recommended pacemaker

I will be getting a pacemaker soon and I am really nervous about it. Can anyone recommend the make or model for the most reliable device? They say I have sick sinus syndrome. I am 62 and after reading some of your comments, am becoming even more nervous. I do not take any meds at this time and do not want to start. Any thoughts will be appreciated
Thanks,
Sandee

7 Comments

Deep breath!

by ela-girl - 2009-12-27 03:12:01

Hi, Sandee

Sorry to hear that you are becoming more nervous after visitng the site and reading various posts/comments. One thing you may want to keep in mind is that people tend to seek out support when they are down or having complications--they want to hear from others who have experienced the same thing in order to get an idea of what to do next. So, don't get too worried that pacemakers or pacemaker surgery is just horrible 100% of the time. There are plenty of people here who would attest to the opposite! Do you see what I am saying?! A lot of things you will see on this site right away are issues people are having in order to get help from others who have experienced the same problem because this is a "support" group. :)

Most doctors/hospitals contract with specific pacemaker companies and will only implant those brands. Then again, you are the patient and have rights, too. I have an ELA pacemaker which is by the Sorin Company--it's not very common throughout the US but more common in the southwest than anywhere. More common brands are St. Jude, Medtronic, Boston Scientific (Guidant)... Did your doctor tell you to pick a pacer or what??? Your cardio or EP usually picks your pacer based on your condition and what pacer will best suit your needs etc.

Another thing to keep in mind is that having a pacemaker will not necessarily mean that you won't have symptoms still of your current problem. Could you tell us more about your situation? Like...how did this all come about for you?

What kinds of things are you nervous about? The surgery itself or the recovery or what? We can give you lots of info from our experiences if you let us know what you're nervous about!!!

Hang in there...we'll be with you every step of the way!

ela-girl

Pacemaker choice

by otbergo - 2009-12-27 03:12:04

I installed a Medtronic dual chamber rate responsive pacemaker on Monday 15th December just after lunch, and attended a board meeting exactly 24 hours after I was streched out on the operation table.

The first week was really bad. I had more fibrillation than before the operation, and my pulse jumped to 160 with the slightest movement. But I have been working for a few hours each day after the operation, taking it a bit easy. I removed the bandage today, and I'm getting better day by day! Today, I even shuffled away some of the snow in front om my garage. I will have to take it easy for 3 more months, according to my physician. That's a nightmare. I'm 63, but active in sports, with 2 very active grandchildren. To move slowly around, is not my lifestyle. I'll give it a try, though!

I had an appointment with a Chinese physician one week after the operation. Her diagnosis was "low energy". She gave me 30 minutes of acupuncture and some advice on what to eat (and what NOT to eat). Sensible advice. I regret I didn't see her before I installed the pacemaker, but I might have installed it anyway. Will continue to see her on a weekly basis.

If you are uncertain, what you should do, why not ask for a second opinion? I did, and decided I probably did not have a choice.

Gertting A Pacemaker

by SMITTY - 2009-12-27 03:12:19

Hello Sandee,

I'm guessing this is your first visit to the Pacemaker Club, so let me welcome to our group.


My suggestion is let your doctor decide which pacemaker you get. They all do the same thing, just do it differently. But the main reason I would want my doctor to decide is because not all of them have the facilities to do the checkups on all makes. Also, the doctor may have been schooled more on one brand more than some of the others. Of course, you can always ask your doctor what brand you are getting and why he has chosen that brand and model.

As for reading the questions and comments here, well that is one of the problems with blogs such as this one. The PM Club has about 10,000 members and I would venture a guess that more than 99% of them have had a real problem or think they have a problem with their pacemaker. Yet I have seen numbers that say there are more than a million pacemakers have been implanted so that makes our members about very small percentage of the total. Above all don't think your experience with a pacemaker will be like some you read here.

As for needing meds, a pacemaker will not require any meds. But sometimes the need for a pacemaker will bring to the surface some heart problem, or other problems that will require some medication.

I'm sure you know that sick sinus syndrome simply means your heart is beating slower than your doctor thinks it should and a pacemaker can increase the heart rate to a more desirable level. However, don't be like many of us that got a pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome which caused us to have bradycardia, or a natural heart rate of less that 60 BPM. When I got my PM I thought it was going to be responsible for making my heart beat above 60 BPM 100% of the time. That wasn't so. My bradycardia, as it is with many, is a start and stop proposition. But our pacemakers have the ability to monitor our heart rates and only when the heart's natural pacemaker is not making the heart beat fast enough will the pacemaker step in and increase the heart rate. You see the PM monitors our heart rate and lets the heart's natural PM make the heart beat whenever possible. That is the reason you will see some of here talking about our their PM pacing some percent of the time. In my case my PM paces my heart's upper chamber about 90% of the time and the lower chamber about 3% of the time. I might add I know what is going on with my heart, but I don't know why.

Enough of this. If there is one thing I can impress on you it is don't worry and leave the driving to the doctors because you will be in good hands.

Please keep us updated on how things go for you.

Good luck,

Smitty

Pacemaker Choices

by mrag - 2009-12-27 03:12:20

I have an ICD which is a combination defibrillator (shock!) and pacemaker. IMHO, and certainly not to make light of the situation, a pacemaker is kind of like a root canal-boom, they put it in, flip a switch and you're off and running. An ICD is sort of like a randomized electric cattle prod that can go off any time. Obviously, you don't have a perfect heart otherwise you wouldn't need one, but you must be in pretty good shape if you're not on meds.. I can tell you my wife's grandmother got a pacemaker last year-she's doing fine and just celebrated her 102nd (!!!) birthday. You should do fine.

Pending other responses, try a Google search on Pacemakers and discuss with your doctor what he/she would recommend and why.

Good Results from Medtronic dc pm

by dbryan - 2009-12-27 05:12:19

Don't be nervous, although is natural. And of course, I was. But I am not in such an emergency mode anymore. I do have other health problems, but I don't have to worry about working or going out shopping and fainting or near fainting spells. Also, I am working retail and I am suprising myself with what all I can do on my feet. Best of all, I no longer lay down and feel like my heart is going to stop! Best wishes to you!

answer

by AHONEYBUNNY - 2009-12-27 05:12:47

i have a st. jude pacemaker/defribllator
i am very happy with it
it keeps me alive
i used to blackout until they found out what was wrong.
scarey....
best of luck to you.
it will be ok.

Like Smitty said

by walkerd - 2009-12-28 07:12:19

let your doctor make that call you can talk with him on that subject, doctors like smitty said work with certian ones and have the equipment to check and set them in thier offices.
Nerves you will be nervous that is something that you can not get away from its normal, the installation is really not a big deal it is but its not, I had mine installed a month after I went thru emergency bypass, I have a medtronic and have had no problems, most dont have problems with the pm, its the conditions people have that cause the problems. Take a deep breath and type your fears and thoughts on here or somewhere, this is a fantastic site to get thoughts out of your head and get some fantastic feedback from some great people. Trust me it helps to get your feelings out even if its typing them, I was scared sh@@less when I went thru my things and this site and the friends that supported me here helped beyond anything I can put into words. But it does help to come here, type and it gets the thoughts out and you get some great advice, friendships, and love on this site from people that go thru the samethings you do.

Welcom to the pacer site come back and type
dave

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for being a couch potato.

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