Tomorrow

Hi guys, tomorrow, Monday the 19th, I'm having my pacer of 8 years replaced. I went in for my normal yearly office visit in addition to my 3 month telephone checks to find out that I had a whopping 3 months left of battery life on my pacemaker. I assumed they would want to change it out the next week, but oh no, they want to eek out every molecule of juice out of the battery so they would do a monthly telephone check instead of the 3 month and hope to catch it before it crashes in between one of the one month spans.
So what do I do if it does? I ask. Oh, you'll figure it out. You'll get really tired, like if you fold a load of towels and you feel like you just climbed a hill. Check your pulse and if you've done activity that would normally raise your pulse and its staying steady at 65 then give us a call and someone will do a telephone check and probably tell you it's time. Then they will schedule you for the replacement.
Well I got the feeling 3 weeks later and kind of felt like a wimp because it wasn't anywhere near the 3 month deadline so I decided, in my educated wisdom, to wait the extra week until the telephone call was due. Meanwhile I'm dizzy, so tired I can't stand up,my pulse is not nudging off of 65 and I'm white as a ghost. My blood pressure is looking like a New England Fall day. But I'm a numbers person and I was told I had 3 months left...duh!

Ring...I get the call and I'm told to put the magnet on my pacemaker, I said, it is on my pacemaker. Well. this must have been a new, young tech because you could hear it in her voice after about 5 minutes of reading her script and not getting the right answers she said, "I have to hang up now, I have to hang up right now! My read out is saying End of life!"' I have to hang up!
I really felt bad for her, maybe I should have been more upset, but I've had this thing for 8 years and sure my heart can stop any time, but the doctor said if I felt faint to cough real hard if that didn't work call 911. Guess it wouldn't matter.
Anyway, I got a callback right away and they said I'd be fine but if I had the normal heart attack symptoms call 911. Again, duh.
So they made an appointment for 5 days later, time to get bloodwork done, go get a physical, have their weekend off and be all relaxed for Monday morning.
I really trust my doctors especially the cardiologist specialist that can make the machine sing. She explains every blip and dip it spits out.
So, when I read the post of the person who said they had to be there for 10:00, but didn't get into silvery til 3:30, I kind of felt like I was looking at my day tomorrow. I'm supposed to be there for 10:00 and already have been warned it may be late.
Thanks a lot! I feel better.

4 Comments

Needing New Pm Battery

by SMITTY - 2013-08-18 01:08:29

Hello Martinb,

Below is something I wrote for a member that was going through pretty much the same thing you are. I'm guessing you are thinking about what may happen if your PM battery runs completely down in between your visits to the dr. The likelihood of the PM stopping without warning is about the same as it is for the sun to set in the East. It just ain't going to happen.

When the battery power reaches a certain level known as EOL (End of Life) or the PM goes into ERM (Elective Replacement Mode) or one called a VVI there is enough battery power left to safely operate the PM for at least three months.

You will know when this level of battery power is reached as the PM shifts from being an on demand PM to a full time PM. As a full time PM it will make your heart beat at a constant 65 BPM, regardless of the settings it may have. When this happened to mine I knew it without a doubt. The low setting on mine was 80 and one morning I got up with a constant heart rate of 65 with a some irregular beats thrown in for good measure. It got my attention immediately.

Fortunately for me I had read what would happens when the battery reaches EOL, ERM or VVI. While it was not painful, it was uncomfortable enough to cause me to call the dr. office ASAP. I was told to it was probably a low battery and to come in for a checkup. The low battery was confirmed and I was scheduled for a new PM the next day.

The thing is, don't be concerned about being left without a working PM because of the battery. Our PMs have enough safety features we will not be left out in the cold without any warning the battery on the PM is reaching the end of its life.

Good luck,

Smitty

Thank you!

by martinb - 2013-08-18 03:08:39

How nice it would be if doctors would simply hand people a pamphlet in human readable language that all us could understand that explained these things.
I worked for a DoD, sorry, I'm just as bad, Department of Defense contractor for 25 years and part of my job was to translate those 6" thick huge books of rules and regulations that are printed on paper so thin you can read the next page right through the last and you need a stationery magnifying glass to read it. So I had to make sure employees understood what it meant, why it was important to them and what were the repercussions if they didn't follow the rules.
Maybe I missed that day in pacemaker school, but is there somewhere that you can easily find a booklet or brochure for newbies or folks like me who are going for the second time around?
I've read so many posting from so many scared people and then answers from people like you, Smitty, who so generously share this information after successfully doing the legwork.
My other life while working full time and raising my 3 kids is having my own Graphics Arts and Design business. I have pretty much retired it, but still do things for friends and family. If there anyone feels there is a need and it isn't already out there, don't want to reinvent the wheel, with some help and valid research and contribution of information that you would think good for each phase of the get a pacemaker, what's next...kind of thing, I would be happy to do what I can to put something together that possibly the owners of this site would be willing to support. Any thoughts? Something simple, short, to the point, we can print out, read, and say "Phew!" My pacemaker isn't going to quit like the TV remote! My daughter called today all worried thinking the battery would die in the. middle of the night like her headphones to her iPod and I'd be dead and no one would know. Not knowing myself I told her its like a flashlight when the battery starts to go. It gets a little dimmer so I get a little tired and then it starts to go out so you whack it on the side of a table and sometimes it comes back on. So she says,"well how many times has Dad had to knock your head on the end table?".
.nice kid :o)

Dale

Need

by Bostonstrong - 2013-08-18 04:08:57

Yes! Yes! Yes! There is a need. I was given no information by my EP other than don't drive for 2 weeks and don't raise your arm over your head. What about a pacemaker for dummies type pamphlet? Readable, understandable language? Because just getting used to this device is a little overwhelming but having a little info goes a long way toward easing fears.

Glad you're getting a new one

by KAG - 2013-08-18 12:08:42

Hope all goes well. Just think how much better you'll be feeling tomorrow. Keep us posted.

Kathy

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