26yo recommended pacemaker

pacemaker

by new to pace.... - 2023-07-20 12:13:33

So sorry to hear you are about to join the pacemaker club. You will find out there are many that are young like you or were young once.  Who have had many pacemakers.    Lived a sucessful life.

new to pace

Pacemaker concern

by Good Dog - 2023-07-20 12:47:24

About 2 weeks after turning 38 years old I went into complete heart block and received a PM. That was almost 37 years ago. I am here to tell you that it did not negatively impact my life in any way other than the generator (battery) changes about every 8-9 years. Those changes were in and out the same day and I could have gone back to work the next day if I really needed to. Though, I always liked to use it as an excuse to take some time-off. As far as the appearance, you have to know that there are movie stars (and many that aren't) with PM's that simply asked the doctor to implant them under their pectoral muscle. You would not even know that they have one other than a very tiny scar. Within 6 months after getting my first pacemaker, I was playing competitive basketball. My HR would often be so high I couldn't count it. Of course, my PM has an upper limit so it simply just shut-off (it just tracked). In my late 40's and into my 50's I had a regular excercise routine and was doing over 300 to 400 push-ups every other morning along with situps and many other exercises. So I hope you get my point. It should not negatively impact your life in any way. The surgery is relatively simple and safe as well. When you have a problem like yours there is only an upside to getting a PM. There is no downside. However, I do understand your hesitation. That is perfectly normal. It is a life changing decision (even though it is a positive change). All I can say is that if I had it to do over again, I would not hesitate to do exactly the same thing again. Oh, and on a really personal note; it did not alter my sex-life one bit. Frankly, I think it made it better!

Keep in mind that the vast majority of folks with PM's have no problems and certainly do not post anything on this site. So while you may read about problems and issues here, they are very rare. Those that do post here with issues are such a small minority that it shouldn't even be a concern at all to you. It is most likely that you'll get a PM and move-on with your life and we'll never hear from you again. Although we would certainly like you to post in an effort to help others learn what it is all about. That is entirely voluntary.

Don't hesitate to post again if there is anything else that concerns you.

I wish you nothing but the very best!

Sincerely,

Dave

Concerns

by Julros - 2023-07-20 13:00:25

You are still processing the trauma of a cardiac arrest, so you are having lots and lots of feelings right now. Yes, ablsolutely, you need a device that includes an ICD. 

I intially had more pain than expected on top of a provider office that seems to blow off my concerns. It felt like their focus was on the device and I was merely a receptacle. So I switched providers and that made a huge difference. Two years later my device and one wire was switched out and it was smoother than I could expect. 

As far as appearance, the site and scar can take up to a year to remodel, shrink and fade. I am left with 2 faint incision scars, and a lump that is barely noticable. Most modern devices can last about 10 years. There is a member here who has mutlple replacements and I hope she will chime in. 

Aw. Hugs💕💐

by Lavender - 2023-07-20 21:21:57

You poor dear. What a lot to experience. I'm sure you're traumatized. I'm sorry you're in this situation but also thankful to know you're a survivor and there's a plan to keep you alive for a long time to come.  
 

I got a surprise pacemaker after six months of fainting. My heart had a 33 second pause and that last faint bought me a pacemaker. It's a CRT-P which is a cardiac resynchronization device. Three leads (wires). I had lots of trouble mentally accepting it until my brain finally figured out I would be dead without it. My sorrow gradually morphed into thankful appreciation. God is good. He has a plan. 
 

At first I didn't like how things looked on my chest with the swelling and incision. Now-honestly no one can tell where it is. I only have a thin white line a bit more than an inch long. Nothing sticks up. I can wear any top. 
 

I always say, "don't worry in advance". You won't need a replacement device for a long many years. Wires are replaced even less often. 
 

My heart has had several cardiac arrests-not attacks. All were due to my rare arrhythmia called ventricular standstill. The stoppages grew longer and longer. You never know if you will recover and survive. 
 

You are young. Even babies can get pacemakers.  I'm older and when I told them at the hospital that I thought only old people got pacemakers, they laughed. 
 

May God send you peace, may His angels surround you with much confidence and comfort. 
❤️‍🩹

been in your shoes

by Tracey_E - 2023-07-21 09:49:07

Different condition, but I'm also congenital and pushed it to the back of my mind for a long time. I was a pro at denial lol. I got my first pacer at age 27, in 1994. I should have had it 5 years before that. I'm on #5 now, will be getting #6 in the next year or so.

Getting used to the feel/look. I was young and very underweight so my cardiologist had a plastic surgeon assist. Mine is not visible and my scar is minimal. Even after so many replacements. A tank top covers the scar, but it's small enough I'll wear strapless and not be self-conscious. (I'm a lot older now and just plain don't care what anyone thinks, but that was not my opinion at 27)

I can feel the edges of it if I poke around but it really doesn't bother me. It's just a part of me now. It takes 6-12 months to fully heal, for the scar to blend in, for scar tissue to build around the box, for it to fully settle into place. So don't judge how it looks right away. It may feel huge and ugly when you get home, but that will go away. The biggest adjustment for me was the faster heart rate. My rate stayed in the 40's before so it felt like I was racing for the first weeks (ok, months), but that too eventually started to feel normal. 

Emotional healing can be harder than the physical. It's ok to be scared, to be angry, to mourn. Most of us go through a lot of the stages of grief. Ask for help if you need it, be that someone doing your laundry the first weeks or a counselor to talk through the emotions. Cut yourself some slack if you're not ok with it right away. Your body has let you down at an age where we're supposed to be carefree and not thinking about major health decisions. It sucks and it's ok to not be ok right away. But  you will get there. This is a bump, not the end of the road. 

Talk to them about placement before surgery. Some doctors put it just under the collarbone, just under the skin, because it's the fastest route to the heart and heals the fastest. But they can go a little lower and deeper to bury it, or put it between the pectorals. If your doctor is hesitant, ask about a plastic surgeon. My doctor preferred that so he could concentrate on what he does best, and it was the easiest job of the day for the plastic surgeon. 

Replacements are super easy, don't let that stress you out. If I get an early appointment, I'm home fixing my own lunch. It's all scar tissue. Batteries have gotten to where they last a lot longer than they used to. Leads have gotten smaller and more durable. Right now they last on average 8-10 years, some get up to 15 years. The upside to getting a new one is getting the latest technology. They've come a long way from my first one, so I truly don't mind getting a new one. 

I was terrified and procrastinated and procrastinated until I almost died. Pretty stupid of me, in hindsight. That was before the internet and places like this so I couldn't research it so I assumed it would be horrible and the end of life as I knew it. I could not have been more wrong! Surgery was easier than I expected. After, I felt amazing. Once I healed, I got to the point I could forget it's there. It's been almost 30 years now and other than keeping me safe and feeling good, it has little impact on my day to day life.

I have two kids, both born after I was paced. My oldest is your age. We run half marathons together several times a year. My youngest is a park ranger so most visits with her are full of hiking. I like to say they have no respect for my age or heart condition, but the reality is I feel great and love running with oldest and doing challenging hikes with youngest. I'll keep up with them for as long as I can. My joints will likely give out before my heart. I start most days at the gym, travel often, hike or ski most vacations, kayak every chance I get, ride roller coasters. No one looks at me and sees a heart patient. 

If you have any questions at all about the surgery or living with a pacer long term, or just want a sounding board, please feel free to message me.

Thank you, Tracey

by Julros - 2023-07-21 12:16:33

I was hoping you would comment, and your post is beautiful. I am in awe of your fitness level. 

I have one comment about pacer placement. I was talking to my EP yesterday about how my replacement was so much less painful and not as visible. She told me that her organization prefers to place devices slightly lower and closer to the sternum. So instead of bumping into my clavicle and sticking into my armpit, my slightly bigger device is in a much better place. 

Placement

by Lavender - 2023-07-21 22:57:34

My pacemaker is almost three inches below my collarbone and about two- or two and a half inches from the sternum. It's not in the way of my arm movements. 

Change isn't always bad

by aodorisio10 - 2023-07-22 14:17:13

Very sorry to hear about your experience. 

I have had my pacemaker for two years following a cardiac arrest during a tilt table test a few days before I turned 30. It's very strange to be a young person hearing the doctor tell you you'll need a pacemaker. But I can tell you, only from my experience, it was the best decision I could have made. It has given me the peace of mind that I desperately needed. The procedure and recovery was relatively simple. I'm still able to workout and do things that I enjoy. A lot of the time I forget that I have one. It is just a tool to help you live a healthier life. Besides the initial procedure I'm not expected to have any further surgery until the battery replacement in about 13 years. I hope this helps and I wish you all the luck and health on your journey. Don't be afraid of the change that could make your life better ✨️