@amalfi1279
In my opinion not good. Have you tried calling and asking for your EP to call and answer your questions?

Why were you told you needed a Pacemaker? You really need a thorough briefing on diagnosis, treatment, and the surgery. Your EP should have an assistant that can also answer most of your questions.

Have you considered getting a second opinion and getting the answers to your questions even before you decide to get surgery? If possible can you go for a second opinion at an established and experienced medical institution like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, etc. You could even have your surgery there and have them work with your local doctors and EP.

Good luck. You as a patient should not be thorough briefed about your surgery.

@amalfi1279 You have enough time to get other opinions.

I was in a similar situation, but for other reasons. In my case, the operation was an emergency resulting from the fact that my AdventHealth cardiologist dismissed the results of prior tests (THREE OF THEM) indicating a heart block as "test errors". Yeah...and then 4 months later I'm in the emergency room with a Level 3 Heart Block.

I was on the operating table about to be anaesthetized when the AdventHealth EP surgeon came in and asked which of two pacemaker options I would like, one traditional type implanted in the chest or a newer catheter-directed implant directly into the heart that required no incision. DUH... The nursing staff had prepped me for the former, but the latter seemed like it might be better.

So, the nursing staff scrambled to prep me for option #2 while I faded into oblivion, without any chance to consider all the implications of "my choice".

You have time. Don't let things "just happen" to you without being fully informed. Don't just assume your doctor is all-knowing and perfect. It's your body and your life. If the doctor makes a mistake, his malpractice insurance will cover it. You, however, face other consequences.

PS: I'm not UNhappy with my choice, but I am unhappy that I wasn't able to make an informed decision.

@amalfi1279
I had been given Amiodarone for AFib. While the Amiodarone did not stop the AFib, it was toxic to my lungs and it caused my heart rate to drop into the 30's. Amiodarone stays in the body for months, so we were waiting to see if my heart rate would return to normal or if there were other contributing issues. After 3 months, my heart rate did not return to normal, and my heart briefly stopped, causing me to pass out. Fortunately, someone was there to catch me, so I did not have other issues, such as a broken bone. The EP determined that this would happen again, so I was told that I would have a pacemaker implanted the next morning.

You are put out for the procedure. At first the site is tender (in my case also very bruised because I was on blood thinners without the opportunity to stop them), and you have to be careful not to lift your arm over your head for some time. Riding as a passenger in a car is not a problem, but using the seatbelt as a driver is difficult. I found for the first month or so, I had a folder hand towel under the seatbelt to protect the site.

It is now 5 years, and the pacemaker has been GREAT! It keeps my heart rate from dropping, and I feel so very much better with a normal heartrate!

I have a Medtronic 2 lead Pacemaker. It comes with a bedside monitor, so my heart information is monitored all the time. Every three months I am sent a report. Meanwhile, I am comfortable knowing that my doctor is alerted to any problems.

One thing to be aware of, however, is that the pacemaker has default settings; probably not many of us have default bodies! Consequently, at first you may have to have the pacemaker "tweaked" several times to work with you. For example, my setting did not allow my heart rate to increase enough to accommodate any exercise. I found myself frequently out of breath (I did not know at the time that it could be adjusted, so I was very concerned). "Tweaking" is very easily done. A technician has a device close to where your pacemaker is implanted and adjusts settings. Quick and easy! I wish I had been aware of that at the beginning.

Also... you mentioned having AFib. The pacemaker keeps your heart rate from going too low, but it does not stop AFib. I had 3 different AFib episodes after my pacemaker was implanted. I was very surprised the first time it happened, and I was alerted by the pacemaker monitoring.

Anyway, I hope this helps you to feel more comfortable with the procedure. Please reach out if you have other questions that I might be able to answer. I was scared at the thought of a pacemaker. I thought only old sick people had those, and I was only 75! However, I am grateful that I have it.

@amalfi1279 Hello again, @amalfi1279, I see that you are getting a pacemaker in about 2 weeks. You posted on July 11th and since that time you had many responses. You are unsure about the entire process that will be happening and the uncertainty is making you uncomfortable. Every one of us here fully understands and here is an extra hug of encouragement ((HUG)).

On July 11th I responded to your post and included a couple of links that may answer some of your questions. Please do ask your doctors as well, as a unique person with several ongoing medical issues, there may be unique answers to your questions.

Here is a copy of part of my post to you from July 11th: Mayo Clinic posts much information; here are two links you may be interested in reading: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pacemaker/about/pac-20384689 and https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pacemaker/multimedia/pacemaker/img-20008517. Actually, there are more including video presentations by Mayo doctors.

In your browser, you may type Mayo Clinic Pacemaker to see many more items. Knowledge helps us to understand what is happening with our hearts as well as helping us to formulate questions for our doctors. How did you find out that a pacemaker was needed? Do you have an electrophysiologist, a specialist in the electrical functioning of hearts? Your pacemaker will be installed on Aug 13th. Which type - so many new models are now available as other contributors have described. Please keep us posted with both your progress and personal impressions of this journey.