Celebrity News

Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing ‘great' after getting a pacemaker: ‘A little bit more of a machine'

The former governor of California said he was up and about within a few days of the surgery.

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

A little heart trouble is no match for "The Terminator."

Arnold Schwarzenegger shared on his "Arnold's Pump Club" podcast that he had undergone surgery to install a pacemaker last week.

"Last Monday, I had surgery for a pacemaker and became a little bit more of a machine," the former governor of California said.

Schwarzenegger said sharing health matters publicly goes against his upbringing in Austria, but he decided to share his most recent surgery after receiving positive feedback for previously talking publicly about his heart valve replacement surgeries.

The "Total Recall" star first had two heart valves replaced in the 1990s due to a genetic condition, and again had the two valves replaced in 2018 and 2020.

"I've gotten so many messages and emails from people who were born with a bicuspid aortic valve like me, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgeries has given them courage and hope to deal with their own," the "Predator" said.

According to Schwarzenegger, the surgery went great and he was out and about within a few days.

“First of all, I want you to know I’m doing great! I had my surgery on Monday, and by Friday, I was already at a big environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness crusader Jane Fonda,” the 76-year-old said.

"Nobody would have ever thought I started the week with a surgery," he continued.

Schwarzenegger said the pacemaker was necessary because some scar tissue from his most recent valve replacement surgery had caused an irregular heartbeat.

The "Kindergarten Cop" star said he kept in touch with his doctors and had his heart checked on at least once a year, and then when his doctors told him to get the pacemaker he did so.

"That's life with a genetic heart issue, but you won't hear me complaining," Schwarzenegger said. "My mother and her mother's bicuspid valves killed them. I'm still here because of medical innovation and being very diligent about staying in touch with my doctors and listening to them."

The surgery will keep him from doing his "serious training" in the gym for a while, Schwarzenegger said, but said he will be "100%" ready for when season 2 of his Netflix show, "FUBAR," begins filming next month.

Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained for several hours by customs agents at Munich airport Wednesday.
Contact Us