Originally Posted by
Kirk005
Hey Iride01, thanks for the reply. Yeah, I believe that any doctor I talk to is going to say "don't MTB" as it's inherently dangerous (like living in our current world :-) ). I did have another chat with a cardiac electrophysiologist and his take was that the major concern for an ICD is skin damage over the device (not the leads pulling out of the heart muscle). This could lead to an infection whitch, apparently, can travel quickly down the leads to the heart, which then becomes quite serious. So in the long run, I think I'll get the ICD (10/11/22), heal for 6-8 weeks and report back here after my first few rides. Wish me luck!
-Kirk
Well that at least is a valid consideration I've not heard before. But I'd wonder if it's happened due to cycling and if there is any reporting statistics on that.
Also realize that the ICD I had was just a loop monitor and was completely self contained with no leads. I also had it removed last week as the battery ran out. All it ever told them was that I had a healthy heart. Still think they just put it in because I had good insurance.
One of the things the surgeon that removed it is concerned about is the small incision it was removed through opening up from tension on the skin. So until it's healed completely when I'm riding or doing certain stuff the might work my chest a lot, I'm suppose to put a strip of tape over my chest to help keep that area of skin from being put in tension.
Not certain if that might be a consideration for you with the leads. Though you'd have to keep your chest shaved.
But if you are seeing cardiologist and other heart doctors, then you probably are already doing that since they all want a EKG every time they see you. And those electrode pads can be like the scene in "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" when they rip them off if you have a hairy chest.