Pacemaker

DH has. Because his heart rate was variable and ropping very low c24 beats a minute.

SIL had one fitted in March, she had been as right as rain but got up one morning and passed out 4 or 5 times in half an hour.

Her heart rate kept dropping dramatically, she had a pacemaker fitted the same day, home the next and has been as right as rain since.

Yes, I had a pacemaker fitted due to bradycardia (slow heart rate) causing dizziness and fatigue.
It has significantly improved my energy levels and quality of life.

My 90 year old friend had a pacemaker fitted about the same time as her 60 year old son and the difference it has made to their lives is marvellous.

Thank you. Has anyone done weights class after having a pacemaker? I don’t mean straightaway - say after a couple of months - and only ‘pink’ weights - nothing ambitious - I feel so nervous 😬

One cardio consultant said pacemaker. The next one said never. A third one said cardio ablation (don't think so). Who does one believe?

I refused an ablation..on research wasn’t worth it.
Pacemaker fitted and changed by life.

I actually work in Cardiology as a Cardiac Physiologist, I had a Pacemaker fitted about 2 years ago. I also take the lead and run a Pacemaker clinic.
I went into intermittent Heartblock, it's where the top signal leaves a longer gap than normal , before it fires a beat. It made me dizzy to the extent I couldn't get out of bed one day., I was fortunate I got to see a Cardiologist ASAP, who sorted it within a few days once discovered.
I also went into intermittent fast AF. So I have an Anti AF pacemaker.

Would I have an Ablation, yes I would, on the few occasions I have had fast AF, which completely knocks me out. I also had x3 Cardioversions but there's a chance one day they might not keep me out of AF, then I will go down that route.
My Pacemaker can't cope with rates too fast. So we have fixed it to Atrial Pace, to ensure it remains regular.

As for the Gym, I still go to the Gym, I have a personal trainer and we do Weights.
I tell my patients, yes go back to Gym, when I do the 6 week checks but slowly work up the weight.
After 6 weeks everything should be stable. Golf, Tennis, what every you want, to do but slow and steady, don't go mad.
You should get Home Monitoring and that would pick up any issues, which will get sent to your Pacing clinic as Alerts.

Best of luck Lillybelle you will be fine

Thank you Visgirl - that is all so helpful. I have my 6 week check on Friday and just hope everything is ok. My bpm which were always 40 resting now are up to what they should be (according to my Apple watch). I had no symptoms at all, which is scarey and I cannot praise the NHS enough for their prompt actions.

Thanks for your post Visgirl I've had one fitted because I have stage one heart block and couldn't tolerate the amount of medication I needed to keep right sided atrial flutter well controlled. Sadly I had a really bad episode a week after having the pacemaker which put me in hospital. My first pacemaker check showed that I still have an issue so meds were upped again to 7.5mg bd of bisoprolol (before pacemaker I was on 1.5mg daily!) Your post has reassured me that there are still things they could try as I'm still not great, I've got an appointment fairly soon to see the consultant but your post definitely raised my spirits!

Lillybelle and foxie48.. Your welcome.
Remember your Pacing team will always be able to advise you. The Physiologists who run those clinic are highly trained to European standards, the exams we take in Pacing the Doctors have to take the same ones if they want to do Pacing.
There are lots we can do, to get the "prescription" right just for you.

Visgir1

Lillybelle and foxie48.. Your welcome.
Remember your Pacing team will always be able to advise you. The Physiologists who run those clinic are highly trained to European standards, the exams we take in Pacing the Doctors have to take the same ones if they want to do Pacing.
There are lots we can do, to get the "prescription" right just for you.

Actually the pacing team were really great. I was very worried and knew things were not great, most of the time I could not take my BP because my HR was so erratic and I was waking up several times in the night unsure if I needed to go to hospital or not. They took the time to listen to me and chased down my consultant who they knew was around so I could get my scrip changed. I've got a home monitor now so I assume they take a look at what's happening from time to time. I'm away in Paris soon for 8 days, should I let them know I'm out of reach of the monitor? Not really sure what to do.

My DH is having his second one fitted at the end of August because the other is 12 years old now and needs replacing. He has had it so long that we have taken his health for granted, but when I look back to pre-pacemaker and how he kept falling unconscious or simply not right, I realise what a massive difference it has made.

The new one means that he will be constantly monitored by the hospital computer, and only called in if they feel there is an issue.

The new one means that he will be constantly monitored by the hospital computer, and only called in if they feel there is an issue.

My Dad had one of these fitted in 2018.

He has one remote access appointment a year, where they download the data overnight and would phone him if they had any concerns.
He also has one face-to-face appointment a year.
He's 93 now 🙂

No - this one is even more whizzy. He will never have to visit the hospital unless they have concerns.

Foxie48..
No you don't need to worry about your Home monitor, we tell people only let us know if you plan a very long hoilday 60 - 90 days.
Just take you Registration card, if you had any issues when you are away it will be transmitted when you get home, any serious problems you will need to see a Doctor.
They come in as Alerts, so we know to check, not the routine ones.
If the team are happy, and have told you about your next check they are satisfied it's all OK.

In fact I have been working today on a Remote Pacing clinic from my home. Phoned a few patients up as I wanted to check on them, it's especially beneficial to Heart Failure patients, (as some types of Pacemakers have extra knobs and whistles) can change their lives.
Few weeks ago I spoke to a wonderful lady who had a newly replaced one, I told her hers would last her about 14 years, she was 103 yrs, so age is no barrier, just good quality of life.

Visgirl Thank you.

thank you everyone for such helpful information. I am not quite so nervous about my first (6 weeks since fitted) check up tomorrow now.

Daughter had first one fitted 15 years ago when she was 20 as she kept fainting due to sudden drop in her heart rate. She has had 3 operations for congenital heart defect before she was four. She has coped brilliantly despite having Down Syndrome and amuses everyone as she has pacemakers done under local anaesthetic

I had a pacemaker fitted last August after complete heartblock.Emergency one fitted at 2am and full one 36 hours later after weekend.No problems until May this year which proved to be heart failure.New three lead pacemaker may have to be fitted.Am now sitting on hospital bed waiting to be discharged after AKI (Acute kidney injury) affecting heart.All these problems caused by long term (70 years)diabetes.
The pacemaker itself has been problem free and improved my ability to exercise without becoming ,breathless.

I had my pacemaker fitted in Nov last year. I’m 75.
I’d been having occasional fainting episodes for about 5 years.
GPs various said all was ok.
Had a private cardiology appt, holter monitor fitted for 2 weeks showed low heart rate,pauses and sometimes atrial fibrillation.
Pacemaker fitting by NHS was ok,staff so kind,home same afternoon.
Bit sore for a couple of days and careful for 6 weeks but all ok since. Scar fading nicely ,itches sometimes.
No worries any more and grateful for a wonderful device.

New three lead pacemaker may have to be fitted.

Justwidowed this is the type my Dad has, he has heart failure as well.
He's had it for six years now.