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Welcome Newbie!

by NiceNiecey - 2019-02-05 03:18:10

I'm sorry you had to get a PM at age 34 but trust me: you needed it! If you were 85, a BPM of 33 would seem more probable but at 34, there is definitely something wrong. I don't know if electrical problems have any correlation with DM1; I doubt it but how would I know? Be sure to ask.

What is your diagnosis? It seems like older club members often get a diagnosis of 'bradycardia' whereas younger members have something else and bradycardia is a symptom of it. Once you find out, let us know but don't doubt that you needed the device, you did! 

Niecey

33 is very low!

by Tracey_E - 2019-02-05 10:28:43

Many people find out they need a pacer when they have other issues. My guess would be it's unrelated to whatever caused the shoulder pain, it was there all along and they just happened to find it now. Normal is 60 so you are half that, which is very hard on your organs so getting the pacemaker was the right thing to do. You weren't even close to borderline (50-60). 

I got my first one at 27. We have members who got them when they were a few days old so you may feel like the youngest in the waiting room, but there are a lot of us out here who were paced young. It doesn't keep us from doing anything we want to do. Most of us heal and get on with our lives, not giving it much thought most of the time.  

newbie

by Violet West - 2019-02-06 22:08:14

the shoulder pain could possibly be related to heart issues -- I had that when I had my "non-stemi heart attack." 

Did you get the PM yet (unclear to me from your post)?  If you are concerned, get a second opinion.

130 years old

by dwelch - 2019-02-12 03:13:46

hah, your bio says you were born in 1884 so you are the oldest person in the waiting room not the youngest.

I got my first one at 19, am one of the ones that didnt have an emergency room visit turn into a pacemaker.  I had a pediatrician do the I think I hear something, maybe a murmur, that turned into a cardologist visit that turned into well you dont have that but....and a handful plus years later, okay its time for the pacer.  In hindsite what I know now they should have put it in right after that first visit (if they knew what I was doing then and the years the followed, lucky to be here).

There are a lot of "went to the ER woke up with a pacemaker" folks here but of all the stories I have read at this site, I only have heard one so far that does seem like the docs made a mistake.  We (nor you I suspect) know your whole story, which will unfold this year as you make a few more trips to get checkups and can ask questions then.  Sounds like you had known issues going into this ER visit, so I dont think they were shooting from the hip here, sounds like you needed one.

As Tracey mentioned your rate should not have been that low so something was going on.  they can tell a lot from an ekg or an echo, so hopefully you can talk to the doc that made the decision, although if that was strictly an ER doc then you may have to get your annual checkup doc to tell you what he/she knows and sees.

...

Looking at your other post sounds like your doc was the one that decided this not an er doc that you will never see again...so thats a good thing.

You will have a couple/few visits this year, one a couple-few weeks after and another a few months after, then either go to 6 months after that or once a year.  At least that is my experience.  And you can call them at any time, ask questions, go in for a visit, etc.

Ask for your copy of the printouts, 1) its your body, your data 2) they may help when asking questions here and/or with the doc.  Few if none of us are docs and if we were we couldnt give medical advice in a forum like this, but there is still countless decades of real patient experience at this site.  In some cases we can fill in the gaps between visits, etc.

As you are probably reading the physical recovery will take some number of weeks to get back to sleeping comfortably and moving your arm about, etc.  The mental will take longer, but you will get there.  In 1,5,10,30 years from now you will be the one hellping a younger version of you at this site, "I was 34, went to the ER, two days later pacer number one, and damn glad I have it now. They should have put it in the first time I went to the ER".

Sorry that this happened to you so quickly, you are not alone here in that experience and you are now a pacemaker having member of our club.  so, welcome, you have come to the right place.