Thanks to Frank and Pacemakerwriter

Thanks to Frank and Pacemakerwriter for your kind and professional help. I feel very grateful; I’m not alone to go through this issue. The third day and the firth day after my operation, I wrote to the Medtronic company, a gentlemen could say nothing and tell me to ask my doctor again and again. I felt hopeless. Finally I find the pacemakerclub; I read a lot of kind and thoughtful letter that made me tearful, this is the where I can rely on.
I’m live in Canada Ontario. We don’t have the insurance issue but the long waiting. The doctor told me my problem is harmless. So I have to be patient, and I don’t have other choice. The problem is I still don’t fully understand my situation. If I have to go operation again what time is the best for me, before or after the all skin and muscle tissues fix up. I hope I know what kind of the question I could ask my doctor.
Thanks to all my friends

1 Comments

Hang in There!

by pacemaker writer - 2010-01-17 08:01:57

Hi Libby!
Thanks! I really don't know if there is a better or worse time for the "revision" (that's what they call this kind of second operation). I know it's a big deal, but to the docs or surgeons who do it, it's minor stuff. They will make an incision to access the vein and then use some of their equipment to help guide the lead into a better position. It probably will not take a long time at all. I know it's a worry for you, but once it's done, you should be fine. (No need to have it redone.)
Pacemaker Writer

PS You may want to ask the doctor why he had to reposition the lead. I bet he or she says it became "dislodged" (or didn't attach right) or he may say that you were getting poor pacing performance. I don't know if this knowledge would help you, but it would be nice to know. (By the way, poor pacing performance in this case is not the fault of the lead, it's the fault of where the lead got placed inside your heart.)

Don't be too upset at the doc that this happened. I have observed several pacemaker implant surgeries. What people forget is that the doctors are attaching these tiny leads to the inside of your heart ... while your heart is beating! On the monitor, the heart is moving all over the place as the doctor gets the lead into place. Sometimes he places it exactly right but the movement of the heart works it loose. Sometimes he gets it where he thinks is a good place but which just doesn't work that well.

Like I said, this is not very common but it has happened to other folks. I'm sorry you have to go through it.

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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.