Pregnant with pacer

Hello everyone... My wife has had her pacemaker for 4 years now. We recently found out that she is 10 weeks pregnant!! yay!! The reason she had her pacemaker put in was due to her fainting all the time ( about 10 times a year) and her heart would stop for long periods of time before "re-setting". I know that some dizziness is to be expected during the pregnancy along with all the morning sickness, but it is reminding her alot of the feelings she would get before she had the pacemaker put in. I was just curious if anyone out there has been pregnant with a pacemaker that may be able to provide some insight on what to expect. We talked to her cardiologist and all he could tell us was that she is his first patient preggo with a pacer. Any insight would be greatle appreciated. Thank you and hope you all have a great new year.

7 Comments

been there, done that!

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-08 01:01:13

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a nice way to start 2009.

There are several of us here who have had babies with a pm. I was my cardio's first pregnant patient also, and my ob's first patient with a pm. They had a chat early in my first pregnancy and decided that I was not high risk because the pm pretty much fixes my heart problems. They talked about sending me to a neonatal cardiologist but my problems are not genetic so there was no chance of passing it on to a child. Other than putting me on a cardiac monitor and antibiotics when I delivered, I was treated just like anyone else having a baby. I did aerobics class right up until the week I delivered both babies and had easy, normal deliveries.

I was also very dizzy and tired first trimester, and it brought flashbacks to how I felt before I got the pm. It's not a good feeling mentally, esp when the pm made me feel so much better, but it was the pregnancy, not my heart and it went away after a few weeks.

I had morning sickness morning, noon and sometimes in the middle of the night! It's all normal and has no affect on our heart or pm. Staying hydrated and eating small meals is the best thing she can do to combat it. Dehydration makes you more dizzy so it's a vicious circle. SeaBands and ginger (cookies or tea) may help. Avoid phenergan. Most ob's pass it out like candy but it can affect your hr and it made me more dizzy. I chose nauseous over more dizzy, lol.

I had low blood pressure, which was the cause of some of the dizziness, so they put me on a high sodium diet for a few weeks. But don't do that without discussing it with her doctor!! It's not for everyone, but it's worth asking if her bp is low.

She should start feeling better soon! Most of the dizziness and fatigue is gone by 12-14 weeks. If you have more questions or either of you wants to chat, please let me know!

Thanks a new one!

by ElectricFrank - 2009-01-08 10:01:59

Pregnant with a pacemaker. When is the little pacemaker due? LOL

frank

lol

by Angelie - 2009-01-09 10:01:00

Frank,
You made me laugh out loud, and my co-workers thought I was going crazy all of a sudden.
That was hilarious word play. Thanks, I needed that.
Too funny!

Angelie

Many Congrats!

by CarolL814 - 2009-01-09 10:01:46

I had my first PM implanted when I was 16. I had a second degree heart block. Passed out quite often, many dizzy spells, etc., etc. Of course one of my concerns was will I be able to have children.
Much to my delight my doctors told me that I would have to change nothing about my life (except contact sports :-) )
I have two beautiful girls, 15 and 12. I had absolutely no complications due to my PM while pregnant with either of them.
What your wife is feeling is just normal pregnancy stuff. I know how scary it is to feel dizzy again, but rest assured that she will be fine.

Carol

Thanks a new one or thats a new one?

by spanner051 - 2009-01-09 12:01:36

Frank,
Actually pregnant with a pacer not pacemaker.....We wouldnt want the little guy to get made fun of at school now would we?? Thats why we went with Pacer instead of pacemaker. Actually little pacer is due August 1st. Which means by now he should already have developed the casing and microelectronics. I expect that little pacers leads and and polyurethane insulation should be forming this week.... Which could cause some indigestion or heart burn. Ive heard the pacer morning sickness starts to ease after the first trimester when the silicon semiconductors begin to form. Thanks for the awe inspiring insight though.... I will be sure to keep you updated on how the pregnancy is going and to ask for further pacer parenting advice such as how to change a dirty battery....

directions

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-10 07:01:46

They never come out following directions, doesn't matter what the settings are!

Question

by ElectricFrank - 2009-01-10 11:01:19

Be sure it is born with Rate Response is off so it follows directions instead of setting off on its own!!

frank

You know you're wired when...

Intel inside is your motto.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.