Brands of Pacemakers
- by lamby
- 2008-06-26 06:06:32
- General Posting
- 3305 views
- 13 comments
Hi All,
I'm 31 and was just told by my dr. that I need a pacemaker. Therefore, I'm doing a lot of research right now and have come across articles such as lawsuits on certain types of recall's for medtronic, etc. Also reading about how some of these pacemakers can "go-wrong" such as tearing a whole in your heart wall and no one would ever know!
Do the majority of folks out there have the medtronic brand? how do i know which one is the best one? sorry for the ignorance, just trying to learn as much as I can before I get one installed!
13 Comments
PM brands
by lamby - 2008-06-26 08:06:14
Thanks Ela-girl for your response. I actually have NO information yet....i'm still waiting for my cardiologist to get back to me on next steps. All i know is that he told me i need a pacemaker (bradycardia as well) and said he would call me this week.
So i'm not sure what kind of PM he's going to prescribe, but i'm going to research some of the questions that you asked me! like ICD? not sure what that is?
so once you had your's "installed" did you notice a difference in your activity? Meaning, do you feel you have more energy? I personally am constantly tired, and the dr. said that it would definitely improve w/ a pacemaker.
Energy Level
by ela-girl - 2008-06-26 08:06:38
Well, I can say that my pm has changed my life! Considering I would have a frequent heart rate of 4 BPM (beats per minute), I'm am much better being at 60 BPM now with the pm!!!! I was always tired and slept my life away. Now I can drive again and hike and do things alone without worry. It took me over 4 years to get the right kind of help, but I wouldn't change getting a pm for anything! I have a quality of life now. Sure beats walking around half dead...no joke!
With that said, it took me awhile to get back into the swing of things. Doctors considered pm surgery minor in the realm of heart surgeries. But that doesn't mean it's minor for us! It took me longered than expected to recuperate. So, make sure you go easy on yourself once you get your pm and if you're not feeling like you thought you should right away, give it time. Doctors will make it sound like you'll be out running the next day...not so!
OK...so you're getting a pm and not an ICD...I wasn't sure if you knew for sure. An ICD is a defibrillator...anyways...I definitely can relate to your age and the bradycardia...no fun!
Please feel free to keep asking questions or private message me if like (private messages are found in the upper right hand corner in the "member menu" under your username).
ela-girl
Thanks ela-girl!
by lamby - 2008-06-26 09:06:07
you've helped me a lot! i dont know what the dr. will siggest, so hopefully i will find out this week. will let you know if i have questions after that! i'm sure i will!
thanks again!
YES!
by ela-girl - 2008-06-26 09:06:15
Good point, Candi, with the placement of the device!!! My EP placed mine under the muscle and into my breast tissue in order to "hide" it. I'm a very small gal (5'2" 102 lbs) and my EP didn't want this big bulge on me and wanted me to feel comfortable for my age. He did a great job..can't even see it! My pm is also sewn down inside it's little pocket so it can't move around or migrate. It's said that recovery is a bit longer with this choice because the muscle is cut, but I really didn't notice anything or have pain. In fact, I never had to use any pain meds...just iced the site and sleep with a million pillows! Of course, what works for one will not necessarily be true of another. :)
ela-girl
No problem!
by ela-girl - 2008-06-26 09:06:40
It's a pleasure to be able to help in any small way. I don't envy you at all...I had my pm put in via emergency surgery, so I didn't have time to dwell on it! :) But we've all "been there, done that" so it's a pleasure to pass on any experience. As it's been said before, this club has the best people who are willing to share.
Please keep us informed!!
ela-girl
PS: You don't say if you're a guy or girl? I just ask because girls have other issues to deal with (at I least I think) while recuperating!
Post-op
by ela-girl - 2008-06-26 09:06:44
Well, you won't be allowed to lift your arm (on the implant side) above your shoulders for 6 weeks to ensure that the leads firmly entrench into the heart wall and don't become dislodged. Nor are you allowed to push/pull with that arm or reach it around towards your back. This can make it tricky to wash/do your hair! You also run into the problem of finding a bra that's comfortable. Things like that...
All of the ladies on the site can offer you plenty of suggestions of things to do to help...but it's nice to be aware in advance. Me, I had my husband doing my hair for awhile...bless his soul! He didn't do too bad a job! LOL
ela-girl
i'm a girl
by lamby - 2008-06-26 09:06:55
what are the other issues to deal with since i happen to be female?
Welcome Lamby
by candi51 - 2008-06-26 09:06:56
Welcome to the PM/ICD club!
I am 31 also and just received my ICD on June 2nd. I had a month to ask questions and do research before I had my surgery and I worried WAY more than neccessary!
Ela-girl gives great advice :-)) Thanks to her tips I didn't even need any pain meds!
It is great to ask questions! One question I did not know of and everyone on here has helped with was where the device will be implanted- under the skin or subpectoral. Mine is under the skin and it shows some. I would have rather done sub-pec(under the muscle) because it doesn't show as much but my Dr said no for my situation. (Keep in mind ICD"s are bigger than PM's.) Anyway- that is a good question to ask if you haven't found out already.
My device is a St Jude Medical and that is just the kind my EP Dr uses. I didn't have a choice. You can get lots of good info from the manufactuer sites. I know of Meditronic which seems to be the biggest supplier/highest ratio, St Jude Medical, Ela, and Guidant/Boston Scientific. Of course every brand will sell theirs as the best. I just figured my Dr knew what he was comfortable working with and what would be best for my situation so I didn't press the issue.
I was worried about my bra strap rubbing the site but it has been OK and as the incision heals it doesn't seem to be a problem for me. I still am sensitive about the seat belt rubbing it but it is getting better.
So best wishes and welcome the club!!
Candi
ALL THE SAME
by peter - 2008-06-27 04:06:44
I really dont think you can choose between brands. You for instance might decide against medtronic only to discover later that the brand you chose is owned by medtronic as the various pacemaker companies have a habit of swollowing each other up but still maintaining their brand names. They are all good. If you could get one with a longer battery life that would be nice but again they are all very similar. Cheers Peter
Can we trust Guidant?
by ted - 2008-06-28 02:06:04
Pacemakers may be generally alike, but one company in particular, Guidant, has a dismal record when it comes to telling the truth. Guidant hid the truth about defects and faulty PM's and ICD's for years while patients were dying. Unsuspecting doctors kept implanting defective pacers. Although recently bought by Boston Scientific, should we reward Guidant for it's criminal conduct by purchasing it's products now? How do we know they will tell the truth next time defects come to light? I have a recalled Guidant. I wouldn't trust this company.
Brands
by shockbox340 - 2008-06-30 10:06:40
Actually, you can choose which one you want, most patients just don't take the time to research it. That being said, knowing where to look for relevant info based on your exact problem is like a needle in a haystack on the internet. They all do basically the same thing, but there are significant differences in almost every aspect. If your problem is merely bradycardia with no form of heart block, at your young age I would focus on companies that are best at minimizing ventricular pacing. They all have ways to address that, but some are better than others. Best of luck!
You know you're wired when...
You name your daughter Synchronicity.
Member Quotes
I wasn't really self-conscious about it. I didn't even know I had one until around six or seven years old. I just thought I had a rock in my side.
PM Brands
by ela-girl - 2008-06-26 07:06:28
Welcome!
As far as pm brands, you don't get to decide what you get (well, at least from what I know if you are in the US). It is pretty much up to your doctor and who he works/contracts with or who the hospital works with. If you have a good cardiologist or EP, s/he will be sure to fit you with the model that you need to best assist you with the problems you have. All pacers can be just a bit different or have different 'gizmos', per se. Just because there can be problems (even if there have been problems in the past with certain brands) doesn't mean you will have a problem. Try not to get too freaked out!
With that said, why are you having your pm fitted? I noticed your age...I turn 31 in July. I had my pm implanted via emergency surgery almsot 2 years ago now. So, I can relate to you a bit. I had a dual chamber placed for severe bradycardia, neurocardiogenci syncope, and heart block.
Definitely try to learn as much as you can and be informed. There are great web sites out there...just be careful with some of the stuff you read, ya know? Do you already know what brand you're getting and what model? Do you know if it's a single or dual chamber or a bi-ventricular pm or an ICD? Sorry to be so nosey...we just are a family here and try to help each other out! And the best way to do that is to have more info from you!
I have an Ela Symphony pm by The Sorin Group. I love mine and have been attached to it since day one. :) Just know that you will most likey come out of surgery with factory settings on your pm to ensure that it's working properly. And over the first 3 months, you will have your settings tweaked to you and your condition. And this can be a bit of trial and error, so hang in there.
We have a "search" feature in the upper right corner of the site, so search away and ask if you hav emore questions!
ela-girl