PM removed - does it happen?

I was wondering, My pacemaker is set at 60bpm. My own heart started out at 36bpm, but in the last few months, has gone up to 65bpm. Does this mean that I don't really need the PM anymore? Does a PM ever get removed? I just thought that I would ask. Has anyone had it removed, or know of any case? I will be seeing my Dr. in 2 weeks, and was thinking of asking this question, but if no one has had it done, I will not really have info. to discuss with him.

6 Comments

Creamaimee

by stuie - 2008-11-09 09:11:50

I have the same question. I had my PM inserted last year. At that time i went into afib 28% of the time. My last read showed last than 6% of the time. We started to discuss that I ma now be a good candidate for new medication and cardiac ablation. Does aib ever reverse itself, even with the help of ablation, that would permit the PM to be removed. For some vital statistics, I am 58 years old, jog on a treadmill at least 1/2 an hour everyday and ride horse, whenever I can, but at least 4 times a week.

Removing PM

by SMITTY - 2008-11-09 10:11:40


Yes, I have seen one or two members telling about having their pacemakers removed, but I think that is rare, so I would say don't be too hasty. I have always thought that the most consistent thing about our heart is its inconsistency. Your heart rate went to a level that said you needed a pacemaker. Does anyone really know why that happened, or that it will never happen again.

I got my pacemaker in 2000 for ill conceived reasons. My heart rate had, for years been in the 50 to 60 range and in order to make the PM work the doctor put in a low setting of 80. This made the PM work >90% of the time, but that fast a heart beat continuously was uncomfortable. Not painful but just uncomfortable, especially when I was trying to go to sleep and could feel/hear my heart sounding as if I had been running a foot race. After much argument I got the low setting reduced to 60 but eventually that was increased to 70 and that is where it has stayed for several years. There were many other low settings tried for different reasons during that time, but that is fuel for another story some other time.

Since early 2007 my heart rate would have been in the mid-40s to mid-50s the majority of the time if I didn't have a PM, so most of the time I'm glad I still have it.

What I'm leading up to is if that PM is not causing you a lot of grief, and your natural heart rate is only 5 BPM above the low PM setting, I say don't get in a hurry to talk to the doctor about having it removed. So long as your hearts natural pacemaker is keeping your heart above the low set point on the PM, the PM is just going along for the ride while it monitors your heart rhythm to see if it is needed.

I think that may be one thing our doctors fail to emphasize enough about a PM. That is it does not just automatically take over the function of keeping our heart beating at some predetermined rate. It just sits there and monitors what the hearts natural pacemaker is dong and only when it thinks the heart's natural pacemaker is not going to make the heart beat will it send an impulse to do so. So long as it is just a monitor, it is using very little battery power.

And this brings me back to what I said earlier, unless that PM is causing your problems; just leave it in place until you have a good history of it not being needed.

Good luck,

Smitty

If only...

by Nik2056 - 2008-11-09 11:11:19

I received my PM about two years ago, and my doctors weren't sure that I would actually need it. I currently use it less than 1% of the time, but they wanted me to have it "just in case."

I don't think doctors remove it unless it causes problems. Also, it's probably better to leave it in, not only for "just in case," but to prevent other complications that could arise from removing it.

-Nik

Not sure

by uppingthepace - 2008-11-10 02:11:36

I have had my PM 2 years and now my heart only uses it less than 3% of the time. I want mine out too but my doctor says that if it isn't causing any problems, don't create any problems. I asked him if he had ever removed any PMs and he said no. If anyone knows of anyone that does take them out, please inform me.

Thanks
Anita

In or Out?

by susanspurs - 2008-11-10 10:11:10

My PM was fitted back in February for secondary heart block. From day one I have been driven mad by ectopic beats. They have tried so many different settings but the only one that helped this problem was turning it on to 'guardian angel setting' - as close as they can get it to off. I am only sensed in the ventricle - VVI. So the PM will only work if my heart rate goes below 30 bpm. The last PM check showed <0.1% which means the PM has not worked at all.

My GP would like it taken out - he is not convinced I needed it. But the specialists do not agree and feel I would need one eventually. I think my biggest mistake was to have had one fitted urgently (private medicine UK) on the basis of one 24 hr ECG - I now think 7-day monitoring and more tests should have been done.

Anyway seems like I am stuck with it and I can honestly say that there are times now when I do forget it is there.

Sue from London

mine was removed

by huskersnb2 - 2008-11-15 01:11:01

hello just to say it happens once in a while i had mine removed in may of 2008 becuase my wires were recalled and I got shocked 13 times I had pm shut off in oct of 07 and the im may of of 08 I had it taken out no isues yet I dont know where you live I'm from nebraska so it happens I've told people on here abut my issues you can go read my post and it will tell you more so talk to your doctor or go get a second opinion I went to 3 different doctors before I decided but i got advice from my wife and kids also them I made the final decision of what to do since the pm and defib was in me now it is sitting in the other room i a plastic cup you can leave me a message and i can talk to you and let you know what I did thanks and good luck Duane huskersnb2

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker interferes with your electronic scale.

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