New Pacemaker Girl
Hello everyone,
I’m recently a recipient of a fresh brand spanking new Pacemaker! Yes, one week ago I passed out at home, went to ER, had multiple episodes of my heart stopping, 4 days later had a pacemaker put in. It’s been one of the worst weeks of my life. I am now home and scared of the unknown, scared of this device that I will need for the rest of my life. I am 36 years old, overall healthy, and have 2 children who I adore and want to be around for. Any words of wisdom/advice at this point, which is day 3 with a Pacemaker, would be so very welcome. Things I should do right away, important things to know and remember at this point, and just support in general.
Thank you to those of you who respond to this posting.
May you all be healthy, happy, and thankful for being alive... like I am
Sidgirl74
10 Comments
welcome
by sallybags@email.com - 2011-02-18 11:02:46
welcome to the club. Just got mine 3 weeks ago and feel better than ever. Played basketball4-5 times a week and will start up again in a couple of weeks. No need to worry.Just listen to the doctor and take it slow. Have been on the treadmill since 6 days after they put my pm in. You will be fine and keep coming to this site for great support and knowing what to expect.Best of luck and good health to you.
Still 36 and healthy
by ElectricFrank - 2011-02-19 02:02:35
Welcome to the site! As time goes on feel free to post any questions. There is a wide range of knowledge and experience here.
Just keep in mind that you are still 36 and healthy. You have a minor wiring problem in your heart that would have likely shortened your life in the past. Now that little device wires around it and as soon as things heal up you should be able to do everything you did before.
As far as any concern about it failing I like to remind folks that if you fly airline the plane is totally dependent on a computer to stay in the air. The car you drive if it's a new model has a computer that controls the braking and throttle. And I could go on.
frank
New Pacemaker
by sarge - 2011-02-19 05:02:37
Hello Sidgirl74, I am fairly new myself Nov2010. I was like you, I almost passed out at home one evening completely oblivious that I was having a heart issue. Two days later I had a new little friend. I had a lot of un needed anxiety to say the least....ie...what if it fails? How do I know if its working correctly...etc.. I could go on and on like the energizer bunny....how ironic is that....but I came to this site and got somewhat educated. This is a great site but let me caution you that if you spend too much time here you will develop all the problems that everyone else is having....if you get my meaning :) Bottom line we all have a back up now, and yes we become more sensitive to every beat, every twitch, ache and pain. You could drive yourself crazy thinking about it. TRUST IT, your going to go to bed tonight and guess what? Your going to wake up tomorrow morning and the next and the next. Just take it easy the first 6 weeks, no heavy lifting or stretching arms over head. I was sleeping on my left side within two weeks after surgery with no problems. Life happens and you got to stay in the game. I am a 51 yo military male and I went thru what your going thru a couple months ago. I am back to doing everything before this happened, remember we have a back up, your heart still works and you will be fine. Is it scary? Hell yes it is....but you will come to peace with it and realize we could be better off than the average person without one. I hope I didn't bore you and put you at ease a little.
:)
by Abbykayd - 2011-02-19 11:02:03
Hey! I'm a 16 year old girl with a pacemaker. I got it two months ago. You aren't alone. When i had to get mine i was really upset at first, but now my scar looks really good, and I barely even know the pacemaker is in there. I'm still getting used to it, and it's hard at times. But it saved my life. And yours is saving your life. Even though I'm young, if you need anyone to talk to, feel free to message me!
New Girl in Town
by donr - 2011-02-19 12:02:30
There are TWO issues you must face. AND - you must decouple them, as they are separate.
1) You lost a battle w/ a knife fighter (AKA the surgeon). You have several stab wounds in the shoulder.
2) You have a PM that you will host for the rest of your life. It makes your heart work correctly.
Now - that being said. Just do as your Dr. tells you about the recovery from surgery. That will heal. Yes, you will have pain & discomfort - but it has ZERO to do w/ the functioning of your new friend & your heart. You must have a conference w/ yourself & your conscious mind MUST control your unconscious. FDR & Gen Patton were correct - "The only thing we have to fear - is fear itself." Never take counsel of your fears."
Think about your heart - is it doing the same funky things to you that it did before running into the little titanium box w/ the miniature cattle prods? Here you must be honest w/ yourself. Some of us have instant perfection w/ the little bugger - others have no end of grief. The former really do outnumber the latter. But you have to peer inside your navel at gut level & ask yourself if all is better than before. Have you passed out since? Do you still have the same symptoms? It's tough to get honest answers from yourself; we've all been there & done that.
You sit down in the quiet of your room, without kids running amok around your chair & have a private, heart to heart conversation w/ your PM. I'm not joking! You tell it "PM, you are mine. You will go where I go, do what I do. You will willingly accept your station in life. I am the captain of my ship - you are the crew. I am master of my fate, you are my support. Whether you like it or not. That's the way it is!" Now, you can even do it out loud. But, you must be sincere & forceful. No half-baked sincerity.
Then stand up & take command!
Good luck Girl, you can do it - we all did. No one says it was easy. We all had those initial fears.
Don
New Pacemaker
by SMITTY - 2011-02-19 12:02:56
Hello Siodgirl74,
Welcome the Pacemaker Club.
Now let's get started with things you need to know about that pacemaker. I'll give you a few of them and other members, all of whom have pacemakers, will add to what I can offer. First let me say I'll be 82 years old in a couple of months. I got my first PM in 2000 and the second one in 2009. During that time I have learned a little about living with pacemakers and it is not bad.
I think the most important thing for you to know right now is that pacemaker could very well be the most dependable device man has ever made. It sits there doing its job day in and day out with no maintenance. It may have to have its settings adjusted from time to time to keep it in tune with the physical changes your heart/body may go through. However such changes will be infrequent.
If you are like most of us you came home thinking that PM is now all that was between you and your kids not having a mother. Nothing could be further from the truth. That PM is nothing but a helper for your heart. It will sit there monitoring your heart's natural pacemaker and when, and only when, it detects that the natural PM has failed to deliver the electrical impulse needed to keep your heart beating as it should, will the manmade PM step in and send an impulse.
I can see you had a very scary time between the time you passed out and when you got your PM. While those episodes were very significant, my guess is that since you made it to age 36 before having one that got the attention of all concerned, another episode may not come by for days, weeks, months or even years. I think the most important thing I have learned about my heart's internal electrical system is just because it does an unwanted something today does not mean it will do it everyday. That is why the manmade pacemaker is so valuable. It is implanted and it sits there day in and day out monitoring your heart's natural system and waiting for the tine it needs to step in and help out.
As for just having your just three days, you are probably still a little sore and are afraid to even touch the implant site. The soreness can last from a few days to a several days. For the first few weeks you will need to treat the left side (if your PM is on the left side) with care. No holding your arms over your head, or lifting anything heavy - you know just doing what the Dr told you to do during the follow up period. Most of those precautions are to let the leads running from the PM to your heart get firmly settled in, after which it will be back to your normal life style.
Above all, please do not let that PM dictate how you live from now on. Like I said at the beginning, that PM is a helper and should be accepted as such. As time goes by I'm sure you will have many questions. There is a lot of us here that have traveled pretty much the same road you are traveling and have some answers we learned the hard way. So feel free to ask anything anytime.
I wish you the best,
Smitty
My Story
by donb - 2011-02-20 09:02:42
Hi; Abby, I just want to post to the members who missed "Your Story" on 2011-01-17. It can be found under General Postings on that date. It is an excellant story of her experience leading to her recent PM, a must read for both young & old. Last checking showed 245 reads. Thank You Abby!! donb
Hi Sid,
by wenditt - 2011-02-21 11:02:35
I'm 35 with a pacemaker and one baby-another on the way. I got mine when my daughter was 1 1/2. Scary to say the least. So many people have helped me here.....write in whenever you need to.
Feel free to message me as well. Anything I can do to help! Hang in there!!!
You know you're wired when...
You can shop longer than the Energizer Bunny.
Member Quotes
I have an ICD which is both a pacer/defib. I have no problems with mine and it has saved my life.
Hi, Welcome
by pacergirl - 2011-02-18 10:02:25
to our little club of over 10,000 members! You are in some very good company.
I understand that you are scared, can't think of much of anything other than your new pacemaker and feeling perhaps a bit alone. You are not alone. Most of us have gone through what you are going through now and are here for you.
My advise to you is follow your Dr. advice about lifting your arm. Allow time for your body to heal and start celebrating your life that you now have. It will take some time so don't over do it at first. Follow your instructions. Right down the questions that you want to ask your Dr. so you don't forget. If you don't understand what they are talking about, ask them to explain in a way you can understand.
Thank goodness you are here and alive to tell your story! I am so happy to meet you,
Pacergirl