Waiting for my pacemaker

Hi,
I found out a week ago that I am getting a pacemaker, my cardiologist has put me on the urgent list and told me I should be in before Christmas. Just wondered if anybody else has been in a similar situation, and how long did it take for them to contact you?

Also what tends to be the recovery time? Christmas is my busiest time of year at work, and am often required to be rushing around...I would like to give my managers a rough time scale of my return!

Thanks :)

8 Comments

Hi Amy

by IAN MC - 2013-11-27 01:11:36

Like you , I am in the UK and am delighted that the NHS is giving you a PM implant with some degree of urgency.

Everybody's experience seems to be different , but for what it's this was mine :-

DAY 1 : PM fitted at 11.00am , op lasted under an hour, I was released home at 5,30pm that day.

DAY 5 : Dressing removed

DAY 7 : I went to the South of France on holiday and drove there. Would I have been ready to go to work ; definitely yes but ONLY if the work didn't involve me raising my arm above shoulder level and lifting or moving heavy objects.

From what I have read on here, my experience was probably the best possible scenario . So I would tell your managers that , at very best, you will be off for a week but some people need longer to recover from the op. I'm sure they will survive without you !

Best of luck and let us know how you get on

Ian

Thanks guys!

by amylh87 - 2013-11-27 01:11:58

Thanks for all your comments, it's nice to hear reassuring comments from other people who have already had the surgery. I was pretty gutted when I found out, but since come to realise it is going to massively improve my quality of life!
I will definitely not be rushing back to work, like you said, my health is more important!
I will be sure to let you all know how I get on!

Thanks again.

Yes, everybody has a different story

by rfassett - 2013-11-27 03:11:52

I had my PM implanted after a scheduled ablation resulted in too much damage to the AV node and surrounding tissue (thus leading to,the ablation of AV node). That day I was in the EP lab on two different occasions (first one in for the day and last one out at the end of the day). I spent 15 hours flat on my back with four of those not even being able to raise my head from the pillow. At the end of the day, I had the PM implanted. Spent the night in the hospital and was home the next day. I took one more day off work, and then was back full time. So the procedure was nothing more than a long weekend for me. The hardest part was waiting the four days for a shower. Make no mistake about it, you will learn to appreciate the often used term - your new normal.

Sissy?

by rfassett - 2013-11-27 06:11:23

Angry, I can not speak for everyone here, but I can speak for me. I do not consider anyone here to be a lesser person for the journey forced upon them. Luck of the draw, I guess. I am grateful that I have not had the issues that you and some of the others had. But that does not mean I think anything less of you or anyone else. Actually, I think just the opposite. Nor do I believe anyone here thinks less of me for the easier journey I have had. Yes, my story is different. Yes, I have rebounded pretty well. But the fact remains, we are are connected by the titanium of which we all have. I think we all suffer from some insecurity to a degree - evidenced by the fact that we keep coming back here. I am 100% dependent on my PM - and when I dwell on that and ponder that, it scares the crap out of me. But then I have this site and all of you great folks to calm my fears. I am thankful for each of you and this site as well

Don't know much about the NHS….

by MelodyMarch - 2013-11-27 11:11:52

Since I am in the USA, but if you do not have complications during the procedure, you could potentially be back to work in a week or so with minor restrictions.

I had my pacemaker implanted on October 23rd, and I was back teaching music on Halloween, leading to all sorts of Walking Dead and Zombie Jokes from my students (I teach High School) and colleagues. The main thing is no lifting any sort of weight over the head, or more than about a gallon of milk for about 4-6 weeks with pacer side (usually left) arm.

Everyone on recovery is different. Some take one week like I did, others are off 6 weeks. Being young helps ;) Talk it over with your doctors and make the decision that is best both for your health and your needs.

MelodyMarch

Hey! Listen!

by Theknotguy - 2013-11-27 12:11:51

Listen to ANGRY SPARROW. She's been through the wringer and has some very good input. It's a lot more fun being alive than being dead. ANGRY SPARROW and I both have the T-shirts - DEATH - Been there! - Done that! - Got the T-shirt. So no job is worth your life.

Doctor told me no lifting anything heavier than a jug of milk (8 pounds) with the left arm.(pacemaker side) No raising the elbow above the shoulder. No contact sports, no straining or pulling of left arm. All of that for 90 days. Since I had an SCA l'm restricted and can't drive a car.

Post implant you may get strange feelings from the PM stretching out the pocket it's in. I got pain up through my jaw from where the leads went into the vein under my collar bone. Asking questions about unusual pain on this site will get you a lot of good answers.

You've got a chance to re-evaluate your life and what legacy you want to leave for your family. Use it!

Theknotguy

Quite quick for us

by Pacemum - 2013-11-30 06:11:22

It will depend on the type on work that you do as to when you may return.

We are with the children's services in the NHS and we are normally telephoned within a few days for urgent procedures. At our centre they tend to carry out procedures for childrens pacemakers normally at the end of the week, usually on a Friday. This gives the children the weekend to recover so that most can return to school on Monday (with PE restrictions).

Hope that you hear some news soon and that you recover well to enjoy Christmas.

Cleared to go back to work

by Beckes76 - 2013-12-01 09:12:57

I just got my 5th PM this last Wednesday...I am ready to go back to work on Wednesday. I was back at home before 1PM on Wednesday. The next day was out and about but very sore. Every day the soreness goes away a little bit more. By the end of this month I should be back to my normal. Good Luck and welcome!

Becky

You know you're wired when...

You have a maintenance schedule just like your car.

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Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.