NEW TO ME; REPLY

Hello everyone and thank all of you great people that have replied already! I have just been going crazy not knowing what to expect & after reading some of the complications as I stated, I REALLY was afraid.
So here is the reason I have to have the PM. I was diagnosed in the mid 1980's with VT after having a blackout. Put on medication, I did rather well with some exceptions off & on. To make a LONG story shorter... I had a blackout recently, spent a week in hospital, ALL SORTS of tests done to no avail. Over the years of course, I have had ALL sorts of tests as well and nothing could confirm enough for Drs to know more than to give me meds.EP study done, could not recreate problem, so no ablation took place.
THEN I was refered to an arrythmia specialist & HE IS A CRACKER JACK! He suggested I have a LOOP recorder implanted in my chest ( have it now ) and it would record 24/7
giving him enough information to make a decision. THIS MAN IS GENIUS! I returned for a check up 5/4 & they read the Loop over a computer. LOW & BEHOLD problem found. I have VT & Bradycardia and my heart rate seems to drop to 30 in MID MORNING when it should be at least 70. No wonder I black out Dr said. So it was then that he told me the PM was my answer.I will return on 6/1 for a scheduling of my PM.

I am going to be 68 in Nov. My husband thought I was going to be the one to be HIS nurse... well, now I may need his help.
(:>) My Mom just turned 90, I am so blesssed,I hope I can get near that age.
Thank each of you for all your encouraging words. I will continue to read your comments here. WONDERFUL THING THIS SITE!
HAPPY MOTHER's DAY LADIES... guys will have their day soon. (:>)
Best regards, Kathy

5 Comments

Getting A Pacemaker

by SMITTY - 2010-05-07 01:05:11


Hello Kathy,

I see you are getting a pacemaker for the same reason many of us have gotten one, bradycardia. The cause of the bradycardia may go by different names such sick sinus syndrome, sinus node dysfunction and there are others I can't recall right now, but no matter they all lead to a slow heart rate at the most inappropriate times.

I got my first pacemaker in 2000 at age 71 for bradycardia which was caused by sinus node dysfunction. From the time I arrived at the hospital to the time the surgery was complete took about 2 hours. Pain was minimal and I was back to my usual routine in about or 10 days. I did have to make several return visits over the first 2 or 3 months to have the settings on my PM adjusted. This was not unusual as the initial settings are what I call the doctor's best guess. Sometimes that guess will be close but not close enough for a cigar so you go back for the adjustments.

I do want to mention a few other things, You can tell your husband to never fear, you can be his nurse and in fact you will probably be a more active nurse after getting the PM. As for getting near Mom's that should much more likely to happen after getting a pacemaker. My wife and I celebrated no. 61 a couple of weeks ago. This one was relatively quiet when compare to celebration we had for no. 60 last year. So have decided we need to start now making plans for no. 70 and celebrate big time again.

As time goes by and you think of questions, don't hesitate to post them. We have a bunch of good people for members and you will get answers.

I wish you the best,

Smitty

Pacer or ICD?

by golden_snitch - 2010-05-07 04:05:48

Hey Kathy,

I was just wondering since you also have VT why you get a pacemaker and not an ICD. An ICD has a pacer function, too, so that it can help with the bradycardia but at the same time it can take care of your VT. Doesn't have to shock you out of it, it also has an "anti-tachycardia pacing" function which normal pacers don't have and which sometimes can get you out of VT without delivering a shock.

Best wishes
Inga

Pacer Preparation

by qwerty - 2010-05-07 09:05:31

Hi Kathy.
I got my PM in January of this year. I will be 60 this year. Mine was pretty routine, at least for the doctors. There is nothing routine about having your shoulder cut open and gizmos stuffed in. But the benefit is that you feel better and have more energy.
One thing you MUST do is make sure you have a button up shirt when you go to the hospital. You will have to keep your arm down on the side they put the pm on for a while. And believe me, you really cannot get a pull over on with one arm at your side. (I tried!) So when you pack your back, just make sure you have a button up shirt to come home in.
In my case, for some strange reason, they put my PM on the right so my right arm had to be kept down. Since I am right handed this was challenging. I have been right handed for 59 years and to have to become left handed now was pretty entertaining to everyone. But even that only lasted 5 or 6 weeks and then it took another couple of weeks to get my strength back, but it is all good now.
Have a great weekend and relax... it will be fine and you will be nursing that husband for a long time.

Re: If you need it get it.........

by hutch2kat - 2010-05-09 03:05:11

Hi Melissa,

Thank you so much for all the encouraging words... AND PRAYERS.

It sounds like you have done extremly well. If I can do 1/4 that good I will be happy.

I am just amazed that you returned to work SO FAST!
I thought you were not allowed to raise your arm for at least 5 weeks? How did you dress, bathe, do hair. etc., etc? WOW!

Keep up the great work, and thanks again.

Kathy

If you need it -- get it!

by mikesmom93 - 2010-05-09 10:05:20

Kathy -

I got an ICD in November. Had no idea what to expect... I don't know anyone with an ICD or PM.

BUT, I can tell you, it was nothing like I imagined. I feared the worst and got the best.

Had surgery on a Tuesday and was back to work on Friday. I would have gone back on Thursday, but promised my husband I wouldn't.

Yes, it was sore, but not much ... I only took one Tylenol after the surgery and that was mostly becasue the nurses told me I should. Otherwise, the soreness was less and less every day. And there was some bruising and swelling, but even that was minor.

All the advice you've gotten was good. Wear a button-down shirt to the hospital and for a few weeks after. No heavy lifting. No lifting your arm above shoulder height. All the usual advice. Honestly, I felt so good after the first week most of the time I forgot it was even there. Now, I am just about at the 6 month mark and it's almost like it never even happened.

Now I not only feel great, I feel GRATFUL that this amazing technology exists that may one day save my life!

I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. You'll do great!

Melissa

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for being a couch potato.

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