| For people who get the beneficial therapy of a | | | | passing out from their heart condition may be |
| pacemaker or defibrillator, the first few weeks of | | | | advised not to swim to avoid the risk of |
| being a "pacemaker person" can be a struggle. | | | | drowning. The idea is that if a person suddenly |
| The good news is that your life won't be all that | | | | loses consciousness in the water, he or she can |
| different from what it was before. All it takes is a | | | | sink and start to inhale underwater. |
| little courage to ease into your new lifestyle. | | | | If you had a pacemaker implanted, the company |
| Healing from the surgery usually is complete in | | | | that manufactured your pacemaker should send |
| four to eight weeks after surgery, depending on | | | | you a special card identifying you as a pacemaker |
| the individual case. Once the pacemaker or | | | | person. It will arrive by mail about eight weeks |
| defibrillator is implanted in the body, a lot of | | | | after your implant. This card is very useful to |
| people report that they do not feel all that | | | | show to all other doctors and other health care |
| different. Some people report feeling better, | | | | workers, including nurses, chiropractors, dentists, |
| stronger, or more energetic. However, you should | | | | and even massage therapists. |
| not feel worse. | | | | Going through airport security or other |
| The incision should be healing. While the scar may | | | | checkpoints is usually not a problem for people |
| still be prominent, it should not be hot, red, | | | | with pacemakers providing they have their |
| angry-looking, or oozing. If it is, contact your | | | | pacemaker ID card handy. It is possible for |
| doctor right away. | | | | pacemaker people to walk through the metal |
| Your doctor probably gave you some advice | | | | detector at security checkpoints providing they |
| about what to do and what not to do. While you | | | | walk at a normal pace and don't stop right under |
| may have some personalized instructions from | | | | the beam of the detector. Depending on the |
| your doctor, most patients are told to avoid | | | | sensitivity of the metal detector and the person's |
| anything that might cause a blow to the chest. | | | | build, the metal in the pacemaker or defibrillator |
| The biggest thing to avoid is contact sports. The | | | | may set off the alarm ... but it may not. |
| danger in a blow to the chest is that it could | | | | The best advice is to identify yourself as a |
| damage the pacemaker or defibrillator. | | | | pacemaker person and follow the instructions of |
| Pacemaker people can do most of the same | | | | security personnel. |
| things they did before getting the pacemaker or | | | | Some pacemaker people report that |
| defibrillator. People with these implanted devices | | | | shoulder-type seatbelts no longer feel comfortable |
| can work, participate in some sports, and travel. | | | | because the strap hits right at the implant site. |
| People with pacemakers are almost always | | | | For these individuals, a bit of cushion or padding on |
| allowed to return to driving (once they are healed | | | | the seatbelt can make for a more comfortable |
| from surgery) but sometimes people with | | | | ride. |
| defibrillators are asked to give up driving, perhaps | | | | People with pacemakers and defibrillators can lead |
| for a few weeks or perhaps for good. The driving | | | | active lives with minimal disruption caused by their |
| restriction has nothing to do with the defibrillator, | | | | heart therapy. Every patient is different so |
| but for the underlying heart condition. Certain | | | | pacemaker people should talk to their physicians |
| defibrillator people have a heart condition that puts | | | | with specific questions. But for people with certain |
| them at risk of passing out suddenly; these are | | | | kinds of heart disorders, there is no reason to |
| the people who are advised to not drive. | | | | think that life with a pacemaker or defibrillator will |
| The same is true for swimming. Pacemaker | | | | be diminished in any way compared to life without |
| people are almost always told they can go | | | | the needed therapy. |
| swimming, but those with defibrillators at risk of | | | | |