Former MAW teen w/ upcoming surgery..Universal Studios question?

[Happy Dreams1]

Hi there! I haven't been on the boards for a loooong time and I am so sorry to all my MAW friends on here. My MAW trip to WDW back in 2011 was awesome and the most magical <3 I never got to finish my trip report though, but it has plenty.

Anyway, I've been acutely sick since the start of October with multiple syncopal episodes which lead to the final overlapping diagnosis of (Episodic) Symptomatic Bradycardia with Atrioventricular Dissociation- meaning that when it happens, my atria and ventricles don't beat at the same time. it's a very weird sensation I get before I do pass out.

My surgery has been posted as urgent and got the date of November 5th, meaning this upcoming Monday. I will be receiving a dual-chaber pacemaker and will be staying overnight in the ICU- or so they tell me

My family and i have have an Orlando trip for January. They've told me that for the first two months, I should avoid movements that would suddenly pull my left arm away from my body. Would going on Harry Potter, the Dragons( forgot what it's actually called sorry) and the hulk sort of rides be cutting it too close or be too risky?

Hay anyone experienced this? I mean, I think I'll go on the rides either way because no way am I missing them , but I just want to read of any other past experiences.

Generally though, how speedy is the pacemaker recovery and what restrictions should I lay on my left arm?


I'm in Senior year of high-school and I can't believe how fast time flies. It was just yesterday that I was leaving for my MAW trip. ooh the memories I'll never let go of. <3

 

[SueM in MN]

I think you need to talk to your doctor, specifically because those particular attractions have warnings for people who had recent surgery of any kind.
My opinion is these attractions would be quite risky and I would not want you doing them if you were my child.

This is the information from Universal about each of those attractions in italics. My comments are in regular type. I just was at Islands of Adventure. The only one I rode was Forbidden Journey, but I watched the others.
Universal also has a Rider's Guide for Guests with disabilities. I added the information from the Rider's Guide in bold.

Incredible Hulk:
You accelerate from zero to 40 mph in two seconds flat, with the force equal to that of a jet taking off an aircraft carrier. The world turns upside down as you experience a weightless "zero g" roll. Then you feel a surge in power as you pick up speed and a menacing roar fills your ears. All you can do is hang on as you experience the rage, power and fury of the Hulk, smashing through the sky and plummeting down to earth on a high-speed roller coaster rampage of destruction.
It has 7 inversions and goes up to 67 miles per hour.
TO RIDE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; and absorb sudden and dramatic movements of a roller coaster.

Dragon Challenge (the Harry Potter Triwizard Tournament Ride)
You'll need the courage of a Triwizard Tournament™ champion as you mount one of two dragons – an aggressive Chinese Fireball or a ferocious Hungarian Horntail – that twist and loop in an intertwining roller coaster ride across the sky. Dragon Challenge™ is actually two high-speed roller coasters – each "dragon" is a completely different ride.
Each dragon's 2-minute and 25-second flight includes several inversions, including a zero-g roll, a Cobra roll, two corkscrews, and two vertical loops.
TO RIDE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; and absorb the sudden and dramatic movements of a roller coaster.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
There is not as much written about this - maybe because they don't want to spoil the surprises or because it's difficult to explain.
This ride simulates dramatic aerobatics. The ride vehicle will suddenly accelerate, stop, turn, climb and drop.
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; absorb the sudden and dramatic movements similar to a roller coaster. NOTE: Guests with difficulty transitioning between stationary platforms and moving platforms should see an attendant for alternate boarding.
I rode it twice a few days ago and found it to be very rough. There are a lot of changes of position; in places you go from almost lying on your back to almost on your stomach. I was grasping the handhold so tightly that my hands almost fell asleep!

 

[Happy Dreams1]

I think you need to talk to your doctor, specifically because those particular attractions have warnings for people who had recent surgery of any kind.
My opinion is these attractions would be quite risky and I would not want you doing them if you were my child.

This is the information from Universal about each of those attractions in italics. My comments are in regular type. I just was at Islands of Adventure. The only one I rode was Forbidden Journey, but I watched the others.
Universal also has a Rider's Guide for Guests with disabilities. I added the information from the Rider's Guide in bold.

Incredible Hulk:
You accelerate from zero to 40 mph in two seconds flat, with the force equal to that of a jet taking off an aircraft carrier. The world turns upside down as you experience a weightless "zero g" roll. Then you feel a surge in power as you pick up speed and a menacing roar fills your ears. All you can do is hang on as you experience the rage, power and fury of the Hulk, smashing through the sky and plummeting down to earth on a high-speed roller coaster rampage of destruction.
It has 7 inversions and goes up to 67 miles per hour.
TO RIDE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; and absorb sudden and dramatic movements of a roller coaster.

Dragon Challenge (the Harry Potter Triwizard Tournament Ride)
You'll need the courage of a Triwizard Tournament™ champion as you mount one of two dragons – an aggressive Chinese Fireball or a ferocious Hungarian Horntail – that twist and loop in an intertwining roller coaster ride across the sky. Dragon Challenge™ is actually two high-speed roller coasters – each "dragon" is a completely different ride.
Each dragon's 2-minute and 25-second flight includes several inversions, including a zero-g roll, a Cobra roll, two corkscrews, and two vertical loops.
TO RIDE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; and absorb the sudden and dramatic movements of a roller coaster.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
There is not as much written about this - maybe because they don't want to spoil the surprises or because it's difficult to explain.
This ride simulates dramatic aerobatics. The ride vehicle will suddenly accelerate, stop, turn, climb and drop.
Continuously grasp the shoulder restraint with at least one upper extremity; independently maintain yourself in an upright position while seated; absorb the sudden and dramatic movements similar to a roller coaster. NOTE: Guests with difficulty transitioning between stationary platforms and moving platforms should see an attendant for alternate boarding.
I rode it twice a few days ago and found it to be very rough. There are a lot of changes of position; in places you go from almost lying on your back to almost on your stomach. I was grasping the handhold so tightly that my hands almost fell asleep!

Thank you so much for all this information and the added one too!

I am actually quite nervous now. I've seen how violent Hulk can be. I didn't actually think about having something new inside my chest, especially towards one side where a restraint would be( meaning i would have to cushion myself from sudden movements on that side). Your post has made me re-consider my actions. Of course, if and only if I understand that I am able to support myself and avoid any banging or pulling away from that side, I will go on.

I've been on Harry Potter three times but I don't remember all of it's movements. I remember, as you mentioned, that were forced to be almost flat and then quickly slid to our stomachs, the restraints pushing towards the breast/shoulder area. Yeah, that is going to be a problem.

I can't really thank you enough. You've opened my mind to the possibility of not riding it for my own safety.


I'll be posting later on next week after the surgery to tell you guys how it went.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think you need to let your doctor know about the inversions when you discuss it, but I would really advise against doing those attractions.
There will be times on Incredible Hulk and Dragon Challenge when the ride car is upside down, so riders's body is resting on the restraint at those times.

I rode Forbidden Journey for the first time a few days ago, then a few hours later, I rode it for a second time. The second time seemed much rougher - I don't know if it was because I had already seen the scenes the first time, so I was more aware of the motion. Or, it could also have been that I was not exactly in the same position in the seat or maybe didn't pull the restraint down as far.

All of those attractions have over the shoulder restraints, so would be probably putting pressure on your chest on both sides.

Wishing you good luck on your surgery.

 

[Jellifer]

I have a pacemaker and there were only about 5 rides I was officially allowed to do when I was there in September.

I did do one off the forbidden list (the Harry potter one where you're escaping the castle) and I was ill after it. My pacemaker hated me for it and I had to go sit with a butter beer for a good hour before I could even walk in a straight line again. My pacemaker is 5 years old so it's well established in there and it's always coped well before.

My advice would be don't do it. Also be careful to completely avoid any rides with magnets (usually the super fast ones), the customer services people will give you a map with in depth information on it if you explain you have a pacemaker.

 

[Happy Dreams1]

I think you need to let your doctor know about the inversions when you discuss it, but I would really advise against doing those attractions.
There will be times on Incredible Hulk and Dragon Challenge when the ride car is upside down, so riders's body is resting on the restraint at those times.

I rode Forbidden Journey for the first time a few days ago, then a few hours later, I rode it for a second time. The second time seemed much rougher - I don't know if it was because I had already seen the scenes the first time, so I was more aware of the motion. Or, it could also have been that I was not exactly in the same position in the seat or maybe didn't pull the restraint down as far.

All of those attractions have over the shoulder restraints, so would be probably putting pressure on your chest on both sides.

Wishing you good luck on your surgery.

This is good to know. Everything you are saying I will take into consideration and approach my cardiologist. Thank you!!!!!

I have a pacemaker and there were only about 5 rides I was officially allowed to do when I was there in September.

I did do one off the forbidden list (the Harry potter one where you're escaping the castle) and I was ill after it. My pacemaker hated me for it and I had to go sit with a butter beer for a good hour before I could even walk in a straight line again. My pacemaker is 5 years old so it's well established in there and it's always coped well before.

My advice would be don't do it. Also be careful to completely avoid any rides with magnets (usually the super fast ones), the customer services people will give you a map with in depth information on it if you explain you have a pacemaker.

What do you mean ill? Like dizzy or did your pacemaker do something crazy with your heart rhythm? And i'm sorry. :/

I'm a teenager so I really want to ride these attractions.

But what If i do go on the rides with the magnets? What would physically happen though?

 

[blondietink]

My father has a cemaker and he is forbidden to go near anything that has a magnetic field. Magnets can completely turn off a pacemaker, make it malfunction (faster, or slower than programmed), etc. He is also never to carry a cell phone or talk on the cell phone on the side of his body where the pacemaker has been implanted. Your cardiologist should go over all these restrictions with you.

My son (age 22 years)has a congenital heart defect and even though he is stable, his cardiologist has informed him that he should never ever go on any rides that go upside down.

Of course every person is different and only your doctor can tell you what is safe and what is not. Good luck with your new pacemaker and have a great trip!

 

[Jellifer]

I know how you feel, I got my pacemaker on my 21st birthday but your life is at risk if you don't follow the rules.

Pacemakers are delicate, the tiny magnets in headphones can make your programme change. After the Harry potter ride my heart went slow, I have a demand pacer and every time the pacer stopped to let my heart take back over it would go stupidly slow again. I was grey, dizzy, light headed and I felt like I was going to throw up. When I got back and had a check up my EP said my heart was on the verge of slowing to a stop.

If you go on one of the super magnetic rides the risk of your pacemaker coming out of place is high. You're facing life with a lump of metal in your chest, you need to get your head around the metal as from here on in you're basically a magnet and there's stuff you won't be able to do even if you are young because if you don't follow the instructions (you'll get a book with your specific pacemakers dos and donts) then there's a risk you'll do massive damage to our heart - some people die from not following the rules.