Hi again, I had my surgery on Tue 25th Feb 2013. My surgery lasted 2hrs and I was awke the whole time. I felt perfectly relaxed and enjoyed the banter and relaxed atmosphere in ht Theatre.The only discomfort I felt during the whole process was the ijections topping up my sedatives/painkiller. It stung a little.They had to try 3 times with one of the 4 leads inserted, but were sucessful on the 3rd attempt.About an hour post-op, the ( I learned later) Alarm went off on my ICD. Sounded like an "I Tune/Mobile phone tone". As it only lasted 10-15 seconds, did'nt take anymore notice of it. It went off 2 more times on Tues and I realised that the sound was coming from my newly implanted ICD. It went off again on Wed morn, nobody had experienced t...

 

Hi I am glad I found this group.. MY son was diagnosed at birth with ASD, Mitral valve prolasp, and now just recently wolfs Parkinson white syndrome and he just got a pacemaker last week, he is 11, and it seems hes a little depressed.. I have told him over and over that this will help him and that this is a good thing but he feels different.. any experience others experience with this? thank you.

 

They want to put a pacemaker in my 97 year old father. He has moderate dementia. He has no other illnesses but a-fib with "tachy-brady syndrome". They've done a fair job of controlling his heart rate with meds but he still ends up in the hospital periodically with tachycadia and he's had one observed episode of passing out and other probable episodes where all we saw were the bruises. Everyone agrees that the primary issue for him is quality of life. If he would be less likely to pass out, fall or end up in the hospital that would be nice.

But he's 97 and demented so the family is wondering how far to go, how risky the procedure is, how much discomfort he'll be in, etc.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hey everyone

Thanks for all your comments. I'm really glad I stumbled upon this site. All your comments have made me feel a lot better and ready for tomorrow.

I get the loop removed today. Not nervous about that. And I guess I'm lucky in the fact that the doctor who put the loop in is the same person putting the pacemaker in

I'll keep you all updated and let you know how I go

 

Hey All

Im a little freaked out!!

I'm getting a pacemaker in 2 days!!

I have a loop recorder in at the moment and last week I went in for a normal routine scan and it picked up that my heart had paused for 2 seconds and then one minute later it paused for 5 seconds.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I get the loop recorder removed and then Thursday Im having an MRI and a pacemaker put in.

I'm a little scared and have no idea what to expect!!

 

Hi. I'm 16 years old and I have had heart problems since I was born. I got my first open heart surgery when I was 2 months old. I have to go into my 5th pacemaker replacement sometime this year. And it will be a big surgery, I have to get all of my wires replaced and the pacemaker replaced. We are watching it closely to see when though. My pacemaker is in my stomach right now ever since I was little, but now that I am getting older, the doctor said that I have a choice, either keep the pacemaker where it is at, but there are some cons she told me about having it in my stomach, or put it in my chest. I would love to put it in my chest but I am REALLY tiny. I'm 4"10 and 98 lbs, and i have muscle but no upper body muscle since I'm not allowed...

 

Hi, I'm a new member and due to be admitted for "BI-VENTRICULAR ICD" insertion on Sunday the 24th. Feb 2013. I Had a Major MI in Aug 1998 and after several MI's I had "Triple By- pass surgery" in 2003. Since then I've had Seven Stents inserted. That's a brief history of my HF. I am the sole carer fotr my partner who has COPD Stage2. I am hoping that as a result of this proceedure I will have a bit more energy and quality of life for myself and my partner. Would like someone willing to share their experience with me.
Thx Ferenc

 

4 weeks post 100% pacemaker dependent,with A V node ablation I have gone back to work was a little slow at first, I work in a trauma center cath and ep lab, we see and treat anywhere between 80 to 100 patients a day, to get to my area to work, I have to park and walk about a mile to get on campus, 1st time in a year I didn't have to sit down at 3 different area's. I work with some great heart Dr's,( inside joke I am their poster child). Dr set my heart rate at 60 on Wednesday, stated that I should be good for 5 years with that level. no heart medication now only my thyroid medication and my blood thinner. I feel that each week I am getting stronger. thank you all for this support group, this is a great site. I have custody of my 12 year o...

 

we have an ongoing discussion about the need to interogate a pacemaker after having been stopped with a magnet during a surgical procedure. our anesthesiologist demand it even though the pacer reps say it is not nessesary. unable to find any supportive literature. thanks for any feedback.

 

Hi all, I wondered if anyone could shed light on their experiences of recovery post-operation. I had my Pacemaker fitted on 21st January 2013 following extreme dizzy spells starting last September. A 24-hour ECG showed my heartrate overnight was in the 20s with pauses. I was diagnosed with 2nd degree AV block. As a 56 year old, long-time runner (24 years so far) I am fit, so the Pacemaker has minimum settings of 40 bpm overnight and 50 bpm during the day. Four weeks on from the operation I am still getting very tired and suffering a kind of muzzy headed feeling. Is it unusual at this stage to be still feeling like this? I have had the Pacemaker checked and that is working OK also had an ECG which was OK too. Thanks Dave

 

I read Smitty's response wherein he said when a pacemaker is permanent there is no fluctuation in bpm. I am to have an AV ablation next week and this is the first I have heard of that, and I will be dependant on the pacemaker.

Would be pleased if several of those who know firsthand will confirm and let me know what problems that would cause. Like are you then only to move reasonably steadily or resume riding, racing etc.

Many thanks for responses. MT

 

Hi all and thanks for your best wishes
I had my op last Friday and all went well (I think)
but my shoulder is that sore
it feels like Ive been kicked by a horse
its the muscle thats sore not the stitches
if I lay my arm down at rest its fine with no pain
if I lift my arm up using my other hand its still OK
but if I try to raise my arm under its own power
it bloody well hurts like crazy
is this a normal sympton and will it go away
Just wondering
also they said no driving for a month is that
because of the pain or is it because the PM might go crazy
thanks John

 

After having a pacemaker installed on 12/31/12 due to bundle branch block in which my heart rate was 30 and stopped for 10 seconds, I am still tired all the time. I really expected to be back to my normal active lifestyle by now. It's been 6 weeks and my legs still feel like rubber. My pacemaker has been adjusted once. The doctor told me to walk 30 minutes a day and after 5 minutes I am exhausted. At times I have experienced muscle spasms on the site side and skipped heart beats. I have friends who had pm installed and were back to normal much sooner than this! I have taken 50 mg of Lopressor twice a day for the past 20 years to control blood pressure and fast heart rate. I guess my question is: " How long can I expect to feel this way?...

 

Hi all, this is my first post as I only got out of surgery 3 hours ago. So far I feel great minus some tolerable pain. I had open heart surgery three months ago so this one was child's play by comparison.
I am very type A and will probably overdo it since I don't hurt as bad as the last surgery. I am 36 and told I can go to work on Monday.
Can anyone offer advice or recommendations that the hospital won't tell you? I find personal experiences are always more accurate and helpful.
I have a medtronics pacer that will allow me to still have MRI's. I was experiencing sinus arrest while awake and sleeping over 4 seconds long and constant junctional rhythms fighting with what was left of my sinus node post ablation. Also a...

 

Hi. I just got a pacemaker/defibrillator kind of combo implant a week ago. Like most people I imagine i worry about every little thing. Yesterday I leaned back against a pillow on the couch and could tell I pulled something. It feels like some muscle in the middle of my chest and goes up into my neck. Can feel it in my back too. Has anyone else had that happen to them and should I be worried? My first checkup is next Mon.

 

would any of you who have had SSS and AV node ablation tell me approx how long does it take after to be really alive again - to be able to go for a brisk walk and play golf. Many thanks

 

After writing a very long post to help one poster and then to address my tissue, the system zapped my entire message. Is this a common problem? I am not normally pro message boards because people try to give and get medical advice from non-professionals...but after worsening nerve and muscle pain 2 months post op and no medical help I'm willing to ask anyone for help...prescribed narcotic and nerve pain Meds, ibuprofen...tylenol..ice, heats, rest, expensive support bras...nothing helps. Idon't want to be knocked out like the nerve med does...I want to be able to function and not feel narcoleptic from medication...but I can't take the pain...it's like an electric shock...with a burning tearing sensation. Tests show leads are solidly in t...

 

Hi - Has anyone experienced very severe pains in the chest after surgery. I was crying in agony with a piercing pain inbetween my breasts which was aggravated on movement. I returned to hospital and they advised taking Ibuprophen, saying it was inflammation. After about 4 days of sitting around and just taking the Ibuprophen it got better. It is now 3 weeks since the procedure, but the pains returned a few days ago, but not so severe, but bad enough that I was unable to take proper breathes without pain, so I was panting. I went to the Doctor and he said to continue with Ibuprophen, which has worked. I went to clinical measurement after one week and they said the PM was working well. If anyone else has had a similar experience, I would...

 

I had my pm put in about 3 weeks ago. I need to know if muscle spasms are a normal part of having a pm? I started having these about a week and a half after the pm was put in. I had very sharp throbbing pain a week ago Friday, that my daughter took me to the er at our local hospital. They told me I was having very strong muscle spasms, and that was just my body getting used to the pm. They gave me muscle relaxers, and pain pills. When it starts if I can get laid down on my right side, it almost goes away. Does anyone else have this? Will it ever go away? I have tried heat and ice, and it doesn't seem to help. I am so tired of the pain, and never knowing when it is going to hit. Should I be concerned? Don't want to be labeled a co...

 

Well, two weeks post PM installation for heart block/bradycardia.
What a difference, as a competative 61 year old cyclist I thought I really knew my body. So for the last year or so riding some 200-300 KM a week I thought the occasional bit of tiredness, post ride nap, feeling really wrecked after a day in the city consulting etc was all normal!
Well guess what it isn't.......all of a sudden, no tiredness, naps gone and I feel like I am about 10 years younger....

Back on the spin bike with renewed energy, and about to start road riding again next week. Biggest task is not to push too hard.