Does anyone here have a pacemaker? Tell me about it.

Are you seeking medical advice or just curious?! I don't have one, but I work on a Tele floor.

I have one. On Good Friday last year 2006 we were having a busy day in L/D when I started having chest pressure. The anesthelogist put me on the cardiac monitor and stated I was in first degree heart block. I thought he was crazy. I was only 50. So they took me to the ER. After staying in the ER for 5 hours and having numberous tests I was admitted to telemetry. The problem really was when I was sleeping. My heart rate dropped into the 30's. They would come in to wake me up to see if I was o.k. I felt like the babies in NBICU when they brady down.On Easter sunday I had my stress test which I flunked. I was dxed with sick sinus syndrome. And the day after Easter I got my pacemaker. A month or so later I found out that I also have sclerderma(crest syndrome). I have many of the symptoms. Now I am on Methotrexate to help slow it down or even possibly stop it. Last month I had another stress test which I passed without any problems. I was very happy that the muscular part of my heart is doing well.

I Have a VVI pacer that I got in Oct 07. Final DX prior to implant was Persistant Junctional. I also work on a tele unit.

My issue started 3 years ago when I was still a nurse at the nursing home and not working on the tele unit. I was having increased episodes of chest pain that was point specific however my endurance was dropping and I was increasingly SOB.

Spoke with many MD's as they came through my facility, self treated with Nitro for several months with little releif, Echo appt. made and was 2 months out only 2 cardiology offices in my town.

Admit to tele unit from work after episode of SOB, tachy in the 140's numbness in arms and HTN 170/89 (normal for me 110/68) + cardiac enzymes & st changes, 5 days in local hospital million doller work up except cardiac cath discharge dx: GERD ( by EGD) and anxiety. ( I did not buy it) requested med recs and went to major medical ctr. EP service saw me in less than 2 weeks and dx of inapropiate sinus tach, Failed meds of the course of 1 year and had ablation. Worked for 4 months, tried meds again and failed again, another ablation worked, MD made me aware that he had ablated near SA node and may have issue in future.

9 months later tired all the time, now working on tele unit and coworkers placed me on tele, Junctional in the 30's and 40's, MD updated halter monitor showed Junction Brady, with runs of bigeminy. EP suggested Pacer and I got VVIR set at 70 works like a charm.

I show it to many pre pacer patients and they feel better after they have seen and felt mine.

I got a biventricular pacemaker in March 2006 for RBBB and heart failure. QRS was steady between 180-200 m/s. The rbbb is from many surgeries I've had. I was born with tetralogy of fallot with pulmonary atresia. Last checkup my doc said my heart looks 60-70% better. I'll have another checkup before the end of the year.