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Had pacemaker surgery 3 weeks ago

Pacemaker & ICDs | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (15)

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@ted3

Thanks for the input. I'm at Mayo in Phoenix. It's an incredible complex. Yesterday they covered the things you mentioned, i.e. removed my bandage (healing is going well), ran some tests and gave me some info about the battery and pacing. My battery is still in what's called an "initializion mode" so I really won't know about battery life until my 6 week check in. Since I have a 2 for 1 heart block I expected my ventricular pacing to be near 100%. So I was delighted to learn that it was 79%. Granted it's only one week of data but at least it was good news. I asked if they could increase the upper limit of 140. The RN bumped it up to 145. This gives me some extra cushion for when I exercise more vigorously. I did received a monitor and it's obviously working. She (RN) told me not to worry about traveling with it if my trips were under a month. When it comes to adjusting to having a pacemaker, psychologically I'm grateful to have it. Activity-wise I'm still learning. For example, yesterday I had to climb a flight of stairs. My heart rate shot up to 125 and I was out of breath. I hope that's a reflection of having lost most of my cardio fitness and not a pacemaker issue I have to live with. If so, I have to come up with a way to walk up stairs more efficiently. Given that you're on your third pacemaker you have a lot of experience. I appreciate you sharing some of yours with me.
Ted

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Replies to "Thanks for the input. I'm at Mayo in Phoenix. It's an incredible complex. Yesterday they covered..."

@ted3
Ted,
Glad to share. My first ICD/Pacemaker goes all the way back to 2006. That was way before MCC came on line. I learned to asked a lot of questions and also use the web site of my device manufacturer.

Walking up stairs after not exercising for a while will cause shortness of breath. Body and cardiovascular system just not used to it. This comes from my own experience with loss of fitness when I have been down with the surgeries of ICD/Pacemaker and illnesses that kept me inactive for awhile.

When you say 2 for 1 heart block what does that mean? I know the first time I had indication of elecrtical problems in my heart was when doing a stress test and they found a Left Bundle Branch Block.

Normally and I use that word causiciously battery life is from 8-10 years. The new ones like yours may be better as they improve the devices and electricl impedence is lowered.

We that are on continuous pacing burn more battery life but each of mine I was getting almost 9 years. The one I have now has about 5 years left and that too will be around 9 years. The first ICD/Pacemaker had a manufacturer defect and battery life deplected faster at end than it was suppose to. Not had an issue like that ever again so do not think it is normal or that yours will have any such an issue.