JUST HAD A PACEMAKER

Welcome with a hug💐

by Lavender - 2024-10-14 17:40:01

Of course you're concerned. This was such a surprise event!  Your brain is thinking danger! Your body, however is healing and will adapt. 

Did you receive a bedside monitor to check your device as you sleep? I sleep next to one which scans my device nightly to make sure it fits certain set parameters. This would notify the dr if it found anything amiss. If you haven't gotten one, look into it. There are also apps for that 😉

Welcome from me too

by Gemita - 2024-10-15 01:16:51

Heartily, I am sorry to hear you collapsed two weeks ago and that you needed an immediate pacemaker which must have been a shock.  

I am surprised that you feel you need to consult a private cardiologist so soon after your emergency pacemaker.  I am in the UK too.  We usually get a 6 week follow up appointment to check that our wound has healed, followed by an appointment at 3 months to check pacemaker settings and to see how we are doing.  At the six week appointment apart from my wound check, I was also able to ask questions or to report symptoms and to receive additional help if I needed it.  I was also told to contact my clinic at any time should I have concerns.

Hopefully the cause for your collapse will have been adequately treated by your pacemaker, for example heart block or sinus node disease, although loss of consciousness if caused by an arrhythmia may still need further treatment to control the rhythm and speed of any disturbance.  Your Bio doesn’t tell us the reason for your collapse/pacemaker.  I hope the beta blocker will help to calm everything down.  

I also experienced difficult symptoms when I first had my implant.  My hospital bedside monitor alarm for super high heart rates was active all night following implant and I felt unstable, but it settled eventually with a beta blocker and anti arrhythmic meds.

When my blood pressure is volatile (surges or falls), it usually indicates a rhythm disturbance/or a high or low heart rate is present.  Doctors need to know about high blood pressure and high heart rates and to keep these firmly under control.  The pacemaker can treat a low heart rate but not low blood pressure, so you may need treatment for high/low blood pressure and high heart rates until your heart heals following implant.  Mine took around 3 months to settle, but we are all different, with some of us instantly feeling better following implant.

As Lavender says, many of us receive home monitors following implant, so that if anything serious is detected, we would be contacted.  However a home monitor is still not routinely given to "all" patients in the UK, although this policy seems to be changing, since regular in person hospital checks and visits are more costly than remote monitoring. 

I prefer in person visits and personal contact. In any event to change our pacemaker settings, we would need to be seen in person in clinic.  Getting our settings adjusted to suit our needs initially may take time and adjustments will likely continue over our lifetime in response to any changes in our heart condition or other health conditions and depending on our lifestyle needs.

I do hope things settle for you quickly.

Familiar

by piglet22 - 2024-10-15 07:26:41

Hello

Your experience is not uncommon. I know at least two individuals in my family group who suffered blackouts and collapses here in the UK who were treated with pacemakers or similar. One of them was on holiday and was airlifted to the nearest hospital.

You may have some symptoms in the past of rhythm problems which came to a head.

I wonder about seeking advice outside your pacing team. They will have all the information you might need and possibly, you just need to ask them.

Did they tell you or give you any indication of what was wrong?

Your device is taking over from the natural conduction system of your heart, a relatively  common problem. The diagnosis can be pretty stark. "you have complete heart block" was mine. That was the start of a now nearly 20-year journey. It has had its ups and downs and moments of pure discomfort, but as Elton said, I'm still standing.

Post implant care in the UK seems to differ widely according to where you are and to a certain extent, how much you want to be involved in it. Having a device implanted certainly isn't fit and forget.

There's as little or as much advice you might need outside your clinical team right here in the PM Club, where you can get a much wider view of real life experiences.

One thing that has happened over the course of 20-years, is the aftercare. In my health trust, that has meant the closure of local clinics and the substitution of home monitors.

Home monitors can vary from  something just to send data to the hospital when they ask for it, or it can more actively monitor your device. Medtronic use a a system called MyCareLink.

It would be useful if you gave some information of which model of device you have, mine is a Medtronic Ensura, whether it is leaded or leadless etc. Your pacemaker ID card should give you that information.

If you haven't already done it, equip yourself with a BP monitor and an oximeter to keep an eye on things. Not essential, but can prove very useful.

You mention medication. Your device will help if you need certain types of medication for hypertension. Beta blockers are a popular choice and can be given in more appropriate doses now that you have the protection of the device.

Modern devices are miracles of electronics and software and can be fine-tuned over time to your needs. One thing to do is to avoid worrying about what you can and can't do. I didn't get any advice at the time, but it's more what you can do than what you can't do. It's an enabler, not a disabler.

Good luck

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVELY WORDS OF SUPPORT.

by heartily - 2024-10-16 15:50:44

I can't tell you how reassuring the above 3 comments have been for me. Bless you all. The reason I've made an appointment for a private cardiologist is that I need to know if there is any other problem with my heart (leaky valves, blocked arteries etc) as I would rather deal with any other issues now with meds rather than wait until a crisis occurs.

I have a Medtronic Azure PM and yes, I have a home monitor. I was diagnosed with complete heart block.

I feel SO much better for your comments....xxx

Thank you all

by JillAnneS - 2024-11-08 13:14:04

Many thanks to you all for your kind words.  I'm hoping I can either come to terms with the noises of tinnitus or it actually disappears.  I'm expecting a call from my doctor soon and if he comes up with helpful information,  I'll post here.  Again, thank you, there are such a helpful and understanding people on this site.  It's a shame we can't all actually get together for a cuppa some time!!