new patient

Hi I received my pacemaker about 6wks ago. My heart rate was at 20. This caused concern to the doctors. I had no symptoms and felt fine. I'm really having a hard time getting my head around this. I've experienced some problems and would like to talk to some of you about it. I've had to be adjusted 4 times already. I'm using the battery life very rapidly with really no explanation. What should I be expecting? I like to work with power tools and the doctors say I can't do that anymore. Is their anyone out there that is willing to chat?
Thanks, Debbie

5 Comments

power tools?

by bowlrbob - 2008-08-10 01:08:30

There should be no problem using most power tools. Tell you Doc. what ones you use and ask him about those. Bowlrbob

jeanmarie

by jeanmarie - 2008-08-10 02:08:54

Hi Debbie, I have had by pacemaker for 7 years, and I have had a lot of problems, not with the pacmaker, but with the heart, as I cannot beta blockers or ace inhibators...but I have not let it slow me down, I don't always feel great but I say any morning I can get my shoes on is a good morning....as for the power tools, if it bothers you don't do it

any time

by Tracey_E - 2008-08-10 08:08:18

It's a hard thing to wrap your head around! Especially if you didn't have symptoms. How did they find your problem? You are fortunate that they did find it because 20 is low enough to go into cardiac arrest and kill you.

Any time you want to talk or have more questions, there are a lot of us here. Please feel free to send me a private message if you want to chat further off list or we can take it to email or im. I got my first one 14 yrs ago at age 27 so I've had a few years to get used to the idea and run the gamut of problems and questions.

What makes you think you're using the battery life too rapidly? After 6 weeks you shouldn't even have made a dent in your battery life.

What power tools do they say you can't work with?

Doesn't make sense

by ElectricFrank - 2008-08-11 12:08:13

Either you are misuderstanding what you are being told or more likely you are getting a run around.
First off, I can't imagine your having a HR of 20 and not knowing something is seriously wrong. At that rate you would have been fatigued and light headed when you stand up. The only way you could have tolerated such a low rate would be if you are in extremely good athletic condition.
You didn't say what you mean by using the battery life very rapidly. Like TraceyE mentioned you shouldn't have even a noticeable dent in the life. The only thing that might be giving you this idea is that the battery life is projected based on the settings in use. If a setting is made that uses more battery current the projected life can drop suddenly. Then if the settings are changed again the projected life may jump back up again. In reality nothing has changed.
As far as using power tools, modern pacemakers aren't nearly as susceptible to interference as they used to be. I have no problem with fairly large motors etc.

One thing you need to do is ask for the pre and post programming printout at tyour next checkup. With the readings in hand some of us here can help interpret them and explain what is happening.

frank

I must be stupid

by walkerd - 2008-10-18 07:10:09

How can u have a heart rate of 20 bpm and stay alive, how does that pump enough blood? I dont understand anything what anybody says on this site half the time. sorry im an imbasal. cant spell either

dave

You know you're wired when...

You forecast electrical storms better than the weather network.

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