Thank you everyone for sharing your personal experience with me. I am 2 1/2 weeks post op and feeling GREAT!!! I really turned a corner this past weekend. Back to work and enjoying my new found energy. :) I didn't realize how lethargic I felt prior to my surgery.

My only battle now is getting the FAA to approve a special issuance allowing me to fly. Having a pacemaker is an automatic disqualification for my third class medical. I would love to hear from any pilots out there on how to begin this process of filing a waiver.

Thanks again!
Shell

 

Has any one had problems with constipation/lose stools as I am not able to keep anything down?

Otherwise I feel fine. My procedure was 5 days ago.

 

This is a great group and I have learned so much from reading the posts. My situation: 58 year old male with chronic atrial fibrillation. Resting heart rate at night of 30. CPAP helps with oxygen levels but did not help with the low night heart rate. I am happy to report that I lost 57 pounds since Sept 2011 and have maintained the current weight since about mid January. I do 30 - 60 minutes of treadmill about 5 days a week to include 6-12 degree incline walking at 3.6 mph. Still need to loose some more but glad I lost some before the surgery. Blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol readings are great since the weight loss. Scheduled for the surgery on April 19th. Was hoping to do some work (sales thus computer work and pho...

 

Its been 4 days since my sternal wire removal. Been very itchy but soreness is getting better everyday. Tried going to class yesterday, lasted about an hour. Resting up today so I can make it through class tomorrow. Still taking it easy. but my pain is better than its been in months :)

Elaina

 

Hey y'all. I went to work today. Wednesday will be week 4. I was only able to stay there for 4-5 hours and then had to come home to rest. Is this normal? If so, how long will it take to have a longer period of sustained energy?
Natalie

 

Was wondering if there will be certain things i cannot do afterwards for temporarily and permanently, and also what questions should I ask my Dr hes 2 hours away from me so I wont see him often so I was trying to find out what I should ask him all at once any advice will help thanks!

 

My recovery is going very well. Still super sore but pain medicine is helping and I have the worlds best parents to help me do just about everything. Feeling better everyday! Today I feel well enough to go to my aunts for easter dinner :) hope everyone has a wonderful easter.

Elaina

 

In the 3 weeks since insertion of my PM below my left shoulder, I've been unable to sleep on my left side because of a pronounced thumping sensation in my chest whenever I try to do so. Sometimes I also feel the thumping when I extend my left arm. Has anyone else felt this sensation and perhaps know its cause and likely duration?

Also, I know contact sports are out of the question. How about bodysurfing at the beach?

Thanks.

 

Home from getting my sternal wires removed. Sore and moving hurts but pain meds are helping. Should feel better by the end of the week. Happy Easter Everyone!

Elaina

 

So my doctors finally told me when I am getting one put in. I go in on the 19 of April. Just wondering on how long the surgery will take? And if there is anything I should be worried about?

 

I heard today that I will be receiving my first PM on 13 April. It was a bit of a shock at first, but after some reflection of the past 12 months, I realized it is by far the best thing that will happen to me this year.
I have had some irregular heartbeats and it was always a concern to me, so after the EP study of yesterday and the tilt test of today, the doctor gave me the news that I don't really have any other option.

I think the main thing that concerns me is the fact that I am only 29, fairly fit (go to the gym three time a week) and didn't expect it to come to a Pacemaker.

I am still researching the limitations, but from what I can gather, it is the normal post op recovery period (4 weeks, not driving for...

 

Hello all

I am fairly new to this website and couldnt find the answers I was looking for so I decided to make a post. I am 21 years old and have a pacemaker. Long story short I got it put in when I was 14 under the skin because my doc at the time said it was easiest. I have been involved in sports all my life and consider myself to be a pretty fit person. But lately Ive noticed my flexibility on my pm side is decreasing and my pm sometimes gets in the way of my motions. Im about due for a battery change and I was wondering about a sub-muscular implant. Here lies my question, can my doctor do a sub-musular implant when I previously just had it under my skin? And is the surgery what it says, placed under the muscle? Can someone j...

 

Hello,

I am a 30 yr old female and I am scheduled to get my pacemaker on Thursday, 4/5/12, and I am very nervous. I have a few questions that I am hoping someone could answer for me.

First, I am an average sized female, if anything I am more on the thin side, and I am scared that you will be able to see the pacemaker budging out of my skin. Am I overreacting?  I googled pictures online (which probably wasn’t a good idea) and the pictures they showed, you could see it though the skin.

Also, l was born with a congenital heart block, so my body has never known what it feels like to have a heart beat higher then 50-60 beats per min. Am I going to feel different? I feel fine now, an...

 

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new here, have had my pacer just over two weeks. I feel it a lot more than I thought I would. Sometimes a little shock type feeling, sometimes my heart feels like its beating up in my throat for a beat or two, like when you're really nervous or scared. It's very strange to be so aware of my heart, and it can be kind of uncomfortable. So I have two questions:
Is this a normal sensation? And is it something you get used to?

It's a fairly disconcerting feeling, but I'm also probably thinking about it all the time right now which can't possibly help.

I would appreciate some imput!


Thanks,
Katie

 

Hello, I just got my pacemaker about 4 days ago. I am 42 y/o the nurses in the hospital kept saying I am too young--I think it upset my wife--she didn't like the comments. I am adjusting --I have a great and supportive wife. I am in pain right now---I am taking some over the counter tablets for the pain. My question is --When is the typical time to return to work. My wife took me for a ride yesterday to enjoy the weather---the route we took was very bumpy and thus my pain has increase--I was looking at returning to work tomorrow but--I was wondering should I take off some more days to allow my body to adjust and return to work next week. I am glad I found this site since I am not a member of facebook and wanted to join a support grou...

 

I did a great amount of reading here before my pacemaker was inserted on 3/29.

Here is my chance to give back to someone who might be wondering what my experience was like and for someone pondering if this is the right approach to take to help your quality of life.

I am an active 46 year old man- or was fairly active, getting slowed down the past few years by the normal fatigue that I thought was "old age" (ridiculous to think that I thought an early 40's male is old age even-but I knew I was slowing down).

I had bradycardia since at least 2002, and even went for a full workup of tests in 2007, in which my heart rate was into the thirties during nights and in the upper 40's during the day.

As a...

 

Hello, im 22 years old and was just diagnosed with a 3rd degree Av block 2 leaky valves and an enlarged heart (they're assuming i was born with) im new to here and the idea of a pacemaker as ive never met anyone with one.but I guess im just looking for any kind of input to know what to expect, how i will feel, what will, happen, what i cant do after i have a pacemaker, how long i will have to be out school and work, how long before i can pick up my 2 year old, how to adjust to having a pacemaker, anxiety about the surgery Im just really nervous about the whole thing and having to be re cut open every so often, does it get harder or more painful as you have miltiple surgeries if you can help me out with any info i really appreciate it!

click to read more...

 

Hello, My name is Lizz im 22 getting a pacemaker April 20th, and Im wondering if anyone knows how long I will need to stay out of school? I just registered for Spring quarter and my surgery is a week after the first day of the quarter, and i dont think i can just ditch a quarter after registering cus of financial aid so i was wondering about how long i would be missing. and also how do you feel after surgery how painful is it i have a 2 year old and i was already told i cant pick him up for a while or lift above my shoulder any kind of feed back will be appreciated have a great day!

 

this question really is not about the actual heart surgery, I was just wondering if anyone developed sss shortly after a surgery other then heart surgery,that required general anesthisa. I had not had any indications of heart problems and my preop EKG for wrist surgery all was normal 10 days after the surgery I was getting a pacemaker. so I guess I am wondering if anyone else has had this occur or have heard of it happening.

 

Hi Everyone,

Just joined the club, but have been an avid reader for the past several months.

I’d like to thank all those who provide intelligent, thoughtful and personal insight in responding to members posts. I’ve really learned a lot….so thank you.

I ‘d like to know if there are any members who have or know someone who has had a CRT-D implanted and how are you/they are currently doing. Have you had an increase in EF?

I’m a 48 year old male who was diagnosed with asymptomatic idiopathic CHF with cardiomyopathy in June 2008. I had an EF of 15% at that time. I was put on medications and saw my EF increase up to 25%.

In October 2011, I had an “echo” which showed my EF had dropped to...