Hardly seems worth the effort

Last Thursday, I had my first check-up since implantation (May 25th). For the first time, I've learned what my settings were: max 180, min 50. I've paced only 2% of the time, apparently at night.
OK, so I know that the last time I fainted, it had consequences (busted face & ribs), and that I haven't really done any strenuous exercise since the incident.
Nevertheless, I'm kind of wondering what the fuss was all about and if I wasn't too quick to accepting the procedure.

9 Comments

I am also in the less than 1% club

by COBradyBunch - 2010-08-07 03:08:05

I am also in the less than 1% club and like you my <1% usually occurs while in bed or sleeping. But you know what, it is better than passing out when I shouldn't, which happened to me twice and both times I luckily didn't have any damage to myself or others. Being a cyclist who was just hit by a car by someone who just wasn't paying attention I know I couldn't live with myself if I ever passed out while driving and hit someone after having been told I needed a pacemaker to prevent just such an occurrence.

Now think of this... 2% of an hour is 72 seconds. 2% of a day is nearly 29 minutes. I think your chances of passing out when you look at it like that are pretty high and your chances of injuring yourself or someone else also pretty high.

Worth it

by sln - 2010-08-07 08:08:49

If you don't drive and don't plan to in the future, maybe it would make sense to consider not having the PM. I pace even less than you but having fainted once while I was driving (my first indication of a problem), I could not imagine ever risking that again. My car was totaled when it went off the highway and it was a miracle I didn't hit any other cars and my son was OK. Take it from me, fainting and driving don't mix.

1% pacers don't need a pacer if:

by ElectricFrank - 2010-08-07 08:08:53

You enjoy busting face and ribs
You don't mind having your drivers license suspended
You don't mind dying in your sleep

And the list goes on.

frank

AV block sucks:-) but love your pm

by Blomsterpigen - 2010-08-07 12:08:30

You probably suffer from AV block like I do. For 1½ year I tried to convince the doctors that it was a mistake to give me a pm. That was in 2000. Now I hardly ever think about it - except that if I ever should get a serious heart defect I already have a pm, and all they have to do is connect the second electrode which I asked to have turned off, because I got pacemaker syndrome from it being turned on. When I have my yearly controls my pm has paced so little that it cannot be shown in % - only in beats. But I sleep safe at night knowing that when my heart rate drops to 34 I will wake up again:-)

Pacemaker As An Insurance Policy

by Bill-2 - 2010-08-08 05:08:20

Let me make a suggestion to you and all those that have pacemakers and think their pacemaker paces them too little to be worth all the fuss (and money).

I look upon my pacemaker as another insurance policy. Not life insurance because that only benefits those I have named as the beneficiaries, but insurance as in homeowners or automobile insurance. I hope I never need it but I have it and if it is needed it is there and ready to what it is designed and programmed to do. An even better part is it may save my life one day without my ever knowing a thing about it.

An added benefit is some pacemakers record some anomalies in the heart function which will be downloaded at my next pacemaker checkup. It is possible that because my doctor is supposed to see that information it may let him save me a trip to an ER some time.

I am at 50 BPM

by COBradyBunch - 2010-08-08 08:08:44

Docs wanted to set me to 70 to begin with but since my RHR was low 60's to Mid 50's we agreed 50 would be a good lower rate.

OK

by LS - 2010-08-08 10:08:52

This is strictly my opinion, but what difference does it make if you have it & only pace 1 % of the time?????
Several things come to my feeble mind.
1. Be glad you ONLY pace a small percentage.
2. It's there in case that 1 % comes up & you do another face plant!
We need to not dwell on the past. Move on. be grateful you're here & healthy.
Again, JMO.
Liz

Thanks

by Edouard - 2010-08-08 11:08:33

Wow! What I initially posted as an off-hand comment generated quite a reaction. I've been refusing to admit that I've got a problem (irritating my wife in the process) and been a bit flip about the whole thing.
The sentiment in the comments from everyone above has surprised me and made me reassess my outlook. I certainly don't feel sick and don't intend to to let my PM drag me down, but I will take it more seriously in the future.
Thank you.
Edouard

I've had the same thoughts...

by Tracie H - 2010-08-10 12:08:18

It's so refreshing and reassuring to hear so many of us pace less than 1%!!! Here I've been sitting thinking I am the only one...now there's more people to invite to my pity party! Or, I'll change the party theme to "There's a bunch of us!"
But, I do hear where you're coming from. There are many days I wonder what the heck...but thanks Frank and COBradyBunch for putting the situation into reality and numbers. It helps when you think of concrete examples.
Thanks for posting this concern, Edourad. You've helped many of us!
Tracie

You know you're wired when...

Your heart beats like a teenager in love.

Member Quotes

It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.