Should I be afraid to sleep?

I have had PM for about 7 years now and I think that my batterie is dead or is dieing. I am going to the Cardi tomorrow but I have not had a check up in over a year due to the lack of insurance. My heart rate is still at about 65 but I dont feel right....light headed and dizzy sometimes. Should I be afraid to go to sleep. I feel fine right now but I dont want to die in my sleep?? I am 23 and this will be my 3rd pacemaker. If the batt dies my heart should continue to beat right?? As of 2 years ago I was not even close to being 100% dependent on my PM but I dont know now..........can anyone help me with some info.? Thank you

2 Comments

dead batteries

by Tracey_E - 2009-04-24 06:04:10

They don't die all at once, they go into an emergency backup mode that conserves power for about three months. It sounds like you are there! You'll be fine, you just won't feel so good until you get it changed because it conserves energy by delivering minimal function. It won't let your heart drop below the minimum beat, which sounds like you have set at 65.

Only your doctor can tell you what your heart will do with it off completely. We all have some sort of underlying rate.

Get to the cardiologist soon

by sand dollar - 2009-04-26 01:04:59

Hi,
I can't imagine how hard it must be for you to have this and not have insurance. Your cardiologist will help anyway- rest assure he would rather treat you for free than to have something bad happen to you. The fact that you are feeling light headed and dizzy says you are probably needing to be paced but the machine can't do it for you. They need to check you and get you in for a battery change. Actually my cardiologist told me it isn't just changing the battery, they can't open the old pacemaker and put in a battery, you will get a whole new unit. I think you would have seen the doctor Friday, I hope that they will take care of you. If he won't ask they how you can get a replacement, there must be a way, talk to the patient affairs dept. at the hospital too. Don't give up, you need this and soon.

You know you're wired when...

The mortgage on your device is more than your house.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.