Anyone here had a pacemaker put in or have a relative who did?

[nytemare]

My dad has to get one, and I'm just wondering about your experiences.

How was the procedure? How was the time following the procedure? How about the recovery?

Thanks!

[mucifer]

1. It's a pretty simple procedure luckily. Both my parents had one.

Here's some info from The Mayo Clinic regarding pacemakers:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pacemaker/basics/definition/prc-20014279

[nytemare]

5. Thank you for your response.

That's a very informative link.

[mucifer]

9. I always go to Mayo Clinic and/or NIH.gov for medical info never webmd.

[Jenoch]

2. My mother had one put in when she was 73.

She had atriall fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and was generally not in great health. She was on blood thinners for blood clots and got pnumonia often. However, the procedure of implanting the pacemaker went smooth and she never again had any heart issues. I don't remember there being much to recover from. Basically, they disconnect the heart from the body's normal 'electric' system and the pacemeker takes over. That Mayo link should help explain it.

They even checked to see if the pacemaker is working ok over the telephone four times per year, not counting office visits.

A friend of my father's actually invented the first battery powered pacemaker in 1957. He was also the founder of Medtronic.

[nytemare]

6. Thanks for responding.

I think it's pretty cool that you can check it over the telephone...and about your father's friend!

[Jenoch]

10. We needed to use a landline when checking the pacemaker over the telephone.

Also, the patient needed to be away from largexamounts of metal, so my mother could not be in bed (springs).

I think you will find that the pacemaker procedure will go just fine.

A few years after my mother got her pacemaker she developed dementia. On one of her hospital stayszthey found her wandering the hospital corridor and she was not all that mobile. I still miss her very much, she died in 2008.

[Locut0s]

3. My father has one. Simple procedure...

He had to get one after suffering a number of scary flat line events. The longest of which was 7 seconds.

The procedure itself was very simple. He was in and out in a matter of a dew days.

[nytemare]

7. That's comforting!

Everything I'm seeing says the hospital stay isn't very long. That's a good thing with my dad, who is a bit of a wanderer, and wouldn't do well strapped to a bed for very long.

[mrmpa]

11. hospital stay?........

I'm a bit shocked (pun intended) that there's a hospital stay with this. My 83 year old mother had a defibrillator installed this past November. She came home same day. She had her first one installed 6 years ago & came home the same day.

[nytemare]

12. From what I'm seeing

it can be a same day release with up to a two day stay. A same day release would be great.

[Locut0s]

13. I think it depends on the reason for having the pacemaker installed...

If it's to correct a well understood and documented heart defect or something similar then in and out in one day is probably the norm. If it's an emergency procedure like it was for my father, where they may not know the underlying cause, then they may want to keep you for a day or two of observation.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. My mom had one implanted in July 2010

Her problem was diastolic deficiency. As I recall, she was released by the hospital to go home two days after the implant surgery and she was only limited for a short time thereafter in her activities (she was told not to use her left arm too much until the implanted wire established itself and wouldn't come loose). About every six months, she goes to her cardiologist to have the pacemaker company come and make sure it's functioning properly. My mother just turned 94 years old. She has other health problems beside the cause for the pacemaker but her heart seems to be alright and hasn't deteriorated much according to echo cardiograms. I make sure she gets supplements such as magnesium and vitamin D3, which her doctor says must be maintained in her body at sufficient levels for the good of the heart. I also give her Ubiquinol (highly bioavailable Co-Q 10) and D-ribose, which have been shown to strengthen the heart and maintain its proper blood ejection fraction in several scientific studies.

[nytemare]

8. Thank you.

94 years old, wow! Your mom sounds like a real trooper!

[Locut0s]

14. Some good points...

My father was also told to not use his left arm as much as possible, or risk pulling out the leads. And the periodic checks will also be required for just about anyone getting one.

[Aristus]

15. My Dad had one put in after his CABG.

Didn't prevent him from dying of pancreatic cancer, though...

[nytemare]

18. Sorry about your father Aristus.

[Aristus]

21. Thank you.

That was very sweet of you...

Shoot, that was close to five years ago, now...

[nytemare]

22. The time just flies away.

It seems in missing loved ones, time heals a bit, but you don't miss them any less. Fond memories carry us through.

[Mr.Bill]

16. My wife is on her second pacemaker, number three probably later this yesr.

It's a relatively simple procedure, the device is very small. The incision was very small and after it healed it looks about like a cat scratched her there.

The most invasive part of the procedure is not the implantation of the pacemaker itself, but the wires running between it and the heart. There will be some soreness for a few days, but that's about it.

They are amazing devices, they can be "interrogated" to produce a printout of any atrial fib episodes, and they can be programmed externally with magnets.

The only inconvenience is to keep them away from magnets and avoiding being around two-stroke engines. You will be briefed on all these things by a technician before leaving the hospital.

The first time my wife didn't even spend the night in the hospital, the second time she did but only because she had a reaction to the anesthesia.

Try to schedule the procedure for as early in the morning as possible, that way you have the best chance of the doctor being sober...just kidding. Best of luck to you, and hope all goes well.

[nytemare]

20. TY for your response.

Seems like these things have come a long way.

[NV Whino]

17. My mother went through four Pacemakers and lived to 92

The last Pacemaker was an overnight stay in the hospital.

[nytemare]

19. Thanks very much.

For responding.