Hi - just joined.

I came across your site by chance googling ‘IPG Basic Rate’. –all my questions answered so here I am. Thanks for the Abbreviation page among others – so useful for the novice.

I had my dual chamber pacemaker [Medtronic EN1DR01 with a BR of 60-130 - DDDR Mode] implanted three days ago after sudden onset bradycardia. I’m a Brit living in UK, male, 69, 6ft 1 and 80 kilos [176 pounds for our US friends] and have been fit all my life. Used to run 10,000m among other things and never had a day’s real illness. Wednesday night I was fine, putting up a charity stall and selling stuff. Thursday morning I noticed I couldn’t walk the 300 yards or so to the shops without stopping for breath and my muscles were starved of oxygen [runners know that feeling]. Thought I had a virus but Friday was worse; my BP was lowish but my pulse rate was 39! – 40 years ago I’d have loved that – better than Olympic athletes so I’m told. But it should be in the 70s apparently. Rang my doctor’s surgery and they saw me straight away. They took a couple of ECGs which showed cause for concern but had no idea why I was like I was so they rang the cardiac 'on call' team at our area’s cardiac centre who told them to send me in. By Friday afternoon I was in hospital being monitored. My heart rate was still 39-40 – even got puffed out talking. Heart block was causing bradycardia and a pacemaker was needed. If I hadn’t had something to eat they have done it there and then but, as it was, I persuaded them to let me go home for the weekend. The IPG was put in on Monday under local anaesthetic so I was conscious all the time – interesting stuff - and I was home that evening.

Dressing came off today and all looks well with the wound and the pacemaker seems to be working fine – I feel great. Going to be hard to take it easy for a bit once the soreness in my shoulder wears off. Back in 6 weeks for a check and then 3 monthly for a bit.

My son’s comment: ‘better make sure they take it out before you are cremated or it’ll explode’. That wasn’t in the aftercare literature they gave me! Arc welding could be a problem though if I ever wanted to take it up.

I’ve been reading about magnets on the site but has anyone had a problem with security scanners in shops? I have the ID card they give you and am getting a medi-alert bracelet but do these things really affect the pacemaker and how will I know?

6 Comments

thanks

by RobertS - 2012-12-13 01:12:28

Cheers, Ian.

Yep - the NHS came up trumps.

Bionic indeed - I have two hearing aids as well!

Best excuse for not going to the supermarket I've heard :) Be interesting to see what happens.
I guess not all pacemakers are the same but I was warned about induction hobs; not that we have one.

I did wonder about the medi-alert bracelet but as my PM is on my right [I'm left handed] if I can't speak for myself I'd like it found or the ID looked for. I have the PM make, serial number, my name and dob, allergies and ICE number on it. Hope never to need it.

best

Robert

welcome!

by Tracey_E - 2012-12-13 03:12:48

Glad you found us! Sounds like you have a great attitude

As you learned, how well you take care of yourself has little to do with the onset of an electrical problem. Electrical problems are like short circuits, they just happen. And that means they’re generally an easy fix. Being in good health otherwise generally means we bounce back faster.

Security scanners are only an issue if we linger. Just walk on through, it should be fine.

Pm’s are removed after death.

I wear my medic alert bracelet. I’m not a typical pm patient (40-something fit mom) and my pm is well buried so it’s not obvious that I have it.

You’ll know a magnet is affecting the pm because you’ll feel like when they test it. For me it’s like when an elevator (lift) comes to a stop, that up/down feeling before the doors open. If you get near something with a magnet and feel weird, simply get away from it. It won’t do any harm, the worst it can do is temporarily put it in test mode.

I’ve been paced almost 20 years and can’t say I’ve felt deprived that I can’t arc weld :oP I’ve managed to find a few other things to keep me out of trouble! The only time it’s really annoyed me (and we’re talking about maybe 5 minutes here, lol) was when I checked into laser hair removal and they told me no. I’m guessing that’s not too high on your wish list either. Honestly, having these is just not a big deal. We get checked a few times a year. Every 7-10 years we take a few days out of our lives to get a new battery, that’s it! The rest of the time I don’t even give it a thought.

Hi Robert :)

by Pookie - 2012-12-13 04:12:52

So glad you stumbled across our little club.

The members above answered everything so well that I really don't have anything to add...

just really glad everything went so well for you and keep us posted on how well you are doing.

Take care and again - Welcome to the club.
Pookie

Welcome to the club !

by IAN MC - 2012-12-13 12:12:31

Hi Robert It has all happened very quickly for you .. one minute you're putting up a charity stall ... a week later and you're fully bionic .

We all have different stories to tell on here ... I was the fittest guy I knew and suddenly blacked out after a 10 mile run . A week later I admitted myself to A & E ( Yes I'm from the UK too) and within 2 hrs of seeing the cardiologist I had the tell-tale bulge and joined the club.

You raise a few points :-

- your son is right, you will probably explode if you're cremated . This may well put him off having you cremated before you have died !

- you're wise to give the arc welding a miss . A regular contributor on here ...donr... delights in telling people what they can, and cannot do post PM

- yes security scanners can be a problem with some people. Interestingly in the weeks before blacking out, I felt quite dizzy after walking into Tesco and other UK supermarkets . I thought at first that it was fear of spending money that was causing it but it was definitely something to do with the security doors. Now that I have a PM I still feel odd on going through the doors. I have persuaded my wife that she should do all of the shopping and she has fallen for it !

- I have an ID card and was asked to show it last week to the security guy at Gatwick airport before being shown around the side of the security gate for a pat-down. I have flown several times since getting the PM and this is the 1st time I've been asked to show it.

- I, personally, think that medi-alert bracelets are a complete waste of time and money but no doubt people will reply with different views.

I'm glad to read that the good old NHS seems to have given you excellent treatment and I hope that you have an event-free recovery. If you have any problems / queries ; there are some really helpful and knowledgeable people on this site.

Best wishes

Ian

welcome robert

by jessie - 2012-12-14 01:12:45

welcome to the pacemaker club. we are a lot of really nice people who support one another on the journey. it is so good to have this support and realize how very lucky we are that one man invented this little gadget to give us more time on earth with loved ones. we are also from all over the world. that part i find amazing as well. so you will fit right in then robert and welcome again. a lot of people on from great britain the place of my ancestors for sure. jessie

Things not to do!

by RobertS - 2012-12-14 02:12:18

LOL
Chances of my trying laser hair removal, Tracey are about the same as you taking up arc welding :) but thanks muchly for the amusing post. I've never been much of a one for limitations. But I guess the point is that what you can do and can't do after being paced [is that really a proper word?] is as much to do with others perceptions as anything else.

Here in UK, for example, we have by law to tell the driving licence authority if we have a pacemaker fitted. I have been told by the medics not to drive for a week and I will 'road test' my PM by walking a mile or so before I drive again. I never had blackouts before the PM was put in but I see some people were unfortunate enought to pass out while driving before they had their PMs.

And thanks for the welcome Pookie. Guess I'll be posting from time to time as new things come up.

Take care both

Robert

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Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.