What Has Been Your Experience with Your Pacemaker?

I am sharing an article about living with implantable devices, i hope you find the enlightening. https://heart-failure.net/implantable-device - Clair Site Moderator

I didn't have a pacemaker, but I had to have a defibrillator put in. One of our community moderators has one. She also wrote an article about it which I will attach to this response. I hope this helps. https://heart-failure.net/living/shock -Olivia (moderator)

I have had a pacemaker since 1999. I was 35. It has been a lifesaver. The surgery was easy and replacement even easier. I got a biventricular pacemaker a few years ago and have 3 leads. I went 5 years with problems before I got my initial device. At the same time I had an ablation and am 100% paced.

Hi: I'm both an HF patient and an RN, and I've had an implanted pacemaker/defibrillator since 2020. Everybody's experience with implanted cardiac devices is different, but mine has been pretty easy. It's important to know what device is being placed, what it's expected to do (or not do), and when you should consider calling for assistance. In my case, my AICD hasn't had to defibrillate me since it's been placed, but it has paced my heart rythyms when they've been abnormal. The pacing part is painless; the shock from the defibrillator is, I'm told, like getting kicked by a mule. No mules yet! The key thing to make this work for you will be information; the more you and your cardiologist know about how you're doing and what the device is up to, the better your life will be. It can help reduce your fatigue by making sure that your heart is beating properly, as best as it can with HF. I understand the fear; don't let it prevent you from living the fufllest life you can. Good luck!