My St. Jude implant

St. Jude implant plus my firstpacemaker

by bucky - 2016-11-19 23:50:41

Another Wow!  Im so glad it all worked out for you!  I have the same problems as you plus slow heart rate and just had my pacemaker put in friday and I must say, Im surprised at how uncomfortable Im in. It has 2 leads and I have what feels like a 50 pound bandage on to be taken off by me on monday--ugh!  Im thinking I will feel better with it off because its rubbing my arm pit pretty bad.  Im told I have to glued shut and no staples or stitches--thats going to be new to me also.  I also have the devise that monitors me for 3 hours each night.  My doc said it went well, no problems, and to see his nurse in a week to have it checked for any infection...and to see him in 3 months.  Dont know if I see the rep for anythng inbetween, but Ill probably find out when I go see the nurse?  Its going to creep me out taking off this hard bandage with what feels like a wad about 5 inches thick on top of where the pacemaker is at?  Ill have to ask my nurse on a phone call weather Im supposed to cover it back up or what...  I still have all my old feelings so far, and have almost passed out a few times getting very dizzy.  I hope theres a light at the end of this tunnel.  Im trying to be positive here but to me this is almost more uncomfortable than my bilateral masectomy,  Im not a sissy for pain per say and maby am  expecting too much too soon, so Im taking it one minute at at time.  At first I could have sworn that I was actually getting shocked the first night I came home and thought I could feel it starting and stopping a few time as I laid in bed resting and sleeping on and off. Also does anyone know if that tracker that monitors me at night also resets it if its giving me a problem?  Lots of anxious questions here--sorry, and Thanks for listening and any imput for me would be really appreciated. Even for taking off this bandage that goes from the front torso over the shoulder to the back of my mid back and is thick plastic like the refridgerator magnet plastic .  I have a bio tronik with 2 leads.  Im so glad yous are here, and hopefully Ill be able one day to leave great postiive feedback for other newbies, and Im well on my way to feeling great like all of you!

Bucky

by penquin - 2016-11-20 02:10:04

My bandage was also  bothersome. First-couldn't shower for 3 days, they gave me a sling-and told me not to raise my hands over my head for 6 weeks...so the leads were securely implanted in my heart. What a crummy time at home and trying to sleep. However- it has been 6 weeks and all that is now just a recent bad memory. I am OCD anyway, and all that "stuff" added to my anxiety. I feel mentally happy now knowing I'm  "fixed" and lucky for new technology and my life. BTW- talking about technology- my first pacemaker was a Medtronic , the size and weight of a hockey puck..look at the new ones-so thin and light with better power reliability. Relax-in a few months you won't even remember it's there unless you periodically let your mind vector on it. Like all of us...your body will heal (you WERE operated on) and you'll be so happy and confident in your new support system ❤️❤️😀

MRI compatible PM with old leads????

by zawodniak2 - 2016-11-20 12:18:02

Penquin----it is my understanding that to be MRI compatible with  an  MRI compatible pace maker, the leads must also be MRI compatible.  An original lead  which is capped off  will act like an antenna  and could react to the massive  magnetic field strength of the MRI machine  (similar to a coil)   thereby causing potentially dangerous effects at the uncapped end one of the lead which is lodged in heart tissue.

I hope I am wrong if I ever need an MRI because I had a new Medtronic MRI "SURESCAN" inserted last year, but my leads are the originals and are working fine (so far)..

Rodger

Capped lead

by penquin - 2016-11-20 17:52:13

Great post. Thank you so much for thinking "out of the box". Of course, now I'm going to ask both the Surgeon and other experts to track an answer. Thanks again...this is a good forum with people like you.

BTW: When I asked them to remove the old lead...their response was very negatively animated-then I researched and discovered how dangerous (as in death) that removal attempt is. 

So-thanks to you--no MRI until I get a good answer.😃

Penquin

by zawodniak2 - 2016-11-20 22:20:01

Thanks for your kind comments. The information in my comments was from a reliable source.  I am a frequent listener to the weekly interventional cardiology program on SIRIUS/XM radio( I have a pace maker and a stent}.  A few months ago Dr. Charles Love,  an electrophysiologist at he NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City spoke about lead extractions and MRI's. He has performed 8000+lead extractions and MRI's on patients with older non MRI compatible pace makers.  He will not perform MRI's on patients with capped off leads for reasons I indicated in my comments.  He can be reached at 212-263-7149

The other electrophysiologist from the same medical center who spoke on the same topic was Dr Steven Fowler and he can be reached at 212-263-3600.

Hope this helps..

                Rodger