Bradycardia Part II

Hi,
Has anyone ever decided they did not need the pacemaker after they got one and took it out? Jim

2 Comments

Remove PM

by SMITTY - 2007-05-22 08:05:26

If you are thinking of having your pacemaker removed there are a couple of things of which I would suggest that you be certain. Of course you must be absolutely certain you do not now need the PM or that you do not have a heart problem that is likely to require a PM in the near future.

I had my PM turned off for almost three years but I knew the PM was doing very little and when it did come on line it shocked hell out of me. It was set to come on if my heart rate dropped below 70, which it did only when I was lying down or sitting and reading or some other activity in which I was doing nothing physical. Without the help of the PM my heart rate would only go to about 55, which it had been doing for more years than I like to count. I got an appointment with the EP that implanted the thing and told him that I wanted it turned off. He didn’t take too kindly to having some peon questioning his work and even offered, very sarcastically, to remove it. We ended that discussion quickly when I told him OK; he could remove it if he could do it without surgery.

What he did was set the low end setting at 30. I don’t think a PM can actually be turned off, but I’m not sure about that. Of course my HR never dropped to 30 so the PM just went along for the ride for almost three years. If my HR had gotten that low, I’m sure I would have been glad the PM was on standby.

What I’m leading up to is unless you think you would have a serious problem with wearing what would be a dormant PM; I suggest that you consider doing as I did. For me there came a time when mine was thought to be needed again so all that had to be done was change the settings. As you know that is much better than having another one implanted

Good luck,

Smitty

Bradycardia Part ll

by nassauqueens - 2007-05-22 11:05:56



I have a dual pacer that was implanted in '99. I didn't pay attention to any changes since I jumped right back into work, family and all other daily responsibilities. Instead of being thankful, I found it and interruption and agreed to the surgery for the sake of my family. It wasn't until the end of the fifth year when the home test showed signs of the pacer slowing down and that what I was feeling was not my life style but the pacer weakening. Because of my health care regulations I had to wait (what the doctor called hitting the pavement) another year for the replacement. So, to skip the events prior to the replacement, sometimes we don't realize the benefits of the pacer until we are reminded in changes or alerts. Up until that time I felt the same as you.

You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

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Good luck with your surgery. It will improve life amazingly.