Saying HELLO!

Hi! I'm new to the community, having just gotten my implant last week. I don't know of anyone in my life who also has a pacemaker, so I'm eager to read as much advice here from people who have experienced life with a device.

I'm 39 and already a bit weary of well-meaning friends and family saying, "You're too young for a pacemaker!" or "What sort of bad lifestyle has lead you to need that?!" I'm guessing there are many of us here who have heard those comments and learned to shrug them off or make a witty reply. I'd be interested in hearing the fun and silly replies you have come up with over the years. ;-)

For now, HELLO to everyone and a big THANK YOU in advance for being here to share your experience and advice. Having a community to feel supported by and to come to add my support over time means a lot to me.

Wishing you a wonderful and wonder-filled day where ever you are.
- Tessy

7 Comments

For starters

by Theknotguy - 2015-05-11 03:05:19

Welcome to the club.

For starters you may want to read messages on the forum, then decide what you want to ask. At 39 you're on the younger side, but we have people of all ages with PM's. Everything from infants to 90 years old.

I'm assuming you've gotten the don't-lift-the-arm, don't-lift-the-weight-talk so I won't go into that.

You will want to give us your make and model of PM on your bio. It does make a difference when we answer questions. Also meds you are on will be helpful too.

Don't know how big your dog is, but you will want to make sure the dog can't jerk your arm on the PM side while walking. I tied my dog's leash to a heavy belt, that way if she took off after a squirrel it wouldn't jerk my arm.

There is a lot of misinformation out there about PM's. Some of it comes from medical people who should know better but don't. So you'll spend time trying to separate fact from fiction, outright wrong information, and fairy tales. When in doubt feel free to ask here. We have the PM's and have the personal experience.

You won't have to worry about anything in a typical Canadian, UK, or American house bothering your PM. You won't have to worry about store security devices, airport security, and a lot of other things. Like I said, when in doubt, ask. We'll let you know.

Do keep the arm on the PM side moving. Just don't over do it. You don't want to get a frozen shoulder.

Overall it's a good idea to keep moving. The nightly walks with the dog are a good excuse to get out. More if you feel like it.

Drink plenty of water. Depending upon your situation, the PM may have increased your heart rate which means you can get dehydrated. And you are at a higher altitude where you need to hydrate more anyway.

Do keep a positive attitude. There may be an adjustment period where the EP has to fine tune the PM and it may take some time to get it right. Try not to go into a blue funk.

Your life isn't over just because you got a PM. If you look around the forum you'll see members leading better than normal lives because the PM is making their heart work better. So you may have to temporarily give up a sport but you have a good chance of going back to it after the PM scar has healed and you have adjusted to the PM.

I hope everything continues to go well for you. You have a lot of living to do, and now with the PM you can do it.

Welcome

by doublehorn48 - 2015-05-11 03:05:23

Over the years, my biggest comeback was, "You realize your getting thrashed by a man with a pm." I now say, "You realize your getting thrashed by an old man with a pm."

Welcome aboard. Stay active, nothing is stopping you.

Welcome to the Club!

by SaraTB - 2015-05-11 06:05:48

I got my PM at 42. Many here in their teens and 20s. Some in infancy. The more we learn about cardiology, the more the profession realises how many more people can be helped. So you can tell people PMs aren't just for old people: there are LOTS of different kinds of arrythmia.

When anyone made some ill-informed comment about developing a heart condition (suggesting smoking or eating the wrong things etc) you can retort: "that's a plumbing problem. Mine's purely electrical".

The more we can educate those around us, the better it will be for everyone!

Welcome and stick around. No questions are bad ones: we've all had them to begin with.

Statistics on age distribution

by donr - 2015-05-11 10:05:40

The link below is the only one I could find w/ age distribution statistics. You will have to copy & paste the link to get to it. Go to page 20 for the beginning of the stats.

Hate to disappoint, but the PM/ICD is truly a device for "Old People." BUT - if you are young & NEED one, your situation is just as serious as it is for the old person needing the device. Turns out the Avg age is about 70 - w/ a dist that runs fro about 50 to 90 for the bulk of the hosts. The dist is rather flat & so low that it does not really show till you hit the late 40's.

Donr



https://nicor4.nicor.org.uk/CRM/device.nsf/41e6e85cb9f5e9af8025780200712190/$FILE/NEYNL%20v2.pdf

Never to young for a pacemaker

by JenHas18 - 2015-05-13 03:05:11

I am a newcomer to the club also butI can say from expierence because I was 3 yrs old when I had my first implant. I had my 18th implant 7 days ago. I am now 49 yrs old. 10 yrs ago I had a defibrillator added. I have always been 100% dependent on my pacer.

hi tess

by knb123 - 2015-05-16 07:05:27

Welcome to the club! I'm 66 and relatively healthy; just got my pacemaker eight weeks ago. Since then, a number of people have told me they also have a PM...and many of them were significantly younger than me when they received it.

(One of my favorite friends has a "glass-half-empty" attitude toward well-meaning people who say dumb things. She claims someday she's going to write her memoir and title it "People: Ya Gotta Hate 'Em." She's really very loving but short on patience.)

All of us on this site have probably heard that kind of remark, likely because people want to be supportive but don't know how. In some convoluted way they think it's a compliment to say you're too young to have such a device. In reality, however, it can just be a downer, especially if you hear it regularly.

You might reply lightly, "Well, pacemakers are an equal-opportunity lifesaver. You don't have to be a senior to get one. You'd be surprised how many people--even children--have pacemakers." That might nip it in the bud without making someone feel spanked.

Hang in there! A day with a pacemaker beats all the alternatives.

Got my PM the day after your post

by zudocnt11 - 2015-05-16 07:05:51

Hi Tessy,
Just had my PM done 4 days ago for a low heart rate. The rate was 40bpm while resting and lower when sleeping, I'm sure. I just turned 60 and was scared out of my mind to have the procedure done, but everything went smoothly. What made me a little wacky was everyone saying, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine".Turned out it was fine, but when they screw around with your heart, you're a little anxious and my friends saying that seemed to invalidate my feelings. Oh well, keep in mind that friends and family aren't as learned as we are bout our conditions, and that they are at a loss as to what to say. Sometimes inappropriate things just tumble out of mouths at inappropriate times.

Look at it this way. Even though 39 is on the young side, heck 60 is too, it is best that this was caught now than later.

You know you're wired when...

Your kids call you Cyborg.

Member Quotes

I feel so blessed to have this little gem implanted in me. When I think of the alternative it is quite overwhelming sometimes.