recent pacemaker insertion L111 Boston Scientific
- by judojav
- 2022-01-16 10:31:05
- Surgery & Recovery
- 754 views
- 4 comments
I went to JH in Baltimore to inquire about low BPM alerts on my iwatch. Over a period of two days the watch warned me that my rate was below 40 for 10 minutes or more. Upon further review over the last couple three years my watch generated the same warning sporadically. I called Teledoc and after 8 hours the call was returned, the doctor told me to go to the emergency room. This was after I worked out at my Crossfit box on Sunday. I did half the workout called 12 days of Christmas as a precaution, but did notice it was causing me to get winded a little more than usual. (age group 50-54 although I am 63 workout had ground to overhead 300 meter row, 115 lb snatches 115 lb thrusters, bar muscle ups, stationary dips, burpees etc.) Crazy I know, but love it. When I arrived at the emergency room they did an EKG and noticed an anomoly. They brought out a wheelchair?! They brought to a room for a few hours then ICU for a pacemaker insertion the next day. Many tests were run atrial flutter and bradycardia was the diagnosis. My heart rate was remaining in the low 30s sometimes high 20s (resting always was in high 40s) they were surprised I did not need help to move about or passed. They decided to squeeze me in the next day when they noticed some organ damage may be occurring base on chem tests. So my question is this dual lead pacemaker was placed right below m collarbone. There was commentary there wasn't any fat in that area, but I was never given a choice. The pacemaker bulges out like a hockey puck and is placed right slightly below where I receive the bar in the clean, front squats, etc. I was never given a choice of location, and now I asking for relocation (wires stay in place), under the pectoral muscle. Anyone had experience with relocation, Crossfit? I don''t have coronary heart disease, Lyme, etc. never any meds at 64, but all went to crap. I had a very difficult 2020 thought could be heartbreak syndrome related. Thank you.
4 Comments
Recent Pacemaker Insertion
by TAC - 2022-01-16 12:09:53
I understand your disappointment. Reality can indeed destroy many dreams. When I finally retired, I thought I was in good physical shape, probably good for the next 20 o more years. Therefore, I bought a condominium in a beautiful scenic part of New Mexico in the United States. I was planing to become an oil painting artist and sell my paintings to tourists. I had just moved into my new place, I had not even opened the boxes with my belongings, when I was rear-ended while driving in town. It wasn't a bad accident, but they took an X ray of my sore neck and to my surprise, they found that I had an aortic aneurysm ready to burst at any time. My dream came down crashing. I cancelled everything and I had to make a 360 degree turn. In a rush, I started preparing for a hit-or-miss open heart surgery. I left behind my dream home and moved to a major city to have my surgery. That was 12 years ago. The aneurysm was successfully repaired and I didn't die. For the last three years I carry a pacemaker because of a A/V block. Considering averything, I'm fortunate to still being alive. What happened to my dream? It ended up all shattered on the floor. I think you're very lucky that they found and corrected your heart problem on time. Now, you have to prepare for making significant changes in your life style. You could have had a sudden death during any of your athletic routines, yet you did not. Consider yourself very fortunate. Things might never be the same for you from now on and accept it. You have to adjust your priorities.
New Life
by doublehorn48 - 2022-01-16 12:44:04
You probable can't get the doctors to go back in and place your pm sub pectoral. My pm's have gotten smaller over the years. The one I have now is smaller than a half dollar. There are a lot of people on this board that are quite active. When my first pm was placed around 35 years ago the cardiologist stated I was back to about 90%. That 90% has allowed me to have a great and active life. Yeah, you can't hit the pm with a bar when lifting weight. If you do the pinch you recieve will stop you from doing that lift again. But you can still do free weights. Bench presses, flys, presses.... You don't have to have a pity party, you can still get up and roll.
Best wishes
m. scott
You know you're wired when...
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Bradycardia
by AgentX86 - 2022-01-16 11:17:20
Welcome to the club that no one wants to belong.
It's very odd that your heart rate is in the 20s-30s but when resting it's in the 40s? When is it measured in the 20s-30s? BTW, Apple watches aren't of much use, particulalry for those with an arrhythmia. Flutter can drive it crazy. You should always palpate it yourself, and in a major artery (neck or groin). A wild arrhythmia like Afib and sometimes flutter the heart is beating chaotically and heart rate is all over the place.
That's the normal location. Sometimes EP's don't place it otherwise and have someone else (often a plastic surgeon) do the generator implant. In an emergency you're likely not to have a choice. Considering that you have organ damage already it was certainly an emergency.
My EP specifically told me that I cannot use free weights and in particular, presses but I'm sure the same would go for clings and anything where the bar would touch the bar. The issue is crushing a lead. There are a few here who do crossfit without problems.
"Hockey puck"? That's about right. That's what mine looks like, except it looks like a hockey puck with a couple of lamp cords coming out of it, dissappearing under the collar bone. This is normal for people with little fat on their chest.
I doubt that you'll be able to get it moved but it won't hurt to ask. Insurance is unlikely to cover it because it would be elective surgery, effectively plastic surgery. Again, ask. It won't happen if you don't make your wishes known.