Pacemaker recipients: Looking for support from others

Thanks for posting the Mayo link, which I dad to compare it to my own experiences nearly two years ago. My extreme episodes of breathlessness while out walking and light-headed ness ( which I blamed on pandemic anxiety) led me to 30 days wearing a Holter monitor, which reported to my physician that I was having partial “blockages” — actually electrical issues within my heart. After one episode where I had no beat for 4.5 seconds I was referred to a cardiologist who sent me immediately to ER and subsequent admission for an emergency implantation of a two-wire pace-maker. When they could finally work me into the surgery schedule three (hospitalized) days later the actual surgery was under general anesthesia and only took 30 minutes. And I’ve been grateful for it ever since. I have about 9 yrs left on my battery. My advice is to be sure to schedule the procedure at a hospital that does high volumes of the surgery, where the doctors are very experienced. Good luck, all! 🙂

Hello brightwood
Thank you for taking the time to put to this thread.
I believe messages such as yours hi a long way to help reassure others that pacemakers in all their forms, are meant to enable, not disable, patients. For the most part, they improve lives by enabling recipients to live life much more fully and with better overall quality. That is certainly been my experience.
Again thank you for sharing your positive message.
Take care of yourself.
Best wishes.

Any ICD/Pacemaker recipients using electric blanket? It’s my winter bed cover to keep the cold out. I’ve use it about 8 months out of the year. Is there a potential problem with electric field interference with the ICD ?

I had pacemaker fitted two weeks ago. I now feel a sense of anxiety and apprehension although physically better since the fitting, does anyone else have this feeling?

Hello jillianas527
I had my device implanted a little over 2 years ago. Before the surgery, I was the least anxious person I knew. But, now for some reason, I do experience a heightened sense of general anxiety. Why? I do not know. My device works very well and I feel very well.
I do find it essential to get good quality sleep and enough of it. That alone has a huge impact on my state of mind.
In addition, I practice deep breathing at least twice a day. And I started doing mindfulness meditation each day. I do a 15 minute session each morning. I have been doing both of these things for a little more than a year and they have made a tremendous difference in my overall quality of life.
Perhaps others out there have other suggestions they can share. But take some comfort in knowing you are not alone in feeling this way.
All the best.

Hello tct
I don't know what make of pacemaker or ICD you have , but here is a link to Medtronic 's website where they offer guidance about the safe use of things like appliances, tools, etc. Most of the manufacturers have similiar information available online.
In my experience, if one manufacturer states an item is safe to use, the others do , too.
https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/l/patients/electromagnetic-guide/household-hobby.html
Hope this helps.
All the best

Thanks for posting the Mayo link, which I dad to compare it to my own experiences nearly two years ago. My extreme episodes of breathlessness while out walking and light-headed ness ( which I blamed on pandemic anxiety) led me to 30 days wearing a Holter monitor, which reported to my physician that I was having partial “blockages” — actually electrical issues within my heart. After one episode where I had no beat for 4.5 seconds I was referred to a cardiologist who sent me immediately to ER and subsequent admission for an emergency implantation of a two-wire pace-maker. When they could finally work me into the surgery schedule three (hospitalized) days later the actual surgery was under general anesthesia and only took 30 minutes. And I’ve been grateful for it ever since. I have about 9 yrs left on my battery. My advice is to be sure to schedule the procedure at a hospital that does high volumes of the surgery, where the doctors are very experienced. Good luck, all! 🙂