All New To Me :)

So its Oct 14, 2014.......I recently had a dual chamber pacer implanted on Sept 30, 2014. I really didn't have much pain at all with the implant, just sore which is normal with any surgery. But as of lately, the past 2-3 days its driving me crazy as , I am noticing the pacemaker more and more...not meaning like feeling it with my fingers, but just the odd foreign object that is there is really apparent to me. I think mostly due to the swelling going down now and incision trying to heal, and oh its healing lol cause I have had some deep unreachable itching :) I just feel really alone right now with this as I am only 41 and I really don't know anyone that has a pacemaker. I guess I just needed to vent a bit, sorry! I am very very thankful to still be here, just trying to get used to this whole idea and everything happened so quickly there was not much time to think about it or decide, so here I am. If anyone can help with my "venting" and understand where I am coming from right now, it would be the rest of you as you all have been there and done this. Just feeling really alone, but knowing it wasn't my time to go, gives me so much hope for my future , once I get past the odd feeling with my pacemaker :) hope you all have a great day!

13 Comments

Yep, weird feelings

by Lurch - 2014-10-14 05:10:10

I remember them. Especially when I bent over! Felt like I needed to reach up and grab that thing in my chest because it was going to fall out! I also remember the itching!

Fortunately, those feeling fade pretty quick. I am now 5 months and nine day out. Like Gotrhytum, I now very rarely notice it unless I do something stupid like bang it with something...

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with venting! That's why most of us are here, share the experiences with others that understand and to get answers!

Everybody was new to PM's once

by Gotrhythm - 2014-10-14 09:10:22

That feeling of something there--for me that was the worst part, and necessitated some real acceptance work. It sounds like you don't have a problem with acceptance, so I'd just suggest you try to keep your mind off it.

I can't remember how long it took for the feeling to go away completely--five or six months maybe. Just that "feeling it" became a rarity.

Today I don't feel my PM at all--unless my minipoo decides it's time to get up and puts her paws on my chest, the better to lick my face.

You're not alone. Reaching out is the right thing to do.

Keep your chin up. This too shall pass. :-)

welcome!

by Tracey_E - 2014-10-14 09:10:36

So glad you found us! You are most definitely not alone. The average person in the cardiologist's waiting room is probably more the age of your parents, but around here you are right in the middle. We have parents of babies, teens and on up through retirees. I'm a few years older than you (48) but have been paced 10 years and am on my 4th device. It takes a little while to get used to it but many of us move on and for the most part, forget about it. It really doesn't affect my daily life and I don't give it a thought very often. It sounds like you are off to a great start healing, you'll get there before you know it!

all new to me

by wanderlost - 2014-10-14 09:10:49

I got my first PM on my 40th birthday and vividly remember being scared, angry, and depressed. I ran 5 miles per day and thought of myself as a fit, healthy person. Since I was asymptomatic, it was difficult to understand why I needed to have a small piece of metal implanted under my skin.
After 22 years I just had second PM (medtronic) replaced with a shiny new one. My first intermedics PM lasted 9 years, second medtronics almost 14, and I am hoping this one makes it at least that long. My intermedics leads have been in 22 years and still going strong.
It took me a very long time to accept that I needed a PM but I now celebrate the fact this medical technology exists to provide an insurance policy for my future. In the last 22 years I have traveled to places I dreamed of, hiked mountains, ran races, welcomed four granddaughters and one great-granddaughter, and found a new love for the second half of my life.
It will take time but you will adjust and hopefully begin to feel blessed to live in a time where pacemakers are available. I rarely think about my PM except when I am waiting in a cardiologist office for my appointment.
Good luck to you and welcome to our unique community.

finally diagnosed

by HeartBroken - 2014-10-14 10:10:01

I've had something wrong with my heart since I was 10. Sadly its taken 31 yrs to finally get a diagnosis. I have been having the syncope episodes since then but they always thought it was seizures, and sent me to many specialists including neurologists and could never find the cause. Thanks to the Medtronic implanted heart monitor. I was diagnosed with Sick Sinus Syndrome bradycardia/tachacarida..and Long Qt Syndrome. I had a sinus pause of 8 seconds, then two beats then another 8 seconds. I am just super grateful to be here and know I have quite a future ahead of me!

Thank you

by HeartBroken - 2014-10-14 10:10:24

Thank you all so much today for the comments, it's really nice talking to people that totally understand instead of people that just look at you and nod lol, as for myself I am very accepting of this and I will go on writing and singing and hopefully start my biography book sometime in future , never wrote anything like that in my life so not sure where to start but maybe I will figure it out :) but I have so much to look forward to my daughter is in her 3rd year of college and my son just graduated from high school so as a single mama, just so proud to get to see even more accomplishments in the future. Thank you again, you really have no idea what this has meant to me today to see all of you step forward and tell me about your lives and made me realize I am so not alone in this ;) God bless you all!! Hope to talk again soon , until then take care and keep on ticking!

41

by gleesue - 2014-10-14 10:10:54

I started having heart arrhythmia problems when I was 41. I remember being on the cardiac floor and one of the nurses came in and said I heard we had a young one here. Made me feel special. I am not young anymore but feel like it and act like it. Got my PM a little over 2 years ago and my life goes on like before and even better.
You say you do not know anyone else who has a PM. You might be surprised. We do not go around with a large PM on our chest. The way they work today, you eventually will not even think about having one. I knew a person back in 1970 who had his battery run out a week before it was to be replaced, he died. Do not need to worry about that any more. Do not have to worry much about of anything but enjoying life. That is what a PM gives us.

Jerry

same as you are

by Olena - 2014-10-14 11:10:17

Hi I am almost 41 and now waiting for my ICD to be implanted. I also worry alot about it. I started to have some heart arrhythmia a year ago and now they want me on ICD. When I found out about it I had a panic attack and I was crying and felt that life is over. I'm still feeling this way. So you are not alone!

similar feelings

by carolinagirl27 - 2014-10-14 11:10:26

Hi,
I too am 41 and just had my first PM implanted on September 16th. Unfortunately, I had a lot of complications and was readmitted to the hospital for pericarditis, pericardial effusion and one of my leads detached. I had to have the surgery repeated on the 25th.
I'm still recovering as well and trying to get used to this idea of having a PM.

I agree with everyone else in the comments that it will just take some time for us to feel better. I wish you the best of luck. :)

One Day Ahead of You

by Shaun - 2014-10-14 12:10:55

Had my PM implant on 29-Sep-14 and feel pretty much the same. Additionally getting some intermittent twinges, not just at the site itself.

You're not alone

by AnastasiaR - 2014-10-23 05:10:16

6 days in and feeling exactly the same as you are. I don't think colleagues etc.., really understand the enormity of this procedure for us who've had it done. My mind is running riot imagining problems that probably don't exist. Here's hoping, before too long, everything will settle down and we'll hardly notice it. Take care.

Easier than you think :)

by HeartBroken - 2014-10-27 12:10:47

Actually, I was under with mine. I had several scary thoughts waiting for surgery in the pre op holding area...I too was thinking of my kids and things that can go wrong. But I hope this eases your mind a bit with me saying, it was easier than I had expected. I will be a month out on the 30th of Oct, and I feel great and healed up well. The procedure took about 2 hours, not sure why so long as they told me about 45 mins normally, do you have Sick Sinus Syndrome as well? I was wondering as you said you kept passing out ? I had that problem since I was about 10...but now I feel great infact I can tell you since the PM, I have more energy than I have ever had...I feel so much better knowing I have an onboard ambulance with me 24/7 and that I just feel awesome now! Good luck to you on Friday ...it will be a breeze, so hang in there and let me know how you are feeling when you are able to get back online. Take care and good luck!

new pm

by trish57 - 2015-02-21 03:02:17

Hi all I have just had my pm 5 days ago and also having lots of different feelings I am 57 and was thinking of putting it off for a while. But went ahead with having pm fitted due to low pulse rate now im wondering if I did the right thing as im so scared and having panic attacks and want to go and hide everytime I get and twing ping or pain or a beat out of place or feel a few quick few beats together does anyone get that?? Im hoping these wont last and that I can just forget its there so glad I found this club.

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

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I am not planning on letting any of this shorten my life. I am planning on living a long happy battery operated life. You never know maybe it will keep me alive longer. I sure know one thing I would have been dead before starting school without it.