Newbie

Hello,
Today is my first day on this site. I got my first pacemaker on 8/3/09. I found out that morning and they put it in that night. I had been having syncope for 35 years - but it was always associated with intestinal problems. Doctors only focused on the intestines. Fortunately I was in the hospital with a monitor for overnight observation (had been having sharp chest pain from acid reflux). Right before they were to remove the heart monitor I had a severe "spell". My strip showed very good regular beats then they just stopped for about 10 seconds. They were very irregular when they started back. I was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope triggered by the intestinal problems. HD told me one of these days it just wouldn't start back. I have done pretty well (some crying for my old self) I am 53 and realize this is not an age related condition (It started when I was 18). I am very fortunate to have the condition found at all. Sometimes I had spells several times a month and sometimes I might go 6 months or more without a spell. God has blessed me for sure. I do still have many questions about activities. I have been able to sleep some on that side for the past week or so. I go back to work Tuesday or Wednesday. I do worry about damaging the PM by moving around in my sleep too much. I seem to turn over from right to left and back to right about every hour. I also seem to have a lump at the PM site. I don't want to hurt it. I also have a home monitor (looks like a cordless phone) I am supposed to sleep within 6 feet of this). Can this be carried with me to give the DR up to the minute info? The Biotronik website seems to indicate this but the PM TECH just said to sleep near it. Does anyone else have this. As I said I have a Biotronik model - CYLOS DR-T with Atrial and Vent. leads. After one week the Vent. was pacing at 4% and the Atrial was pacing at 46%. Evidently I needed it more than I realized (I had been extremely tired for the past year - to the point of doing little besides working and coming home and resting)

3 Comments

welcome!

by Tracey_E - 2009-08-23 09:08:41

Welcome to our exclusive club! I'm sorry it took so long fo you to get a proper diagnosis. Wishing you a speedy recovery and excellent health from here on out! I also found my energy skyrocketed after I got my pm, I didn't realize how tired I was until I felt better again.

If it doesn't hurt to sleep on it, it's highly unlikely you'll damage it in your sleep. The main thing to watch for is stretching your left arm over your head for the first 6 weeks, you need to give the leads time to settle in.

Does the lump hurt excessively, or is it red? Red is a warning sign of infection. If it doesn't go down over the next week or two, you might want to have someone take a peek at it. I had a lump after my last replacement that turned out to be fluid build up, heating pad on low several times a day got rid of it. It will probably go away with time, things just need to settle in a bit more.

I'm not familiar with your model but most pm's do a self check and they program it to do it at night while we sleep. My guess is that's why they tell you to sleep near the monitor.

If you have any questions about living with a pm, please don't be shy! We've all been there. :o)

lump

by Deirdre - 2009-08-23 09:08:44

The lump is just the pacemaker. Although I am overweight - I don't have a lot of fat in the area of the PM. It is just the PM that I feel. I go back to the Dr. tomorrow and he will look at it but there is no heat or redness. Do all PM have the little thing that looks like a cordless phone that communicates with it at night? I don't know anyone that has a PM so this is all new to me.

healing

by Tracey_E - 2009-08-24 07:08:06

I think you'll find that the pm will settle in more as the swelling goes down. You will probably always feel it but it should improve from where you are now.

I've never had that type but many members here have the thing that does phone checks.

You know you're wired when...

You need to be re-booted each morning.

Member Quotes

Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.