scared beatless

I am new to the club and am facing insertion of a pm and av node ablation tomorrow and wednesday. I am extremely frightened of the unknown and find this web site to be very supportive. i have had many ablations for my chronic arrhythmia and now at 58 yrs. old am facing the rest of my life with being battery-operated. Is this a normal response to grieve my old heart and fear my new mechanism? I am active, walk, golf and work full time. i am concerned about a significant life style change.

violin

9 Comments

Welcome Here!

by sweetkozy - 2007-11-12 01:11:12

Hello Violin!

Welcome to the club and we are always glad to have one more new member here! I hope by reading the responses to your post it can put your mind at ease. I am 26 and was implanted with a PM at the age of 21. I was extremely scared wondering if something were to go wrong, would I be able to do everything that I loved to do, would it change who I was, etc... It has made my life better and am glad that it was done! I am more active now than I had been the previous 5-6 years before the implant. I was able to continue doing everything I loved like figure skating, downhill skiing, walking, softball etc.. I even had two children shortly after the implant and did great! You will feel so much better after you get adjusted to having one. It will take a few months adjusting, but after that I am sure most of the time you will forget it's even there. 3/4ths the time I don't even think about it. You will do great!!!!!!! It's a frightening time, but in the end I am sure it will be worth it. Please keep us posted on how you are doing and don't be afraid to ask questions!

Cheers,
Jenny

Welcome

by Vicki - 2007-11-12 11:11:13

I am 58 also and have a full time job in sales plus 3 grandchildren that keep me busy. I live alone but am in a long term relationship. I have had my pace maker since July 15th of this year. I forget it is there most times. Yes, it's scary knowing you have a computer in your chest but would be even scarier if you don't get it. I got mine on an emergency basis and had no time to get any info. If I had been able to come to this site and read the postings here, I would have felt so much better about getting it. Good luck and check in and let us know how you are when you can.

Vicki

Scared violin

by Vai - 2007-11-12 11:11:14

Hi & welcome to the club. Your feelings now is common and many in the club had those feelings when first faced with the same situation. I was fearful of the unknown too and procrastinated for almost 2 years before I had to have the PM implanted. Now I am post op 1+ year, I hardly notice the PM, it has given me fresh energy, my arrythmias are managed well with medication and life is just new.

I wish the best in your surgery and recovery.


NH

by VIOLIN - 2007-11-12 11:11:31

Thank you so much for your comments. we have much in common. You have no idea how this has helped allay many of my natural fears
violin

Dear Violin Welcome

by NH - 2007-11-12 11:11:59

Welcome to a wonderful site I just found recently myself.

I was also 58 and working fulltime when I had my pacemaker and AV node ablation. I also worked fulltime and had an active life.

It went well and I went back to work fulltime after about 1 month of recovery time. I took as long as I could off from work, as I had that much sick time built up.

I have since had another ablation and am now going in Wednesday for a change out of my pacemaker as my battery has run out of steam. I am 98% dependant on my pacemaker and it is a wonderful medical marvel.

God has blessed me with a pacemaker! It gave me my life back and gave me the strength to have a normal life. Without it, I would have been an invalid at best. I have had it 5 1/2 years and not really ever had any problems with it at all. I have a St. Jude pacemaker.

The St. Jude technician tells me that the next one will probably last from 9-12 years as they are improving on them all the time. For someone not as dependent as me it might last as long as 15 years.

So it is a joy to be living in a time when such things as a pacemaker are available and are such an improvement to one's life.

Keep reading and you will gain so much good information from this site and again WELCOME!

Take care,
NH

Welcome!!

by Carol - 2007-11-12 12:11:57

Hello and welcome Violin! I have had my PM since 10/01/07 so I'm pretty new and I can tell you I was REALLY scared intially. I didn't know for sure I would need a PM and it all happened pretty quickly so I didn't have much anxiety prior to the procedure. I am 54, and I had to have my PM settings "tweaked" a few times before it felt OK through the first month(I was one of those "sensitive" individuals who was aware of it working and it caused a lot of anxiety for me).....I'm feeling pretty good now as far as the PM itself is concerned. I still am having trouble with PAC/PVC which are symptomatic, but the PM can't fix those. Sometimes I too forget I have this little marvel in my chest now especially since most of the soreness is gone. I still have a little trouble sleeping on my left (favorite) side but I hope that pretty soon I'll overcome that too. So, best wishes, this site is awesome for support and understanding, ask questions as they arise, you'll feel comforted and supported. You'll do just fine!!!! Carol

what they all said

by mobags - 2007-11-13 04:11:35

I'm only two weeks into my pacer and I wanted to let you know that what you are feeling is very normal, in fact I still am having those same feelings. However, this is a great source of information and the people are very helpful. Don't let this thing hold you back I know I don't intend to let it!

absolutely

by jessie - 2007-11-14 01:11:59

i am over a year now and received my p.m. at 64. i was healthy had few problems medicaly and when this happened i had a lot of fear and was unable sometimes to sleep. i was afraid my heart would stop. time went by and i don't think about it as much . it is better now. time helps as you grow more confident that things will be okay or at least i did. i also became depressed but am feeling better now. my husband is depressed right now and i think it is because he has recently had bi-pass and was told that he still even with bi-pass has heart disease and has very poor circulation. so we need to take care of each other and make the best of things as none of know the future. we are having fun and trying to have things to look forward to but the best thing for me was spending 12 days with our grandchildren jessica and michael in calgary. they are wonderful. we had so much fun. their parents went to hawaii for a holiday. so a year later my life is going on again as you can see. so try not to be scared. it will get better. jessie

jackbenny must speak to Violin

by jackbenny - 2007-11-14 11:11:30

Violin,
My best cousin also had the PM inserted this week and she expressed nearly the exact same concerns as you, almost verbatim. She came through swimmingly, and so will you. It is my unconditional hope and prayer that the most notable “significant lifestyle change” she and you will experience is one you will embrace – a full and vibrant life absent the unpredictable cloud of arrhythmia hovering above. Her kids came in from out-of-town to be with her as she went through this, and in fact she felt so well that they all decided to observe Thanksgiving early while the kids were still in town. The PM was inserted in the morning, and that very afternoon, they brought holiday turkey dinners into the hospital to celebrate and give thanks! (Low sodium, low fat of course!) Anyway, it appears there is much good info. and support for you on this site, so soak it in and try – really try – as much as possible to not let the fear and worries overshadow your new beginning. And now I’m off to visit her – if I can escape the guilt-wrenching eyes of my little Yorkie who doesn’t understand why she can’t come visit her favorite cousin in the hospital! Meanwhile, you hang in there and take good care. --jb

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