Pacemaker = Nervous and Hopeful

I am brand new to the site but having been reading messages and learning from everyone over the past year. I will be getting a pacemaker on Monday, March 16th and am both nervous and hopeful. I've been dealing with Neurocardiogenic syncope for a number of years now and the ILR I had implanted in April, 2014 has also detected bradycaridia as well. I'm nervous, scared and hopeful that the CLS pacemaker (which I have named Olaf) that will become one with me on Monday will make me feel better on so many levels, both physically and emotionally. I love reading everyone's thoughts on how they have adjusted to their pacemaker, got their lives back, etc,. I am scared and need to feel deep down that the pacemaker will give me my life back. My situation is so minimum compared to what I read about others going through but nonetheless, it's a bit scary and I'm afraid.

4 Comments

I think there is a difference

by Theknotguy - 2015-03-12 11:03:24

I think there is a difference between being concerned and being afraid. Since you've been reading posts on this site you should be able to see statistics are in your favor. However what you are feeling is quite normal.

I woke up in the hospital with the PM implanted so I didn't have to go through the pre pacemaker angst. In my drug induced haze I kinda figured out the lump in my shoulder area was a PM but had the nurses confirm that.

I used to do computer repair so my world was composed of broken computers and angry people. If you would have talked to me you would have assumed all the computers in the world were broken. Not the case. Same for this forum. We see a large percentage of people with PM's and we see a large percentage with problems. That doesn't account for thousands of others who get a PM and go about their normal (or better than normal) life. Of four people I know with PM's, I'm the only one who is on this forum regularly. And of the four people I know, none of us have problems with our PM's. In fact, two don't like to be reminded they have a PM.

So try to keep as positive an attitude as you can. It will help in your recovery. Start thinking of things you'll be able to do instead of things you can't do.

It's a big world out there. Go out and enjoy it.

My best wishes go out for you and for a speedy recovery.

Trust, but verify

by PJinSC - 2015-03-13 03:03:16

There is a lot of information out there. Here are some good links to let you know about pacing. You can explore more from these websites for your particular circumstance.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/heart/services/Implantable-Cardioverter-Defibrillator-ICD/biventricular-pacemaker

http://www.lifebeatonline.com/en-US/home.html

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/PreventionTreatmentofArrhythmia/Devices-that-may-Interfere-with-Pacemakers_UCM_302013_Article.jsp

If you are truly afraid, talk to your doctors, ask questions and do not let them bulldoze or stonewall you. An informed patient can be a doctor's best tool, although some will never admit it.

I have a Boston Scientific CRT-P, going into my third year. If you want, you can look at my earlier posts. "TheKnotGuy" and "Donr" and many others are pretty savvy, too. We are here to help.

Good Luck and Good Life,
PJ


CLS

by golden_snitch - 2015-03-13 03:03:31

Hi!

I have a Biotronik pacemaker with CLS, too, but for a different diagnosis. So, if you should ever have any questions on CLS, let me know.

What's in my opinion important for NCS patients to realize is that the pacemaker can only treat the pauses and bradycardia, not the blood pressure drops. So, don't be disappointed, if you should still feel a bit of the NCS episodes. We've had NCS patients here who expected to be "cured" from it as soon as the pacemaker is in, and who were very unhappy when they found out that the blood pressure drops are still there. However, they also did report that they were doing better and that they did not pass out any longer.

Also, CLS has a tendency to cause inappropriate tachycardia. Especially in the first couple of days after implant or after re-programming of the device, you might experience a fast heart rate upon minimal exertion. Don't let this scare you. It'll get better. I have been through this many times, and what helped me is to move, e.g. go for walks. The CLS sensor automatically adjusts every 24 hours, and if it detects that you are an active person, it'll slow it's rate response down a bit.

Sorry, my comment sounds a bit negative. But this is not meant to scare you, rather to prepare you for what to expect.

Good luck for your surgery & a speedy recovery!

Thank You!!!

by Sunshine65 - 2015-03-13 09:03:08

Thanks so very much for the great feedback and comments. I love my cardiologist and he has been very straightforward about the CLS pacemaker and how it will help some aspects of the NCS but the symptoms may appear, etc. I feel like I'm going into this well-informed and will maintain a positive attitude and do my part in recovery. Being a part of this group will help me too as it keeps things in perspective which really helps during my teary-eyed, frustration moments. To Theknot guy: thanks for the positive words. To golden_snitch: nothing was negative in your post. Your honesty and sharing of the CLS pacemaker knowledge is greatly appreciated. To Angrysparrow1: thanks for the ice pack and hydration tips and to PJinSC: thanks for the links. I will check them out.

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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