Getting a Pacemaker & Life

Hello all,
I am new. I do not even have my Pacemaker yet. It will be in July as lomg as symptoms do not get worse.
I have a few questions.

1. will I have trouble if I try and get new health insurance?

2. Is it true..you can't even have a few beers with freinds? Someone just told me that one. Said you can't have alcohol!

3. Does each doctor just use whatever type of pacemaker they are use..or do diff. pts. get different ones? I know there are different kinds...but what about models or brands?

Thanks, Holly

5 Comments

Getting a Pacemaker & Life

by SMITTY - 2008-06-12 01:06:34

Hello Holy,

Question - 1. will I have trouble if I try and get new health insurance? You may. A lot depends on whether it is a private policy or a group policy? Keep in mind that the pacemaker will say to the insurance company "this person has some type heart problem and they have an expensive heart assist device that will have to be replaced at some point in the future. For a good answer you will have to ask the insurance company.

Question - 2. Is it true..you can't even have a few beers with freinds? Someone just told me that one. Said you can't have alcohol! That someone is WRONG. The pacemaker itself will have no impact on your diet. Other health problems may, including the one for which you got a PM, but not the pacemaker. I drink no more and no less since I got ma pacemaker. Also, I have a teetotaler for a cardiologist and he has never mentioned alcohol consumption to me.

Question - 3. Does each doctor just use whatever type of pacemaker they are use..or do diff. pts. get different ones? I know there are different kinds...but what about models or brands?

Good question and one which we see here every so often. I have no definite answer, but have always assumed they use whatever brand that had the most effective salesman calling on a specific doctor. All pacemakers do pretty much the same thing but just use a few different printed circuit boards to accomplish the goal. Think of the different computer brands you see. The end results will be about the same, but may have been arrived at by different routes.

One thing I do suggest that any person keep in mind. The pacemaker your doctor implants is probably the one he is most familiar with and your pacemaker will have to have checkups and adjustments. I would want the brand that my doctor was most familiar with. Put another way, I don't want to take my Chevy to a Toyota dealer for service.

In my case I have a Medtronic PM although this clinic does implant different brands. I notice when I go in for a checkup they use a computers with software from Medtronic and is labeled "Medtronic only." The computer sitting next to it is labeled "Guidant only." These two computer do use the same printer.

Smitty

THANK YOU

by LIVE_STRONG - 2008-06-12 02:06:03

CathrynB and Smitty,

Thank you for responding so promptly. I imagine you get these types of questions alot.
It is overwhelming to say the least! Great information.
It does lead me to another question which i will post.
Sorry, i probably will have alot..as I am scared.

Holly

SCARED

by LindaScarberry - 2008-06-12 02:06:09

Holly,

I just had an ICD imiplanted on 5/16/08 and I too was very scared. We don't know how it's going to feel and the impact on our lives. I can tell you though, I feel wonderful, better than I have in a long time. I can breath again, I'm not coughing and I'm almost back to my very active self.

You are going through the worst part; waiting. This is a great site to ask questions. Keep asking.. I sure did and everyone answered and really helped me with my anxiety. Also, make a list of questions for your doctor. When I went for my pre-op appointment, I had three copies of my questions. One for me, one for my girlfriend and one for the doctor. I wrote down the answers because I knew I would not remember all of the answers. Just keep a running list of questions until your pre-op and go for it. It helped me a lot.

I hope all goes well, I'm sure it will. Keep asking those questions.

Knowledge is power,
Linda

THANK YOU

by LIVE_STRONG - 2008-06-12 03:06:04

Linda,
Thank you. Your right..waiting is hard.

Holly

Alcohol

by ElectricFrank - 2008-06-13 01:06:42

Really there is no more problem with a pacer than without. However, as always, you will feel better if you go easy. I spend an hour in my hot tub with a beer and chips most evenings before dinner.
The only place you might notice it is if it drives your HR up very much and your upper limit is set low you could start missing beats. Tell the doc to set the upper limit at 2 beers!!

frank

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

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I am 100% pacemaker dependant and have been all my life. I try not to think about how a little metal box keeps me alive - it would drive me crazy. So I lead a very active life.