I have a pacemaker - do I need it?

Not quite sure what happened to me in 2001 when I was 55 but I passed out on airplane and a Dr on board suggested I be cardio tested. I did that - I was subjected to every test imagineable and flunked the infamous tilt table test - they said I flat lined for about 5 seconds and then I restarted myself. My Dr said I should have a pacemaker installed. I did and am now on pacemaker #2 (the first one had an internal problem). Anyway, since I had the first pacemaker installed, the pacemaker has never once activated/zapped me. Whatever condition/situation and resulting rationale for installing the device in me has not occurred. My cardio Dr and I are wondering now if I really need the device. Anyone know of a similar situation where he/she had one removed or advice?

3 Comments

Do You Need It?

by SMITTY - 2008-10-15 11:10:09


Hello Ross,

I just a minute ago posted this reply to someone asking for comments on a situation almost identical to your. I'll just repeat that comment for whatever it may be worth to you. I will add one thing. Based on your age when you got the PM and adding 7 years I see you are approaching the age where a higher percentage of the population can benefit from a pacemaker. Of course you may never need one, but it would sure be convenient if you ever did and just be able to get the settings changed and be on your way.

I say leave it if the pacemaker is not causing you pain and there is at least a couple of years battery life left. Why risk more surgery to have something removed that is not hurting anything.

I got one for SSS, which I didn't need, and had it for almost 3 years. with that thing causing me many problems by shocking me sometimes. The doctor told me that while he didn't think my pain was from the pacemaker he would remove it or turn it down so low that it wouldn't help out unless my heart rate dropped into the 30s. I told the doctor to just turn it down and if that didn't stop the problem I could have it removed later. It was turned down and guess what I did need the thing until about 2 years later so they just turned it back up to 70. I have been using it more than 75% of the time for about 3 years now. It still shocks me sometime, but nothing like before, especially after I got the nerve deadened that the pacemaker was "stimulating" and making me think I was getting shocked.

I'm glad I kept the thing and didn't have to go through the surgery of getting another one. Of course mine has never been a minutes problem, except for the shocking problem.

So, like I said, if it ain't hurting you why not keep it just in case you do need it somewhere down the road. It can always be removed later

Smitty

Same here

by 1of4kids - 2008-10-15 11:10:22

I got a pacer back in 1997 because my heart paused for 7 seconds during my sleep and back to normal.
For the past 10+ years, I wonder if I really need it as it and doctors were not able to answer this for me. So in 2001, I had the pacer turned off for a year when the doctor told me he will removed it if I don't experienced problems, he back out of the deal of course and during my office visit he turn it back on without me knowing.
My pacer is in the ERI mode now, which means I will need a replacement soon. I am scheduled to have it taken out next month because I want to know if I can do it without the pacer rather than wait for the battery to die out which may take a few months. I don't want to wait for the battery to die on its own because the ERI mode is causing me too much problems for the past month that makes hard for me to function on a daily basis.

Do we need it

by busby - 2008-10-16 08:10:46

When I was 49 I passed out at home and split my head open. When I went to emergency I was told that the faint seemed to be heart related as the ECG was abnormal. So I was put in ICU only to be told the next day that it was just a faint and go home and forget about it. So I did and for the next 3 yrs, other than the odd throaty pulsation life went on as usual. Then one day I fainted while cooking breakfast. This day I continued to faint and by the third faint I was attached to an ECG and it showed that I was flatlining for up to a minute. So a pacemaker was put in. For the next couple of years I only used it 0.5% of the time. Then one day I had several episodes of feeling like fainting. I have no doubt that if I did not have a PM I would have fainted each time. Now I get these episode days about once a month and some of them have occurred while I have been driving and my PM useage has gone up to 17%. What I am trying to say that it may look as though you don't need it, but maybe you might really need it once in a while and it could occur in a dangerous position like driving. I was not allowed to drive unless I had a PM put in.
Robin

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