Questons

Dear Friends,

I found this site a couple of days ago and I’m kind of curious about a couple of things. But first let me tell you why I was even looking for something on pacemakers.

I got a pacemaker for slow heart beat about four mo. ago and it has been a trip. I was told to expect to be kind of sore for a few days to a week but by the end or the week I probably wouldn’t even know I had one. Didn’t work that way. It was three weeks before I could even move my arm without excruciating pain. Then I started getting the most God-awful pain that felt almost like electrical shocks in the left side of my chest. They told me that was being caused by a lead that had fractured and that to fix that they would have to do more surgery. They did the surgery and then I got an infection that put me down for another five weeks.

I finally got back to work where I’m a construction foreman and on the second day back at work I stepped in a hole and broke my ankle. So I’m off work for another six weeks. All the time this pacemaker has been giving me trouble with little shocks and they keep telling me to come in for adjustments which ain't done much. When I asked if other people had this much trouble with their pacemaker I was told my situation was the exception since most people didn’t know they had a pacemaker after about a month. I see that's a lie.

While having to sit around home with my broke ankle and a pacemaker that keeps getting my attention I started looking on the internet for information about pacemakers and I found out about this place on Google. I started reading and saw two things right off. One is a lot of people have more trouble with a pacemaker than my doctors let on about and that this is a very good place to get information. Although I can get most of the information I find here, except for the personal experiences, on various web sites, it looks like the people that post stuff here have taken a lot that information and stripped it down to bare facts which makes it a lot easier to read and understand.

I also see on the home page there are ads for various things and that made me figure this is a commercial venture for somebody. When I went to join I expected to have to pay a fee for membership, but so far nobody has asked me for money. Now that brings up another question.

Some of the things I see posted here must have taken somebody a good bit of time to get all them details and then put them it in order and post them here. So my question is are those people getting paid for all their work? Not that I want to try to get on the payroll because I don’t know enough about pacemakers, except that my doctors will lie about them, and anyway I hope I’m back at work by May 1 and I won’t have time to do any more than read once in a while. But I was just curious about all the people, I see posting stuff here and wondered what they get for it? Because without them posting all that information this site wouldn’t be worth a dime and with the ads I have to guess somebody is making money off it.

But no matter, thank you for the good information,

Nim Rod

8 Comments

Getting Paid

by jpayette - 2008-03-29 01:03:51

Nim Rod, I don't get paid but I have appreciated the info on pacemakers. Keep reading and be aggressive about your pm lifestyle especially when you see your Dr. Getting the brush off by your Dr. seems to be something that others have experienced. Just ask lots of questions and stay informed...not being informed about my particular type of pm has caused me lots of problems. Hope the best for you! Jackie

Welcome

by NH - 2008-03-29 02:03:04

I just want to welcome you to the PM Club. We are a very supportive group. Ask any question you wish and I just know someone of us will know the answer.

I have been a member since last year and have found it very helpful and supportive. Hope you get back on your feet soon.

Now to take full use of the site, read some bio. pages of the members, view the picture gallery and go in chat to talk to some members. Use the PM feature to write to any you wish to talk with. In short, learn the site and use it in your recovery.

Again WELCOME!!

Take care,
NH

No $'s

by bowlrbob - 2008-03-29 02:03:18

The people who post here are not on any payroll. We are just people who have been through this process of getting a pacemaker or ICD. Cathryn was right about the ads someone has to get something to run this site and watch over it. Also build it in the first place. For the rest of us it is a place to get info form people like us. Because of your problems by the time you get everything straightened out you too will be an expert. At least on the things that have happened to you. The reason you see so many here with problems is that people with problems are more likely to be seeking answers. If you don't have problems there is no need.

There was a post on here about 2 weeks ago from those of us that have had virtually no problems. Maybe just minor adjustments. There were lots of replies to that post as well. I would say that there is a disproportionate amount of posters here that have the problems like yours. But that's what we are all here for to help find answers and to give support. Most like me just really enjoy trying to help others through these tough times. Knowing I may have helped someone is reward enough for me. Bowlrbob

Welcome

by Swedeheart - 2008-03-29 02:03:18

Nimrod,

Boy, everyone who has porsted a response is right on the money here! You will find nice people at this site and a lot of good information.

I have a feeling that bowlrbob is correct, there may be a disproportionate amount of posters vs those who have no problems with their pacemakers... but those who have no problems are likely busy living their lives and have little need to ask or search out questions and answers. Those of us who have had some difficulty or need a little moral support now and then might have a tendency to search out sites such as this one.

It has been a good site for me, very helpful. I think my biggest reason for finding it was lack of information from my doctors... I wanted to learn about this new techo-buddy of mine!

Good luck getting better... don't do too much too soon, it will knock you back down again!

Swedeheart

Questons Answered

by Nim Rod - 2008-03-29 04:03:00

Hello,

I have to say you people know how to make a fellow welcome. Thank all of you so much. I have already learned one thing about pacemakers and that is evidently a lot of the people with one are about as nice as I could ever hope to find.

Now I have to say I have some egg on my face. Of course that is nothing unusual for me. I have it on my face so bad and so often that I’ve had people to ask if I have yellow jaundice. But while sitting here and looking for a position my foot and leg didn’t hurt I noticed the section in the upper left corner on the home page where I could get information about the Pacemaker Club and its reason for existing. I think that answered about 99% of any questions I’ll ever have about the club and all I can say is that what I read makes it look like it is for all for very noble causes.

Just exchanging messages with all you people can make a person feel better.

Thanks again,

Nim Rod

Advocacy

by TwoCents - 2008-03-29 04:03:20

No one here gets paid in money for our postings, but we do, in fact, get paid in friendship and information. Most of us have been around the block a few times with doctors and I have figured that the best way to navigate the medical labyrinth is to fully understand our condition and the little devices that we all live with daily. I'm not here to trash docs as I believe they represent the entire spectrum of society, bad and good. I have experienced both to varying degrees. I know we all have our stories. A doctor worth his/her salt appreciates the knowledge that we accumulate and works with us to accomplish the goal of making us feel as well as we can. I check in to this site everyday...just like brushing my teeth. I don't want to miss a new nugget of information that might help me or someone else. Welcome, please return frequently and share your experiences. Two Cents

Shocks

by ElectricFrank - 2008-03-30 01:03:41

While getting shocks from a bad lead or misadjusted pacer seems to be pretty common, there is another possibiltity in your case. Especially where you had a lot of pain and an infection you might be having nerve pain. Kind of like hitting an elbow on something which feels like a shock. Try to be aware of what you are doing when you are shocked. If it happens when you move your arm a certain way it might be the pacer is pressing on a nerve.
As for all the free advice I like to put in the disclaimer that it is worth every cent you pay for it. (:

good luck,

frank

Atenolol

by Seniorcitizen - 2008-03-30 04:03:15

I have been on that drug for over 15 years and it just is part of my life now......I take all sorts of medications and wish that with the new pacemaker I coulld stop most of the drugs.....not so.....another thing no one tells you,. I had my second pacemaker put in 12/6/07....The area still hurts and I know that it is much much larger than my first one, 3 leads for this one and the size of a deck of cards and or pack of cigarettes. No one has anwered my questions about size....I do know that I will never NOT KNOW that I have this thing in my chest as I did NOT KNOW with the first one for over 6 years....Please respond.....

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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