Just received new PM

Hi just had my new PM installed this morning I am a 8o yr. old man was wondering if there is any special instructions or hepful hints to help this healling process also on the 13th of Nov. I had 4 bypass surgery. Thank you for any information any body can pass on.

2 Comments

Welcome !!

by donb - 2012-11-23 11:11:18

Welcome aboard. You have found a great site for answers with your new pacemaker. As we both share the same age, mine being DOB 1/13/32 but having been with pacemakers for more than 20 years. Probably one of the bonuses for us is not always remembering all the aches & pains along with miss-placing things.
We have a few very informed members just a little above our age but just loaded with good information & doing well.
I have to confess I will be getting my 5th PM this next Monday as I might have been just a little too active doing heavy hobby work. As you're still recovering from bypass surgery I'm sure you won't be rotating wheels on your vehicle.
The big item has always been to being carefull to not reach your arm above shoulder to avoid putting tension on your leads going into yur heart. Generally 6 weeks is given as to have leads attaching themselves through your vein to your heart. Depending on your overall health walking is a real help both mentally & physically to satisfy a person's mind. As I also have 1 heart stent & have been through Cardiac Rehab program has been the best recovery for me & I really recommend you checking out this with your Dr.
You probably have a real bonus having both problems taken care & be good for another 100,000 miles. As I got warrany mileage

New PM

by SMITTY - 2012-11-23 11:11:44

Hello,

I'll offer what I can on your new adventure. Since a PM is an electronic device and runs on a battery, there are some basic pacemaker precautions that should be taken. Certain activities may need to be avoided for a period of time after the pacemaker surgery. These will be pretty much taken care of as you do what is necessary to keep the pain to a minimum from the bypass surgery. (I had a quadruple by pass a few years before I got my first PM so I know what the pain can be with that surgery.) You will need the PM checked regularly (mine is checked every three months) to make sure it is working properly and has adequate battery life. Battery life on my first one was nine years, the second one is still going strong after three years.

After surgery, some initial pacemaker precautions should be observed. A doctor may restrict patients from exercising or lifting heavy objects for about a month after the procedure. A follow-up visit to the surgeon may also be scheduled to make sure the pacemaker is working properly. This visit may be followed by regular checks that can be done over the telephone. This involves attaching a transmitting device to the body and the phone, which allows pacemaker information to be sent to a technician who evaluates function, battery life, and other factors.

In addition to regular checkups, other pacemaker precautions may need to be taken. It is usually okay to go through airport security with a pacemaker, but airport security should be notified in advance because the devices can set off the metal detector. Also, the wands used for metal detection during a more thorough check should not be passed directly over the area of the pacemaker, as this can disrupt its function. Some PM recipients wear a medical alert bracelet at all times.

While most daily activities are safe and don't require any pacemaker precautions, some things may need to be avoided. People with pacemakers can use cell phones, but holding one directly over the device may interfere with its pacing. Any high-voltage machinery may also cause similar problems.

I'm 83 and I can truthfully say my PM does not limit my activities what so ever.

Good luck,

Smitty


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