Should I change the pace maker or remove it.

Hello,

 

I am 66 years old.  When I was 40 years old, I had suffered serial pass out episodes. Doctor decided I need a pacemaker.  I still pass out with the pace maker.  Doctor did a till table test on me and told me my passing out has to do with Vasovagal disorder – he put me on atenolol (beta blocker).  After atenolol, I did not pass out again and my pace maker was set at 30 beats per minute (BPM).  About 12 years later pace maker is low on battery – I checked into the hospital to have the pace maker removed.  Doctor did an EP study and told me I should replace the pace maker but the leads are damaged and they have to be extracted.  The new pace maker is set at 50 BPM – it paces at about 2% of the time.  I had experience periodically episodes of low heart rate so I was told to discontinue atenolol.  After about 5 years without atenolol, I am feeling fine.  Now the battery of the pace maker is getting low again.  Should I go ahead (1) to change a new pace maker, (2) extract it or (3) just keep the pace maker inside my body.  Any one has similar experience please advice.

 

Ken Cheng

 

2 Comments

questions

by Tracey_E - 2017-10-19 18:05:39

First thought, I would only extract if I had to. It's better than it used to be, but still a fairly involved and somewhat high risk surgery. Ask if they are not working at all, or if they are aging but still functional. If they are not working, then I would ask if there is room to add new rather than take out the old. I did that, capped the old broken one and added the new. I am out of room now so next time a lead goes bad I'll be looking at extraction. 

Are you pacing at all now? Because 2% sounds about right for vasovagal because it's only kicking in  for a few seconds at a time to keep you from passing out. So it may not pace much, but the bit it does is important. 

Are you still passing out? Vasovagal can be part heart rate drop/pause, part blood pressure drop. The pacer only helps half the problem. This means you can still pass out if your bp plummets, but the pacer will keep your heart going. 

If you aren't passing out, if you aren't pacing at all, then I'd probably leave it in. 

Should I change the pace maker or remove it.

by etandi328 - 2017-10-19 18:26:27

Thanks for your comment.  I am no longer passing out.  The battery has run out about two months ago.  I am going to let it go for another 6 months - then I will consider either putting in a new pace maker or remove the old one but leave all leads in.

You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

Member Quotes

Life does not stop with a pacemaker, even though it caught me off guard.