One week and....no upward trending

It may be a very, very small victory but after having the need to increase my voltage climb and climb for the past 7 wks since implant to have it finally stabilize...even for a week...was great news to me. Now, if only it would start trending downward! Because at the rate it is set I will have to have my battery changed in 4 years. Yikes!

I'm very thankful for all the support and encouragement I received from my last post. It's been a very scary time.

I was very disappointed that I couldn't use my wireless Verizon landline and get the Boston Scientific Latitude machine to work. I'd have felt a whole lot more comforted to know someone on their end was looking at my rhythm every day. Oh well...

So...7 weeks down... Thankful to be alive...and for all of you.

5 Comments

Hey Verne

by Grateful Heart - 2013-08-16 01:08:32

That's good news. Chances are it will stabilize even more as time goes on, the internal swelling goes down and your heart adjusts to the PM, etc.

I know it's hard but try not to dwell on the voltage settings. Most are set higher in the beginning until your heart gets used to the PM.

After having my implant for about 4 months, my voltage was too strong for me and it was lowered. If you need a higher setting, it is what your heart needs....for now. Go by how you feel.

Rest assured the PM is keeping your beats and will not fail you. They are extremely reliable.

If you get a printout when they interrogate your device, it will give you so much information and will also show how much battery life is left. Now this is only a rough estimate.

Just to give you an example: I pace 100% in the ventricles and 88% in the atria. I have had my ICD for almost 5 years. The printout states my battery life now has 5.5 years remaining. So a total of 10.5 years!! Not bad right?

Now, I know it is not going to last that long as it changes when it gets closer to EOL (end of life).... that's EOL for the BATTERY.

Go by how you feel. The rest will fall into place for you.

I hoped this helped a little.

Grateful Heart

Thanks GH

by verne8 - 2013-08-16 11:08:04

I'm really trying not to stress out over all of this but I confess...it is hard. They did give me a print out the first time that I had my PM interrogated but I confess, it might as well have been Egyptian hieroglyphics. It meant NOTHING to me.

I guess I'll learn as time goes on...

I so appreciate you.

Verne8

by jeanlancour - 2013-08-16 12:08:30

I too, am thankful your alive and feeling better. Hope it gets beetter every day. Keep on letting us all know how your doing. Jean

Swelling Under Pacemaker

by mah0902 - 2013-08-23 08:08:39

Hi. Had a pacemaker installed about 4 weeks ago. Noticed today that the pm is pushed out, like there's some swelling. Am I imaging things or is this a cause for concern? Thx

I know about swelling

by verne8 - 2013-08-23 09:08:10

It was several days after my PM implant where I practically watched the site swell right before my eyes.

Let me make a very long story short...it's been 8 weeks today since implant and only in the past week have I seen a NOTICEABLE decrease in the swelling. I went through a couple of times where it opened up and this drainage---they said it was neither blood nor infection---came out. Then a week where every time I showered I had to gently squeeze out what would start oozing. Finally it closed completely.

About 10 days ago I noticed on the end, where it always used to open, it keeps forming (and then it vanishes) a tiny scab. The PA thinks it is a stitch trying to work it's way out. All I know is that the swelling keeps decreasing and...I finally feel "ok". The voltage is still too high for my liking because that will mean I'll need my battery changed in 4 yrs vs 10 but, I am hoping that calms down too.

Is your swelling a concern? That I can't say. Is it red? Hot? Is there drainage? If so, does it smell? Are you running a temperature? Is it continuing to swell?

The ONE thing I know for certain was that every dr I spoke to said NEVER let anyone stick a needle in that to drain it. That is almost a 100% guaranteed infection. They pounded that in my head very well.

I have faith far more knowledgable people than I am will have better advice for you... Hang in there....I know it is scary but, somehow, we make it.

Verne

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