My Story

• by jan
• 2011-06-16 12:06:25
• Batteries & Leads
• 1649 views
• 2 comments

I returned on June 12, 2011 from the hospital with a new single chamber pacemaker. I have not met with the Dr. or nurse to get the final story, but it goes like this. Since 2001 I have complained of a rat-tat-tat and feelings of sickness off and on. I had no idea how to pacer functions so was at somewhat of a lose. My Dr. said he would call the new noise a rat-tat-tat and so that is what he did. He also suggested I find another Dr. to care for me if I din't trust him. So I did find another Dr. and it was almost as interesting as the pacer makes no noise and it must be all in my head. In fact my pace check suggested in a kind way that could it be all in my head, and that I should have my hearing checked. I had the hearing checked and they said it was fine. Well to make a long story short it is 2011 and my pacer has finally reached elective replacement and they took me on and found that both of my leads were laying one on top of the other with no insulation and notted up. They showed me the wire where they had been doing their rat-tat-tat. They have a impedence check on the machine and it always showed it was with both leads fine. The rep said this is very unusual and that it probablythe reason it read o.k., because they were under the clavical and close together. I have been very sick at times, suggesting to my Dr. that I'm being shocked and they assured my it was impossible. So today they have me with the atrial lead cut off and not replaced, my ventrical lead cut off capped and a new lead to replace it and a single chamber pacers. I have been in bed rest for two days. I feel I have lost a good part of 10 years because of this. I had them turn everything they could off on my last pacer and they did, but it still did it's job on me. I have shed many tears since I arrived home, not because I'm not grateful that they found the problem finally, but that no body believed me in the first place. I'm anxious to get healed and get moving and hoping this finds me able to do the many things I thought I would not get to do again. When I look over my 20 yr. experience with pacemakers their are many funny things along with the tough times. On Dr. told me the reason my leg was swellingwas because I had to many children, another Dr., that must have been on duty for one that was playing golf, patted my had and told me the problems was that I needed rest, and more than one said all heart patients are a litty crazy. So moving along to better days. Jan