Is Lightning dangerous for a Pacemaker

HI...I was told by a person I know that If I am outside during a storm I have a very high chance of getting struck by lightning then anyone else because I have a Pacemaker...I really want to know if this is true....

6 Comments

PM's & lightning

by donr - 2011-07-01 01:07:06

Sounds like urban legend to me!

The small electric fields generated by the Pm are insignificant compared to all the voltages involved in generating lightning. As a piece of metal it's also insignificant compared to al th other metal around.

That being said - I still wouldn't try the Ben franklin experiment w/ the kite, key & Leyden Jar. Nor would I seek shelter under a sole tree on a tall, otherwisw bald hill.

Don

Lightening & Pacemaker

by J.B. - 2011-07-01 01:07:26

Hi Trish,

I wonder who thinks up this stuff. You have exactly the same chance of being struck by lightning because you have the pacemaker as those people do without a pacemaker.

I can only guess people make this stupid comment because we have a metallic object implanted in our body. Well at any given time I'll probably have more metal weight in my pockets in the form of change and keys than my pacemaker will weigh and I don't think I have a greater chance of being struck by lightning because of that metal.

When you are told that you should tell that person "of course I know that and if you will look closely you will find I have a ground wire running down my left leg to the ground to protect me and the pacemaker from lightning strikes."

J.B.

lightning

by sugar - 2011-07-01 01:07:27

I have often wondered about this. Living on Cape, I must admit that we have some of the most perfect storms here and the strikes are very powerful so I must say that I don't go out in them. We had one last week that really shook the house several times. Golfers often get hit. I guess it all depends on how close the storm is to you - many times we think it is close and it really isn't. Living on water makes it seem rather strong. One young man was lost and not found yet when he was taking a boat over to the Vineyard last week. There is a mystery out to the islands - people are lost every year between here and the islands. The Cape has its own energy and can be very strange - when JFK jr. went down out there the energy was as if noone could speak - the silence was terrible. It is hard to move off Cape (we say the Cape Cod clam has you) due to the energy - we always seem to come back and can't live off Cape without coming back.
I will continue to stay in during a lightening storm.

Dave

by Tommy-2 - 2011-07-01 01:07:46

I think calling people that get hit by lightning stupid may be a little strong. Not every thunderstorm or rain cloud will produce threatening lightning. And I have never seen those that do send a Paul Revere ahead to warn people lightning is coming.

At least I don't think I'm stupid. A friend and I were hunting birds on a Texas ranch a long way from anything. We didn't see the cloud until it was almost on top of us. We started for our truck but didn't make it and I got stung good. Obviously it didn't kill me but I kind of lost track of time and living for a while. If I hadn't had help to get me to a hospital I probably wouldn't be here now. So I know lightning is not always preceded by thunder or any other kind of warning and can slip up on a person.

Tommy

No more

by walkerd - 2011-07-01 08:07:54

than anyone else that is stupid enough to be outside in a thunder and lightning storm.

dave

Wrong choice of words

by walkerd - 2011-07-03 07:07:32

Sorry I shouldnt have use the word stupid. The question was out in a thunder strom, people should have enough sense not to be out in a thunder storm, doesnt matter if you have a pacer or not the danger is the same for everyone is all I ment. Where there is thunder there is lightning. I appolize for that stupid word.

dave

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.