Pacemaker & ICDs: Introduce Yourself & Meet Others

Back in 2015 I had 5 shocks in a 24 hour period.

Will shorten my story but developed PTSD with anxiety/panic disorder from this. I went through testing and consultations (at my request) and was put on medications that helped me out of the PTSD at least to being able to have normal activities and not scared to death ICD would shock me again.

What I will pass on here is to be strong and when you feel stress, anxiety, asked for help. It is as you can see not uncommon to develop PTSD with ICD shocks. But need to pass on what one cardiologist told me about my ICD. It is like having your own EMS on standby to help you back into rympthm if needed.

I found that really helpful as those first minutes when in VTAC or heart stoppage is the most critical to prevent heart and organ damage. Then thinking about the time for EMS to get to you versus something that will react to your heart within seconds.

Hello everybody. I’m just returning to Mayo Clinic Connect, after quite a long absence. I have always valued my connection here and it’s benefitted me in so many ways over past years. As with many of you, I have a long list of health issues, but I love life and I’m as active as is possible, and feel much younger than my 90 years.
I have three wonderful sons and their wives, four adult grandchildren, and four greatgrandchildren, and they’re the centre of my universe!
Most of my working life I was a Legal Secretary and then Legal Office Supervisor, but once I retired from that, I attended art school for 5 years and had a successful career as a professional artist and teacher. I even managed to work for years online and at various colleges and universities to finally, this May, earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.
My interests used to be painting, hiking, climbing mountain trails in the Canadian Rockies, horse back riding, plus lots of pets, and reading. Sadly, I’m reduced to only that last category now, reading! Oh, but I’ve begun painting in watercolours again too, and am feeling so enthused and happy about that!

I couldn't help but notice you finished your degree later in Life. Nice to see someone else felt the drive to complete something we missed earlier in life. I myself always wanted to finish mine and just this past month finished my Bachelors in Biblical Exposition. Feels good at 66 to do this even tho I have no plans to return to a career. Thanks for Sharing

Sounds like my story also. Great to hear you were able to get past the feeling. Mine ended up in Transplant but its always nice to share similar thoughts with others.
But like you said I was able to work even thru some of the years prior with occasional shocks and yes it was great to realize that those could have been much more dangerous without the pacemaker / defibulator.

It got me to at least close enough to retirement age so I feel blessed to have those 10 years with an EMS in my chest.

I also like to share that even if you developer beyond what a pacemaker can do there are still options like transplant. I think that also gives us peace that there are options. Thanks for sharing

Congratulations, Dana! @danab
That’s fantastic news that you, too, chased after your degree later in life!
It sure feels good, doesn’t it? X0

Kudos to both of you…..

I have an iPhone

I am 3 months past a pacemaker surgery with a revision 3 weeks later. I am 86. I am still having some pain after exercise.

I just found this site. I’ve had a Biotronik implantable pacemaker since 4/1/2019 I also have afib I’ve had sharp pains in my heart like a tooth ace/sharp quick pinch’s off & on since I received my pacemaker. I had several test & all come out with a working pacemaker.

@nit
Is your device under your skin or chest muscle?

Since your pain and discomfort only started when you got pacemaker have you had your cardologist/EP check the surgery site and where wires come out of device.

By now your device should have encapsulated the device and these irritation from device, wires and where the come out of device and not had same irriataion as when first put in.

What you are descibing though is the dicomfor I sometimes feel from my device. My device is under my chest muscle. I am on my 3rd device and first one was in 2006.

Over time I had found what causes the pain and discomfort (how I move my left arm, how far up, straining etc.) and can identified the movement that causes them. Can you relate to when you feel this discomfort to a certain movement, laying on it, stretching, etc.?

The discomfor you are feeling I have felt same but know I am moving wrong and I try to consciously not do that. Your device working properly or not would not be giving you a tooth ache sharp quick pinch. These really sound like the area of pacemaker where wires are screwed into device and are raised surfaces. This is the area I get the same pinches and discomfort you are referring to.

Talked to your EP (electrophysiologist) about your discomfort and mentioned could it be from the device and wires. Then be honest and tell him/her about your usage of your arms and if you noticed the discomfort when you do certain things. Some patients devices encapsulate and have little or now discomfort. Some like me who are very active can stil have discomrot the quick pinch mentioned. When I feel that I can relate to what I was doing previous to it.