walking with a heart pacemaker

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walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby wayno » Mon 30 Nov, 2015 2:43 am

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.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby GPSGuided » Mon 30 Nov, 2015 5:49 am

Pacemaker is largely used for HR that is too slow or for the correction of rhythm. Walking with a pack will only make the HR faster, so fundamentally not an issue but depending on the underlying condition that led to his pacemaker. As such, he needs to check with the doctors looking after him.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby MickyB » Mon 30 Nov, 2015 7:25 am

GPSGuided wrote: he needs to check with the doctors looking after him.


+1
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby Hermione » Mon 30 Nov, 2015 8:17 am

I know someone who still goes on fairly strenuous walks with a pacemaker. It really depends on he underlying condition though so like others already said he should check with his cardiologist. Also I guess he needs to make a personal decision about what level of risk is acceptable to him.
Last edited by Hermione on Mon 30 Nov, 2015 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby GPSGuided » Mon 30 Nov, 2015 8:32 am

In terms of risks. If he has been pack tramping and that his underlying condition has been an ongoing one that finally warrants a pacemaker, then the insertion of a pacemaker would actually decrease his risks on the walk as well as life in general. If his underlying condition was an acute one that led to the pacemaker, then it's a completely different assessment. Pacemaker is really just a backup or make good of an adverse condition, so the addition of a pacemaker per se is not a negative influence.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby Dutch » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 5:10 pm

I have a mate in the position as OP. Mate got all geared up to start hiking then had a case of arrhythmia. Had a PM fitted and has since had another bout in a boxing class. Devastating as he's a super fit guy. His Dr said hiking should be fine as long as we remain in cell tower reception.... Which kinda nulls all the best spots. I know from my own logging that hiking heavy incline has my heart around 140 plus sooo. It's a tricky decision but a death on a hike would be rather traumatic IMO.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby neilmny » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 7:16 pm

It's interesting his Dr. wants him within cell tower reception. You can be a very long way from an Ambo but still within range of the mobile phone system. I wonder if his Dr. has heard of PLB's.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby lee737 » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 7:48 pm

The problem is when you ask a doctor for advice like this, they have to be ultra conservative.... don't blame the doctor - blame the lawyers.....
I would think that if someone is keen to walk x km, is actually capable of doing it (comfortably) carrying the weight they need, that the distance from help shouldn't matter too much - walk with a companion and carry a PLB.
Life is full of risks. The world is full of better places to die than your average nursing home bed.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby GPSGuided » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 10:35 pm

lee737 wrote:The problem is when you ask a doctor for advice like this, they have to be ultra conservative.... don't blame the doctor - blame the lawyers.....

Correct! It's the liabilities that goes with the advice as well as the number one priority is with safety and life preservation. Only the patient, the individual can go beyond that and decide to place life experiences ahead of safety.

In any case, it's only logical for the individual to wait at least 3-6 months after the fitting of a pacemaker to ensure everything are all settling as expected and give the individual a chance to test out the expected level of exertion in a safe environment. Then, plan for trips and pack weight according to what's compatible with one's health and physical condition.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby wayno » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 3:21 am

my dad had heart problems, his heart stopped one day and he died.
i found a pile of heart medications. I spoke to his Dr who explained all the meds.. the Dr specialised in Paliative care for the elderly. but dad had been fit and healthy all his life.
i spoke to a sports Dr as well. he said the meds were overkill for the minor heart issues dad had and in his opinion the combination of meds had been known to stop peoples hearts.. dad had never had a heart attack. it was more an irregular heart beat issue.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby neilmny » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 6:00 am

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.
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Re: walking with a heart pacemaker

Postby GPSGuided » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 7:16 am

wayno wrote:... Dr specialised in Paliative care for the elderly. but dad had been fit and healthy all his life.
i spoke to a sports Dr as well. he said the meds were overkill for the minor heart issues dad had and in his opinion the combination of meds had been known to stop peoples hearts.. dad had never had a heart attack. it was more an irregular heart beat issue.

While the issue of poly-pharmacy is well known, it's also important to categorically dismiss the need and complexity of an individual patient's therapeutic challenges when one is not directly involved at the time. With good medical practice, it's important to review but there are times when more complex therapies are needed.
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