21 and getting wired

Hello everyone,

About a year ago, I began having serious problems with falling into dizzy spells and waking up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and heart racing. After a year of tests to rule out thyroid issues or sleep apnea, the doctors told me last month that I would need to 1) get an EP study done and have an ablation and 2) have a pacemaker put in. This was not fun to hear at 21 years old.

I had the EP study done Monday. The doctor could not find the issues with tachycardia that my ecardio monitor had found. Therefore, I did not have an ablation done. The cardiologist was optimistic that the procedure would be able to save me the trouble of getting a pacemaker and was disappointed when he could not fix my issues. However, they noticed bad rhythms when they tested the lower heart rates. My heart apparently paused "for a long time" and they had to give me medicine to get it pumping again. As such, my pacemaker implant is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

The past few days here in Alabama have been crazy to say the least. Because the south does not normally see the levels of snow and ice that fell on Monday, roads have been closed, people have been stranded on various roads, leading is all to use words like "snow-mageddon" and "winter-pocalypse." However, crews were able to sand the roads between my hotel and the hospital, making it possible for tomorrow's procedure to go through as planned.

I just wanted to introduce myself as a new member of this club and to thank you all for the posts you have made in the past. Over the past few weeks, I have found myself visiting this site to read about the various procedures and to read of similar stories from young people like myself has helped me not feel like I have hit "grandpa status." I'm hoping my procedure goes well in the morning and that being "wired" will take all my symptoms away. I bounce between being overwhelmed at what could have happened during the last year (doctors told me multiple times that my body had to use it's mechanisms to "keep me alive during sleep") and feeling at peace about this situation. Looking forward to becoming a part of this community!

13 Comments

Best of luck

by Bostonstrong - 2014-01-29 08:01:30

Hope everything goes well. And that the snow melts quickly!

living with a pm

by BillMFl - 2014-01-29 08:01:37

Hey I'm a great grandfather who looks and feels younger than my age and having the pm is not holding me back in any way. Have the occasional day with "runs" of pvcs but more of a nuisance than a threat. At your age you will heal quickly. Just stay active as soon as you can. Avoid contact sports (I used to do Karate) but anything else is fine.

Question

by BamaGrad92 - 2014-01-29 08:01:53

Any pieces of advice/wisdom for a new member?

A lot of life to live

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-29 09:01:01

Great attitude.

You've got a lot of life to live. Enjoy it!

Hope everything goes well.

Theknotgoy

wisdom

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-29 09:01:19

The best advice I think I can give you is keep a positive attitude! Life can be unfair, things can go wrong, it can get easy to feel sorry for ourselves and get down but a good attitude will get you through it faster. Count your blessing daily.

welcome!

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-29 09:01:22

I'm sorry you need the pm but glad you found us. Most of us find the surgery is easier than expected, and we feel better after. It definitely does not turn us into grandparents! I don't even think about mine. It doesn't prevent me from doing anything I want to do. Good luck! If you have questions, please don't be shy.

Wisdom

by Bostonstrong - 2014-01-29 09:01:22

Not sure if I have any wisdom but just to let you know there can be a bit of an adjustment period post pm. I saw myself as strong and whole before and suddenly being a "patient" instead of a practitioner was a huge role reversal. I felt so much better though I'm glad I have it and wish I had been diagnosed and treated sooner. It shouldn't slow you down. I ran the same day I had it implanted, then used my time off work for 3 very active vacations. I flew a few days post implant and spent the first few days at home soaking up love and tlc and pampering from my amazing friends and family. They made the early days a big long party. Surround yourself with loved ones and expect a little grieving over the loss life without a device. This will pass and then you can move forward into your bright future with no limits. I love the support available here and learning from those who have lived with these devices for years. They are the ones with wisdom ! Best of luck and keep us posted.

Good advice!

by Bostonstrong - 2014-01-29 10:01:26

For all of us

good luck

by jimkirschvink - 2014-01-29 11:01:10

You will get used to having the PM really quick, just be careful for a few months. The ablation may come later but they have those dialed in as well. I'm probably getting a second ablation in a month or two.

I don't even think about my PM on a daily basis anymore

Welcome

by Moner - 2014-01-29 11:01:44

Hi Bama,

I'm glad you found this site, please come back and let us know how it went.

I fully agree with Tracey's pearls of wisdom.

I would suggest getting a copy of you detailed settings before you leave the hospital.

Take care,

Moner
>^..^<

You are a college student?

by donr - 2014-01-30 12:01:24

I have a reading assignment for you if you've never had surgery before. (Or lost a knife fight.)

Go to top right corner of page. Click on SEARCH. Enter "Some tough Love for Newbies" Should come up as second entry. Open it - it's a long read. It will help you sort out some of the questions you will have in immediate post-op days.

Good luck to you. You are young, you will heal fast.

Don

Be patient

by SaraTB - 2014-01-30 12:01:38

Welcome to the PM Club. Remember, don't be afraid to ask questions: we've all been there and know how many we had, so ask away.
I'd also mention, don't be surprised if you don't feel quite 'right' to begin with: doctors have to guess what settings to use on the PM, initially, until you've been using it for a few weeks. So, the initial settings will be more like factory defaults. Once you have the follow-up appointment, you can have adjustments made to suit the way you're using it.
BUT even then, it can take time and repeated appointments: this is common, so don't be afraid to keep going back (it took about 6 months for me to be happy with the settings).

It can be a shock, but clearly you're approaching it in a good way for you, by educating yourself as much as possible. Good for you, best wishes for a comfortable procedure, and let us know how you're doing!

Keep learning....

by Terry - 2014-02-01 05:02:13

Glad you find it important to be involved with your healthcare decisions. Learn how pacemaker application is important to outcome. I hope you find the essentials of how the heart works, electrically, of value - PacemakerPatientAdvocacy.com

You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

Member Quotes

I finished 29th in London in 2 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds which is my fastest with or without a device so clearly it didn’t slow me down ! I had no problems apart from some slight chaffing on my scar - more Vaseline next time.