Surgery soon

Hello,
I live in Canada, and anticipate that I will be joining your ranks soon. I am scheduled for a Pacemaker installation on Nov 6th.
At first, when I was told I should have one for my slow heart beat, I did not have much of a problem with the idea. I was looking forward to being able to go for a run again, as I haven't gone since last March, when, while running, I fainted and planted myself face first in the gravel. I am 55, and have had no heart issues to date, but I am told I have a left bundle branch block.
I am finding that as Nov 6th approaches, I am having serious second thoughts. The reasons vary, from fears of post operative complications, to impotence, to how my chest will look with an obvious bulge below my collar bone.
I am hoping for some support. I have read a number of posts, and am aware that some of you are happy, and some of you are not. What to do?
Thanks

16 Comments

Surgery fears

by Island Girl - 2012-10-18 11:10:47

My brother and I had pacemakers implanted. Mine was put in as an emergency because my heart was pausing between 12 to 30 seconds. I passed out three times in the emergency room.

After surgery I had no chest pain so site pain or any other pain. I went shopping and to the movies three days after surgery I am thin so my pacemaker shows some but not much.

As for my brother, he was mowing the lawn four days after surgery on a 1/2 acre lot. As for impotence, my brother says his sex life has improved for the better. The blood flow to certain private has greatly improved for him.



also a runner

by ChristieD - 2012-10-19 03:10:26

I've had my PM for a month now and was back to running long distances after two weeks. I would suggest as a runner you ask about having the PM placed under your pectoral muscle instead of subcutaneously. If you plan to resume running there's less chance of migration of the pacemaker and the "bulge" is not as obvious.
Good luck!

Let me get this straight...

by Tattoo Man - 2012-10-19 04:10:21

Freddy and Christie...is / was there something that I dont know about ??

I had my PM put in in the 'usual place', under the collar bone...no probs...so why nearly 2 years later does it 'bounce' when I run..and why does it feel 'spikey' / 'pokey'..? Today has been a bit of a 'dont like my PM day'

Sorry to butt into your thread here Freddy but ,just maybe there is something that many more people could do with having a better picture of here.

I am not aware that runners , or indeed any sportspeople are asked about their specific needs

Tattoo Man

A runner also

by juddkopp - 2012-10-19 04:10:58

I am 75 yrs old and have had my pace maker 2 yrs. My cardiologist told me I could go on like I was with a slow heart rate but it would be like having a flat tire and putting your do-nut tire on and never fixing the regular tire. I have competed in 5K and 10K races without an incident of any kind. I have never regreted having my pace maker.

Hi Freddy

by Tattoo Man - 2012-10-19 05:10:49

These three guys have, in some ways , said it all,...but how YOU feel is another matter.

The 'obvious bulge' will be far more obvious to you than to others..you will get used to it ..believe me , going grey, getting a bit of a paunch, fading memory and not knowing (or caring) who Justin Bieber is, are far more worrying issues.

Not falling down is just brilliant..the girls in accounts at my builders merchant probably never fantasised about me being horizontal,..and now that they have seen it have been assured that it is no big deal.

Impotence..nope..being alive is a recognised aphrodisiac.

You will run again..!..just how much is that worth ?...get a really good head torch (try the Hope R4) and run at night in the countryside..have a bit of a shout / whoop / yell / make love...(or all at the same time ! )

The world of sport is buzzing with news about performance enhancing stuff at the moment and you, Freddy can get a real, legal boost just for the asking !!

I'll put a note in my diary for the 6th November..2 years ago on the 5th November I got my PM...sure there are times when I don't like the thing, but it sure beats being dead in your sleep...!

Keep in touch

Tattoo Man





Perspective on problems

by donr - 2012-10-19 05:10:49

You enter an ER & what do you expect to find - a bunch of sick/injured people who all have problems - well all except those who brought them there.

You come in here & what SHOULD you expect? Who knows - except for those of us already here.

This site is nearly 19,000 strong - out of several million PM hosts world wide. A lot of the people come here for answers - answers they cannot seem to get from the professional community. A lot of us here are happier than a clam in the mud on a Maine beach in summer - and we have the answers. Usually. Collectively, our knowledge base is pretty darned good!

So - you have entered the Inner Sanctum (mind the squeaky door) of those who have troubles/questions or are unhappy. Far & away, they leave here happy & w/ their questions answered.

Do not let your heart be troubled by the problems; let it be relieved at the answers from the happy folks. Realize also that many of the hosts who reside here started out w/ problems, questions, etc & are now helping others.

All will be just ducky for you when it's all over.

Don

theyve said it best

by ohiolaura - 2012-10-19 10:10:15

I agree with all the posts here,the amount of experience from those here is amazing,plain and simple.
And I am one of the newbie's here,hoping to help others with basic questions,and having gone thru this recently,I can say first hand the help here is unbelieveable.
You will be fine,it's different for everyone I'm sure,some its more mental than physical,and others,like me it's some of both.
It was very unchartered territory for me,and had no time to prepare,so it was alot to swallow,and have no choice over.
I say stay here,ask questions,and get as much info as possible.Ask your medical professionals as much as you can,and make sure you have total confidence in your Dr.
Good luck,and keep asking things.....I did.Alot!

Thanks

by freddycycle - 2012-10-19 10:10:27

Thanks to everyone who answered my post. It was very interesting getting different perspectives on this issue, and it has helped a lot.
Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. It's just that I remember seeing my Mom's pacemaker for the first time days before she died at the age of 80. It left me with a poor image of pacemakers, and when I was informed that I should get one at the age of 55, I kind of freaked out.
But knowing that it could improve my life to the point that I can resume some cardio activity, then suddenly it looks like a good thing. I'm probably blowing the image (bulging) concerns out of context too. Although I will have to ask my doctor about the option of having it tucked behind a muscle.
So, bring on Nov 6th. Maybe I'll get a tattoo as a reward.
By the way, my name is Stefan.

No problem unless you make it one.

by ElectricFrank - 2012-10-19 12:10:17

As far as appearance, I spend a lot of my time without a shirt and never worry about it. If I find someone nervously looking at it in a hotel Jacuzzi I look for a way to mention it. I find people have a lot of interest in it.

The modern pacer is a great little device. I've had mine since 2004. The surgery is easy. The main advice I would have is to make sure whoever does the surgery has had a fair amount of experience with it. The most important initial item is that the leads are implanted in the heart wall securely. It's my guess that most of the failed leads are due to an incompetent doc. Then they blame you for being active.

There's no question about getting one if you need it. The alternative isn't pleasant.

frank

Perspectives

by shaybill - 2012-10-20 01:10:56

Indeed,
The posts in this room are amazing and beneficial, because if you are signed on it means you share a commonality - Pacemaker.

I was the picture of health at 52, running, playing tennis and working long hours with fatigue out of this world. My PM was inserted on an emergency basis and there was no one or place for me to go to find out the big ? = WHY???

Now, after a three-year period of adjusting physically and accepting my condition which is brought on by a pre-genetic disposition to heart disease, I am accepting.
It is so refreshing to be in the chatroom with those who understand what is feels like to have a PM.
Although, I am mentally in a good place, it would have been so good if I could have cried out to everyone for help, instead internally when the device was first introduced to me.

Serious Second Thoughts

by Grateful Heart - 2012-10-20 02:10:26

Understandable, but most likely you will feel so much better after the implant with a little recovery time. Stay in touch with us on this site. Like Don said, collectively, the knowledge base is good, so is the emotional base...it usually runs the gamut and usually plays a big role in this process.

Hey Don, "happier than a clam in the mud on a Maine beach in summer" ... That sounds great, I can feel the warm sun on my freckled face right now. It's gonna be a looong winter.

Bulging PM's

by donr - 2012-10-21 04:10:52

Freddy - at 55 who cares if they have an extra bulge. Just tell everyone crass enough to ask that it's an extra muscle!

I can see it now - a great big red heart superposed over the scar w/ "Mother" emblazoned beneath it.

Or, if you're a biker of the "Heck's Angels" class, a skull w/ the scar being the teeth,

Don

Grateful heart Looong Winter

by donr - 2012-10-21 04:10:55

Try being an Army football fan - it's gonna be a looooooooonger autumn.

How are you coming on the hip job? #1 Son was here w/ his hip replacement of 2 Aug & we could not see that he had anything done.

Don

@tattooman

by ChristieD - 2012-10-21 11:10:13

I sent you a private message but in case anyone else was wondering: my doctors did suggest the subpectoral placement to me specifically because of the problems you say you're experiencing when you run of the PM bouncing around.

The subpectoral placement creates a pocket around the PM to prevent it from migrating down. There isn't much to prevent this in the traditional, subcutaneous placement. It also doesn't create much of a bulge. My left chest only pokes out slightly more than the right. If it wasn't for the incision line I don't think it would be very noticeable at all.

I did have to have general anesthesia rather than a local so that meant an extra night in the hospital and the recovery was a little slow and painful at first but that passed pretty quickly.

I'm 4 weeks post op and have run 22 miles this week with no problem other than some lingering soreness in the left chest and arm.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for info

by freddycycle - 2012-10-22 09:10:55

Thanks for the information. I will ask my doctor if that procedure is an option for me. It's great to see that you're pounding the pavement so soon after surgery. Did you notice any improvement in your stamina or endurance?

endurance

by ChristieD - 2012-10-22 11:10:30

My problem was severe bradycardia with a resting heartrate in the 30's-40's. When I would start a run it always took me a mile or so to get my heartrate up. I would feel tired and short of breath until I could get it up to 100 bpm or so. After getting the PM I don't have that problem. My minimum is set at 50 so it doesn't take as long to get it up. It seems like my endurance is definitely better. I ran a solid 8 miles Friday at a consistent pace and didn't feel like jello afterward so that's good. :) I have noted that my speed is down, not sure if that's because of the 3 weeks I wasn't able to run (6 days in the hospital plus 2 weeks post op) or if it's a side effect of having the PM. I think it's probabaly the 3 weeks off, though.

They've had to adjust my rate response settings a couple of times already. At first it was too sensitive and vibrations, such as a heavy footfall going downhill while running or a bumpy road, made me feel like my heart was going to fly out of my chest. That's better now but last night we were training on hills and my heart rate was getting in the 150-160's and I started feeling bad. The upper limit of my rate response is set to 160 so I think that's probably the issue. I'm going to see the Medtronic rep this week for more "tweaking".

I'm by no means an expert in this PM thing but I'd be glad to share my experiences and answer any questions you have if you want to message me. Maybe some of the issues I've run into would help you make an easier transition.

ChristieD

You know you're wired when...

You name your daughter “Synchronicity”.

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