Pacemaker and narcotics
- by csettle
- 2009-12-11 04:12:39
- General Posting
- 1575 views
- 3 comments
My husband recently had a pacemaker implanted. He also has an addiction to narcotic/opoids (mainly oxycontin). My question is, do narcotic drug effect the pacemaker. I have constantly worried about my husbands problem (which I believe is probably why he had to have the pacemaker in the first place, hes 37.) Please help I cant find any info on this.
3 Comments
Narcotics & Pacemaker
by SMITTY - 2009-12-11 10:12:02
Hi Csettle,
Narcotics are not going to harm the pacemaker, but they can harm the heart in the form of premature beats, skip beats, rapid beats and other ways I don't even know about. Since the pacemaker is not designed to prevent these it may not be able to provide the help it is supposed to give. If the narcotics are just causing a slow heart beat, then the pacemaker may try to help that problem.
The bottom line is if you can consume it and it doesn't kill you (in which case it wouldn't matter anyway) it is not going to harm the pacemaker.
Smitty
Help for addiction
by ted - 2009-12-13 02:12:39
I really hope that you can convince your husband to get some professional help for his opiod addiction. If he keeps going with the oxycontin, he may no have need for a pacemaker. I've been to too many funerals of addicts who left us before their time was truly up. Good luck.
You know you're wired when...
Youre a battery-operated lover.
Member Quotes
It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.
don't think so
by Tracey_E - 2009-12-11 07:12:46
I don't think narcotics have an impact on a pacemaker. They're often prescribed right after implant for the pain, so that's why I say that. Things we take may affect our hearts but most have little to do with the pm; it's simply a piece of hardware there to make sure our heart does not beat too slowly.
Oxycontin is a scary one. My dad was given it after back surgery and went through withdrawals when he stopped taking it just a few weeks later, and he took less than what was prescribed.