Brand New Updated Pacemaker

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted much on this site for sometime, but it is nice to log in and get up to date with what is happening. It has always been comforting to share experiences, with old timers, and those new to the life saving world of heart pacemaking.

I had my pacemaker fitted in 2006, for heart block, which is now permanent and I require constant pacing but it has initiated Atrial fibrilation, which is uncomfortable. A little price to pay for 15 years of life, and hopefully many more. I have just had my second replacement pacemaker, an Essentio MRI DR L111 fitted, which I was surprised to learn, enables me to have an MRI scan should I need one. They have advanced so much over 15 years.

It wasn't a pleasant experience, I had to have a temporary pacing wire inserted through the groin vein to the heart to enable the procedure, which took about.90 minutes under local anesthetic. But as usual eveyone was wonderful and caring, at the University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK..

Many thanks to all those that have and continue to contribute to this life giving facilty, particularly this site which offers so much help to those suddenly faced with having a pacemaker.  If anybody has any questions that I can answer from my 15 years of experience please feel free to message me, meanwhile, everybody have a very happy holiday.  

 

6 Comments

Thank you for your update

by Gemita - 2021-12-17 08:12:26

Windway, Thank you for your post and so nice to hear from an established member of the Club with many years of pacemaker experience and of heart disease.

May I ask why you say ". . . constant pacing has initiated Atrial Fibrillation . . .”?  Do you have evidence of this?  Would be very interested.  I certainly do not like being paced in the right ventricle and I have atrial fibrillation also, but I am almost totally paced in the right atrium at present, with only minimum right ventricle support required. 

We have discussed a lot here on the subject of Right Ventricular pacing leading to heart failure/reduced ejection fraction but not the potential to lead to worsening AFib or to trigger AFib although I see that it can and that by reducing RV pacing we may slow down disease progression from paroxysmal to persistent AF.

I have just checked your history and I see that you have had 12 stents fitted and have had a heart attack so I would imagine that these could well be the cause also for your development of atrial fibrillation.

I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas too and hope you make good progress with your replacement pacemaker.  Before having an MRI, I would make sure that any old leads that are still in place are also MRI friendly (conditional)?

Welcome Back!

by MinimeJer05 - 2021-12-17 12:55:59

Hello,

I'm fairly new here (PM implanted in Sept of this year), but I wanted to stop by and say that I appreciate your post -- it's always reassuring seeing posts from people with PMs that have had them for a long time or have had multiples. It gives me hope that I can continue living a normal life like everyone else!

I am glad that you are doing well and I hope that you continue to do so. Afib doesn't sound fun and I hope it lessens for you. But as you said, a small price to pay for 15+ more years of life.

Take care and happy holidays

Jer

Afib

by AgentX86 - 2021-12-17 14:29:50

Why did you have to have a temporary pacer? Did they have to replace the leads also?  If so, I assume the reason would be that you are dependent so would have had no pacing during the procedure otherwise. Replacing the leads and pacer would give you a "MRI conditional" system.

Afib after an MI doesn't seem extraordinary.  Afib is causd by fibrosis which occurs from enlarging the atria. Scar tissue from an MI in the atrial muscle would seem to make sense (to this absolute layman). We're at that age anyway.

12 stents?!  Yikes!

Snap!

by cardifflass - 2021-12-18 14:02:57

Well hello!

I had the same model fitted in the Heath last year.  When it was fitted i was told 6-8 years battery life.  Had my downlaod last month and told I had 8 years battery  left.  The life is now nearer 8- 10 years.  As you say, it is wonderfull how things have come on.

12 stents!  My dearly beloved had one and that was enough.

x

Afib can happen from V pacing.

by PacedNRunning - 2021-12-19 00:29:02

I've read several times a side effect of V pacing is afib. I could never find out why and didn't make sense to me but I recently stumbled on a article that explained why it can happen. It has to do with the timing of our atria and ventricles with pacing. If the timing is off or inadequately timed it can cause the atria to stretch from the blood backing up waiting to flow into the ventricles.  
So yes! It is a common side effect 

New Pacemaker

by windway - 2022-01-04 19:16:40

Thank you so much for your very kind responses to my  posting, they are very welcome. My AF was explained to me at the hospital as a wobble of the upper chambers, as a result of prolonged pacing. A test prior to starting the replacement procedure confirmed no detectable natural beat,  and the need for temporary pacing through the groin vein, to carry out the procedure.

I have  had my heart problems for over 15 years, and one of my seven angiograms over this time was carried out through entry via the groin artery. I presumed wrongly that this would be the case again,  A little delving on the internet gave me the information about temporary pacing but I came to the wrong conclusion. It shows that you should just trust them to get on with it. For temporary pacing they  use the vein not the artery to thread a thin wire which is attached to the temporary pacer to the heart.

They don't use dye as with an angiogram just follow its progress with x ray. Although not pleasant it was not as intrusive and as painful as an angiogram.I had to remain absolutely still while they carried out the replacement. 

So all is well after my replacement, my electrics are fine again, but there is a need for another angiogram to check on my plumbing and I am on the long waiting list for this. It would be ungrateful for me to complain about any aspect of my treatment, I hope to have a further 15 years of life.

Happy New Year to everyone
 

 

 

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