Pacemaker recipients: Looking for support from others

shortshot800 Nancy........Eileena, you didn't say how old you are but it doesn't make any difference. I received my pacemaker when I was
73. Now I'm 84 and I feel great and am glad I have it. I just got through with five sessions of radiation for the cancer in my right lung. I also
have cancer in my left lung that nothing will cure. I figure that if my cardiologist tells me that I need a pacemaker, I am paying him to take care of me, maybe he could be right and I would have it done. That is what happened ten years ago. Just a thought, perhaps your doc is right! Not doing what your doc says could be a costly mistake. Food for thought.

Your post makes me so happy that the ablation I had for a single PVC site was successful. I had them so very bad, 20 time a minute, that I was refused to donate blood. Mine went very well. My EP kept me in hospital overnight as he does with all his patients and have not had any repeat offenders. I too have a Right Branch Bundle Block, however I have no idea what I should be seeing in the way of symptoms, I just know this due to it being stated in my records and the EKG readings I often get to see. My cardiologist keeps telling me he thinks I need a pacemaker, but I keep telling him I really don't yet need one.

(shortshot80) Nancy To: lakelifelady)
Wow! Sorry for all your troubles, but with all the problems ending with the pacer, What would it have been without it? My husband and I were in Arizona for the winter, I fell in the back of the pickup, lost of a lot of blood (nose bleeding) Lady next door cleaned it up, told me as a surgery nurse she hadn't seen that much blood and to check with my doc. So went is and had all checked. What do you know? The holes in my heart (everybody has them) Well mine never closed as a kid. At 73 years old the doc's put in a pf occuleder in my heart which changed the blood flow. I was lucky that the doc's found the problem.
After the surgery I felt much better. As a kid I often told my mom that my "heart" hurt.
A little over 10 years ago, I was on meds to keep my heart running, they tried for four days to regulate and start new meds, I ended up with a Meditronic pacemaker. I am now sending by phone every three months transmittance of my pacer. I think that maybe I will have a new one in the next six months. Doc tells me that I won't be in the hospital very long, two or three hours and with just local numbing meds. That is way different than when I first received the pacer. y! I am now 84

During a botched oblation for tachycardia I was put into heart block, which necessitated a Medtronic pacemaker. Then a small loose part caused pericardial bleeding and we had to do another pacer. After all that drama in 2012 and the fact that I felt like they destroyed my heart, it is a traumatic memory yet today. And I regret having agreed to an oblation. I still needed another sinus node oblation but had that in MN.
Mostly all is well now except for three things: 1) when washing under my left arm or applying deodorant any jiggly movement will set my heart rate racing 2) same when walking and hitting a bump or hole 3) same thing happens when I clap my hands as in applauding.
If my pacer were to be set lower there would be too much of a lag in adequate response for say, biking or swimming.

You are welcome, thanks for saying so.

Hello V.Douglas,                              Thanks for telling me your story, it really helped. I have been wondering if this NSVT is a sign of worsening CHF guess I will find out when I go back to the cardiologist. Your right it's no fun, but I'm  still hopeful  things will get better, I hope the same for you. Thanks again and take care!

@vdouglas Thanks for your input. Teresa

Hello @regeanna, I have had bouts of Tachycardia which are now controlled with Beta blockers. Ablation was a consideration for me only if the Ventricular Tachycardia could not be controlled with the beta blocker. Beta blockers are not the answer for everyone.

My Tachycardia was associated with Mitral Valve Prolapse. I have been taking beta blockers for around 32 years and have only an occasional runs that I can feel. I have PVC's continually and have for the most part learned to ignore them.
Good luck, I wish you the best. Heart rhythm issues are not fun at all.

Just saying "hello". I hope others in your situation can chime in and that you are able to gain some information. I personally don't really have any experience with that.

I'm afraid I don't have any insights on this particular concern.