Dr. appt.

I go for my 2 week f/u tomarrow. Does anyone know what I'm to expect? When they check my pm do they set it for how many beats? What the normal range?

4 Comments

First Checkup

by SMITTY - 2011-01-12 03:01:25


Hello,Welcome to the Pacemaker Club.

I can tell you a little about it since I'm on my second pacemaker.

The first thing they will have you do is take off all your clothes and lie on a table. You will then be covered with a sheet made of a special fabric. The next step will be to see how well your body conducts electricity. To do that they attach a red wire to each big toe and a black wire to each ear lobe. Then they go to a computer keyboard and start pecking away. The good thing is you never feel any of the electrical current as it passes through your body.

Now if you are still with me, I'll quit lying, apologize and tell you what actually happens on your first all other checkups.

On arrival in a room that has one or more computers you will be seated in a recliner or possibly asked to lie on a bed that depends on the Dr. They will then attach two or three (the number depends on the type and model pacemaker you have) electrodes to your chest. These are just like those they use for an EKG. For them to do this you may have to remove your top garment. I wear a loose fitting shirt and by unbuttoning the top buttons they can put the electrodes in place without my removing my shirt. The tech then sits at a computer and looks at your heart function for a few minutes. Then they place magnet over your pacemaker. When this is done you may feel what is like a hard heart beat for a few seconds. I can always feel this very plainly, but it is never painful and is not harmful to you or your pacemaker. With the magnet in place they can make any changes necessary in the pacemaker settings. Sometimes none are required, but if changes are made you will not feel any of them. After that they remove the magnet and you are through.

If you are like me my first checkup was an attention getter because I had no idea what was going to happen. After that it is just a few minutes every few months I have to spend doing nothing.

I will suggest that you ask for a copy of the printout they make at the end of each checkup. It will be one or two pages filled with information you may not understand. Does this each time you have a checkup and you can go back and compare the numbers and when changes are made in some setting it will show that? That will provide you with information for questions. Or it may give you questions to ask some of the members here.

Good luck,

Smitty


GOT ME

by ratsyp - 2011-01-12 04:01:45

Thanks for the laugh of the day. I'm here at work with my co-worker reading your response and believing every word. Then we both couldn't stop laughing. You got us.
Thanks for the helpful post. I will let you know how it goes. Oh by the way do you think the hospital will give me one of those special fabric sheets to take home?
Patsy

Glad You Not Offeneded

by SMITTY - 2011-01-12 05:01:12

Hello Patsy,

I was concerned that I may have offended you with my attempt at a little fun. Glad I didn't. But you are not the first one (I was) to be concerned about what would happen on that first checkup. To me, now, it is such a nothing procedure, I like to kid people that it really is something. Anyway it is not often I get an opportunity for little joking here, so I try not to pass up a chance.

If you want to one of those "special" sheets you will have to ask very quietly.

Got your other message and like you I'm still trying to figure out the system. Today it is a little slow, I think, but for the price, it is still a bargain.

Smitty

Good one Smitty

by ElectricFrank - 2011-01-13 02:01:59

At first I wondered if you had lost it! Now I know you have!!!!

Anyhow, Smitty has covered it well.

frank

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

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