........maybe not a good idea.
I always carry a mobile phone and a PLB just in case.