Morbid Questions

Like many of us, I had little warning or preparation prior to receiving a pacemaker. Now at 3 months, I have many questions and maybe this has been discussed before I joined, so please forgive me if this is tiresome for long duration PM-ears.

When you die, the PM keeps on going, right? Do they remove the unit before burial? Can your PM go with you if you elect cremation? Do they ever recycle components?

What is the usual interval between implantation and check up with pacemaker clinic or whomever assesses PM function?

Do PMs ever slip from original position in the chest?

Many of us have devices to balance tachy rhythms with medications prescribed to reduce heart rate. How long does it usually take to adjust to side effects of medications? I realize this is highly individualized, but looking for a ballpark idea.

My Rate responsive PM is set at a resting rate 60, like many of you. Following activity including rolling over in bed, my heart rate shoots up and stays up for several minutes, with a bounding pulse-sufficient to bring me from slumber to fully alert. Is this typical? Also, we live on a farm and drive on rough gravel roads. My heart rate increases and stays up while driving or riding. Is that typical? Is it caused by jostling on the road?

I've never has a scar before. Are there any suggestions about protection from sun exposure? Will the scar sunburn?

Left side of neck and below chin is slightly swollen. No pain, no tenderness, not worried. Just curious, is this typical?

When I cross my left arm well beyond the midline in front (like scratching right shoulder or adjusting straps) something in that left sub clavicular area hurts, like something is pressed hard against the device. It is annoying, but liveable. Just wondering if that will go away with time?

I have more questions, but I think I am already becoming annoying. Would appreciate any comments.

Thanks a bunch. This site has been a godsend for me.

5 Comments

More Comments

by Artist - 2015-07-11 03:07:43

According to an extremely well qualified and experienced cardiac nurse friend, when you die, your heart stops but the pacemaker keeps on working and needs to be turned off. After all it is a battery driven mechanical device and it does keep on ticking just like the old Timex ads that say "it takes a licking and keeps on ticking". I understand that the USA does not take used pacemakers but that there are international organizations that do. I think if you look in the search option of the PM club you will find more information on this. Rate responsive PMs will respond to jiggling motions. People in this club have mentioned manually patting their PMs very fast to get their PMs to increase their heart rate faster during the early stages of a vigorous exercise. My cardiologist nurse friend also talks about an aggravating doctor that used to go into patient's rooms and manually stimulate their PM to see if the nurse monitoring the patient responded promptly. Sounds unprofessional to me. Regarding shoulder discomfort when reaching your left arm across your body toward your right shoulder, I am 8 months post op and that move still bothers me. The reason for my discomfort seems to be that the PM leads are very close to the surface and to my left shoulder so that they are directly affected by some movements. It makes me wish that the doctor had discussed placement options with me prior to the surgery. I understand that sub pectoral muscle placement takes longer to heal but then the PM is virtually unnoticeable after the incision heals.

Thank you

by 0300hours - 2015-07-11 05:07:38

Thank you for taking time to respond to me. So much to learn

Pacemakers after death

by IAN MC - 2015-07-12 02:07:08

Here in the UK there is an organisation , Pace4Life, which collects PMs from crematoria and sends them to poorer parts of the world for re-use but they still have to find the cash in those countries to buy and install new leads and they only re-use the PMs if there is at least 3 years of remaining battery life

PMs are always removed before cremations because the heat can cause them to explode.

If you are being buried there is really no need to switch off the PM as dead flesh will not beat ,so fairly soon after death all PM-generated heartbeats cease .The PM is usually left in place and eventually the battery dies.

You know those films about Zombies and the living - dead; well they are really dead PM patients ! That is my theory anyway.

Cheers

Ian

Answers for some questions

by Theknotguy - 2015-07-12 03:07:18

I can answer some questions:

Q:What is the usual interval between implantation and check up with pacemaker clinic or whomever assesses PM function?
A:Usually there is a checkup within 24-48 hours of implant. Then another check at two weeks if it's a first time implant. Then three months. After that it depends upon your conditon. I was checked every three months for most of a year. Then checked at six months. Next check is nine months. More checks due to underlying heart problems than because of having a PM.

Q:Do PMs ever slip from original position in the chest?
A:For some people they can. But it's rare. It depends upon how your PM was implanted, how "loose" your skin is, and if you engage in overly strenuous activity. I can do everything I did before I had the PM with no problems. That includes working in a woodshop and moving up to 2000 pounds of wood in a day.

Q:Many of us have devices to balance tachy rhythms with medications prescribed to reduce heart rate. How long does it usually take to adjust to side effects of medications? I realize this is highly individualized, but looking for a ballpark idea.
A:It depends upon the person. You can usually expect the body to settle into the medication within a month. But you have to consider it takes the body two weeks to wean off one medication, then another two weeks to adjust to the new medication. If there is no allergic reaction, it can take up to four weeks for the body to react or not react. Sometimes your body doesn't respond to the medication and it takes a while to figure that out.

Q:My Rate responsive PM is set at a resting rate 60, like many of you. Following activity including rolling over in bed, my heart rate shoots up and stays up for several minutes, with a bounding pulse-sufficient to bring me from slumber to fully alert. Is this typical?
A:Within the first 90 days, they kept the voltage higher on my PM. I'd have the reactions you described. After they dropped the voltage, I don't have the intense reaction. Also during the first five months, my heart didn't like being "under new management" and I'd get all sorts of crazy reactions. Starting at seven months and continuing on, quite often I don't even notice I have a PM.

Q:Also, we live on a farm and drive on rough gravel roads. My heart rate increases and stays up while driving or riding. Is that typical? Is it caused by jostling on the road?
A:Could be. But it could also be because of higher voltage settings and the "under new management" I described above. Within the first five months I always had a shakey feeling when riding in a car. Now, no problems.

Q:I've never has a scar before. Are there any suggestions about protection from sun exposure? Will the scar sunburn?
A:Depends upon your skin pigmentation. Some people need to be careful, some don't.

Q:Left side of neck and below chin is slightly swollen. No pain, no tenderness, not worried. Just curious, is this typical?
A:For some people it is. You've just had a foreign object embedded in your body. It can block the lymphatic flow and cause swelling. I had a lot of swelling but it went down within the five month period I described before.

Q:When I cross my left arm well beyond the midline in front (like scratching right shoulder or adjusting straps) something in that left sub clavicular area hurts, like something is pressed hard against the device. It is annoying, but liveable. Just wondering if that will go away with time?
A:Maybe, maybe not. I still "pinch" my pm between my shoulder and my chest. I can't sleep on my left side because the PM gets pinched. Right after I got my PM I could barely move my arm as far as you describe. Now I don't have any problems.

Mostly it's learning to live with the PM. There are all sorts of little quirks at first. Gradually you learn to live with it and know what needs attention and what doesn't.

You'll want to keep active. You'll also want to increase your water intake per day. I have to be more careful about eating salty foods.

Hope things continue to go well for you.

Turning PM Off

by Artist - 2015-07-12 04:07:01

My information is that the same procedure/equipment used to program PM settings, may also be used to turn the PM completely off. Then if there is an open casket viewing before a conventional burial, some one will not touch the body and feel any PM activity. Surgery is not required to simply turn a PM off. If in the event of cremation that apparently is a different story.

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker interferes with your electronic scale.

Member Quotes

I am very happy with mine. I am in the best shape of my life. I lift weights, compete, bike, golf and swim.