1st Battery Change Anxiety

Hi Folks!

I'm a new member here. Just came in for a little support.

I'm a 47 year old man who had my first pacemaker implanted in 1999 when I was 39 because of a 3rd degree heart block.

Tomorrow I go into Cedar Sinai Medical Center in LA, Ca. for my first battery replacement. Doc says it's a pretty easy outpatient procedure. But, for some reason I'm having more anxiety over this battery change than I did the original implant.

I'm sure many of you have had replacements over the years. Can anyone advise on expectations? I'm VERY active with golf, softball, whitewater kayaking, cycling, etc. I guess my biggest concern is that I will have to take it easy for a while.

Any advice?

Thanks.

DJM

2 Comments

Cedars Sinai Med Ctr

by auntiesamm - 2007-07-11 01:07:43

Hello DJM - I cannot answer your questions since I am on my first PM which is a little over a year old. But, I read with interest the comments of those who can and do respond. Just want to say you are fortunate to be going to such a fine medical center as Cedars! It has long been known for many of it's advances and the quality of care. I am in Orange County and had worked many years in the hospital industry where we have some outstanding centers of excellence as well. Our little Valerie (where are you, child?) goes into Cedars for her PM and related cardiac care. Please keep all of us posted on your procedure and recovery. Take care and God Bless.
Sharon

exhaustion

by ansbible - 2010-12-20 03:12:51

re: episodes of extreme fatigue?
Been experimenting with things: Doctors have given up or stonewalled my problems - even told me to go to the hospital.

Been eating a lot of small and healthy meals - like soy milk, apple, good nutrition cereal bars, steamed vegetables, turkey, chicken - seems in small meals my stomach pains / pangs lessen, my shakiness declines even goes away, the eratic beat settles down. What exasperates these things is getting chilled, so I dress like an eskimo in San Diego and get funny looks like on sunny days. I seek sunny spots, no longer shady ones, when I play for sev. hours in the local park until my legs get a bit chilled, (under neath two pairs of long pants). I am sure people think I am homeless and desperate as I keep getting pity offers of loose change. I just tell them I am playing music for psychotherapy and it's working, cause I am becoming more psycho every day.

Also joined a indoor health club with a hot therapy pool and a lap pool. It's close by because sometimes I crash on the way home - just cannot predict that will happen, but I take it slow and make it home and quickly eat something light. But the swimming has really had excellent results, I feel much better although immediately exhausted and sleep much better. I think that I must change many details in my life - I have programmed a mid-day rest and will go out a second time, (after playing music in the park), if I feel an improvement in my energy level. But if there is a decline after 4 hours, I take a hot bath, eat something and take a short walk - and keep walking if my energy level improves - it depends. So sometimes you have to challenge your energy level, sometimes that's it for the day. Ambien is the only medication I take which makes me very drowsy and I can being my arduous 9-10 your sleep session. I often take a hot bath in midnight without turning on the lights - carefully correographed?? for safety including bathtub shoes. It works! I am back to sleep - I put on and take off extra shirts, sweat pants, wear sleep sneakers to keep my toes warm and constantly adust a small safety heart to coincide with my crazy body's demands including hot flashes and cool downs. I move from mattress to lazy boy with a heating pad. With this routine down pat, I manage an effective sleep session, mostly on the right side. I cannot sleep on the pace maker side nor ride on a rough bus without double pillows on the seat - that just sets off the arrythmia?? and pains in my chest. There is a lot the doctors haven't told me. My main chest specialist doesn't like talking at all.

I am really tired of being extremely tired, but no medical person seems interested in finding out why. Got a heart specialist to give me a second opinion on Jan 6, but I am trying not to raise my hopes about this. So far I've been given numerous blood tests until my primary doctor concluded I had aids and when I passed yet another test, he shook his head and gave me up to the hospital. He did not choose to pursue a second opinion heart spcialist, thank God my medicare person went to bat for me and told an out of town doctor they had to see me, because some petualant medical staff person refused to see me - "We don't do second opionions" Any way, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.


walter878@juno.com

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I am not planning on letting any of this shorten my life. I am planning on living a long happy battery operated life. You never know maybe it will keep me alive longer. I sure know one thing I would have been dead before starting school without it.