Gonna have mine replaced...
- by speckledegg
- 2009-04-21 02:04:35
- General Posting
- 1445 views
- 4 comments
Hello, I'm a 25yr old female who has a pacemaker(100% dependent) and CHD. It was put in when I was 15 and now my battery is almost done. My surgery isn't planned to happen for another 3 months but there is so much going through my mind that I'm finding it hard to sleep now. All I really wish I could do is talk to someone who's been through this before and I can't find any phone support. I guess you could call me scared. I don't have insurance, I've tried for a medical card but haven't had any luck convincing my state that I have a problem. I've been on blood thinners since I was 2 and will be for the rest of my life. I'm feeling lonely and I feel like everyone I talk to has no clue what I'm going mentally. Any words of wisdom? Anybody with any advice? Any help at all?
4 Comments
coping
by Tracey_E - 2009-04-21 06:04:35
I'm on my 4th pm now and have been dependent since I was your age, so I guess you can say I've been there. Are you more worried about the lack of insurance or the surgery? If you want an ear/shoulder/whatever, I'd be happy to private message with you here, or take it to email or instant message or phone- whatever you are comfortable with.
The surgery is very easy, much easier than the first one. They go in the same place so it's all scar tissue and healing is faster. If your leads are ok, they leave them so it's just the pm/battery, none of that worrying about moving a lead. I'm usually home fixing my own lunch and don't miss more than a day or two of work after a battery change. The last time, I headed to Key West three days later and had a blast, though I did stay off the jetski's :o)
Being dependent affects how they make the change, but it's not dangerous. I use mine 100% of the time and it's never been an issue through any of my battery changes. They can make the time it's disconnected a matter of seconds, or they have external pacemakers they can use while they hook up the new one. Either way, it's easily dealt with.
They will either take you off the blood thinners or change you to a shorter acting one before your replacement. Another snag but easily dealt with.
As Lg said, you can always ask for sedatives if you feel you need it. If you're not sleeping just thinking about it months in advance, it's time to have a chat with your doctor so he can tell you more about how he'll deal with your case and possibly give you a prescription to help you sleep. It's harder to deal with anything when you aren't sleeping!
This may sound silly, but I've never been bothered by the thought of replacements because I know I'd be dead without it- I look forward to getting that fresh battery and knowing I'm good to go for more years.
Talk to your doctor and the hospital about the lack of insurance. Contact the pm manufacturer. It won't be cheap, but they should be able to work with you. Or ask them (drs) to help you with the paperwork through the state, because if you are dependent on a pm you should qualify easily. Do you qualify for Medicaid? That's federal, not state.
Insurance sucks, only healthy people can get it and those of us born with problems are screwed. The only reason I'm insured is because my husband works for a large firm and I slide in under their group policy. One of us will always work for a large company, whether we like it or not, just so I can be insured. Did I mention it sucks? ;o) Have you considered a part time job at a place like Starbucks? They provide benefits for some part time employees, that might be a way to get insured.
Sorry, it's pre-coffee and I'm rambling! If you want to chat, please don't be shy. There are a lot of us here who have been through it- replacements, being dependent, dealing with lack of insurance. You just found your support group. Welcome to Pacemaker Club!
In eleven years lots has changed
by Rodrigues - 2009-04-21 10:04:18
Hi speckledegg,
I see you've had your PM for + - 11 years not bad going,lots has changed in the past 11 years when it comes to the procedure of PM replacement .As previously said you have to trust our surgeons they've done it many times over .
Cheers.
Francisco
You know you're wired when...
You have a $50,000 chest.
Member Quotes
A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.
Trust
by Larry1t - 2009-04-21 05:04:55
Hi speckledegg,
Today's letter is "T"
T as in Trust.
Whenever I'm going in for this procedure, I always tell myself not to worry. They have lots of practice and know what they're doing, otherwise nobody would let them do these things.
Trust them.
Trust your Creator or deity of your choosing.
Believe in their ability. The team has done this so many times, they know how to handle just about anything that can happen. Let =them= do the worrying, and you just relax. Your job is to just show up and get nice and sedated. They have to do all the _work_ 8-)
And I always take some sedative before I go to hospital just to calm myself down. Ask your Dr. for sedative to take 1 hour before your appointment to help you relax.
Lg