My boyfriend's getting a pacemaker

Hey everybody, I'm new here. My boyfriend is 30, and he's getting a pacemaker and implantable defibrillator in a week. (He has hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, and had open-heart surgery in January of 2009 to thin the thickened heart tissue) He has some major concerns that he's just talking about now, and I'd love to be able to tell him things that might help him feel better. One thing he's concerned about is the frequency of it, and what, when the defibrillator does its job, it will feel like. How sensitive is it? He feels like his heart definitely acts up quite a bit, and he wants to know if he's going to get shocked all of the time. I don't have much experience in this department, so I was hoping you fine folks could share your experiences. I would really appreciate it! Thank you all.
~Angie

9 Comments

WoW ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-04-24 11:04:00

Zombie, you sound like a true ad for everyone running out and getting a defib. Made me "ponder" ~ LOL

Welcome to your new PM Club Angie. You will find more educated, new friends on this site than you get answers from your Dr. offices. Some of these members have decades of experiences to share. Without the PM members, I could not/would not know anything.

There is not a question you can't ask here that someone has not gone through the same experiences.

Let us hear from our newest/bestest friends,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Bluebonnets are Beautiful ~

Arrhythmia

by SMITTY - 2010-04-24 11:04:22

Hello Angie,

Welcome to the Pacemaker Club.

I think Nim Rod and Zombie answered your questing. Now I would like to comment on something in your comment about the pacemaker helping the arrhythmia.

My pacemaker did not help mine. There several treatments for this and in my case it was the use of medications that would slow my heart rate. The theory was the meds would slow my heart rate enough to, I guess I could say, neutralize the heart's natural pacemaker. Then the man made PM takes over and brings my heart rate back up to at least the low set point on the PM. This is pretty much standard treatment for arrhythmia and people with pacemakers. As i said this didn't work very well for me but it does work for most people. As for feeling the pacemaker, as Nim Rod said, you will not feel it doing its job. If it is felt then probably some PM settings need to be adjusted.

The only reason for mentioning this is if it happens he and you will not be totally surprised.

Good luck,

Smitty

For Zombie

by SMITTY - 2010-04-24 11:04:27

My goodness Zombie, I'm surprised at you making such comments here. Why that made my ears turn red .

Of course I'm kidding you. Thank you for giving these old tired and aching old bones something to chuckle about this morning. It is a subject that has crossed the minds of many and now we know. And see I didn't even ask if your comment was from personal experience.
fefbb
Smitty

Thank you

by smitty39 - 2010-04-24 12:04:21

Thank you very much. I told him something similar, but he's just so worried that he'll go into V-fib often. It sort of comes down to whether the problem is actually his arrhythmia or something else entirely. If it's the arrhythmia, then the pacemaker should help correct the feelings he's so worried about that would cause the defibrillator to kick in. If not, he's very worried he's going to have to deal with it kicking in every one or two weeks. All we can really do now is hope for the best I guess.

Good Luck

by Nim Rod - 2010-04-24 12:04:42

He should not feel the pacemaker doing its job. From what I have heard other people say, he will will feel the defibrillator when it does its job. The frequency will depend on how often he goes into V-fib and the defibrillator is needed. Ask the doctor for an estimate on this one. I don't know how bad it will be and possibly the Dr can also answer that one.

Or just wait, we have a member that knows everything about everything so I'm sure she will be along shortly and answer all of your questions.

hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

by musser75 - 2010-04-25 07:04:51

hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is one the most challenging topics in the cardiovascular era. Sudden death due to ventricualr fibrilation can be expected, so it wise to let it implant. Shocks really hurt bad. But you should convice him that the device will save his life. Second, patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy do not get shocked often one a years or so. But another issue: Perhaps you know, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has genetic inharitance. SO if you have a child, she or he should checked. Besides first degree relatives of your husband should be checked too.
musser75, MD

to see how it went

by babygurl6378 - 2010-05-10 10:05:31

just want to say good luck and see how he's doing

ICD shock?

by Nevada Silver - 2010-05-31 09:05:06

Have had an ICD for 3 !/2 yrs. Never had a shock! Maybe I shouldn't have said that! :-) Do you hear anything?
I'm knocking on wood!

dont wory

by joshhhhhhh - 2011-01-17 04:01:40

ya having a DP PM sucks ive been shocked once but 7 times in a row doesnt feel to good feels like a slegde hammer threw ur whiole body and yes its for a second and the memory does stay in your head im really OCD and get anxeity attacks alottttt im 16 and it really sucks, butt im just trying to live my life and trying not to worrie and nevada silver your lucky!

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