New to this

I am a 24 year old college student. I have never had any health problems as I have always been healthy and fit. I just had a pacemaker put in last Friday and I am just wondering how this will affect my life? Any major changes? I passed out at work and fractured my skull, due to other testing the doctor's realized it was my heart that had the issues. I have never had a problem with my heart before and this is all so new to me. Not even the doctors could figure out why this happened so suddenly. Any advice? What life style am I turning to?

5 Comments

What type of lifestyle do you prefer?

by Busdriver - 2015-04-09 02:04:25

Whatever your answer is, the choice is up to you. You had an electrical problem, not a plumbing problem, so to speak. The pacemaker is considered a remedy to the problem, so now you should be operating withing acceptable parameters. What are you majoring in at college? Does this event give you pause to re-think your future? You are very wise to join this group, and there are many people here with years, even decades of living with a pacemaker. They have wisdom regarding these devices and how they affect our lives, and improve our lives, so come back often.

Thank you :)

by LittlestEaton - 2015-04-09 02:04:38

Well, I am a Recreation Management major. Mostly I plan events like Boardroom Meetings, Nonprofit Fundraisers or outdoor events filled with recreational activities. My whole purpose was to do something that did not require me to have a job sitting at a desk my whole life. And I still refuse to have that job. I have a blast doing what I do. It is nice to see that many of you are still active, healthy and live normal lives as I plan to keep my life that way. It is a little frustrating that my family wants to keep my in bubble wrap...ironically my grandmother gifted me some bubblewrap as a joke when I was in the hospital. Hopefully, they see soon that I am fine. I have never had any health issues and they sort of see me as if I am not taking this seriously. I do take it seriously, I just don't want it to change my life or define me in anyway. Now that I see I can stay "me" and not have to change or be careful so to speak, I am accepting my little addition to my body. I am glad I saw this website, it makes me feel good to know I am not alone.
And Yes, my DR's were very surprised that someone my age and health status required a pacemaker.

move on

by Tracey_E - 2015-04-09 08:04:34

It doesn't have to change your life at all. Heal and forget about it.

What was your diagnosis? Electrical problems are like a short circuit. They can suddenly happen for no reason in a perfectly healthy heart. Nothing you did caused it, nothing you could have done differently would have prevented it. Don't stress over the why's because you will probably never know what caused it. The important thing is now it's fixed and you can move on.

It's possible you had the problem for years, possibly even congenital, but never knew. When we are kids, the body is able to compensate and a lot of heart problems that might lead to a pm don't show up on regular physicals. As we get out of our teens and into our 20's, it can catch up with us. I have a congenital problem that was found by accident when I was 5 so I knew it was there but I didn't have symptoms until I was early 20's. I got my first pacer at 27. I'm 48 now, healthy and active, mom of two, business owner, crossfit nut, avid hiker. No one looks at me and sees a heart patient.

So my advice to you is don't let this define you. It's just a tool, don't give it more power than that. You'll probably find that your friends and family want to wrap you in bubble wrap for a bit. That's what loved ones do. Once they see you are back to normal, feeling good and not passing out again, they will move on also. People follow our lead. Show them you are ok, because you will be.

One last thing, it's common to feel alone. You are likely the youngest by far in your dr's office. Check out the posts here. We have members your age newly paced, members your age who have been paced since birth, more like me, and there are even a few "typical" pm patients who are a little older. We run the gamut and there are a lot of us out here who are living active lives with a pm, you are not alone.

bubble wrap

by Tracey_E - 2015-04-10 09:04:41

I'm cracking up that your grandmother brought you bubble wrap! Gotta love a family with a sense of humor. They love you, they are going to worry. You have a terrific attitude and it sounds like your family does too if they can joke. You had the surgery but this is an adjustment and there is a healing period for them, too. When I had my first one, I think it was harder on my husband than me. I had a lifetime to know that some day the pm was coming, and I felt so much better after that I was on a high for months after. He, otoh, was freaked. He got over it, as did my parents. And they all lived happily ever after :)

There is a difference between taking it seriously and letting it get you down. I take it seriously also though it probably often appears that I do not. To me that means eating well and staying active and remembering when I have an appointment to get the battery checked. It does not mean dwelling on it, feeling sorry for myself, living in fear or letting it suck the joy out of life. Life is short and we've been giving the gift of lots of years of feeling good due to this little hunk of titanium. I'm grateful to have it. That's pretty serious.

Active Life

by jrd210 - 2015-04-21 05:04:21

Had my first pacemaker 26 years ago and appealed and got back my flying licence then played competitive squash until a couple of year ago and still employed at age 71, so FunSize--for your condition, just live a normal life but keep away from Tennis partners who bring electromagnets !

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