Hi, I'm new here :D

20yo

by AgentX86 - 2022-02-09 18:11:09

You're old.  We had a mother in here last week with a 1yo daighter who had just received a pacemaker. We fairly regularly get people such as you who are looking for others.  Some of the regular members have been paced for thirty years, or more.  I'm sure they'll chime in. 

You have nothing to worry about except, perhaps, finding an EP who has specializes in younger patients, or at least has teated several.  Your needs are somewhat different and you will probably be the only one in the office without a walker.  ;-)

Welcome!

by Tracey_E - 2022-02-09 18:43:44

We have a few members your age but they tend to come and go. Hopefully one will say hi soon!

There is a Facebook group called Young Pacemaker Patients (or something like that).  It's for under 50 but most of the members are teens and 20's. I was on it for a while but felt like their mom so left. 

What, exactly, are you worried about? 

I'm old enough to be your mom but I'm congenital so was diagnosed as a child and have been paced since my 20's. If you have any questions about living with one of these long term, feel free to message me any time. I'm on my 5th, am healthy and active. There have been a few bumps in the road, but for the most part I forget the pacer is even there. It's just a part of me, I don't think about it much. There is nothing that I want to do that I can't. 

Are you still with a pediatric cardiologist? If they've transitioned you to adult, you might want to seek out an adult congenital clinic. They're getting more common, I drive about an hour and a half to get to mine. It's in a large research childrens hospital. I saw a regular adult cardiologist from the time I was in college until a few years ago. Huge difference in care from a clinic that has hundreds of adult congenital and young, active people paced for a lifetime. My regular cardiologist was fantastic, but he didn't have anyone else like me. 

Hello

by Nina38 - 2022-02-09 20:34:41

Hello!

I have been a pacemaker dependent since the age of 5 years old. I am now 38. :) Life has been good.... some bumps on the road but fixable and treatable. Welcome! :)

Welcome!

by MinimeJer05 - 2022-02-10 18:52:10

Welcome to the club! I joined last Sept at the age of 29 -- a few years older, but none wiser. 
 

I'm still very much adjusting to my PM (or should I say, my life in general), but I can say that in time, things get easier and you start to forget about it. 
 

I haven't been told of any limitations or concerns, so I wouldn't worry about that too much. 
 

Take a look around, I'm sure you'll find some answers to any questions that you may have. 
 

Take care

Jer

You're new in the forum

by TAC - 2022-02-10 19:03:19

Do you know that if you had been born several decades ago, you would be dead already? It hasn't been a very long time when implantable pacemakers weren't available. They had not been invented yet. In those days, children with congenital or acquired conduction defects did not survive. So, consider yoursef very lucky to live in our time. Electrical heart pacing is so well developed now and improving every year.