Pacemaker

Need it or not?

by Gotrhythm - 2019-01-21 16:54:53

I have no personal experience with your quandary, but based on my experinces with cardiologists generally, I wouldn't worry about what to do until I have another opinion from a cardiologist in an unrelated practice and ideally in another town. And only a cardiologist who was also an electrophysiologist (EP.)

Heart rhythm issues are not as cut and dried as we laypeople might think, and recommending a pacemaker is frequently a judgement call, particularly in younger people.

Last year someone posted, like you, that she had been given a pacemaker, only to be told she didn't need it. She was very upset! But within a couple of weeks it became obvious that she did need it.

are you using it?

by Tracey_E - 2019-01-22 21:22:48

If you don't think you need it, turning it off may be a better option than removing it. If it's fairly new- less than a year- removal is very simple. After that scar tissue makes it more complicated. 

Question to ask is, are you using it? If you are using it, then you can probably safely say you need it. Keep in mind that if you only use it a few seconds at a time, like to keep your heart from pausing, that will statistically show up as <1% so on the surface it may appear you aren't using it, but those few seconds are the difference between passing out and not. 

Misdiagnosed

by Jerryraiber - 2019-01-22 22:25:51

I forgot to mention that the second cardiologist turned it completely off 6 weeks ago. The only thing it does is record and give me pain at the implant site as if it were rubbing on a nerve.

intersted

by Uelrindru - 2019-01-27 03:28:12

My ICD was installed after a vfib incident in the hospital after I had my heart attack and I feel like this is going to happen to me. Immediately after my heartattack my ejection rate was 25% ish, I had pericarditis and myocarditis and I went into vfib once. since I recovered it's been fine, no pacer action, no shocks and I can tell my ejection rate has gone up substantially so I might not even need it. I should be getting an echo soon so I will know better then.

I'm hoping I'm right but I'll be ok with being wrong.

Told the same thing!

by wanderlost - 2019-01-28 13:42:43

I got my first pacer in 1992 for a bundle branch block. I had no symptoms at the time but was being prepped for surgery and my heart rate slowed. In 2001, the pacer was replaced. In 2014 it was time for replacement again, and my new cardiologist informed me I would not have gotten one if diagnosed with a slow heart rate today. He gave me the option of replacement or "just leaving it in my chest". He would not remove it and I assume it was for liability issues. I choose to have it replaced thinking that at some point in my life I may need it. Just returned from a pace check and still only using it less than 1%. Sometimes medical guidelines change. Since I have it, I would rather have a working unit than one that's non-functioning.