how to find out if you qualify

I am posting for my 81 yr old cousin. several yrs ago she asked her cardio doc about a pacemaker. She was running out of energy a lot. He said she didn't qualify and she cannot afford to buy one.
Now she is worst, a little effect wears her out. Some days she will get up eat and go back to bed... I say we need to go back to her cardo and e tested again.
She has had artial fib and her blood pressure was higher and they have adjusted her meds.
she had a stress test and a cath in the past 3 months.
If the tests do not say she qualifies is there a way to fight this.
Thanks

5 Comments

Hi Patsy

by IAN MC - 2013-03-15 03:03:49

I can't work out why you seem so certain that a PM is the answer ?? Everyone of us on here who has a PM has had "tests" which indicate that we need one.

A PM is not the answer for everyone who is exhausted most of the time ... there are other medical conditions which need different solutions.

You sound as though you feel there is some sort of conspiracy to prevent your cousin from having a PM ... I cannot imagine that is the case.

Best wishes for your cousin

Ian

my cuz

by patsyjeanne - 2013-03-15 05:03:15

She is very active in out Church, takes water aerobics. She just runs out of steam.. She takes tons of drugs for all her issues. I think way too many.
I am a nurse, so I understand a lot.
She will be working on something and have to stop and lie down, that is why she thinks she needs a pace maker.
Her mother had one and my cuz says she has the same symptoms her mother had.
I just started going with her to doc appts. I think she needs to get this checked again.
Her docs just give her more meds.
Thanks for all your comments, I will read them to her tonight.
Patsy

meds

by Tracey_E - 2013-03-15 08:03:54

Can you take a list to the GP and get them to go over it with both of you? Just one low dose beta blocker has me napping most every day, and I'm 46 and in excellent shape. Too many drs are too fast to write prescrips without stopping to think through the implications. Your cousin is lucky she has you! Good luck finding a solution.

second opinion

by dad4dds - 2013-03-15 12:03:04

I would get a second opinion on weather she qualifies or not. Maybe now that she is worse they will say she qualifies. Good Luck

afib

by Tracey_E - 2013-03-15 12:03:10

Pacemakers can do little for afib. They add beats when the heart is too slow or even things out when the heart is uneven. When the heart goes fast on its own, such as with afib, all the pm can do is watch. The most common way to treat afib is with medications, and the biggest side effect of them is fatigue. Sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear. While some of us get a big burst of energy when we get a pm, that only happens if a slow heart rate is what was causing the lack of energy in the first place.

Did they discuss ablation when they did the cath?

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A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.