Pacemaker Implant/ New to club

Hi ALL!

I just joined this club. I am a 19 year old male who just got a pacemaker put in on June 13th 2013. The recovery process so far is ok. In pain and very tight. When will it get better? I have been depressed thinking that this means i will die at a young age. :( please someone tell me that isn't true.

8 Comments

You will be OK!

by sunny@heart - 2013-06-17 01:06:23

Many folks live a long time with their pacemakers... in fact, it actually prolonged my life.... depending on what's wrong your PM will help protect you .... mine detects a-fib & more serious the v-tach & notifies my cardiology office that I have had some irregular rhythms and they call me to see how I am doing & check up on me... doesn't happen very often, but when it does I am grateful for the help!!
Sunny

18

by golden_snitch - 2013-06-17 03:06:28

Hi!

I got my first pacemaker when I was 18, am 31 now. It will definitely not reduce your life expectancy! But it will improve your quality of life :) It's there to help you lead a normal life, and not to limit your activities etc.

I guess once the site has healed nicely, and the pain and tightness is gone, you'll not be reminded of the device so often, and will be able to return to all your daily life activities. Some of us even forget that they have a pacemaker until it's time for replacement.

Best wishes

Inga

Hi,

by Gellia3 - 2013-06-17 07:06:53

I have to agree with the others. I've had my PM for nearly 38 years now (1975 when they weighed in at 3 pounds!).

It won't reduce a nice normal life, but rather give you one. Enjoy it. Having a PM hasn't stopped me from doing anything I wanted to do. I hope it does the same for you.

Best to you,
Gellia

Told you so!!!!!

by donr - 2013-06-17 08:06:46

Isn't it great to be piled on in a situation like this?

When you put PM technology in perspective, we are collectively still the lab rats. Nicole33 wrote yesterday about getting a new PM w/ some wireless technology built into it.

Further, consider where we all would be w/o PM's Most of us would be dead at worst & living miserable, severely handicapped lives at best.

Don

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2013-06-17 10:06:06

Welcome to the club! So sorry you have to deal with a pm at your age but I'm glad you found us so you know you're not alone. There are others here your age who just got one, and others who got them as babies. I got my first one at 27. I'm 46 now and still going strong! I'm healthy and active, have two teenagers, own a business, headed off on a hiking vacation in a few weeks, just got back from my daily run and Crossfit class... having a pm doesn't slow me down at all and I plan to pace for a lot more years to come. I've always been told this will not decrease my life expectancy. I have a simple problem (av block) and the pm fixes it. If I'd been born the same year as my mother, I probably wouldn't have seen my 30th birthday so I consider myself fortunate.

As for the pain, I felt steadily better every day the first week. Have you tried ice or heat? Try both and see which feels better, ice is good for swelling but heat is better for stiffness. Don't raise the arm higher than shoulder level and don't lift anything heavy yet, but other than that it's important to move the arm normally. The tightness will get better. People who don't move enough tend to get frozen shoulder, you don't want that!

It takes time

by Grateful Heart - 2013-06-17 10:06:50

It's only been a few days for you. You will find it gets better each day. Any questions you have, ask here...this is a good, caring and knowledgeable group of fellow pacers.

Like the others said, the PM will prolong and enhance your life. There should be nothing to hold you back now!!

Hope you are feeling better.

Grateful Heart

It isn't TRUE!

by donr - 2013-06-17 12:06:37

Short of something else going wrong, you will have a long, useful, productive & happy life!

You did not say WHY you got the PM. That has a big bearing on what life will be like in the future. How 'bout telling us.

Go GOOGLE on life expectancy w/ PM's ask it the record for living w/ one. You will be amazed - & PM's are technically in their infancy.

We have batches of long-lived PM Hosts in here. You will hear from them.

Don

Welcome

by Moner - 2013-06-17 12:06:39

Please pay heed to what Don said above, your pacemaker will NOT reduce your lifetime expectancy.

Moner
>^..^<

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

Member Quotes

I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.