Hi , Iam "Soldier 0461". I am new to this site> Here is my story: I am very fit having been an athlete all my life and a full career in the Army. My problem started when I had a blood pressure test and it was found that my Heart beat was only 29bpm yet! I felt good and still training every day with no symptoms of illness. It was arranged for me to have a Pace Maker fitted. The operation was to take 1hr 30 mins, indeed half way through the procedure I was rushed to the X-ray dept. for an X-ray. I was returned to the operating table and it took another 1hr 30 minutes to finish. . The surgeon later came to have a chat with me and advised me that during the operation when inserting a wire in my chest from the pace maker a vein had been punctured and the left ventricle of my heart scored.. He advised me that it was caused by a surgeon that he was training . He then gave me some paperwork and said if I wished to put in a formal complaint and to claim compensation to complete the forms. I said, I didn't want to claim any compensation as it was simply an accident and not done with any malicious intent. Summary> I feel fit and well, still training but less than I used to. I didn't realise the restrictions to ones daily life with a Pace Maker, Not allowed to lift anything heavy, not allowed to lift anything above ones head, not allowed do the crawl when swimming. No Contact sports, But I can still make love. [carefully] Update> 2 months later each time I yawn , sneeze, cough or take a deep breath I get a sharp pain in my chest as if pricked with a pin, lasts less than a second. I am burping quite a lot, I get pins and needles in my hands and feet and cramp in my legs, but other than that I feel good. My heart beat is a constant 60bpm but occasionally I have heart palpitations for about a minute. Question> Am I glad I had a Pace Maker fitted, Honestly> I am not sure as my life has been impacted so much with the restrictions of a pace maker, my life has changed dramatically. Oh yes and on top of this I have leukaemia.

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