Life expectancy for young PM recipients

nope

by Tracey_E - 2010-10-27 01:10:36

I've never been able to find any information either, but I suspect it's because there is no long term data to do a study with. They didn't start routinely giving pacemakers to the young until the late 70's/early 80's so most of us who got them fairly young are no older than 50-60 now. One of our members here got one of the very first dual chamber pm's. She's been paced over 30 yrs now and is still doing great. We also have a handful of teens who got them as babies. They're doing great also but we have a lot of years to go before anyone can do any kind of study on their life expectancy.

I've been told by more than one cardiologist that this does not affect my life expectancy because the pm fixes my problem so my heart beats normally and my heart is otherwise healthy. I don't know how much of that is pure fact and how much was telling me what I wanted to hear but I suspect he truly doesn't know, it's not like he has dozens of patients like me. Or any, lol, I've been his only young pm patient for the past 15 yrs.
I have congenital third degree block and have been paced since my 20's. I am 44 now.

It is what it is, ya know? I don't lose sleep over it. Without the pm, I never would have seen my 30th birthday but I'm healthy and active and feel great. I sure hope it lasts forever but none of us is immortal.

Hoping for the best too!

by acvarnado - 2010-10-27 02:10:24

Hi, just wanted to say my 3 year old has run on batteries since she was two months old, and she's doing great. Her docs always tell me that she'll live a long and healthy life, but like you I'm always a skeptic and want some factual basis for that! But like Tracey said above, no one has lived for more than about 30-40 years with a pacemaker at this point, so can't do any long-term studies that are longer than that time span. My daughter is part of several studies now that aim to solve similar questions regarding post open-heart surgery on infants, so I hope she'll be the one to prove that these kids can live long healthy lives! I just try and stay positive, she's already such a little miracle. WIshing you the best!!!

Hi,

by Gellia3 - 2010-10-27 03:10:42

I just celebrated my 35th year as a PM recipient for total AV block! My first PM was a Cordis in 1975 and weighed 3 pounds!

I was 26 years old (yeah! Approaching 62 now! OMG!).

I have had few serious problems over the years and still retain my old leads from the very first dual chamber pacer implanted in early 1982.

I've had a GREAT life! Never missed a thing. And, as many of us, would have had no life at all without my faithful buddy ticking away all that time.

As Tracey said, "It is what it is", which, at least for me, has been no big deal.

Attitude can play a big part in recovery for anything. Trying to stay positive can help.

My best to you for many positive days!
Gellia

How Long

by SMITTY - 2010-10-27 03:10:54

Hello David,

This may sound cruel, but rather than think of life expectancy after getting a pacemaker at any age, think of life expectancy without that pacemaker. Since there are many different reasons a person can get a pacemaker there are more considerations that must be given your question than just the time element.

Normally a properly adjusted pacemaker simply replaces the electrical impulse that is produced by the heart's natural pacemaker. Fortunately, when that function of our heart is not working as it should we can get a manmade device to help out or replace it. Without a pacemaker substituting for the missing or reduced function of the hearts natural pacemaker then not only the heart, but many parts of the body can experience degradation. Almost any organ in the body you can name will commence to have gradual failure without adequate blood flow. So the pacemaker is not only for the heart, it helps the entire body.

This leaves me with only one thought for my pacemaker and that is I'm going to live longer because I have one.

Smitty

Going and going and going

by Beckes76 - 2010-10-27 06:10:01

I was 7 when I got my 1st one and I am now 34. It has been 26 years and I am on my 4th PM. Doctors have told me that I will live as long as everybody else does.

Becky

life expectency

by Jules1983 - 2010-10-27 11:10:21

I too am young and getting a pacemaker. I have done a lot of research on this topic and the conclusion that I have come to is that the pacemaker itself doesn't lower you life expectancy. I think the negative risk is that there is a risk with every surgery as we all know. They say less that one percent-5 percent with each replacement surgery depending on which article you read and whether the is a lead replacement involved. Now considering that pacemakers are generally replaced on average every 5-10 years as i'm told, those individual surgical risks add up depending on how old you are when you get your pacemaker. Basically, i'm 27, if I have a replacement every 7 years,and lets be generous and assume I will live to be 90, that is 10 pacemaker surgeries, not including if there are seperate surgeries for the leads. I still haven't managed to figure out the cumulative risk but that is how I consider it when making my decisions.

THANKS!

by talldave - 2010-10-28 02:10:11

thanks everyone for your comments! Just to be clear: I am doing quite well and I am certainly not losing any sleep in any case. :-) I am just happy that I am feeling much better than before and that I was born in this age of technology. All those millions who were born with the same conditions but just 100 years earlier, were not as fortunate as all of us.

Very interesting comments by everyone. Thanks!

Still nervous

by carli - 2011-02-14 09:02:26

I found this website because I was searching for the life expectancy answer for myself. I have a PM because my AV was severed during surgery. I run the batteries dead like nobody's business. I'm 21 and worried that soon I will find out that my life expectancy is drastically decreased. If this were the case I believe I would have many problems developing a long term relationship with someone because I believe it is not fair to them if I know I would leave them sooner than I should.

@ Carli

by talldave - 2011-02-15 06:02:04

Well Carli,

As I have seen a few people pass away due to accidents or illnesses, I think you never know when time is up anyway. So I wouldn't worry too much about not getting into a relationship. Every day with someone special is a great day and makes life worth living. I would not hesitate a second if someone special came your way, just because you have a pacemaker. Realistically speaking they can pass away any day no matter how healthy they are. That is not being pessimistic, but that's just a simple fact. I've seen it happen. So if there is someone out there with whom you can share your life, I would never ever hesitate!

Additionally, your personal life expectancy is certainly higher WITH the pacemaker than without it (no matter what the average population's life expectancy is).

3rd Pacemaker

by happypacer - 2015-09-22 05:09:24

Hi All..I had my first pacemaker aged 34 and I am now 59 with my latest pacemaker fitted 2 years ago, First PM lasted 11 years and second 12 years. I lead a healthy and active life. Recently I moved my pension to into enhanced annuity, I was allowed enhanced because I am deemed as having a shorter life expectancy than a "healthy " person. But after looking on here I think this is not the case and thank you pension people for allowing a higher annual payback. Sometimes it is a winning situation.
B:). Happy pacing everyone.

life expectancy

by jayalaxmi - 2016-05-05 10:05:37

Hi All.. my wife had pacemaker implanted last saturday. she is 38yrs old, last weekend was one of those unforgettable weeks for me. Having now come out of those uncertainty, There is something puzzling regarding longevity, comments in this blog has given me lots of confidence that I can share to my wife. With 2 loving kids (7 & 5yrs) she deserves longer life....

Trying to understand the programming of my pacemaker

by CYBORG - 2017-11-14 13:41:21

 I recently had my seventh or eighth( I’ve lost count )cardiac pacemaker unfortunately my doctor past so I have a new doctor he has new staff and I can tell it’s not programmed 100% trying to compare the pacemaker read out papers that they give you but all that has changed as well would love to know how to read and understand everything to self diagnose to go in there and tell him that my voltage rate needs to be higher or lower yada yada yada Does anybody know of a book or a site or something on YouTube?

Life Expectancy

by Jeannie131 - 2021-06-05 18:22:47

Hello fellow pacemaker friends. I received my first pacemaker when I was 23 due to a complete heart block. So far, four changes and the wires are now 38 years old. I gave birth to three children and now have four grandchildren ❤️ I am starting to get a bit nervous as one wire is showing signs of problems. The longer the wires are in of course much harder to remove. I will probably choose to leave them alone although there is some risk to doing that😳 They are making wireless pacemakers now! Best wishes to all! Stay well!

Jeannie