Who has had their pacemaker since they were a child?
Just curious to see how many of us have had their pacemaker since they were a child. I had mine put in when I was two years old, and back then it was the big old clunky ones that did not change pace except for set times.. so I had a daytime rate and a nighttime rate and that was it.. no fluxuation.
It's like comparing and old rotary phone with an iPhone 7. The technology has come such a long way and I can do so much more than I could as a kid. I'm sure if you've clicked on this post you can agree on that. I'm now 37 now and still living strong!
Anyways, what's your story?
4 Comments
welcome!
by Tracey_E - 2017-01-16 11:29:20
Nice to meet you!! It's so different now when kids are paced! I'm older than you at 50, and they just watched me when I was a kid. The first one you got was miles ahead of what they had available to give me as a child. It wasn't life and death, so they waited as long as possible. I'm on my 5th now, got my first in 1994.
Hello
by admin - 2017-01-16 20:19:19
My first pacemaker was implanted in 1978 at the age of nine. It was implanted in my abdomen and was the size of a hockey puck. It was replaced and moved to my chest as a young adult. The technology has certainly improved. We are now sporty mini-computers under our skin. Mine picks up arrhythmias and I even credit it for saving my life. At a pacemaker clinic visit, Vtach was detected in my pacemaker's memory. My cardiologist told me at that time that my heart was under too much stress and I needed a third open heart surgery to install and pulmonary valve. I proudly take technology to heart!
Blake
Hi!
by phoeb9782 - 2017-06-27 09:31:24
Received my first pacemaker when I was five days old so don't remember life without one!
About to receive my 5th device in a few years time and excited to live a long and happy life.
Take care :)
You know you're wired when...
Your device acts like a police scanner.
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I am very lucky to have my device.
Things have changed
by Ds78127 - 2017-01-16 05:26:44
Things have definitely changed in the last 20+ years. I can't say I miss that first pacemaker model I had but it did the job. I find I'm more active now in my 30's than I was able to be when I was as a young child.
Hopefully folks on here that are new to having a pacemaker can read these comments and see that it's pretty normal to have a pacemaker these days. The only real limitations I've found are the ones you put on yourself.