having p.m done

is there a difference between a pace maker or a icd. is a st jude and leads the best. after operation do i have to stay on coumadin forever. how long after operation before i can go for a walk and get out. i sleep on my stomach is that alright. i have irregular heartbeat and misses beats will p.m. help. many questions sorry

5 Comments

Hi!

by tcrabtree85 - 2007-04-07 02:04:28

I wish you luck on Thurs and will keep you in my prayers. I know that it is pretty scary going into something that you don't completely understand. Ask your doctor a lot of questions before you go in. I also am adding a website that somebody else had placed on here that really helped me understand things a little more. Also check out St. Judes site it explained a little to me also.
Don't ever be afraid to ask questions we all have them. If you need somebody to talk to please feel free to send a private message.
Stay strong and I suggest calling your doctors office and asking a nurse or doctor some questions that you have been thinking of.

Tammy



http://www.chfpatients.com/implants/pacemakers.htm

http://www.sjm.com

Getting A PM

by SMITTY - 2007-04-07 03:04:49

Hello,

Welcome to the Club

Yes there is a difference. A pacemaker (sometimes called an ICD by some) is for speeding up a slow heart rate and keeping it beating at a regular rate.

An ICD is to stop ventricular defibrillation. That means the ventricle is beating so fast it cannot pump enough blood to keep a person alive. The paddles we all see used on TV so often are to stop V-Fib.

The best pacemaker for you is the one your doctor is most familiar with. I have a Medtronic, others posting messages here have a St. Jude, some have a Guidant and there are other brands. But since you will be dependant on your doctor to keep yours adjusted best for you, I think that is the one that will be best.

Pacemakers are somewhat like computers. There are many brands, but when it is all said and done they pretty much achieve the same thing, just do it a little differently. To a large degree the same can be said for pacemaker.

The coumadin is to prevent blood clots. How long you will have to continue taking it is up to your doctor. I do not take any blood thinners, but I read here where others have to.

The surgery to implant your pacemaker is relatively simple and barring complications, you should be able to take leisurely walks within a couple of days. The full use of your arm close to where the pacemaker is implanted may take a little while longer. Again, your doctor is the best source of advice for this.

I couldn’t sleep on my stomach for awhile after I got my PM because it hurt. When it got where it didn’t hurt I slept on my right side, left side, back or stomach, with no problems.

If what you are calling an irregular heart beat is a PVC or skip beats, I was told my PM would not stop those. They were right. I had to wait for Mother Nature to take care of that, which it did after about a year.

Good luck on your new venture.

Smitty

Good luck

by auntiesamm - 2007-04-07 04:04:09

Smitty has given you an excellent answer to your questions as he always does. He is our resident genius on the electrical workings of these terrific little devices. He is a tremendous resource for all of us. I absolutely could not answer those questions or even add to them. However, I can tell you about my post-op recovery, etc. Remember that no matter what one of us did or did not do during recovery your doctor knows what is best for you. Husband drove me to grocery store the 2nd day after implant, I did the shopping. 3rd day went to a large social gathering, 4th day drove myself to church and thereafter, resumed most of my usual activities. From the time I got home from the hospital I was walking my dog again 3-4 times a day. Being busy will occupy you so that you are not sitting around thinking about the pacemaker, etc. The hardest thing for me was not raising my left arm above shoulder level. I put post-it notes on all cabinets to remind myself. This worked well - basically stopped me in action. Unless you wear a sling you will find yourself reaching without even thinking! I have never looked back, have no regrets and seldom think about my pacemaker. I love and respect it as I know it will keep me alive. When I went into the ER I was in 3rd degree heart block after working that day at my hotel front desk job. Had minimal signs but gave them no thought. I considered myself very blessed when I think of what could have been. This website has been my lifeline since my implant and these wonderful folks are truly my family and friends. I have gained so much from them and hope you will, too. sgwAnyway, I wish you well and you will definitely be on my prayer list. Take care and God bless you.
Sharon

Hello

by randrews - 2007-04-07 07:04:16

I can't really speak to all your questions. I've had a pm for 3 weeks now. I'm still learning. I had been running and mowing the grass afterward until the nurse really encouraged me to stop. I have. I generally hear to wait 6 weeks before getting real active again. I agree with Sharon, it's good to get out and do stuff. Thinking to much about my pacemaker hasn't helped me much.
This website has been awesome for me and my recovery. Stay in touch, these people are a wealth of information and they do care.
Rusty

ablation may help the irregular beats

by stephanieann - 2007-04-08 01:04:27

i was not as quick to recover from my surgery. i wore the sling and it was hard to sleep but after about 3 weeks i was back to normal and have felt better than ever. i did have to have an ablation about 6 months after the pace maker to correct the irregular beats in my heart and am now able to be off all my meds. i sleep on my stomache just fine.

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