pacemaker denpendy

being dependent

by Tracey_E - 2019-07-31 17:39:04

Usually when they say dependent that just means we pace all the time. Many of us do, no big deal, that's what it's there for. If your battery is getting low, they will schedule you for a replacement. It's quick and easy, I'm on my 5th and usually home fixing my own lunch. They put us on either an external or temporary pacemaker for the few minutes it takes to switch it out and put the new one in, so we remain safe. They usually go in the same place and will have the new one all programmed and ready to go. Switch it out, close, all done.

Recovery is a lot easier than the first time. Most of the pain the first time was from making the pocket, and most of the restrictions the first time are the new leads. Leads generally last through several generator changes, tho that is a question to ask then they schedule you- is it just a generator or leads also.  

Dependent

by AgentX86 - 2019-08-01 08:34:34

Pacemaker dependent means a little more than being paced 100%. It means that your heart won't beat on its own, at least fast enough to support your body (without it you wouldn't remain conscious, or worse). A normal heart is paced by the sinus (SI) node. This pacing signal starts the atrial contractions and is connected through the AV node to the ventricles. The AV node delays the pacing signal so that the ventricles contract at the appropriate time.

All of us, in this group, have something wrong with this system, whether it's withe the origin of the pacing signal (Sick Sinus Syndrome) or with the conduction of the AV node (heart block), or some variation of this. If, for instance, the sinus node is too slow or doesn't respond to exercise, we may get a pacemaker to help out. The heart beat may be too slow to support normal activity but fast enough to keep us alive. A pacemaker is implanted to improve the quality of life. However, the sinus node may be so bad that it stops working completely or is so slow that the heart wouldn't supply enough blood to the brain to support conciousness or even life. A pacemaker would then be needed and the person would be "dependent" on the pacemaker. This is just one example.

To complicate the above, the heart has several backup systems. There are normally several pacing systems in the heart but the SI node is the fastest, so normally overrides the others. The AVnode is also a pacer, but with a much lower rate (typically 30-40 bpm). If the SI node stops (pauses) the AVnode can take over. There are several of these backup systems but not all are fast enough to support the body's needs.

You may have noticed (it's hard to ignore) that one of the tests the PM technician does during an interrogation runs you heart rate very low. You may get very dizzy or even feel sick during this test. That's exactly what they're doing, is testing for the backup. Because it can be dangerous to stop your heart (duh!), they're only allowed to run your pacemaker down to 30bpm. Is another of these "ectopic" systems kicks in, great. If not, you're considered "dependent" on your pacemaker.

I had an AV ablation,  so in addition to having SSS, my AV node was destroyed. I have no known backup pacers, so am dependent.

Sick Sinus Syndrome

by LabRat - 2019-08-01 11:50:03

I have this Sic Sinus Syn. So I am pretty dependent on mine. Lots of passing out if I didn't have it. it paces 80 to 100 percent of all the beats of my heart. Used to be annoying, but used to it now. Still sometimes it feels like a shock. I have an Old biotronik Evia DR getting it read is like geting the Government to do something. Most Doctors have never even heard of it. I think a Ford Escort is more popualr then this thing, and I cant get an MRI ever again.

Sick Sinus Syndrome and dependency

by AgentX86 - 2019-08-01 13:31:18

Just because you have SSS doesn't mean that you're dependent. Far from it. The fact that you're 80% paced suggests just the opposite. Dependency means that your heart doesn't function without the PM. In other words, you depend on your pacemaker for life itself.